Post #519992 by TorchGuy on Thu, Mar 25, 2010 9:37 PM

Were you to do as described above, you'd need a way to get power to the lights that rotate on the drum. Weird custom homebrew lighting effects are my bag - one of 'em, anyway. If you ever try this, here's my idea: Start with a coffee can or other cylinder, and build your motor using an old rotisserie motor and spit shaft. Should be easy to grab one off eBay or at a thrift store. On each end of the drum, cover the surface with something nonconductive. A coffee can lid works. Need this on both ends. Now, run one of the two power wires down onto each end, glue in place, and get yourself a wide metal ring. Glue the ring to the end cover, and attach the each wire to the rings. For the power itself, split the power cord and, at each end of the drum, affix the wire to some sort of solidly-attached terminal on the support base, add a strip of springy metal, and bend these until they rest firmly against the metal rings. This keeps current flowing to the onboard lights as the drum revolves.

Given the chance, I'd love to try to build this unit. Sounds fun.