On and off for two years I've search for a commercial track that was robust without overkill. I searched many internet sites to realize my vision of a tread design that could stand up to my playfull requirements without costing a fortune and without being a "toy". Jim's provision of this track setup is my answer.
At first glance, while still unassembled in the plastic, I'm thinking - just another toy track, albeit a little bigger than toysize. The second I opened that plastic and placed the rubber pad of one link section on my desktop I was intrigued. Pretty darn good traction for one link.
As I feverishly went about assembly I was happy to see there would be no frustration. Dynamics of assembly are as easy as it gets and provided me with the thought "maybe this isn't a toy track set after all."
After completion of one set I had the immediate urge to build a length that could reach the ceiling. This is the best indication or description of my zest for this product. In short, Jim, thanks.
AND
to those still mulling some track requirement, LOOK NO FURTHER. I am preparing a 30 pound platform that will use these tracks and, at the moment, have no reservations about this product for this application. Pictures to come
Very nice - Two thumbs way up
Chris
PS - an only a short time ago I thought my VEX tracks were pretty darn cool. Now I’m thinking the VEX platform will ride off the back of a mother platform that uses the Lynxmotion track set.
Besides from not being made out of aluminum, this is no toy track. The plastic makes this design affordable without the sacrifice of durability. I suppose one could go to the local hardware store and buy a can of chrome paint and paint over the default gray color to give a “machined look” to it. You just have to be careful not to paint the moving joints that could degrade the performance.
with that review, i think im gonna need my own set of tracks
i myself have always loved tracks as the means of a drivetrain as im sure many other people have, and have searched online for them having the same problem as cwkoehler, but now i know who i cant count on
Prior to using these motors I was using 6 (12v) drill motors from Harbor Freight tools. Much greater power than the links above yet much more work, battery hogs, and destructive when used indoors (I lost RF signal while screwing around in my living room and blasted a hole in my drywall).
Motors from Harbor Freight sound good! Were you able to buy the motors seperately or did you have to buy a drill and rip out what needed? I need to stop by there now
Yesterday I recieved my tracks… I was happier last night than I was on Christmas morning! I am very impressed with the quality of everything.
For 18V cordless drills, they’re cheap as dirt.
Were they a cheap design, Chris, or are they worth it?
That’s probably because they only hold up to 3/8" bits, wheras most drills go up to 1/2".
There’s great advantages and disadvantages to drill motors:
Pros:
Torque
Onboard variable gearboxes.
Onboard speed controllers.
Built to take a real beating.
Cons:
Not terribly efficient, but not nearly as bad as say… a starter motor.
Weighty NiCad batteries (which can be replaced).
Weighty housing (a bit of extra plastic, which can be cut out).
Hard to mount.
In-line gearbox makes motor very long.
The “hard to mount” is probably the biggest obstacle.
However, drilling for some bolts in the right places should get 'er done.
Now… here’s the important question, Chris…
Do you think that the tracks, and more importantly the sprockets, will survive the torque of those drill motors?
I’m thinking of making a tank for my biped to drive around in, and a 30 pounder with these treads and those motors appeals to me in a warm and goey way…
I might have to cruise on out to Harbor Freight pretty soon. I wonder if it would be a problem running these, since they normally run at 120V. I could have my dad get me a good 12V Gel cell and that should last a good while. We use a battery like that in the starter for our Jr Dragster and it’ll crank our big dog high compression motors for a week without charging. The starter uses a car starter. I’ll post a link if someone wants to see what I’m talking about.
Uhhh…
That’s an AC motor, in there.
You’ll need an inverter to convert the gel-cell’s 12VDC to 12VAC.
The gel cell will definitely have enough amps, but the voltage might be too low.
I’m not sure if the numbers work exactly like this, but they should give you an idea:
12VAC (supplied) / 120VAC (wanted) = 1/10th of the total speed.
12,000rpm / 10 = 120 rpm, which puts you about where you’ll want to be.
However, keep in mind that that bugger is made to build up kinetic energy, and then apply it to an external force (in other words, you turn it on, wait for it to speed all the way up, and then try to cut something).
It’s not meant to start from a stop with that external force already applied (in other words, you wouldn’t hold it to what you want to cut and then turn the power on).
Because it normally rotates so fast, it does not need to have the torque of, let’s say… a drill motor.
Granted, though, the right-angle gearbox is a nice luxury that drill motors don’t get to have.
Nick you made some good points that I completely overlooked. Right now I can’t really do anything electrically, since I ordered a Mini Atom, but recieved a Dual H-Bridge. For now, I’ll figure out the chassis setup.
