Motorized Model Stage Curtain

Looking to build a functional automatic model stage curtain? Look no further! This model serves as a step-by-step guide in acquiring components, assembling the model, and using this very stage curtain demo, tailored towards demonstration purposes. The model features a bi-parting curtain design that is controlled by the user. This simple guide will walk you through all the necessary steps that come with the usage of this intuitively designed stage curtain, fit to fulfill your needs.

For Assembly:

• Miter Saw
• Drill with Phillips head screw bits
• 1/4" or 3/8" Drill Bit
• Tape Measure
• Pencil or Pen
• Scissors
• Superglue
• Duct Tape
• Soldering Iron with Solder

For Model:

• Arduino 328p Uno Microcontroller
• 16" x 36" x 1" Wooden Base Board
• 48" x 1" x 2" Wooden Frame and Support Beam
• 28-48" Adjustable Curtain Rod
• 15"x33" Sheet of Velour Fabric
• 5 V Stepper Motor with Driver Board
• 9 V Battery with Terminal connector
• 6' length of string
• 100m Spool of Clear Fishing Line
• 4 Push Buttons
• 2 Long-Arm Limit Switches
• 10ft of 2-Wire Solid Copper Core Security Cable
• 9 Size #8x1-1/2" Wood Screws
• 8 Size #8x3/4" Sheet Metal Screws
• 4 1/4" Steel Nuts
• 2 Plastic 2" Diameter Wheels with Grooves
• 1 Package of 16-Count, 5lb Mounting Tape

Estimated Cost of Building Supplies: $95.85

We have included links with the supply list to things that will fit the budget as of the time of writing.

We have included links with the supply list to things that will fit the budget as of the time of writing.

Check each item according to the attached test plans. This is to ensure that all parts function properly and are of good quality, as well as to ensure the safety of you, those around you, and the model itself. The most important components to test are the long-arm limit switches, the pushbuttons, and the stepper motor using the Arduino 328p Uno.

Download the following ZIP file containing all necessary Arduino IDE files and follow the tutorial available here on the Arduino website to upload these files to your Uno microcontroller.

Alternatively (if you are on windows), you can use the AVRDUDE files and HEX files to upload to the Arduino 328p Uno. Open the file 'Read Me.txt' file and following the instructions in the .TXT file, as this will guide you how to download the program to the arduino.

Model Stage Curtain Arduino Files

Obtain a piece of wood large enough to satisfy the 'Base Board.' If the base is too large, provide the correct markings to ensure that it fits in the dimensions 16" x 36" x 1. Alternatively, if scaling the model differently, make sure to scale all measurements accordingly.

Mark the 1” x 2” x 48” Frame and Support Beam into 3 separate 16" lengths.

Wearing safety glasses, use a Miter Saw to cut along the marks to make three equal length 16" beams.

Mark one of the three new 1" x 2" x 16" lengths into two 1" x 2" x 8" beams. Mark 45° angles into both ends of each 1" x 2" x 8" beam so the final beam takes the shape of a trapezoid as shown in the figure.

Wearing safety glasses, use a Miter Saw set to 45 deg to cut along the 45° marks made.

Set the frame upright on the base 1" inward from each edge with the 2" side of the frame parallel to the 36" side of the base. Set the support to brace the frame on the base creating a triangle behind the upright frame peice. The support should be flush with the outer side of the frame. Outline the frame and support on the base. Look at the attached pictures for reference.

On the 1”x16”x3’ board, mark 1¼”x1¼” on the corners of the longest edge of the board as shown in the attached picture.

On the outermost side of both trapezoidal support beam, select one of the two edges along the largest face for each piece. Then, mark the intended screw mounting location 1 inch from the corner.

Put wood glue on one of the 16” pieces opposite of the curtain bracket and glue the end down with the corner lined up with the 1¼”x1¼” mark at the corner and the face with the mounted bracket on the same side as the closest longest length. The glued piece should look similar to the alignment shown in the attached picture. Wait for the glue to set.

Once the wood glue has set, place the base board at the edge of a table and clamp the board down with the 16” frame boards facing downwards. Mark two spots for screws to be drilled underneath the base board and verify that they are aligned with the frame pieces. Once verified, drill two size #8 – 1½” into the bottom of the base board into the frame piece as shown in the attached picture.

Taking one of the trapezoid-shaped support pieces, apply wood glue to the 45° faces of the board and place the 45° faces against the back of the frame piece and top of the base board, aligning the outer faces to be flush with each other as shown in the attached picture until the wood glue has dried.

Once the wood glue has dried, clamp the base board down and mark a spot on the front face of the frame piece and drill a size #8 - 1½” screw through the frame piece and into the support piece behind it as shown in the attached pictures. Mark a spot on top of the support piece and drill a size #8 – 1½” perpendicular to the support piece through and into the base board as shown in the attached pictures.

Repeat steps 7 - 13 for the opposite side frame and support beams.

Cut the 15"x33" sheet of Velour Fabric into 2 equal 15" x 16½" pieces.

Using the mounting bracket of the curtain rod, place the top of the bracket flush with the top of one of the 16” boards and centered with the width. Mark two spots in the wood with a marker using the bracket as a guide as shown in the attached pictures. Repeat this step for the other 16” length of wood.

Using the markings on the 16” boards as a guide, drill a size #8 - ¾” screw halfway into the lower of the two markings that would allow the curtain mounting bracket to slide underneath. After then sliding the bottom of the mounting bracket underneath the screw as shown in the attached pictures, continue drilling the screw down until the bracket is firmly held to the board. Drill a second screw into the top mark through the upper hole in the mounting bracket until the bracket is mounted firmly in place as shown in the attached pictures. Repeat for the second mounting bracket and board.

Taking one of the velour fabric pieces and starting from one corner, thread fishing line through the fabric using a needle, tie the fishing line into a knot around the curtain rod, and cut the excess length of fishing line as shown in the figure, leaving enough slack for the curtain to dangle slightly. Repeat threading the fishing line through and tying around the curtain rod along the 16½” edge of the fabric spaced at 2” apart as shown in the attached picture. Repeat this step for the second velour fabric curtain piece.

Mount the curtain rod to the curtain brackets, extending the rod enough to be able to rest the rod into the bracket as shown in the attached pictures. Once the rod has been adequately extended, tighten the bracket screws to firmly hold the curtain rod in place and apply a smooth-surfaced tape to smooth out the transition spot that connects the two pieces of the curtain rod as shown in the attached pictures.

When looking at the front of the stage, mark a line across the inside face of the left-hand frame piece 4¼“ from the top. From that mark, make 3 more line marks ½” down from the top mark. Centered on those line marks, mark the center of each line.

At each of the four center marks, use a 3/8“ drill bit to drill all the way through the frame piece as shown in the attached pictures. At this point, the top of a push button should be pressed down without going below the surface of the frame piece on the outer face as shown in the attached pictures.

Place the battery on the back part of the frame on the stage left (by looking from the front) above the joint of the frame and the support beam. Outline the position of the battery with a pencil, then remove the battery and put one square of mounting tape within the outline. Stick the battery to the mounting tape.

On the same side as the battery was mounted, place the microcontroller on the base between where it meets the frame and support. outline the microcontroller with a pencil, remove the microcontroller, place a square of mounting tape between the outline, and finally stick the controller on the mounting tape square.

On the same side of the frame with the battery, microcontroller, pushbuttons, and limit switches, place the motor centered on the top of the frame and outline it with a pencil. Remove the motor and place a square of mounting tape over the outline, and finally place the motor on the mounting tape with the plastic side of the motor facing the outer edge of the model. Brace the plastic side of the motor to the outer edge of the frame as needed with duct tape to prevent the wheel from tilting in the finalized build if necessary.

Mark a hole at the center of the top face of the opposite frame to the one which the motor sits above (Stage right frame from facing the front of the model) place a stack of 4 washers centered on the mark for the hole and place a wheel similarly centered on those 4 washers. use a #8 x 1-1/2" screw to screw the stack of wheel and washers to the top of the frame so they are held down but the wheel is still allowed to spin with minimal resistance.

Acquire a 6' piece of twine. Marking the 6' mark, tie a knot in the respectively identified area. With this, there should be about an extra 6" of excess twine. Taking a pair of scissors, carefully cut the excess off of the loop. Once cut, position the twine onto the inner groove of the wheel. At this point, the twine should be under slight tension and secure within the confines of the wheel groove.

Cut 2 6" lengths of twine. With the curtain positioned closed, with the section of twine closest to the curtain, take one 6" length of twine through the top stage center side corner of the curtain, then wrap it around the curtain rod with a little bit of slack and tie the end of the string off . Take the other end of the string and tie it to the section of the long twine loop closest to the curtain. Copy the system with the top stage center corner of the other curtain and the section of the long string loop furthest from the curtains.

Take the red and black wires out of the security cable and cut them so you end with four 13" red wires and four 13" inch black wires. Solder a black wire to one lead of each push button, and solder a red wire to the other lead of each push button

Cut excess red and black wires until you have two 14.5 inch red wires and two 14.5 inch black wires. Then, solder a red wire to each limit switch's side connector, and a black wire to each limit switch's middle pin.

Remove the nuts from the tops of the push buttons. Feed the push buttons through the 3/8" holed previously drilled so the activation side of the button faces the outer edge of the model and the wires come out towards the middle of the model. cut a 3/4" x 4" piece of plastic from one of the boxes of screws and drill 1/4" holes at the spacing of the push buttons leaving 0.5" on either side. fit the plastic over the push buttons on the actuation side. Screw on nut on each push button to mount it to the plastic. On the excess material on the top and bottom of the plastic, use 2 #8 3/4" screws (1 on the top and one on the bottom) to mount the plastic plate to the outer edge of the frame.

Place 2 squares of mounting tape on the front (audience facing side) and back of the top 1/2" of the same frame piece towards the side closer to center stage. Mount the limit switches to these squares so the actuation arms face towards center stage and point upwards.

Look at the attached wiring diagram.

Connect the battery terminals to the power and ground terminals of the microcontroller. Ground is usually black and Power is usually red.

Press buttons and have fun. That's something you can't do in meetings later in life!