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hey all.. so i've just got cable.. and am addicted to pimp my ride..

a question though... actuators... i've tried googleing, yahooing and a few other things... where can i find some basic information about actuators? its really cool, how they make screens rise for the dash etc. useing actuators.. is it hard to do?

They are quite fun to use but are very expensive.

Try googling "linear actuator" to find the results you are after.

tend to be a bit bulky too, hard to hide.

every now and again people post about nifty compact units on the cheap from aussie/nz companies...might be worth searching CAA for "linear actuator"

Ever consider vacuum motors?
They are cheep as chips and you can pick them up at any local car wreakers. Vacuum relays are also easy to find. They have incrediable pulling power but limited travel. Best part is they are quite.

You could always go pneumatic... Festo, SMC, MAC... the list is endless, but the solenoids, valves, etc are horrendously expensive as it's all hardcore industrial gear designed for millions of operations in sometimes hostile environments.

There are some 'Made in China' clones around but I can't vouch for those.

Sometimes used stuff shows up on auction sites and occasionally in industrial auctions. Sometimes the industrial auction stuff is brand new. Not pretty, but with some hand polishing and lacquering it could look quite ace.

Cheers - OT.