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$18 Ebay Robot Chassis — Parallax Forums

$18 Ebay Robot Chassis

ercoerco Posts: 20,256
edited 2011-08-30 19:40 in Robotics
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Electric-Turtle-robot-chassis-kit-arduino-picaxe-/220839904302

Electric turtle? W. Grey Walter (http://www.extremenxt.com/walter.htm) would be turning in his gravy if he saw this chassis and description that mentions Arduino and PicAxe, but no Stamp.

IS THERE ONE AMONG US WHO WILL RIGHT THIS WRONG? :)

At least he shows a PING mounted up top.

$18 is for the acrylic parts only. A decent, but not smoking deal. If you like the look of acylic, go for it. My favorite feature is the laser-etched compass/protractor marks around the perimeter. It implies great precision!

Edit: As a final irony and indignity, his own website with robot details is PROPELLERHEADGEEK! http://www.propellerheadgeek.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=49
turtle.jpg
640 x 612 - 53K

Comments

  • LeonLeon Posts: 7,620
    edited 2011-08-29 14:41
    I remember seeing Grey Walter and his turtles at an electronics show in London over 50 years ago. My brother and I had tried to build one a couple of years earlier.
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2011-08-29 14:47
    That's probably a fair price, reflecting -- I'm guessing -- about nine minutes of laser cutter time at $2/min. It could be much less than that, but for the engraved nomenclature, since engraving is a much slower process than cutting.

    -Phil
  • Bill HenningBill Henning Posts: 6,445
    edited 2011-08-29 15:05
    Ummm.... perhaps this would be a good time to mention that I will also be selling a chassis?

    $30+s/h, includes two gear motors and wheels
    erco wrote: »
    http://www.ebay.com/itm/Electric-Turtle-robot-chassis-kit-arduino-picaxe-/220839904302

    Electric turtle? W. Grey Walter (http://www.extremenxt.com/walter.htm) would be turning in his gravy if he saw this chassis and description that mentions Arduino and PicAxe, but no Stamp.

    IS THERE ONE AMONG US WHO WILL RIGHT THIS WRONG? :)

    At least he shows a PING mounted up top.

    $18 is for the acrylic parts only. A decent, but not smoking deal. If you like the look of acylic, go for it. My favorite feature is the laser-etched compass/protractor marks around the perimeter. It implies great precision!

    Edit: As a final irony and indignity, his own website with robot details is PROPELLERHEADGEEK! http://www.propellerheadgeek.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=49
  • W9GFOW9GFO Posts: 4,010
    edited 2011-08-29 15:18
    Doug, the fellow that created the Electric Turtle, offers freely the files to cut your own chassis.

    You can find it on Thingiverse.com.

    Rich H
  • Tony B.Tony B. Posts: 356
    edited 2011-08-29 15:28
    I noticed his Little Tank chassis has Propellerheadgeek.com cut into the side between the tracks. Also for sale on Ebay for $21. Uses a Tamiya 70097 motor/gearbox combo and a Tamiya 70100 track and wheel mechanical kit.

    Tony
  • GordonMcCombGordonMcComb Posts: 3,366
    edited 2011-08-29 20:22
    One of my least favorite materials for a robot chassis is clear extruded acrylic. Looks nice for making napkin holders, but it generates copious amounts of static, and nearly always crazes or cracks when you drill it. Opaque colors or cast acrylic is better. (Bill's Magician chassis is one such opaque acrylic.)

    I still say expanded (Erco sez "foam") PVC is the way to go!! So what if it melts at 165 degrees. Just don't leave your robot out on the dash of your car during the summer in Las Vegas.

    Also good: wood, HDPE, acetal, polystyrene, and nanomorph mimetic poly-alloy.

    -- Gordon
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2011-08-29 20:26
    @Gordon: You didn't mention my second favorite (after wood): transparent aluminum! If it's good enough for a Star Trek whale tank, it's good enough for a robot chassis!
  • Bill HenningBill Henning Posts: 6,445
    edited 2011-08-29 21:59
    Thanks Gordon!

    I really like your PVC chassis (and I am almost finished with my next shopping list for budgetrobotics) - for one thing it is VERY easy to add holes to it :)

    Don't be too surprised if your PVC chassis end up in future articles of mine...

    (actually Magician is not my design; I import it in bulk)
    GordonMcComb wrote: »
    One of my least favorite materials for a robot chassis is clear extruded acrylic. Looks nice for making napkin holders, but it generates copious amounts of static, and nearly always crazes or cracks when you drill it. Opaque colors or cast acrylic is better. (Bill's Magician chassis is one such opaque acrylic.)

    I still say expanded (Erco sez "foam") PVC is the way to go!! So what if it melts at 165 degrees. Just don't leave your robot out on the dash of your car during the summer in Las Vegas.

    Also good: wood, HDPE, acetal, polystyrene, and nanomorph mimetic poly-alloy.

    -- Gordon
  • GordonMcCombGordonMcComb Posts: 3,366
    edited 2011-08-30 08:07
    The problem with transparent aluminum is its negative flux factor. Plus you can't see it, so you're always stubbing your toe on your robot.

    Bill, I immediately recognized the chassis and its origins. They make a nice platform at a great price. Russell and his crew know how to do this right. Example: Note its abundance of holes and slots, so you don't have to drill things yourself, and take the risk of cracking the plastic.

    -- Gordon
  • Bill HenningBill Henning Posts: 6,445
    edited 2011-08-30 19:40
    But you can use it to make a tank for whales!

    Yep - they did a great job on the Magician; RoboProp mounted easily on it. Thanks for the intro to Russel!

    It is also trivial to mount SirMorphs on the bottom for line sensor use.
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