just so I am completely understanding this, I would do this to all batteries on each end (four AA in total).
From what I understand the cardboard keeps the battery from comming in contact with its spring/butt, but allows the battery to complete a circuit with the picoswitch because of the wires running from the battery to pico and spring/butt to pico.
Alright, sounds good, I will most likely get on this tomorrow seeing as how my thanksgiving dinner is happening today.
No, you only need to do this once! The batteries should be in series, so if you put this in just once you will open the circuit, then when the picoswitch is triggered, you will close the circuit, giving the gun its power. It doesn’t matter where you put it, as long as it’s on one end of one of the batteries.
**UPDATE: I haven’t been on a lot lately due to the fact that teachers love giving homework. This has not only set me back on the LM forums, but also my project. I have finally began working on it again and I am happy to say I was able to get my airsoft gun to fire electronically/wirelessly from my Hitec Laser 6 using the method Zoomkat prescribed.
The prototype of this is really in rough state, but it works. During the next few days I want to have a more proffessional and better looking way to do this since display and proffessionalism is important in a science fair (actually a lot more important than we may sometimes think). Basically I will just use a smaller piece of cardboard (thinner so the little door can close better) and also drill a hole from the battery compartment leading out to the open so I can route the wires better (again, so the door can close).
With this accomplishment done (deffinately one of the harder one’s done), I can move on with the project and will most likeley have the Rover done before Christmas. This will give me only a few months of time for testing, working on the written part of the project and also the backboard display.
Thats my list of things to do anyway
P.S. Thanksgiving was on the 8th (in Canada), and I didnt relize it was columbus day in the states **
Again, progress has been slow for a while, but Ive managed enlarge the thickness of the track sprockets so that it is the same width of the tracks (3") Ive also decided to triangulate the tracks to increase tension them so that the rover drives more smoothly and the sprockets catch the tracks better. This hasent been done yet because I want a second opion from someone if this is a good idea. Bassically I will attach a hex standoff to the middle of the chassis higher than the sprockets to lift the track in the middle and create tension. Sound like a good idea?
As a current owner of a Tri-Track chassis I would advise against using a hex standoff and plastic bushing as one of the “points” of the tri-track triangle.
If you’ll notice in the photos for the Tri-Track chassis, the three “points” have either a motor or ball bearings to support the tension. The flat “sides” of the tracks are the only areas with the standoff and plastic bushing as an idler.
If you use the bushing in place of a bearing as one of the “points” then you will be introducing more friction and wear than you might like. This will in turn create a less than smooth ride.
Also remember, the use of the teethed gears helps keep the track on the assembly, instead of just sliding off.
Take a look at how Jim made the Tri-Track, he’s got it spot on!
The Robot Im building is for the National Canadian Science Fair in Ottawa. My design in spacing the wholes slightly less than they should be so theire is slack in the track now, but just enough so that I can’t take out a link which really sucks. Ive also noticed the rover dosent drive smooth with tracks on tile or hardwood but works excellent on carpet and grass. This is an outdoor bot for combat in the military (thats my science fair idea anyway). So I don’t think it will be too much of a problem. Geuss I won’t modify it than.
I’ve decided since I have access to a CAM with CAD design software in my high school’s machining shop, I want to redo my design for the robot’s chassis out of metal plates, and have the CAM mill out the pieces and than weld them together.
So I have begun the task of redesigning my robot. The present design is a mess and very box like with tracks stuck to the side. It also has a very bumpy ride on flat surfaces becuase the robot is being supported on the sprockets (Ive been told so by Jim).
My real problem right now is figuring out how to keep a smooth and even ride.
Is this a good design mechanically? Will it prevent the wump wump im getting from my present chassis… Any suggestions that you have are welcome. So long as it dosent resolve to me redesigning the whole thing again.
With the sprockets that Jim has designed o dont think you can get a smoother ride, however, if u were to make some sort of spawns between the actualy out side of the hub (like the outside that have no sprockets on them) i think u could reduce it, the tracks would not fully fall back into place, there fore the were be less of a wump wump sound
I suggest that you build your first ROV out of cheap and easy to cut/drill thin plywood sheet. When you finally get it right, then duplicate the wood with metal. As to the actual design, you probably need to research tracked vehicles using google. On most military equipment, the sprocket drives at the end of the tracks are up off the ground (aids in climbing over obstacles). I suggest that the sprockets don’t ride on the ground, but use bogies to support the bot on the tracks.
Thats what I was thinking. I want to put these foam tires in between the sprockets to sit on the tracks and hold them down and also act as a suspension system…but I have no idea to mount them if there is no motor shaft. And I don’t want to get complicated by using metal shafts and anchoring those to the bot with ball bearings and blah blah blah…
You get wheels and wire like below. Attach the wire on the underside of the ROV for axels, and then mount the wheels on the wire ends where the wire sticks out from the underside of the ROV.
UPDATE: Good news! I have permission from my school to build the chassis of the robot in the machining shop we have. I will be using the aluminum plate they use and a spot welder to join all the sides together after they have been bent to shape. The overall weight will be a big improvement to what it is now and will be much stronger and impenitrable to rocks or rough terrain. This is the real deal Ive been wanting to do, with this design Im sure I will make it to Nationals in Ottawa this spring.
UPDATE: Finally figured out how the body will be made. My teacher and I have decided to make the body out of sheet metal (obviously) - but out of one single sheet. Bend the edges up, spot weld and seal with silicone.
Below is the better way to do tracks. Sprockets off the ground and the weight of the bot riding on bogies (the wheels rolling on the bottom of the track).
Which is what I want to do. The top wheels on the tank will be the hex standoffs with brushings on my bot.
Like I said, I will be using 2 pairs on each side which I think would be a good way to replicat what you showed. The reason I want to use these is becuase I can just screw them into my body. I dont have to have individual wheels that need individual shafts secured onto the body (what Im trying to avoid).
EDIT: There is only about 5" of space between my sprockets anyways so two of these would take uop much of the space and would support 90% of the track in the middle. I think its a good idea. Im getting mixed opinions from you. Can you explain a little more?
Search for “standoffs” Find the 1.5" long round standoffs. You can get them up to 1" thick.
Search for “bushings” Find the 1.5" long bushings. You can get them up to 1-5/8" thick.
Using those you can have a road wheel that is 1-5/8" in diameter. Start out small though and if your track isn’t tight enough buy the next larger size. Mix and match different sizes of standoffs & bushings to adjust the tightness of your track. Once you find a combo that works I imagine you can leave it… not like these tracks are under a huge load that stretches them.
otherwise you could use some conveyor wheels mounted on standoffs as well, but the bushings on standoffs is probably the more elegant way.
You can probably find the standoffs & bushings in a local hardware store too.
If you are going to rebuild your bot and don’t want it to roll on the sprockets (which is probably not a real issue with small bots), then I’d change the design. Get the smallest sprockets that will pull the track and place them high. Use small wheels for bogies to roll on the tracks. One issue with the lynxmotion tracks is that they have no provision for lateral stability of the bogies rolling on the tracks unless sprockets are used for bogies. If the tracks are short, then this may not be a big issue.
Ahh, now I see what you mean! Thanks for further explaining it. Im most likely going to be starting on the new chassis this week come Monday, so I will use the time I have now to design a proper way of doing this.
I knew I had something wrong 
**
I have permission from my school to build the chassis of the robot in the machining shop we have. I will be using the aluminum plate they use and a spot welder to join all the sides together after they have been bent to shape. The overall weight will be a big improvement to what it is now and will be much stronger and impenitrable to rocks or rough terrain. This is the real deal Ive been wanting to do, with this design Im sure I will make it to Nationals in Ottawa this spring. 