Joined: 19 May 2014
Posts: 3
Location: UK, Birmingham
Always a pleasure to read your build progress Nick, you going to try coming over to Insomnia again this year? would be awesome to see your new one get some use here too, we need more undercutters
Sun Mar 25, 2018 7:17 am
Nick Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 11802
Location: Sydney, NSW
Its a definite maybe - I am currently chasing a 40,000 pound debt and when that comes through I plan to buy a tormach 1100 and start a small CNC business making mostly custom knives. If there is some cash left over, going to Insomnia is top of the list.
If I get the CNC mill going in time, I have a loooong list of bot parts to make. Getting an under-cutter going would be sweet, otherwise Mr Mangle is always ready to go. _________________ Australian 2015 Featherweight champion
UK 2016 Gladiator champion
Sun Mar 25, 2018 11:06 am
Nick Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 11802
Location: Sydney, NSW
Belated updates:
The power switch is finished and it works well. On the downside, making all the contacts from copper was probably a mistake; the threaded contacts are already galling due to the incredibly soft and sticky nature of pure copper. Cutting the threads on the copper screw was a bit of a nightmare and the result on the lathe had to be cleaned up manually - this is after the manual clean-up:
The switch fully assembled, with a steel cap screw inserted in the copper screw to act as a tougher hex key interface:
The electronics mounting board has a heap of problems. While it fits OK, it is an absolute bastard to get in & out of the bot. After much tinkering in CAD, the CF board is going and a new metal board is replacing it:
With skeletonising and using titanium, the new board hardly increases the bot's weight and gets rid of all the nuts - the board is tapped to directly screw all the ESCs down. That saves space and now all the parts can be removed without having to first remove other parts. Its also unbreakable and fire-proof.
The new electronics module has slightly different mounting mounts, so I am practising TIG welding up the old countersunk holes in the chassis:
Its surprisingly difficult to get and filler into the bottom of the hole. Filling the countersink part is easy, but deeper than that just doesn't work. _________________ Australian 2015 Featherweight champion
UK 2016 Gladiator champion
Tue Mar 27, 2018 5:55 pm
MoonSet416
Joined: 25 Sep 2016
Posts: 436
Location: Sydney
Nice job. I wonder what that greenish stuff on your rage bridge is... Epoxy I guess?
Tue Mar 27, 2018 6:42 pm
Nick Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 11802
Location: Sydney, NSW
Yep, its thick epoxy glue. Its calculated risk since there is no room for a protective box - I can't make any changes or repairs once the epoxy sets. _________________ Australian 2015 Featherweight champion
UK 2016 Gladiator champion
Wed Mar 28, 2018 8:20 am
Nick Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 11802
Location: Sydney, NSW
I need a small favour!
Hi Everyone - I entered a competition YouTube to win either a Mavic Pro drone or a Nikon P900 camera, both very nice prizes. The aim was to make a video about how the recent Equinox proves to Earth isn't flat (like some conspiracy theorists think )
Its open to public voting and these things often turn into a popularity vote - I'm sure the other contestants are already mobilising all their friends.
I would be really, really grateful if you could pop over to this YT page:
https://youtu.be/NlcqlpMRiiE
. Just post a short comment under my video to vote - it should either be right at the top or right at the bottom of the comments section.
Thanks again! _________________ Australian 2015 Featherweight champion
UK 2016 Gladiator champion
Thu Mar 29, 2018 4:49 am
Nick Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 11802
Location: Sydney, NSW
Motor Month:
Firstly, Thanks to everyone who voted in that video competition - its not official yet, but it looks like I won
Back to robots, I have a heap of unfinished motor projects so maybe April is the time to finish some of them off. First, there are these ant-sized motors I salvaged:
The motors are about twice the size of the usual ant motor and have a crazy amount of torque but only 125RPM at 5 volts. They do better at 7.2V and don't get hot, so an ant wedge bot with two of these should be a basic but reliable option.
The spur gears are the real find here; they allow better motor positioning and take the impacts off the motor shaft.
The next thing is my first stepper motor project. I have a salvaged linear rail and ACME threaded screw mounted on a plate:
The aim is to make a motorised, MCU controlled camera slider. Its a bit dodgy but its free and a good way to get started.
Then there is the giant out runner and bearing block for the horizontal spinner to test and new drive motors for Mr Mangle to finish and install.
So much to do, so little time!
_________________ Australian 2015 Featherweight champion
UK 2016 Gladiator champion
Thu Apr 05, 2018 12:42 am
timmeh Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 20 Jul 2004
Posts: 2523
Location: Victoria
Hey mate i know you always had a good lists of sites for parts.
I am wondering where you get those micro v belts. i never had much luck finding small size belts for robot use. thanks. _________________ Tim Team Reaper.
Fri Mar 29, 2019 8:42 pm
Nick Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 11802
Location: Sydney, NSW
Try PTparts - they are in Victoria and fairly reasonably priced. Just bought some bit from them and they had quick delivery _________________ Australian 2015 Featherweight champion
UK 2016 Gladiator champion
Fri Mar 29, 2019 9:58 pm
timmeh Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 20 Jul 2004
Posts: 2523
Location: Victoria
Thanks mate! I dont know how many power trans shops iv been into over the years looking for small stuff. At least now days i will be making my own pulleys since i was given a small lathe. _________________ Tim Team Reaper.
Fri Mar 29, 2019 10:13 pm
timmeh Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 20 Jul 2004
Posts: 2523
Location: Victoria
What are your thoughts on the elastic poly v belts? I am very tempted to use them in my design as I like the idea of them keeping tension on the pulleys without a tensioner. I will still have a sliding weapon motor mount which I would set and then slightly roll stretch the belt on. said belts have a blue marking to indicate elastic type.
I found a number of places now that I can get j belts from now I understand the codes and whatnot thanks for the ptparts link it was a big help! _________________ Tim Team Reaper.
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