From The Ground Up (Advice Thread)

[Laser]

Re: From The Ground Up (Advice Thread)

another charger that is very reliable
http://www2.ripmax.net/item.asp?itemid= ... ry=090-020

[Roland]

Re: From The Ground Up (Advice Thread)

Thanks for your quick replies guys! Very helpful, The chargers look cheaper than I expected them to be! Which is somewhat of a relief. I'm pretty set for now then Something that started bugging me even though I've not at that stage yet is how to lengthen axles? You can't really weld things on as you have to have it exactly straight, so can you buy sleeves that fit on? or just make your own?

[harry hills]

Re: From The Ground Up (Advice Thread)

make your design smaller of buy a new axel

[webby]

Re: From The Ground Up (Advice Thread)

Hello! I am Roland, I'm new to the forum and thought I should introduce myself before I start rambling.

Here goes.

I'm 14 years old, and I'm a total newbie to building robots.
I'm wanting to have building Robots as my active hobby, I no longer see sitting and playing Xbox all day as a sufficient and productive way to spend my life, I enjoy engineering and electronics from what experience I have. I also want to make my Grandpa proud before he passes away.
I'd like to say that I've looked into building robots for a couple of months now seriously, and have considered it for more than a few year - my grandpa was an offshore BP engineer, and whenever I visit we spend a lot of time in his garage making things (Which has given me a small amount of experience in using clamps, angle grinders, saws, drills and the spinney thing which makes stair banisters of which name surpasses me!) which gave me the idea to start. So I have come to the conclusion that my best bet was to get advice from real professionals rather than spending endless hours on Google. So I'm starting from right at the bottom. What I want to know is, can YOU help me with getting started?

Specifically, I would like to know,
What tools do I need?
Where and for what price can I get tools?
Where and for what price can I get internals?
What internals do I need?
How much space will I need to build featherweights?
Where can I learn the electronics and engineering to build one?
What method of transport other than trailer/boot (Which I would still have access to) would you suggest?
If I were to get into a bit of a bother, would anyone be able to give me advice on what to do?
How exactly do YOU deal with the risks of building robots?

So, those are my questions, I know it's a long list, and I thank anyone in advance for helping out.
Oh, and money isn't a problem, I earn round £60 a month from pocket money and helping my dad and I am looking for a part time job + whatever I earn from items I sell using amazon/ebay, I'm certain my Parents will support me when I have understood enough of it to be trusted to not do anything too awful and I can show myself as willing to act mature about it and to prove I can handle the responsibility.

-Roland (Sorry for the awful grammar)

Edit: I'm not expecting to have a robot in two months time, I understand this possibly and most likely will take a long time possibly more than a year, more than two!

hi roland i am also soon to be 14 (in may) and like u i also like engineering and electronics and my uncle has a garage were he builds replica f1 cars out of fiberglass and stuff so we have a lot in common nice to meet you! ps whats ur second name? thanks ashley webb

[Roland]

Re: From The Ground Up (Advice Thread)

In reply your above post my second names Spencer.

Well, the whole plans gone a bit shambles, but it's also sort of good I suppose, my graupners which I ordered on the 3rd of april, still hadn't come so I've gone and asked them to refund me as apparently Graupner are having factory issues so they doubted I'd get them any time soon. After speaking to John Frizell I think I might use drill motors instead; trouble is I have 8 (I originally bought 6?) 125mm castor wheels without nut inserts, so I'm not entirely sure what I should do with them...?

[typhoon_driver]

Re: From The Ground Up (Advice Thread)

buy nuts, heat them with a soldering iron (leave it on them for a long time) and press them in, and hey presto, you got wheels which nut inserts. As long as the bore is less than around 12mm?

Worst case throw them on ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/3-8-UNF-HEX-FULL- ... 3f099c26a3

[Roland]

Re: From The Ground Up (Advice Thread)

Hmm, sounds simple enough. Thanks!

I'm not seeing the 10 quid difference between
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...er/7112812.htm
and
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...er/7112953.htm ?

[jonny]

Re: From The Ground Up (Advice Thread)

i'll take a pair of 125mm with nut insert if you're making them

[Roland]

Re: From The Ground Up (Advice Thread)

Haha! I doubt I'll make 8 without a pair going wrong, but we'll see.

[Roland]

Re: From The Ground Up (Advice Thread)

Got my 18v drills from argos, some reason only 18 quid: http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...rewdrivers+%2F
I remember seeing a tutorial on how to dismantle them so if anyone has the link could they send it my way? Thanks

[woody]

Re: From The Ground Up (Advice Thread)

http://www.wa4dsy.net/robot/drillmaster/index.html

TAKE THE CHUCK OFF FIRST!...So much easier.... and use the 5mm screw locking method not the O ring.

[Roland]

Re: From The Ground Up (Advice Thread)

AAAAARGH! Thanks for the link, it's been very helpful thus far, but for some reason one of the drills decided to stick and managed to grind down the end of the grub screw completely :S The rest went fine... Any ideas for how I could salvage the gearbox or should I just buy another drill? I'm a bit sad that I've not managed to save it :'(

[ewan]

Re: From The Ground Up (Advice Thread)

If you've got a drill bit that's up to it then drill out the head and then you'll be able to take the chuck off (I say 'up to it' as the screw is often very hard steel!) - once you're there you may be able to cut a new slot in the screw remains and attempt to remove it again.

[Roland]

Re: From The Ground Up (Advice Thread)

Frustratingly it won't work because my drill bits are probably too soft.
I was considering either sawing into it to remove the head or just chucking the gearbox all together and then hope someone had a spare one! that or just buy another Bit late for my warrranty...

[Anttazz]

Re: From The Ground Up (Advice Thread)

If its just one the grub screw can you not just use the other holes to lock the gearbox down?