Grounding Research: Delving into the archives..

Hmm, so i'm going to try collate the various images ideas and research (with regards to the tracked-base) i have so far over the next few posts... Bear with me as i shake the bookmarks and text files into a shape fit for public consumption ;)

The basic idea is (as previously mentioned) to create a high-payload tracked mobility platform that can (for the moment) be controlled via remote or wii nunchuck...

[you can read that last paragraph as: tank base]...

Initial ideas of lasercutting a slick chassis and parts out of aluminium were dashed when i discovered at school we don't lasercut much but ultrathin perspex and timber laminates :(

There goes the hopes of upscaling my little Tamiya track kit in 3d CAD and printing parts....



So, in keeping with my passion for recycled and low budget, we are going to hack one up at home.  First port of call was downloading the VEX inventors guide and reading cover to cover the engineering notes - especially the really valuable theory on structure, motion, control, power and sensors... i really learnt a lot from this, so will save the discourse for another post...
Another great site for beginners mechanics and engineering is Rob Ives...

From here i managed to find a number of really interesting (and not-so-interesting) war and tank-specific documentaries (probably copyright, so i won't link them here), which i devoured in a sunny afternoon... One of the main points i took from this was the different approaches and pros and cons of the historical decisions made. For example, the beautifully engineered German Tiger tanks cost so much and took so long to build - rapidly got destroyed by the cheaper, faster and much more plentiful Russian T34's due to sheer numbers!  Just goes to show there's nothing wrong with a functional backyard job !

the over-engineered German Tiger

The quick-and-lethal Russian

 vs


Seeing these documentaries and the historical development of the tank over the years, I started to delve into the various track systems, and even contemplated making a 3d CAD model to perhaps try lasercut in rubber...

One design stood out amongst the crowd of DIY... the 'plagiarism tank' ... This is exactly the chassis design i had in mind, simplicity plus.  Here is something i can build at home, with minimal tools and time...It will be made to the dimensions of the esky...

The track system and power train is still under research, however i got lucky the other day and scored 2 Ford Laser wiper motors for $10 out west.  These beauties have a low rpm (~40 by my rough count)...and options for a few different wiring schemes affording different voltage/torque/rpm's depending on which of the 5 pins are used.

Another entirely monstrous score from the west (thanks for the hint, Andy ;) was the purchase of a 12v/240v portable fridge! and better than the crappy peltier element that i was thinking about, this Rig has the old-skool, much more efficient compressor... only issue i can see with it is it 's slightly larger than i hoped, and slightly more top heavy (due to the compressor and circuitry mounted in the lid...... Upside is, it's nice and wide, so the centre of gravity should still sit quite low, especially when loaded with cold beers :)