Power Tool Drag Racers

Hey guys,

Since there are going to be a lot of these coming together over the next few months, I thought it'd be a good idea to start a thread that can serve to show off what you're creating, provide a help-ground for those of us who need inspiring or need to know the best way to modify angle grinder shafts or fit the tools to a frame, and mostly serve as a general question zone if you're stuck with your racer's design or operation, or need any clarification on rules or eligibity (hopefully, if they don't mind, James or Grant will be able to guide us with wisdom on such matters :))

I'm just planning a simple 'Stock' entry so far with a belt sander and some skateboard wheels as its all I reckon I'll have time for, but the engineering mind inside of me is wanting to come up with a dual-motor angle grinder racer. Just wondering if there ar any tips for attaching wheels to angle grinder shafts? Just tapping a thread in the wheel bore that matches the grinder shaft thread? Or fitting a sprocket and having a chain reduction? (close-up pictures of drive transmissions would be very much welcomed)

Just for reference too:
Event description: http://home.btconnect.com/priorycastor/ ... racing.htm
Rules: http://home.btconnect.com/priorycastor/ ... grules.htm
Plug adapters: http://uk.rs-online.com/web/search/sear ... 1&x=25&y=6

After initial scepticism about having to enter a drag racer to enter the tag champs, I think I'm starting to look forward to the challenge :)

Well this thread has been busy! :lol:

My drag racer is now pretty much complete. I'm entering the stock class with a simple £20 belt sander from B&Q. I had planned to get some skateboard chucks/wheels to attach to it to provide some stability but I've since come up with a cruder but cheaper method of fitting a couple of strips of aluminium across the width of the sander at the front and back, and fitting idler wheels to them.

[attachment=1:k5smxcro]DSCN4431.JPG[/attachment:k5smxcro]

The idler wheels are just some washers running on bolts; they help keep the machine centred on the track and running along in a straight line (theoretically - not had a chance to test it properly yet). The white insulation tape and cable tie combination is my homemade Nyloc nut method :)

[attachment=0:k5smxcro]DSCN4432.JPG[/attachment:k5smxcro]

Mechanically its all finished - took just a few hours to plan and make so that was nice. Still need to change the plug to the required adapter, and after that its getting themed up :)

Ok, Nice idea for a thread. Heres one of mine. Ill get others up later
Mod: (very slow)
http://www.xtreme-robotics.com/photo...24%5B01%5D.JPG
http://www.xtreme-robotics.com/photo...24%5B02%5D.JPG

Wow, that's mahooosive! :shock:
Is it the full 1.8m length limit?

And I see you've finally accepted vertical is better than horizontal, considering you've mounted all your wheels vertically :rofl:

lol haha

although jamie you havn't thought about your horizontally mounted idler wheels lol

While I was typing my last message I'd realised about my idler wheels, I just hoped that no-one had picked up on it :lol:

That's beautiful Tom :)

Although alot of work, drilling all those holes ;)

Before I drilled it
http://www.xtreme-robotics.com/photo...8-09_18.27.JPG

How I bolted the front sprocket to the grinder
http://www.xtreme-robotics.com/photo...8-09_15.07.JPG

Rear sprocket is so small it really struggles to move. Cant be bothered changing it tho :proud:


The holes are all over the place too

one of my Super Mods

http://www.xtreme-robotics.com/photo...23%5B02%5D.JPG
http://www.xtreme-robotics.com/photo...7-09_18.21.JPG
http://www.xtreme-robotics.com/photo...7-09_18.24.JPG

posted in my build thread for 360, but thought id put it in here too
http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/v...s/dragster.jpg

Tom- reckon it would be worth getting one of the larger grinders and putting it onto ur larger dragster?

Here are the two i have built

Mines done, i'll get some photos up soon.

Heres mine.

[attachment=0:1n0zklu4]racer.jpg[/attachment:1n0zklu4]

Originally I had two tracks but it was a nightmare to tension them and it added a good few kilos in weight. I had to break down a chain saw chain and a regular chain to make my hybrid chain. You might wanna stand well back when its running as there is a good chance that the chain could explode :P

Graeme, that second one with the two 900W angle grinders looks immense - nice work! 8)

Quick pic of mine.

All these things look so crazy! :lol:

Some of those are looking awesome :proud:
Now most of the actual system in done I am now working on my ride on, and then on all my many other indoor racers. Keeping them all under wraps untill the event though :lol:

The ride on dragster is a last minute thing, it was supposed to be kept nice, cheap and simple to have a little bit of fun - but you know us! Its now cost a fair bit more than i wanted to spend, got a fair bit more complictated, and now i want to find a way of beating the gadget shows entry! Things never stay simple :uhoh:

I've got an old kart chassis knocking about still, so at one stage I was thinking of attaching a bunch of big petrol chop saws to it and chain driving the back axle - however, it was looking rather expensive and now anyway I'll be on holiday when the event is... :(

I did bolt some wheels to my old belt sander though. :rofl: