LOL, yeah. that way we could see it walking.
Sam
More work done over the last few days. It helps to be a single father having the QA department taking naps and a early bed time, but that ends on tuesday and the others will be back in town.
I started off getting some things fixed that I messed up from rushing. The lexin is not cut and some standoffs are made.
http://www.malatorymods.com/spider/spider-86.jpg
http://www.malatorymods.com/spider/spider-87.jpg
Then also working on the body buy drilling lots of holes (Good things I used a L bracket for hole placement). I am sure if I did this by hand I will have maybe 1 or 2 holes in the right spot.
close up of one of the tabs
http://www.malatorymods.com/spider/spider-88.jpg
outside…
http://www.malatorymods.com/spider/spider-89.jpg
with standoff in place…
http://www.malatorymods.com/spider/spider-90.jpg
http://www.malatorymods.com/spider/spider-91.jpg
mess from some of the drilling.
http://www.malatorymods.com/spider/spider-85.jpg
I also had to see what the mobo tray and body placed together looked like.
http://www.malatorymods.com/spider/spider-92.jpg
I also got more electronics today … a Nokia 6610 LCD screen and driver board like japala used in him loginoki mouse mod here
the bag of goodies
http://www.malatorymods.com/spider/spider-93.jpg
what was in the bag.
http://www.malatorymods.com/spider/spider-94.jpg
thats all for now…
The body is realy well done!!! but what is the mobo tray? its to put the electronics?
the body is incredible!
Sam
how did you make the standoffs and have the screws hold in place??
really cool project Maloraty.
Mobo = Mother Board
I am planning to have a full Mini-ITX computer in this thing when I am done.
well the ones I am use on the body, I bought from this site (they sell extras). I was going to make my own but bought these before I got my drill press. The Acrylic ones I drilled the holes in the acrylic tube and tapped the ends to use 4-40 screws (I also bought 100 of those from here).
malatory,
How did you cut the metal body plates? Did you use any kind of software to design the main chassis?
The project looks great and you do great work. I wish my neibors were in to this kind of stuff. 
When I saw the mobo chassis to be mounted on the main body, ITX came to mind.
Again, fantastic pictures.
I can’t wait to see the new LCD wired and working.
Do you have to program LCD screens? I realize they are plug and play (most of them), but how do you get the text to be diplayed? Im guessing programming is the answer. 
1st I have a small workshop that has about 75% of the tools I need and 25% on the ones I want (I still want a CNC Mill and Metal cutting lazer, but have not room for those).
I have a band saw
http://www.malatorymods.com/workshop/bandsaw.jpg
it is at a 45 degree angle for cleaning and cutting something in acrylic.
It has been used to cut all of the aluminum to this point.
my scroll saw is what been doing alot of the logo cutting in the acrylic
http://www.malatorymods.com/workshop/scrollsaw.jpg
I will use this to cut some extra designs in the aluminum, but I need to pratice on some scrap pieces 1st. I only had it since the beging if the year.
as I have said before … I just got my 8’ drill press so its the newest member to my shop.
I have a few others Miter saw, table saw, dremmel, hand drills and jig saw.
I dont use any stechup / Rhino to design my work. I draw it out on paper 1st then use 1/4" foam board to get a visual and to see if it works (I am a hands on guy). That is why you see my templates in the foam core boards. I would rather spend 2.oo on that than 20.oo on a piece of aluminun and it become scrap.
Italian_guy299:
the LCD screen is not really plug in play, as It will go off the Paralle port, and power from a USB line. I am working with a few other people to get some code examples on how to drive the LCD screen. I need to see if I can get it to work under linux as well, as that is going to be the OS of choice. this whole project will have lots of new things for me to get better at.
Amazing you are able to get such good quality with band saws and the other common tools you mentioned. When I saw your body plates, it looked as though they were milled.
Your are truly a skilled individual to be able to do the kind of work with these tools. If It were me, I would start out ok but find myself veering off in my cuts.
I’m with you 100% I would love to get a 3-axis mill-- to make a bunch of custom bot stuff.
I have looked at the Smithy 3-in-1 with CNC abilities. Not to bad of a price considering its a CNC mill, lathe and drill press. They are limited as to the material size you can use, but with robotics the size of the hex, bipeds, etc… it’s a practical size, or at least fo me it would be. I don’t plan on getting one of these any time soon. Several years down the road, I can picture my self owning one of these.
Thanks a lot … it is really nice to hear. I still have to grind / file down the edges as they are not that smooth.
as for vering off … I do do that, but that is why I cover everything in the blue tape and use a sharpie to mark it. I have the blade follow the line. If you move slow you can notice early when you are vering off. Plus I have both pieces tapes together for everything. So if one was off they both were.
I do plan on getting a low grade laser etcher next year. I would be able to cut 3/8" acrylic (maybe a little thicker) and thin aluminum. It will also require me to learn some type of cad program. 
As others have already said… Awesome spider! it looks great! Can’t wait to see it crawlin’ the web (lame pun 
haha)
I’m fairly new to “true robotics” and in an attempt to learn more about it all, I recently got a book called Linux Robotics which discusses using a mini-itx motherboard with gentoo linux and java for a brain. It’s a bit beyond my level for now, but you may find it useful once you get to the point of needing controll…
I just got done watching Short Circuit… Keep on building this is excellent input!
I just noticed that you’re building an octopod, and not the standard hexapod.
Very neat!
The foremost and aftmost pairs of legs seem to be set at a 45 degree angle.
Is that to help bear the weight/balance?
Very nice design and metalwork!
I’m sure your computer modder friends will be peeing their pants when they see you computer get up and walk around!
I think it is just to give the legs more room to move and give it a more spider kindof look. But there may be something more sinister here… IMO the regular hexes with the parralel rows of legs look kind of boring
I have been told by some they want me to bring it to one of the big lan parties next year MML. I am also working on a 2nd computer for that as well.
front legs are at 45% and back legs are at 30% (You were close). I am also doing Eight legs because of the weight issue I am going to be dealing with. Plus Every spider I have stepped on tend to have 8 legs. I did that for balancing and leg swing movement. I also been asked if I was going to add the teeth and feeding legs. I think that would be a little much and I would really need willifx(sp) help on that area.
my work log here is posted on 3 computer modding forums and this one. So people are seeing it as it goes. Plus I also post it in my project area on my personal web site.
Ok got some free time tonight and I am up late for me now …
link to what is going on with the LCD screen.
malatorymods.com/spider_v2_10.htm
I might post a more formal update…
Searching On the error pointed me to
and checking on my post to metku forums about my error also has gotten me this link.
driverlinx.com/DownLoad/DlPortIO.htm
One I get home tonight I should be able to load the file as It does look like the missing information I need for this.
WOOHOO LCD screen is working…
here is an image of a couple of test patterns.
http://malatorymods.com/spider/spider-100.jpg
Just need to get my avatar loaded and I will be set for a little bit.
Wow dude, thats awesome! You are controlling it via the PC in that test? You have any idea of how to connect it to a microcontroller? Is it just a LCD? Or does it have its own micro? I seen a few LCDs that come with their own micro built in so you can store graphics and stuff. That is freakin’ sick!
wicked cool 
now, wat exactly is that LCD going to tell you? 
Silly Chunga! LCDs don’t need to tell you a single thing 
They just need to look pretty. And indeed, wicked cool.