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Where should I start???? — Parallax Forums

Where should I start????

Jon1992Jon1992 Posts: 10
edited 2010-05-11 23:23 in Robotics
Hey everyone, ive just registered so im not sure if theres already a thread about this so·someone tell me if there is please smile.gif

im only 16 and recently ive discovered through different places that i really really like building robotic machines, but i have no idea where to start with things, ive built a few mini robots i found on youtube using simple switches, solar panels, capacitors and motor combinations, but i fancy something a bit better, so i found this site, anyone got any ideas of what i should try? any sites that have instructions? or books for that matter

Comments

  • kwinnkwinn Posts: 8,697
    edited 2009-08-01 15:55
    Start with the Parallax site and look at the robots available there.
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2009-08-01 15:59
    On the main Parallax page, there's a tab labelled "Resources". Start there. Under "Downloads" there's "Stamps in Class Downloads" where you'll find most of Parallax's tutorials including "Robotics with the BoeBot" and "What's a Microcontroller?" all of which are downloadable for free. Browse the Resources pages. Get an idea of all the educational tutorials, examples, documentation Parallax has available.
  • CounterRotatingPropsCounterRotatingProps Posts: 1,132
    edited 2009-08-01 16:12
    Jon,

    welcome to the forums - you are in good company now [noparse]:)[/noparse]· Spend some time here reading posts - and not just in the Robotics section. You'll find the entire range of things you might want to know. There's alot of smart, friendly and helpful people here. And more than a few about your age.

    Here's a fun and useful trick some of the more experienced forum users do.··Use the forum 'index' to see what other forum users are currently reading.· [noparse]:)[/noparse])· It's the "details" link down in the bottom left corner, just above the names of folks online.

    Happy hunting!

    - Howard

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  • Jon1992Jon1992 Posts: 10
    edited 2009-08-01 16:14
    thanks fore the tips guys [noparse]:D[/noparse]
  • P!-RoP!-Ro Posts: 1,189
    edited 2009-08-01 16:53
    I'm 16 as well and find building robots to be the best part. I am currently building one from scratch using my ability to weld and although I'm slow I have enjoyed every bit of it. Before I could weld, though, I used parts from sites such as Budget Robotics and put them together with a BOE Board on top for brains.

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    PG
  • Jon1992Jon1992 Posts: 10
    edited 2009-08-01 19:00
    great site, know anywhere i can get cheap small motors? like pager motors
  • CounterRotatingPropsCounterRotatingProps Posts: 1,132
    edited 2009-08-01 19:04
    do you mean the pager vibrators, or something else? Need more specs... there's tons of places to get these things.

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  • Jon1992Jon1992 Posts: 10
    edited 2009-08-01 19:06
    oh sorry yeh the pager vibrators, or just another DC motor around an inch or under long
  • CounterRotatingPropsCounterRotatingProps Posts: 1,132
    edited 2009-08-01 19:33
    here's where you might discover that the search link (top right menu button) is *broken* and has been forever - here's the one to use:

    http://search.parallax.com

    I just tried searching there with:

    cheap dc motors

    and got quite a few hits. Try the same on google, of course. Some of our better informed folks might chime in here with some suggestions of specific surplus places. You can always try Jameco.com - they have some nice 'surprise' bags of parts, including motors. Another idea is to get some cheap, near throw away motorized toys and hack them for parts. Many of us here are not adverse to electronics dumpster diving [noparse]:)[/noparse])

    [noparse][[/noparse]EDIT: forgot to mention the obvious: your public library!· They might have some of the Robot Bonanza books which lists tons and tons of resources.]

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  • TimmooreTimmoore Posts: 1,031
    edited 2009-08-01 21:11
    Depends on what you want in terms of rpm - gearbox/no gearbox etc.
    solarbotics.com has pager motors with a gearbox attached
    pololu.com has a lot of small motors with gearbox http://www.pololu.com/catalog/category/51 they are about 1" long with a range of gearing for almost any rpm you want. I have used these before and have had no problems with these.
    You can also get motors surplus though I dont rememer seeing any pager motors with gearboxes but they have pager motors without gearboxes try
    allelectronics.com
    bgmicro.com
    goldmine-elec.com

    The other place to look is robotmaketplace.com they have a pretty big range of motors though not many that small - look in their antbot section for small motors.
  • P!-RoP!-Ro Posts: 1,189
    edited 2009-08-01 21:11
    I do have a box of old motors I don't mind shrinking. Some of them don't work, but if you want a few I could test them out and send them to you. Just tell me what type·you want.

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    PG
    motors.jpg
    624 x 464 - 36K
  • Jon1992Jon1992 Posts: 10
    edited 2009-08-01 21:20
    Hmmm, well unless you live in england..? hehe
    i dont need the gearbox, but ill try anything, just the cheapest i can get basically
  • TimmooreTimmoore Posts: 1,031
    edited 2009-08-01 21:25
    Have you looked at http://www.active-robots.com/ they have some pager motors at a reasonable price.
  • P!-RoP!-Ro Posts: 1,189
    edited 2009-08-01 21:29
    Lol no I don't think I want to ship out there! You think about using modified servos? 10 bucks isn't too bad..
    btw--cheapest you can get is going to a thrift store and buying old vcrs and toys. I got a vcr at one once and didn't realize it was broken, but didn't mind when I got 3 motors from it, two of which were brushless and worked just fine from 5v to 30v. Pretty good deal for 3 US $.

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    PG
  • Jon1992Jon1992 Posts: 10
    edited 2009-08-01 21:43
    hmm, ok, just one question, whats a thrift store? lol
  • P!-RoP!-Ro Posts: 1,189
    edited 2009-08-01 21:48
    Reused junk work for you? Idk, the Mormon religion runs one here and the Catholic church used to...maybe you could ask a priest if you guys have one too.

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    PG
  • iDaveiDave Posts: 252
    edited 2009-08-02 00:30
    I got some off ebay pretty cheap

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    "THE ONLY TRUE WISDOM IS IN KNOWING YOU KNOW NOTHING." - SOCRATES
  • BOB55BOB55 Posts: 36
    edited 2009-08-02 03:35
    hey

    im 16 too, once i found this website i went all out and began attempting building robots from scrap. Right now im finishing up a sumo bot that i built from scracht and a parallax basic stamp. The beuty of mini sumo is that they could be redisigned for lots of applications.

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    BOB55
  • P!-RoP!-Ro Posts: 1,189
    edited 2009-08-02 04:46
    Motors seems to be pretty well explained, so I'm going to go to the other part of your question:
    "or books for that matter"
    idk what your future plans are, but one book I suggest trying out is "123 Pic Microcontroller Experiments for the Evil Genius." It's a little on the complex side of things but it teaches you C and goes from displaying messages on an lcd to making a robot out of a Zip Zap rc car. I've just started working with it, but I've enjoyed every bit of it and plan to move my C knowledge to other micros like the arduino and maybe even on the Propeller if I can get the money for the programmer.

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  • Baz00k0Baz00k0 Posts: 7
    edited 2009-08-07 21:02
    In my experience the best places to harvest parts is from old VHS and DVD players, or any other old electronic equipment; ask your friends and neighbors if they have any of these that they don't want anymore. There are many small motors and gears and all sorts of useful parts that can be found in those things and it gives you some experience with de-soldering, which is a useful skill when doing any electronics/robotics projects.

    Good luck and have fun in the exciting world of robotics!
  • Jon1992Jon1992 Posts: 10
    edited 2010-01-15 10:09
    hey guys, anyone know of a good surplus website? ive looked at a few but has anyone used one before and got good stuff? thanks [noparse]:D[/noparse]
  • MacGeek117MacGeek117 Posts: 747
    edited 2010-01-15 16:41
    www.goldmine-elec.com
    MacGeek117

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    BS2: $49


    SX48 Protoboard: $10

    Propeller Protoboard: Priceless

    www.apple.com

    www.parallax.com

    www.goldmine-elec.com

    www.expresspcb.com

    www.jameco.com
  • Jon1992Jon1992 Posts: 10
    edited 2010-05-11 17:19
    heyy, ive got some books now [noparse]:D[/noparse] including the evil genius one recommended before, and ive got a boebot kit too woop woop, but my computer isnt recognising the bs2 [noparse]:([/noparse] ive made sure its the right way round and everythings plugged in properly, i even tried uninstalling bs editor and reinstalling but it still wont work, any ideas on how to fix it? sad.gif
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2010-05-11 17:27
    There's a "sticky thread" on this in the Stamp forum and a link on the Parallax website off the downloads page for I/O drivers, but the general idea is that the Stamp has to have power to be recognized and it has to have a working serial connection including the DTR control line. Many USB to Serial Adapters neither provide a working DTR line nor do they implement the serial port with minimal delays. The Stamp download protocol is sensitive to the serial port timing. You also can't use the default Windows I/O drivers. You have to use the Adapter's manufacturer's USB driver.
  • Jon1992Jon1992 Posts: 10
    edited 2010-05-11 17:32
    hmm, im using the mini USB to usb connector cable supplied with the programming board, should i still have different drivers? i know the board has power because the small power indicating LED is lit up
  • Jessica UelmenJessica Uelmen Posts: 490
    edited 2010-05-11 18:39
    Hi Jon1992!

    The drivers for the USB-to-Serial Adapter should have automatically installed with the latest version of the BASIC Stamp Editor. May I ask what board and power supply you are using?

    Thanks!

    -- Jessica

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    Jessica Uelmen
    Education Department
    Parallax Inc.
  • Jon1992Jon1992 Posts: 10
    edited 2010-05-11 19:43
    this is what im using..
    http://www.parallax.com/Store/Education/KitsandBoards/tabid/182/CategoryID/67/List/0/SortField/0/Level/a/ProductID/294/Default.aspx

    and ive got a new 9v battery connected to it, a friend said maybe it was damaged by static? if thats right can it be repaired? or would i need to get a new one? that would suck [noparse]:([/noparse]

    thanks for all help so far btw [noparse]:D[/noparse]
  • Jessica UelmenJessica Uelmen Posts: 490
    edited 2010-05-11 23:23
    Hi Jon1992,

    There is always a potential for damage due to static, but it is unlikely. Have you double checked that your BASIC Stamp is mounted in its socket correctly, and that none of the pins have accidentally been bent under the module? I know it seems trivial, but from experience, it is a problem that we run into fairly frequently.

    If that's not the case, we do have a great Troubleshooting section now built into our BASIC Stamp Editor Help. In the Stamp Editor, click Help -> BASIC Stamp Help..., and then select the "Getting Started with Stamps in Class" link on the bottom right of the welcome screen.

    Once you've selected your board and gone through a couple of introductory pages, you'll then be taken through some of the most common problems our Tech Support team runs into when helping out our customers. And if none of that works, we provide quick links for contacting our Tech Support team. [noparse]:)[/noparse]

    Best of luck, and let us know if you run into any other problems!

    -- Jessica

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    Jessica Uelmen
    Education Department
    Parallax Inc.
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