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Walmart $1.97 Motor Brackets — Parallax Forums

Walmart $1.97 Motor Brackets

ercoerco Posts: 20,256
in Robotics
Just a bit of grinding and WM's steel corner brackets make dandy motor brackets for Stingray-style gearmotors. Stronger and cheaper than RS's simple aluminum ones: https://www.robotshop.com/en/dc-geared-motor-bracket-spg30-spg50.html

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Comments

  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    Oops, duplicate post. My computer hung up while posting and I thought it crashed & didn't post. Silly me.

    Please delete this post, Mods!
  • Beau SchwabeBeau Schwabe Posts: 6,566
    Hey erco... I have a group of kids in BEST using that same motor. Only they didn't include mounting screws with it. We found some that work (I think) but it feels like there is a hard stop about 3/16th of an inch into the motor that doesn't seem quite right because we can insert a smaller screw well beyond 3/16th. Can you confirm with your motors the same phenomenon and/or pass along the "correct" screw pitch we should be using? I don't see anything in the mounting hole that should cause a stop, which makes me think we might have the wrong thread pitch and it just reaches a binding point at 3/16th.

    Thanks

  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    It's an M3 metric screw, and yes there is a hard stop on a few holes, apparently the gear! I had the motor running to check for binding as cinched the screws in and the motor slowed down. YIKES! Just to be safe I'd recommend using only short screws in all holes.
  • Beau SchwabeBeau Schwabe Posts: 6,566
    "...a hard stop on a few holes, apparently the gear!!" -- OK wow thanks, I will pass that info along. That could cause a big issue during a competition - lol
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    One long screw could change a FIRST robotics contest experience to a LAST one. :)
  • Beau SchwabeBeau Schwabe Posts: 6,566
    erco wrote: »
    One long screw could change a FIRST robotics contest experience to a LAST one. :)
    ... very true

    A good Nibbler tool would do nice in this situation as well fro your bracket instead of grinding...

    $_57.jpg

  • DaveJensonDaveJenson Posts: 375
    Will that nibbler tool cut the WM steel brackets? Just asking....
  • WhitWhit Posts: 4,191
    Not unless your nibbler and hands are EXTREMELY strong. ;-)
  • Hal AlbachHal Albach Posts: 747
    Whenever I go to Home Depot I am magnetically drawn to the section where they display various metal stock, like steel & aluminum flat, angle, square, & rod. Also the fastener and bracket isle. I may go to the store for rat traps or plumbing stuff, but always wind up buying some form of aluminum stock. It's like my brain goes into overdrive and gives in to the "gotta haves".
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    Confirming no on that nibbling tool cutting these steel brackets. I have that same one Beau showed, that's from Radio Shack, RIP. I drilled a few holes to remove material then smoothed out with the edge of a belt sander.

    I'm attaching a pic of the 3 "danger holes" to use short screws in. If you don't believe me, shove a straightened paper clip wire into those holes while the motor is running. :)

    badholes.jpg
    badholes.jpg
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