My Own Worst Enemy

Post date: May 31, 2011 8:40:27 PM

Equal parts ROFL and GRRR....

Today was the day I finally hooked up and tested the spinner weapon. The first few tests I got it up to speed and had it "attack" a piece of wood that was roughly 3-lb. The spinner would scratch at it but would not throw it like I wanted. That could mean it doesn't have enough energy (unlikely, as we'll see in a moment), that it doesn't have an adequate shape for lifting, or that it's spinning too fast to catch the dummy and throw it. And as added problem, it was spinning so fast the 'bot was vibrating something fierce.

So I tinkered a bit and went in for a another test. This time, the vibration was so bad it vibrated one of my drive motors off its gearbox. Literally vibrated the screws -- which were held on with Locktite! -- loose. Tiny (appr. 3 mm diameter) gears went everywhere. At this point I think I've recovered about 2/3 of the gearbox. Naturally I don't have a spare...