…and yet, look at the number of robots that are designed in exactly this way. Many, many robots’ structures are little more than frames to provide a mobile common mounting point for the motors, electronics, sensors, power systems, etc. This sort of design is less commonly seen in robots that are intended to serve outdoors as rovers or Robo-Magellan competitors, but have a look at photos and videos from these events, and you’ll see more than just a few examples of “open-air cooling” and “rapid access” design that leaves the electronics exposed to the environment.
YAY, my electronics are shorting out from the rain. What a great way to waste 1000!
And yet I cease to see how the creators make money off of these robots.
Oh, I never said it was a good design feature - only that it’s a common one.
ahhh, touche’.
Great job there Chunga! Very nice frame. It looks strong and ready to take a beating from the rover!
I haven’t been keeping up to date with this topic (sorry 
!). What did you decide on? metal or lexan plating around the rover.
Can’t wait to see more progress man 
Thats one awesome frame!
Oh, is that the workbench your uncle gave ya? It looks really nice 
I wish I had one!
ty very much, and no i haven’t decided yet but i am leaning towards diamond plating due to its relative easiness to get and stronger than lexan
no its not, its the one down in my garage were all be cough fathers cough tools are 
Ahh I see. Yea. I think diamond plating would work. Especially since it will be tracked and will be close to the ground and will probably go off road. Good to have nice armor in case you fall down a mountain 
Oh man, I want your dad’s workbench 
Its so nice! It looks better than my computer/office desk 
well, after going to lowes and slightly throwing up when i saw the prices for diamond plating, i decided to change from all aluminum, to mostly lexan and some aluminum
i plan on using aluminum for the sides and the track units and the bottom, lexan everywhere else until i can afford more aluminum to finish it up, i think im just going to buy the lexan 3 pack on the LM site, the black stuff, nice and cheap and nice color, perfect size too
btw, is the LM site down? cause i cant get to it
EDIT: btw the pricing for aluminum wasn’t too bad now that i think about it, but it will be about $70 for the half aluminum half lexan rover, about $36 for an 12x24 peice, and $96 for a 24x48 piece
Me niether
how much are the prices for the diamond plating?
Why not just build your own like I did? It was a great school project I got to do in Woodworking class… 8)
Hell, i’d love to! We don’t have a woodshop class though… or anything fun like that =/ I don’t have the materials (I can buy wood if I need to though)… but most importantly is I don’t have the tools or money to buy them… (rip saw, chop saw, or nail gun).
Using the good ol’ hand saw and hammer will take ages. When I get my own house with a nice garage I will buy a full workshop (including a custom built 1-axis or 2-axis CNC mill )! Till then, !
…and of course, until those tools were invented, mankind just lived in caves and hollows dug out of the ground. 
Use hand tools; it’s good for you.
Ehhhh, but they were already invented so there isn’t any real need to do manual labor if your robotic friend can do the labor for ya
Eh, I didnt say Id build ya one
Who ever said I asked you? I was talking about modified saws silly.
I thought you were referring to me…
cough ahem cough threadjackers cough
well, i’ve made a deal with robodude , i will be sending him some money and he will send me some aluminum that he buys down there, a lot cheaper down there than up here 
, so i guess i will going all aluminum
today during a study i whippped up a quick sketch of what i would like the tracks units to look like after tutoring in chemistry, i plan to completley enclose them basically, except for the bottom and front and rear, the only problems with this idea is im wondering if the idlers from lynxmotion, the aluminum axles, are big enough to put space inbetween the 2 pieces of aluminum and not have the tracks hitting the sides because they are larger than the idlers 
ill have to go into more detail with the thought process and wat not, i will be getting the sketch up as soon as the downstairs computer is free
EDIT:
img1.putfile.com/thumb/4/11218181885.jpg
well, theres the sketch, lemme know wat u think 8)
Looks good, although I don’t know what I’m looking at…
Very nice design for the track covering. I would remove the part on the inside through. Or, if you want to keep dirt out from there also, then just remove the support bar. It may get stuck in stuff and keep you from going over obstacles.
SN, that is the different views of the rover with the track covering. I think the best view is the front view. The checkered thing is the track and the big rect is the body. The two triangles is the top and side covering for the tracks.