Since the micro controller pin functions had been determined and DC motors selected, it was time to work on the door mechanism. I designed a simple mount for the DC motor and a spool for it to hold a length of 20 pound test fishing line. The door itself was made from 3/8 plywood. I also made a wooden frame and guide rails so the door could be lifted/lowered by the motor. I designed a mechanism to lock the door in place when it was fully lowered.
During testing, things didn't work out well. The lift line was not precisely centered and caused the door to tilt as it was lifted and lowered. Although, I suspect mild warping of the wood rails may also have played a role. This meant the door would catch and stick when it was being lowered. Similarly, the locking mechanism was often misaligned and caused multiple errors. Fortunately, I had programmed several error-detecting algorithms and it was easy to identify the problems when they occurred.
But, even though several fixes were made, the door remained unreliable. So, I decided to see if there was a better path forward.
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