Swannys Bar

You asked about bot steering Shane ...Trevs system is simple but heres an alternative.

http://www.webcom.com/sknkwrks/mowers.htmhttp://www.webcom.com/sknkwrks/mowers.htm

hello Shane - yes the steering self-centres

Trev

http://www.servocity.com/html/flange_nuts.htmlhttp://www.servocity.com/html/flange_nuts.html

this is the sort of thing i plan to use as i have got a system from a fruit machine. it has a linear bolt but the long thread is run from a stepper motor. i was wondering if there is a simple circuit board that will run a stepper motor but if it proves too difficult (which isnt hard when i am involved) i will just swap the stepper motor for a normal dc motor. the origional problem with using servos is when the wheel hits anything it can damage the servo. so with a linear worm steering system i hope it will take the stress. http://www.roamingrobots.co.uk/Gallerys/Nottingham07/P1000243.htmlhttp://www.roamingrobots.co.uk/Galle.../P1000243.html

this is what i am playing with just to give you an idea. i will go and take a pic of the steering mech i want to use and put it on profile.

trev if i used the steering system and swop the stepper motor for a normal motor can you duplicate a circuit board to make it self center. that or do something like you have done on your robots. i will have a pic of what i plan to use in 10 mins.

Shane - there is no circuitry just an ordinary rc servo, a motor to drive the wheels, 2 relays to reverse the drive motor, and 2 microswitches to drive the relays. Dead simple - honest

Trev

i have done a pic on profile. am i going too complicated or is it a good idea?

Shane - cant really make it out but you could make that work.

I have put a photo of Mighty Mouse steering on my profile, see if you can adapt yours to suit.

Trev

PS tomorrow I will take a vid of it running and e-mail it to you - bit dark in the shed right now.

the pic is the piece of mech straight out of the fruit machine with no mods as yet. what i plan it to swap the motor on the pic for a normal dc motor as the stepper wont work straight from power. i think they work from pulses of sorts. anyway the motor is connected to the thread via belt drive. then on the thread is like a bolt with a white bar attached. when the thread turns the bolt moves up and down. i was planning to attach the steering to this bolt. when it reaches the extreme steering point it will hit a microswitch and turn off the motor, also i wanted it to self center. it will work i am sure but i think i do need to see the mouse steering vid to understand a little more. thanks for your patience trev.

there is the option that woody suggested if all else fails but i wont quit easly :)

i have now found someone who has the servo i think will do the job. active robots. they do servos that go as big as a car battery. they can get a servo with titanium gearing. so i think that might be a simple option.