Does anyone know if a rolller/turner has to roll one direction and then the other, or can it roll the eggs completely over in one direction? I want to build one but the one direction then the other is a hurdle.
Turners in the Brinsea MiniAdvance go in one direction only. So the eggs are rolled in one direction, but the duration and frequency are adjustable.
rolling in both directions shouldnt be a problem. I would use a windshieldwiper motion to move the roller. It might take some fiddleing to get the motion just right, but is certainly do-able. Another option would be to use a cam action on your turner motor. This would work like a connecting rod on a crankshaft. To do this, you would need to mount a large flat washer on your turner motor. Drill a hole off center of the washer to connect a shaft to. as the motor turns, it would push the shaft in and out, or up and down every 180* of rotation. You would need to determine how far the roller needs to move in order to get the rotation of the eggs you desire. Then choose a flatwasher with that same diameter. If you dont wnat to use a flat washer, you can always do this,
Some incubators like the Brower roll the eggs continually in one direction. If you are building your own, be aware that turners work so slowly that you can barely tell they are moving. You don't want a rapid or rough movement. Most eggs get turned approx 3 to 5 times a day. When turning by hand, turn an odd number of times so the eggs do not always spend the night on the same side.
Cool ideas so far. I've been thinking about this for a while as well.....I will be keeping an eye on this one for sure.
