Gyroscopic drink holder

[Swan]

the bolt you see about 5" down is where the windshield is rubber mounted to the 1" alum upright

[Getter-Done]

Originally Posted by meimk

Just one thought: That U shaped cap, to go around the roof strut, is too thick to allow a windshield to mount. How about if the U was part of that main bracket and the cap were instead thin - maybe aluminum for rust resistance & strength?

Good point.
Yes piece of aluminum flat stock would be better

[RobotObsession17]

Originally Posted by Getter-Done

I will try to type this clearly
Using what you have made all-ready/
Make a plate that bolts to the U-shaped piece that
mounts to the tube of the cart.
On that plate have an upside down Vee-Shape with a 0.25 lip on the edge.
This will be to slide the cup holder down in place.

Now on the other side the cupholder itself/
Make another Vee-shape to match the pattern of the piece that is mounted on the cart that will envelope the bracket on the cart / keeping in mind that the 0.25 lip
on the other piece is to hold it on (Forth and Back).
To make this easy for printing/ You could use four screws to retain this bracket to your cupholder. Therefore make your design universal.
Then from there you just make a mount for what you are going to mount it too.
Bicycle, space shuttle and so on
Hope this is clear.
If not we will get there.

Getter-Done, thanks so much. I understand now. The interlocking / opposing wedge is a great idea. PS Earlier I said, I think I know what you meant...I didn't after all LOL, I was way off base. Thanks for taking the time to explain.

[RobotObsession17]

Originally Posted by meimk

Just one thought: That U shaped cap, to go around the roof strut, is too thick to allow a windshield to mount. How about if the U was part of that main bracket and the cap were instead thin - maybe aluminum for rust resistance & strength?

meimk, that is a great thought. This forum is packed with ideas. I love the aluminum idea for the thin bracket piece. I'm not much of a fabricator, I rely on my 3D printers, but I can do a flat / simple bracket. Good thinkin' and thank you.

[RobotObsession17]

Originally Posted by Swan

the bolt you see about 5" down is where the windshield is rubber mounted to the 1" alum upright

I hate to further muddy the water LOL, but what if we combined meimk's idea (thin aluminum mounting bracket) with Swan's idea (leverage the in-situ bolt on the front roof support)?

Swan brings up a good point, if the bolt is already there, in the approximate location could it work for carts that have a front windshield?

I don't have a windshield, nor do I know much about golf carts. So the next QUESTION: Do all of the carts have, at a minimum, a pre-drilled mounting hole for the windshield mount (ie even if it doesn't have a windshield)?

Ironically, I mounted this gyroscope overtop of the very hole that Swan is referring to (I didn't even notice the hole at that time). Since the hole is covered up, I took a 2nd pic (pointing to the hole) on the opposing side of the cart.

You guys are very innovative.

[Swan]

I drilled that hole when I mounted the windshield

[Getter-Done]

Originally Posted by RobotObsession17

Getter-Done, thanks so much. I understand now. The interlocking / opposing wedge is a great idea. PS Earlier I said, I think I know what you meant...I didn't after all LOL, I was way off base. Thanks for taking the time to explain.

We (as a Great Forum) can get you a Great Plan going.
Since you have the 3-d printer
It's try and try /Till you get the Magic one.
Let us keep hashing this out. It will work out great







.

[Mooncarter]

Originally Posted by RobotObsession17

...and here it is installed on my cart.

Good news is it works waaay better then I planned. I live in KY, where there is no shortage of hills, and the gyro keeps the drink perfectly level regardless of the cart's orientation. I love building useless stuff, and this is a perfect example.

Bad news, I am horrible at taking pictures, I know.

Next steps are to figure out how to design a universal mount that will fit on golf carts with varying size roof supports / struts. Getter-Done, as others, I know you have ideas LOL.

As a side note, I did not want the mounting screws to penetrate the roof support / strut because it is jammed packed with camera wires.

QUESTION, I do not have a windshield. Would my current location interfere with a windshield, if I were to add one?

As always, I welcome ideas if you have a better location, design improvements, etc.

Nice job.

[RobotObsession17]

Originally Posted by Swan

I drilled that hole when I mounted the windshield

Thanks Swan. I know little about golf carts, and nothing about the windshields. Since you drilled the windshield hole, can I assume (dangerous?) that if people installed their windshields the hole would be similarly situated?

I am hoping the same bolt used for the lower windshield mount could also hold the gyroscopic drink holder.

Then the next question is, do all the golf carts (with a windshield) have a bolt-mounted windshield approximately in the same location? I just did a quick search and the windshields appear similar across various makes/models. This would provide the universal mount that I am seeking.

PS Getter-Done, Mooncarter, thanks...you guys are too kind.

[EzIndyGo]

Cool design and I love the fact that you're CI'ing the heck out of it with the folks here. EDIT: Would you be willing to send me a .STP of your design? I'd love to take it for a spin on Creo and see if I can come up with an ideas. Understand if you're not comfortable sharing. You have a great design that's probably patent-able.

We have a small 3D printer in the office that I'd love to print something like this up on, but I'm WFH now, and never in the office enough to get something this size done. :(

Just as an FYI, my 2003 TXT had the hole already in the roof strut/support. I bought and aftermarket windshield, and the support bolt for the shield (with a rubber grommet/bushing) went right in.

So, in theory, if you made it mount by bolt, one in my situation could remove the provided bolt, and replace it with one of equal diameter, but longer length. Have a counterbore in your mounting plate, and the bolt would sit sub-flush, allowing the holder part to butt up tight?

I was confused though, I figured you'd use this to put a beer in, not the garbage in a can that's in your picture. ;)