Axles/Spacers

[neoshaakti]

what kind of spacers do you guys use on your axles?
our team has looked at the tips and good practices manual where they advise teams to use sleeves and washers.

if you use sleeves, can you please provide me with a supplier's website

thank you :)

[Cory]

Search McMaster Carr (www.mcmaster.com) for "Set Screw Shaft Collars".

I think they're far easier to use than washers. Simply slide them where you want them, and tighten them down (One of the few acceptable uses for set screws ;))

[sanddrag]

I prefer the split kind so you can install and remove them without pulling the axle out. E-clips are another option.

[M4 Sherman]

1/16" wall aluminum tubing works pretty good.

[AJ R]

You can always check your local hardware store. The Ace hardware by us has shaft collars and aluminum tubing in stock. It might cost a little more, but you don't have to wait for shipping.

[AndyB]

We found some copper tubing in the basement that fits our 1/2" axles alright.

[lukevanoort]

As you can see from above, many materials are successful. Sanddag's suggestion is probably the easiest to work with, and M4 Sherman's is likely the cheapest of those already proposed (PVC would be cheaper still though). My team has never gone the shaft collar route (recently that is, I think some of our old robots might use them), but we've done thin-wall aluminum tubing, steel tubing, and PVC pipes. You know what we have learned? Material choice doesn't really matter much. What is more important is making sure that they are the right length and that their ends are not cut at an angle. That is why we aren't going to go with steel again--too hard to cut accurately with our tools.