Quote:
Originally Posted by Cal578
[*]It takes a lot of holes in plastic to make any difference in weight, and that often compromises strength before much weight is shed. Target metal, especially thick items, first.
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Don't be so quick to immediately discredit lightening plastic components; if the plastic part is large enough, the weight savings become valuable. If you have sheets of Lexan/polycarbonate on your robot, these add up almost deceptively quick in the weight department.
For example, a 24"x36" sheet of 1/16" polycarbonate weighs in at just under 2.4 lbs; the same size panel from 1/8" polycarbonate weighs in at about 4.75 lbs (which is about the same weight as the older Thomas air compressor).
Be warned through: while it is possible to use large hole saws (2-3" diameter) in sheets of Lexan, it's not the easiest thing to do in the pits. It's much easier ahead of time to only use the thinnest possible Lexan.