first robot

[psycho_fling]

Re: first robot

nicad and nimh battery packs are very good for new comers i would say

i did start of with an sla but it didn't hold charge well and so i progressed to nicads

also a point to think about is sla's are very hard to sell on, where as i think i would fine it easy(ish) to sell so i could buy some a123 cells for example

[muchalucha]

Re: first robot

for my very first bot i spent the smallest amount of money i could , all fo the aprts i bought have now been replaced, but i wouldnt of done it anyother way, i used 2 argos drills and used the batteries out of them and 2 wuper cheap rc car speed controllers. it was awfull but i gained experince no amount of asking questions could have got me, so for your first bot go cheap, itll be rubbish but you will get into the arena and have a bit of fun.

[elobire]

Re: first robot

thanks for the advice, i have already bought the cheaper batteries and im just waiting for them to come and il test my motors out then buy everything else.
for the wheels im thinking of buying 2 rear wheels from a scooter which has a gear thingy (duno what you call it ) so i can attach a belt from my motor to it so i wont have to attatch them straight to the motor.

[psycho_fling]

Re: first robot

personally i think your over complicating thinks, get some bluie wheels from robo challenge staright onto drill and they are very grippy and i haven't had a fail from them yet

btw if it is a gear on the wheel a belt wont work


also if your looking for some more batteries in form of drill batts i hav taken delivery of some new drill motors and don't need the batteries come with chargers aswell 2x12v packs

????

[elobire]

Re: first robot

thanks for the offer but im going to see how the motors i got work out.
the wheels are:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT
i was thinking of getting the belt for it and attaching it to the motor?

[muchalucha]

Re: first robot

STOP BUYING THINGS , got your attention ? . scooter wheels and those motors are great, but you are gona have one hell of a job finding a belt to fit those wheels and motor, and there is absolutely no guarantee that they will have the same teeth spacing, i have seen electric scooters with completely different belts that would not fit each other, so its not unreasonable to assume that your motor and wheels will not be the same, in which case you have wasted your money definitely on the wheels and possibly on the motor. Keep the motors you bought in a cupboard somewhere safe for your NEXT bot, an go get some 10 quid argos drills and blue wheels. It really isn't nearly as easy as you think to get a working effective drive train from those motors, with a little experience under your belt though, its very much possible . Even very very experienced roboteers pay large sums of money for pre made geared motor units with more power than drill motors.

So buy some drill motors and good luck .

[typhoon_driver]

Re: first robot

agreed. I went down the custom route when i started featherweights. Spent around 100 quid and whilst it worked well, it only worked well because i invested in a lathe.

I would only advise a custom drive train outside a drill motor assembly with access to a lathe. It's doable without but its so much easier with. I got lucky and bought a small lathe second hand off a guy on here a few years back.

Get yourself some drill motors and go down that route initially.

[elobire]

Re: first robot

i knew you guys would say that.
im taking your advice and buying some drills once the snow is gone.

[elobire]

Re: first robot

haven't got the drill yet, but who and how do i contact to get the wheels and mounting kits i have heard about?

[psycho_fling]

Re: first robot

contact james or grant cooper robochallenge

[elobire]

Re: first robot

sent grant a pm, waiting for a reply with some info about the wheel sizes and price

[psycho_fling]

Re: first robot

might be better to email

they are pretty busy atm so might be a while before getting a reply

[dgr]

Re: first robot

I think Grant's in Dublin isn't he?

[elobire]

Re: first robot

got a reply from grant. waiting for him to get back with the full price so i can send a cheque

[muchalucha]

Re: first robot

good good , can go wrong with blue wheels .