Australia
Asked — Edited

Diy Tank Tracks For Robots - Any Ez Ideas ?

Does anyone have any ideas or drawings on D.I.Y tank tracks for a robot. I know you can buy them commercially but that kind of defeats the creative fun in building your own robot. I have seen one D.I.Y track using bike chains and skate board wheels which looks great but I'm sure some of our EZ Robot makers out there have many other ways of making them. Presently I'm trying to use the same plastering metal angle stips that "Bob the robot" was built with and initial trials of connecting metal treads with nothing more than black plastic tape (the two drive wheels of the robot sit inside the tracks) and spin them by running on the inside of the tracks (much the way the skateboard wheels work inside the bike chains). see example at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3ju58FbJ8U

Anyway, I've also seen people use door hinges and even wooden carved tracks, but it would greatly appreciated if we could share some different and innovative ways of building tracks.

Cheers

Hazbot


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#1  

I used information and ideas I gathered from this web site:

rctankcombat.com

See my robot Magnus at

Magnus

I used plastic conveyor material and sprockets from a place called Intralox

intralox.com

I used wheelchair motors to power them.

#2  

Hazbot,

This depends on what you want. Here's some great ideas.
track styles

Someone was also telling me that they got something that looked like a big vacuum belt (two of them) glued plastic planks over them and then dipped the while thing in rubber.

I am currently playing with some ideas. I have a base I'd like to make bigger and to do so I would need to make some custom tracks. If you find anything good keep us posted.

Sam

Australia
#4  

I like the friction driven belt ideas because under load your'e not straining the motors -

Thanks for the leads guys - I'm off to the Hardware store - again................

#5  

hazbot... have fun.

#6  

I know you want to make your.own , lynxmotion.com.has track segments they sale 23" lengths for 25 dollars , the also have matching sprockets. You can still build your frame , use your own islets and motors ect. Making your own treads is very difficult and more often that not isn't good enough the first time around.