Potentiometers do a good job of minimizing slop for shaft joints but they do add more friction, and shaft joints inherently have more friction than screw joints. There really isn’t any other way to use potentiometers though. An alternative you could use is the encoder built into the v5 motor.
If the object rotating around the screw is shorter than 2 inches, you could simply extend a bearing out from the other side of the tower with spacers so that the screw won’t bend. If the object is longer than 2 inches, you could use 2 screws, one on each side of the tower, each locked to the rotating piece. You have to use more teflon washers than usual though because you have more places where metal would rub against metal (i.e. the screw heads and the tower).
Sorry if I wasn’t clear, but can’t you rotate the lift on a screw through the main shaft hole on the gears.
Therefore “driving it”? (could be wrong terminology so sorry abt that)
and I sadly can’t afford to use 2 gyros on my lift, only one sensor really.
The screws can be extended with the use of a standoff as well, as the screw won’t be spinning in the standoff. Neither the screw nor standoff would move, allowing for a supportive extension standoff to be effective. That being said, most gearboxes should be fit within the 2 inch limit to minimize the effect of friction. I wouldn’t recommend extending screws past 2 inches for any joint which bears a substantial amount of weight.
Screws can’t be rotated, because they should 1 be stationary, but 2 don’t fit into the slots of a motor. Therefore, the gear directly driven by the motor must be an axel joint while the rest of the gears can use screw joints.
you don’t need to use it. the screw can be just there as a guide to restrain the gear. the gear will move independently. High strength shaft holes have circle hubs, allowing screws to fit in. of course you can’t rotate a screw with a motor, i just still use a shaft for that one.