Use a brushless drill motor/gearbox?

[Karmannghiagirl]

Is there any reason you couldn't use a brushless drill motor/gearbox (and the control circuitry and batteries) instead of using hobby brushless motors? I would assume since drill motor/gearbox combos put out more torque, you dont need as big of a ratio for the drive/wheel gears so you should still be able to get good speed.

I have just been doing the math and I can get a brand new brushless dewalt or makita drill on craigslist for ~$75-90 (without the batteries) and then I can just use my milwaukee drill batteries (with a 3d printed adapter), or get lipos to power them. And just use the control circuitry already in the drill to run it. The only downside I can see is that it would not have braking, which is not a really big deal as I could just make a manual brake like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyqJuUkimhs

Is there anything wrong with this? Has anyone else tried this?

 

[Ianhill]

I seen this done on push bikes on YouTube and the wheel spins up but ive not seen no one riding them, When I used an electric scooter motor its spun on the stand fine no heat looked excellent stood on it twisted throttle and the fuse blew swapped it and then the armature melted to bits the lesson is anyone can make a wheel spin on a stand it takes very little effort but to make it carry a load is a different story all together, I wouldn't use a drill the speed controller is no where near robust enough to hold the high currents and the gearbox is plastic on most drill models I think u would waste your money not save it if u had a drill I'd say try it but buying one to destroy ud be better of saving doing it right sorry to be a bummer.

 

[spinningmagnets]

I actually think this idea has merit, especially if you can buy it used under $100.

Most cordless drills and saws are brushed. There is a clear distinction between the grade of tool robustness when considering tools made for the weekend DIY homeowner, and a contractor who uses the tool all day every day. With brushed electrical tools, the quality can vary widely.

However, the cordless tools that are brushless are always more expensive. The motor will cost roughly the same, but the controllers are more expensive. The benefit is NOT that you save the cost of replacing the brushes (they are cheap and easy to replace). The major benefit is that if the brushes wear out in the middle of a big job, it can cost a contractor big money to drop everything and run to the store to buy another one. Construction contracts often have timeline penalties for a late completion.

Research cordless brushless drills, circular saws, and chainsaws.

 

[nutnspecial]

I have seen vids (utube) of people directly driving bike cranks with a dewalt 18v. It got goin pretty darn good, and I think he kept it in one gear. Let me know if you can't find it. On a board you'd have completely diff rpm to account for and less variation of gearing in place.

Don't the drills spin up to about avg 2000rpm? There's diff ones of 1500-2500rpm I think, so how does that work out to a board wheel rpm/speed? Like 10mph w/ stock wheel driven direct on 18v? There's promise there depending on what you're after!

 

[nutnspecial]

Curiousity kills cats . . Glad I'm not a cat

Here's a calculator

Here's the dewalt drill bike
[youtube]8lyp4PcOSZE[/youtube]

And here's a search for 'drill powered skateboard', COOL
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=drill+powered+skateboard

 

[Ianhill]

Most drills give u two speeds but they will crunch if used as the chuck spins. I can remember a scrapheap challenge where they tried a dewalt electric drill on a bike and it didn't go to plan but that was a few moons ago proberly NiMH battery's and brushed so you may get results better than theirs as you will have more time and newer components just how long will it last ?, I burnt a milwaukke 18v fuel drill esc out drilling just 10mm holes in a 8mm plastic sheet consecutively with out rest after say 100 holes the motor pulsed and run no more so they not gonna hold peak currents for to long but milwuakee where very helpful and i would still recommended them just I abused the drill beyond its specs I allowed no rest time very silly and expensive lesson.

Plastic seems the worst to drill for me ive destroyed athe mentioned drill and two dremils with plastic the MOSFET/s blew on them all .

I suppose it will work but gearing will be key as always good luck to you chap.