mounting electronics
 

I could find the rules on this one. Are we allowed to mount the electronics using heavy duty velcro?

typo
 

I meant I "couldn't" find the rules. lol

I don't think there are any restrictions oh how you mount them. Personaly, I wouldn't exactly use velcro....

I'm pretty sure you can use velcro but it woudl not be recommended because every time your robot got banged it woudl rip the velcro apart, eventually causing your electronics to fall off....

Velcro will work!
 

Actually, we used velcro quite extensively last year, and I know that while there wasn't much hitting going on last year, we found velcro (the stuff that came in the kit) to be extremely strong and reliable. I would say go for it for the electronics.

-Jeremy Davis

Same here, I've been doing this for 5 years and every year velcro has done the job. Gaurunteed its not the nicest solution but I've never had any of the electronics fall off.

Dont knock it til you rock it.

Gotta get the good stuff
 

We have used INDUSTRIAL VELCRO from Radio Shack for the last two years on Big MO to mount Victors, Spikes, and even the Robot Controller. In fact, I used less of it this year because I could hardly remove the RC last year.
It is much easier than bolting and you can make it look very clean if you take your time.

Re: Gotta get the good stuff
 

What sort of surfaces did you stick the velcro to? We are thinking of making our controls boxes out of 1/8" Luan plywood to save weight....and I wonder if the Velcro would stick to it well enough. (I can see how it would strick to Lexan as it is smooth...but lexan is 2x the weight of Luan)

Also...how does the velcro compare weight wise to the bolts/hardware needed to mount the electronics?

-Quentin

PS: Just wondering....From the above....would you ever guess that we are currently having a weight problem?
:D :D

Response
 

We have mounted to aluminum in the past but I assume all surfaces would be pretty much the same. I don't have the package right here but it is very tacky. (It even comes with an alcohol pad to wipe off the surface to ensure maximum adhesion.) Just make sure you get Industrial. The packaging is different and you can also get it at Home Depot.

Well.........it only takes a 1" square of velcro to mount a Victor. That weight would be significantly less than 4 bolts and nuts or even 2 bolts and nuts.

We all know about that weight problem.

McMaster to the Rescue...
 

We have used the "Self-Lock Mushroom-Head Super-Adhesive-Backed Strips" from McMaster for a number of years and it works wonders.

A little dab will do ya!

If you want to get the adhesive off, you can use the standard version.

The catalog page is 3163. Go to McMaster.com and type "3163" in the search field.

One nice thing about the self lock feature is that you only have to stock one item -- it sticks to itself so you don't have to stock both hooks and loops.

Check it out.

Joe J.






McMaster.com

We have our controls on .185 inch lexan, mounted with wire ties; it saves some weight over using screws/bolts.