Quote:
Originally Posted by nyu500
We finished our wheel base and things like that, but I was curious to know if anyone knew how to make sticky wheels (I'm not exactly sure but I know they are homemade with various chemicals). We were also wondering if anyone knew of a site that sells fabric cheaply and what type of fabric we should use to cover our borders. Same with floaties, we can't seem to find any inexpensive ones.
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1) "Sticky" wheels. Check manual section 8 rule 34... "Gaining traction by using adhesives or Velcro-like fastener material is not
allowed." Presumably you are just looking for a way to have a soft, high-friction tread for your robot, not something actively sticky. The wheels in the kit are good in this regard, however you may wish to check with IFIRobotics.com and andymark.biz for some tread ideas that other FIRST teams have had success with. Be careful that you test your robot on carpet, not just a shop floor. If you have TOO MUCH traction, you may not be able to turn efficiently.
2) Fabric: by "borders", I presume you mean "bumpers". Check a few rules down in Rule 37 and you find that 1000 Denier Cordura Plus is the recommended fabric. Other sturdy rip-stop nylon fabrics may be used, but the heavy duty cordura is recommended for a reason. I am sure if you ask around your community someone will be able to point you towards a fabric store that can help you, but if not, try googling "cordura"... you might find a list like this:
http://lycraprl.invista.com/public_r...BrandAll =All
3) Pool noodles can be found on-line (try searching Chief Delphi, I believe some sources were mentioned last year) or trying "google". As for cheap ones, ask at nearby aquatic centres. I found some for $1.99 at Canadian Tire last year... but that probably doesn't help you a lot, eh?
Good luck,
Jason