Yes, i am making yet another rover with a new design.
I am ordering better parts and doing a more thorough designing process then my last one.
I want to use basically the same general idea with the track systems but with a few modifications.
I have some technical drawings which i can put up later on, probably tomorrow actually.
I know ur probably getting tired with all these revisions and stuff, but i dont want to leave the rover as it is
Ah, it’s real good to try to get it always better, thats how you advance!
I think it’s a good Idea keep us updated!
Hmm, not sure why you think it’s funny (" " <-Yes, that), But I actually think its a wonderful idea. Keep us updated!
ok well i finally foused for 30 minutes and whipped out a very basic drawing of what i want it to look like
img2.putfile.com/thumb/12/35921075085.jpg
there ya go
Changes since last time:
Parallelagram Tracks-this will allow the rover to climb steeper inclines
Rounded front- I want to make this with some plastic, cacumn mold it if i can find someone to do it for me, this will let me make the little slot u see to put the LEDs in
The slight angl at the back- This is where i want to put the batteries to allow for more room in the case
Many designs go through a prototype phase and are constantly improved from previous designs.
Good ideas for improement with your next rover!
keep up the good work!
Yeah, but the best way to make prototypes with all the right dimensions is Using CAD software. I say the one that SN96 uses is not that expensive (compared to the 250-1500 $ one of alibre). Otherwise sometimes it’s hard to visualise the mesures that you gave the tracks or wahtever.
How big to you plan on making it?
That tank looks like a WWI tank!
Still, interesting for a project. The WWII Sherman tanks would be interesting as well. Although perhaps harder to make with the turret.
Alan KM6VV
The tank is just going along it’s merry way crusshig people on the way
The angled tracks might be of use also for going down into pits and such. A dropoff might be better negotiated going in reverse to limit the severity of the drop. Interesting tank test below.
youtube.com/watch?v=6JNy0ltovis
youtube.com/watch?v=WQcYuZDFH9g
Thank you everyone for those comments and inputs
Sam-I plan on making it about the same size as before with better calculations going into the track length, so that i dont need tensioners, the electronics box will be about the same size maybe a little bit smaller, probably about 10 in long, 6-8 inches wide
Also sam i would like to use CAD as they come easy to me and i can also just pull up a file instead of the paper, but for 2 reasons i like drawing better
)I need to go buy some big paper to do a full size drawing of it with all the angles and such
I’ll just do some simple trig and figure out the length of things from angles stuff for the tracks, btw, what do you think an optimum angle would be to make the tracks at? i was thinking between 40-60 degrees, but id like input on an exact angle
I forgot to mention a big part of my new designin my last post. I plan on using bushings these: lynxmotion.com/Product.aspx?productID=235&CategoryID=39 to help support my tracks, my final design for these is still being worked out, and ill post some pictures of those designs for some input im thinking of a 1 wheel or 2 wheel design on each standoff, either way it will drastically improve the performance of the track system 8)
I want one of those tanks! 
8) 
I would use tensioners if I were you.
Take a look at the tracks on THIS robot. They are a good geometry for most robot tasks.
I definatley like that design but they dont really follow up with my design, that is for a bot with less ground clearance while mine is a design and application that calls for quite a bit of ground clearance
also, i just realized a piece of stupity on my own part, i found that i might need to move the motors to the front so that the sprockets for the motors get enough traction, this is a slip of intelligence on my part, but i will test it in the prototype and see how it performs, i bought a big 4 x 8 piece of balsa wood, about an eight of an inch thick so i will have plenty for prototyping 
EDIT: Tomorrow i will try and get a drawing up of my full design, Staples was closed tonight so i couldn’t get any big paper T_T
Still working out the kins of the rover, and finshing up the drawing, ill have it up soon
btw, good news, im gonna be getting a job at a machine shop, so a whole lot of things opened up to me,
ill have to speak to the guy a bit more but its almost as good as done so
If you want to put around and make some decend CAD drawings, Google Sketchup is probably the easiest CAD program to use and there is a very good free version. If you spend an hour int he tutorials, you’ll be well on your way to using it.
Just a thought.
Ok, haven’t been on the computer too much, so i never really tried using google sketchup, however i did get my drawing done of the rover, i bought BIG paper and i drew myself a full size drawing of the thing, i would like to get it up here but rigfht now the digital camera is MIA and the paper is too big for the scanner -.-’
So as of now I am going to start cutting some wood to make the prototype. Also i ordered some standoffs and bushings from McMaster-Carr, and i will let you know if they are able to get it out to me… 
this new design is a lot more developed and has more thought put into it from the last one. Like i said i plan on making it out of aluminum, but i am also going to include a poly carbonate of some type vacumn molded into various corners and motor mounts. This will be beneficial to the entire design, it will allow for me to make the corners that i want which would be much more difficult with aluminum, and it will make the rover lighter, so that the motors won’t drain the battery as quickly. I think thats about it for this update, when i find the camera i’'ll be sure to take some pictures of the proto-type and get them loaded up here
EDIT: I think im going to smash those running McMaster Carr , i ordered something on the 4th, assuming that all the costs (including shipping and taxes) were included in the payment, i ordered, so then i see that the $95 only pays for the merchandise from McMaster, not the shipping, so right now i guess i ordered it and now its sitting in NJ or something im not really sure, so then i canceled that order realizing what i did, and my order history had nothing in it, assuming the order was cancelled i made another order, expect purchased less items so shipping could be charged on the same card and i still dont get whats going on, cause i used an american express gift card, and i dont think the orders are registering cause i put both orders on the same card so i have $160+ of stuff on a $100 card… i really dont know whats going on, and they says the orders are shipping anyway
soooo, i really need to talk to some sales associate , this is gonna put a damper on the progress of the rover 
Btw, if anyone who is eperienced with vacumn molding and would be able to do some for me, leave a PM or a post in this thread, if anyone would be willing to we can dicuss payment amount and all that
Update: I cleared eveything up with mcmaster and i got my stands offs, bushings, and screws. I am still working on the wood prototype, sloe going because of so much stuff to do in school
soon ill put it together and take some pictures for you
I also have a good idea for some track add ons which would allow for better traction in the snow, sand, or mud, depending on different vatities of the add on. im gonna make a few and test them and see what you guys think
That’ll be great, can’t wait to see your rover!
You’re gonna use the LM tracks and add some kind of extra grip on the botom? i know for snow/ice a good thing would be ruber tubes with coiled wire around it, they sll it for shoes, maybe it could work for the tracks. Because when you’re on ice…
yea, they are the LM tracks that do not involve the change of the tracks in anyway, they will simply be snap on, i just have to prefect them and make a working model
