[FW] Tracked 4WD Lifter: Aegis

[joey_picus]

From experience, Kcut will work from Paint pictures and even vague hand gestures if you can't CAD!

[R9000]

I've been trying to disassemble my linac so that I can find some points to screw it onto the new mounting plate, but I can't seem to be able to get the old one off. I can take the bottom cover and the gears out, but the top half seems stuck to the main barrel of the actuator, almost as if it's glued there. I've taken out all the screws I can see, anyone know how these things come apart? The only other thing I can think of is the nut connected inside the barrel, visible if you unscrew the bar, but I can't get that out yet because I don't have the socket to reach inside.

This is about what mine looks like, and basically I just want to ditch the motor and the entire assembly attached to it, just leaving the main barrel:

[overkill]

I have a very similar linac and the same goal. Here is a picture of my linac with the tube removed; it had three screws around the base of the tube and after they were removed, the tube was a tight fit on the base but could be pulled off.



If your linac doesn't have any screws at the base of the tube then it probably IS glued in. The big problem in discarding the base is that it holds the thrust bearing that keeps the acme screw in place. If you ditch the base, you will have to make a new bearing housing and find some way to keep it centred in the end of the tube. That's not an easy task to do well and just bodging it will probably lead to a quick failure.

My plan so far is to keep most or all of the original base and attach a new aluminium plate to the back of it. The new mounting plate can be as large as needed to mount the motor.

[R9000]

Just thought I'd check in here. All the Hardox parts have now arrived, along with some cobalt drill bits and cutting paste for cleaning up the holes. Anyway, I've been working on cutting the HDPE. Progress is slow but steady, and these bits are a lot neater than the first test piece. I've got about 30-40% of the chassis done so far, and I think I have all the fixings I'll need. You were right about the block plane, Overkill, that does leave a nice finish. I've also bought a 35mm Forstner drill bit, to hopefully drill out some nice, clean holes for my motor mounts (which will be made out of parts of the chassis). However, I've found a decent way to make holes in the outer parts of the chassis, where the 'nose' of the motor gearbox has a resistance fit. That should hopefully stop them rotating even if the motor mounts do become loose on the inside. Plus, I can screw the old metal plates from the drills onto the other side to keep the motor in. Because I'm terrible at explaining things, just have a look at the image below. I've tried my best to take the linac apart again, and I just can't separate the main barrel, or even the outer tube from the base. I think I'd have to grind or hacksaw it off if I really wanted to. But I think given your advice, Overkill, I'm gonna try and just screw the slightly modified base onto my mounting bracket, and take it from there. But anyway, getting the main chassis and locomotion running first, still got to alter the wheels so that they sit nicely on the motor axles. More updates soon!

[R9000]

Ok, admittedly 'soon' should've come with a big disclaimer. Regardless, progress has been made, and here's a few photos. Hoping to get the (already completed) electronics inside and the wheels on in the next few days, then it's time to work on the weapon, but I'll post a video as soon as the base is mobile. No promises when this time though. :P
received_10210199853696269.jpeg
received_10210199851936225.jpeg

[R9000]

Aha! And today, the promised update! The base of the robot is now fully functional, and could just about qualify as a rambot. That said, it's by no means complete. The body itself will be rounded out, tracks will be added, and most importantly the lifter weapon will be assembled. Obviously plenty of cable management inside still needs to be done, and I still need to add in a removable link and a switch for convenience. That said, what I currently have will drive around just fine and is quite nippy, despite looking like a bad version of King B. I filmed a very short demo, sorry it's poor quality and I even get my feet in the shot at one point. :I But yeah, I'll film some more when I'm at a further stage of development with it. I didn't have the mixing quite fully figured out until after I filmed this, hence why the driving is a little wonky.

And here's an image of it as of right now:
IMG_20160801_021619.jpg

By the way, anyone got any tips for removable links? How do I make it accessible while not really easy to knock out? And what should I use for it?

[daveimi]

Did u melt nuts into the wheels?

[R9000]

That's my backup plan, but for the moment I just drilled out and tapped them with a 3/8 UNF thread, and I'm keeping them on with the screw from the drill motors and a washer. It works quite well. If the plastic in these goes threadbare, I'll just have to press the nuts into them, but honestly I might get some better wheels if that happens.

[dotDominic]

Looking really cool, man! Interested to see how your tracks will turn out. Haha, you're still making much quicker progress than I did - went about a year without posting anything on my thread!
Maybe it's just me, but I thought it was awesome to use these badass looking controllers that looked so complicated on TV when I was a kid... and then only use like 2 functions on it.

[R9000]

Thanks dude, I hope we get to fight some day! And yeah, it is a bit odd using so few functions on the transmitter, although I imagine machines like Pressure use a fair few more.