Tracked vehicle construction?

[capjbadger]

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Tactics: "...methods for engaging and defeating an enemy in battle."

A cannon might be useful for such purposes, I believe, yes.

And Kernul Killbuck told me that all tactical mutant vehicles are welcome. So far,
I believe we are talking human power, but I cannot imagine a worthy motorized
vehicle being turned away; there would just have to be a separate heat for such -- eh?

Ahhh good. I was planning on entering anyway.

Sadly my vehicle will not be human powered for this year (and might be too heavy to do in the future anyway). It will either be gas or electric (I'm hoping on electric, but I may have to go gas this year due to limited funds. )

Since style is repeated (are bellbottoms coming back again? ), the vehicle will be a mix of very old school tacticle vehicle with futuristic add-ons.
I just hope my funds and building skill can match the images in my head.

[Tiahaar]

I just hope my funds and building skill can match the images in my head.

amen, hear you on that...its got to be a universal tweeker of BurningMan projects

Not much to report this time. TRAK is now up on its very own little custom workstands that allow for chain and tread work which commences next weekend. The bogie suspension units are all on, diagonal braces to be cut and welded through the week. Caught my welding shirt on fire Saturday it was my birthday...better than candles on a cake so finally gifted myself a leather welding jacket I've wanted for 20+ years. I need to be thinking about tacticals...water cannon? nerf ball launcher? Something along the lines of those futuristic explorer vehicles Popular Science etc. used to envision? I like this one:

[dragonfly Jafe]

my latest, still not happy with this, but at least the chain fits now, and the tensioning system appears to work well. There is one more bogie wheel not shown, just before the rear wheel (which is iffy looking). It rolls very nicely however, so that is promising. look real close at the front to see the first treads on the track (just going around the drive sprocket)

[Mister Jellyfish Mister]

Sounds cool E-Dude does it still live?,...... could be a fun desert accessory considering the neighborhood you’ll be in.

It does...couple issues for playa...325 lbs....and about 1/8" ground clearance. It would have to have the hammer weapon de-activated. It can put a 3/4" chisel thru 1/8" steel or 3/4" plywood/particle board.

here is a rear view of "WRECKTANGLE" note the spike and titanium skin



front is ground scraping wedge


Maybe we can offer rides on it....LOL HA HA

E-Man: what of Battlebots? My daughter and I used to be glued to that show and even tried to get tickets in SF. Was it yanked? What was it like competing?

[Tiahaar]

my latest

Very very very COOL!! The chain line is beautiful, the quad bogie assembly is downright sexy (hey it sounds corny but you mechanics know what I mean right?)

[Tiahaar]

Track chain work started. I've got to weld the bars on for the treads to bolt to...never welded on chain before, any advice out there? I want to not overheat and burn out the roller lubricant or create stiff links. But I do have some links to practice on. Just also realized that the back bogies where the track chain changes direction are where a good deal of the 'push' force to make TRAK move forward is concentrated...calls for beefing up that bogie set and giving the chain an inner ring to ride on rather than just being supported by my weld-on track bars. AARgh. Another part to fabricate.
...

[Tiahaar]

whadaya know, it works!! I had doubts about welding bits onto chain, but this is big manly chain and it doesn't seem to mind. The track tread bars (8" x 7/8" 11guage plates) are now done on one side and my back is killing me. Other side tomorrow. Then on to the actual treads.

[dragonfly Jafe]

...that is looking great...I have been trying to get my gears to all work (chains keep wanting to come off, but stuff is starting to spin!) - this is all great fun, I can't wait to feel it actually move under pedal power...

While moving it today I did a "steering test" by twisting it. The first shove (when everything was tight) worked fine, tracks skidded and one arm pushing easily turned it. But then when I stopped to reposition my arm, the upper idlers slipped (my spacers are not installed yet) and some slack came in - then on that push, I lost the track. More importantly, I saw a failure mode I had checked off as solved - if I loose a track, my tensioner has nothing holding it in, so it unfolds and the vehicle drops violently to the ground! Not good...more work needed....mumble, mumble...

[dragonfly Jafe]

...well, I think I have the failure mode fixed. A safety chain will easily solve that problem, and still be easy to adjust the track when needed. I also added a down-force spring system with about 200lbs down force to the rear bogie set, as a test to see if it works better than the passive front system. The whole idea is to keep the track in contact with the bogie wheels at all times, even when the track lifts off the ground for a few seconds...I almost have my power system working, a few issues with drive chains coming off, etc (no idlers sprockets installed yet).

I also decided to change my steering crank to the vertical, so the tank commander can get 2 hands on the crank (that means all 3 crew can now help with turning - it also seems more natural turning side-to-side rather than up-and-down).

[dragonfly Jafe]

Hey Tiahaar, what is your estimated final vehicle weight? Mine is somewhere around 200lbs so far, maybe 250. After I add a battery and other stuff, it will probably be around 350lbs (without people). My final vehicle weight fully loaded should be between 800-1000 lbs. I have 37 tracks per side in touch w/ the ground at all times, and each track is 2" x 5", so that is 740 sq.in. of bearing. Divide the vehicle weight by this, and my estimated ground loading is around 1.35 psi (a human walking in boots is around 2-5 psi). I switched to 3/16" steel rivets with backer plates. My fear now is that the 2 rivets holding each track will shear under the load of turning...time will tell.

I started adding the sheet aluminum siding (sick of welding in the heat), it looks great - it will have that "battle dented" look under the paint. Very light, fairly strong. I am still trying to figure out ways to prevent people from climbing on it, though - I think they would go right through (and the metal has razor edges when it tears).

[capjbadger]

I am still trying to figure out ways to prevent people from climbing on it, though - I think they would go right through (and the metal has razor edges when it tears).

Barbed/razor wire decoration? I doubt anyone would try to climb it then...

[Elliot]

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Jafe:
From my experience with Kinetic Sculptures, young boys will indeed climb on it if they get a chance. Try to avoid creating natural "steps" for them to put their feet on.

On this topic, a funny story: I had The Two Ton Tricycle on display at an Earth Fair. A toddler walked right underneath it without even ducking. Then he reached up and grabbed a gloriously pitch black muddy greasy #40 final drive chain with both hands and kinda swung there like Tarzan for a little while -- grinning from ear to ear over the fabulous jungle gym he had found. Then he let go and looked at his hands. His mother was really nice about it; boys will be boys -- probably meaning both of us -- and it will wear off before he gets to high school. I can still see that boy's face turning from glee to despair!

[Tiahaar]

Hey Tiahaar, what is your estimated final vehicle weight?

Oi, you are leading the weight-watching...and funny you should ask because tonight I got all the wood track treads bolted on (yeah!) and decided to lift each end of the frame to check: well, I can just barely get the end off the supports. Ummmph! And the bogies and body aren't even on now. I'll go get a scale to stand on this weekend. These two machines might end up being close to the same weight with crew aboard. To race in Elliot's world we'd each need some rather impressive pontoons heheh. Capbadger:The razer wire idea spawned a thought...a cattle electric fence zapper! I may need to discourage climbers also Here's a "by moonlight" pic after I got one row of wood treads on:

[Tiahaar]

oh and speaking of tips-and-tricks...don't do what I inadvertently did and have all the bogie sets and all the dips in-between track treads and bumps over tread plates be spaced such that they are all hitting the bogies at the same time. grrr. When i thought out the track design I thought i had it phased so that when one end of a bogie pair was down in a gap the other end would be riding over a bump and they'd just kind-of see-saw back and forth. but NOOooo. I missed by an inch and they all hit the dips at once then bump up together too. Would be a very bumpy ride. Now I have to cut out 432 little 1.5"x2"x0.125" hardboard rectangles and glue down a "road" for the bogies to roll on. But hell yes this is still a hoot to build stuff like this : )

[capjbadger]

hahaha Fence zapper! Thats great! I'd be like Disney's "20,000 leagues under the sea" when they zapped the cannibals that were climbing on the ship.

[Elliot]

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Not to discourage you guys, but.... I guesstimated Henry Ford Goes Surfing to weigh something like 500 pounds. When we got it on a scale, it was 1000. On a level hard surface, the weight wasn't much of a problem. But in terrain...! I recently took the SawsAll to Henry and made a three wheeler of it. Took maybe a couple hundred pounds off. Noticably easier up hill. So try to resist any temptation to stick an anvil in there for ballast!

[dragonfly Jafe]

Until I added the drive parts, I could pick up the entire chassis. Now I can only lift one end at a time. But 2 people can still lift it without too much trouble, soo I doubt it is much more than 300 lbs right now....I have been looking for 4 bathroom scales tho'

...I'm already eyeing those solid steel 1" axles and considering hollow ones as an upgrade (probably not this year tho')...and I am wishing now aluminum wasn't so expensive! That would have cut ~100 lbs right there...

I had to rotate BioTrak to start fabbing the other side, and the track worked great. No issues now that it is properly tensioned, rolled easily, skidded fine (tore up my yard somewhat tho'). The track stays in between the 2 bogie wheels of each set, even when I lift one end up off the ground and rotate...

[capjbadger]

Damn... looking sweet Jafe. Can't wait to give ya a broadside with my cannon. hahaha

[spectabillis]

elliot, tiahaar, dragonfly jafe, everyone..

it has been a very pleasant surprise to follow along your progress. i got a bit discouraged a while back when facing that lurking cycle of the usual fallout from underachieved dreams (myself incl.) so it is a very reassuring thing to witness first hand a classic case of success. i greatly appreciate your sharing it here because it really goes a long way in helping new people who venture across the board after hearing about this event, they come across something like this, and the like inspired are given one of the best examples firsthand.


really people, i appreciate it. its one of the reasons i put as much effort into this board as i did and its great to see things turn around and improve as they have. you are one of the reasons its worth it.

ed: and very sorry for the drift, but it just had to be openly said.

[Tiahaar]

This photo dedicated to the great spectabillis! Rock on!

(note that this monster is taking up most of a 10x10 shade shelter)
That's a glorious tank developing under your talented hand dragonfly Jafe! This krawler of mine will lean more towards a planetary explorer vehicle and the body work started today with my conduit purchase and cutting...yes the secret body is going to be a geodesic, on tracks

[dragonfly Jafe]

Yowzah! I'm going to have to start whipping the workers (or myself...) to greater effort if I want to keep pace with you, Tiahaar. The "Trak" is looking fantastic! I can't wait to blow it away...(secret weapons of unimagineable power and devistation are being developed as we speak)

I just got the bulk of my remaining sprockets, so now I can start fitting them to the shafts...so much to do, so little time!

I have formulated a general plan to discourage unauthorized tank riders; fill up all spaces with decorative crap. Fake guns, spikes, gizmos, whatever, so long as it is bulky and looks like it would hurt to stand on or grab...although the razorwire idea has merit!

[Tiahaar]

Ah yes WEAPONS, working on weapons...and SHIELDS!!! The threat of Secret weapons of unimagineable power and devastation require EQUALLY Impenitrable energy barriers and deflection fields...as much as 12 volts can provide!!

[Mister Jellyfish Mister]

Jafe: Tank Girl will be all over you. Prepare to be boarded. (Seriously: you both you and Tiahaar have inspired the inspired).

[spectabillis]

ed: mispost

[capjbadger]

Damn... I want

http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2006/ ... torcycles/

[dragonfly Jafe]

I got one side of my drive working (sort of - alignment/tension issues, keep popping chains). I can now calculate my final speed with 3 stages of jack gearing...

in low gear, at 60 rpm, BioTrak should achieve an astonishing 1/4mph...

but in high gear, at 60 rpm, BioTrak should achieve a blistering 3/4mph!

with 13 gears in between...

I think I may be fiddling with the jack gear ratios a'bit...

on the down side, my drive sprockets are the wrong size to fit my chain - arrghh! Now, try to return, find correct size, or have these machines to fit...

[dragonfly Jafe]

....just finished the Reverse Phase Coupler (the secret to BioTrak's turning)

[Tiahaar]

....just finished the Reverse Phase Coupler (the secret to BioTrak's turning)

OOoo,nice. Is that the chain connected to your steering crank?

News from the hanger deck: TRAK krawls!! It went for its first small trip today four feet forward four feet back (its in a small sideyard) then I spent the next couple hours changing the gear ratios ha. Now instead of 1-5mph its 1/4-2mph...the beast is a heavy monster to get started but goes way better cranking the elliptical than trying to push it. The frame flexes quite a bit though and bows almost 1"! I need to add a rod truss to stiffen it up...would hate to have it fold whilst krawling over a log. Wish now I'd used heavywall rather than thinwall for the long main frame members. The dome body is ready to bolt on but has to wait another week, ack. Here's a photo of TRAK backed up against a tree. Going forward I snagged a guyline of the shade canopy and promptly snapped it heheh.

[Mister Jellyfish Mister]

... Here's a photo of TRAK backed up against a tree. Going forward I snagged a guyline of the shade canopy and promptly snapped it heheh.

Ha! She's already taking down enemies! Inspiring work from you and Jafe.

Any chance you can have them in front of Club Verboten on Playa Thursday for The Great Truce between Camp Herring and Apoliliptika? It's the one night neither will try to shoot anything. Dress is playa formal.

[EspressoDude]

Ah yes WEAPONS, working on weapons...and SHIELDS!!! The threat of Secret weapons of unimagineable power and devastation require EQUALLY Impenitrable energy barriers and deflection fields...as much as 12 volts can provide!!

Remember BATTLEBOTS total mayhem on batteries!!!