Quote:
Originally Posted by RyanN
We can make custom with our new CNC machine, but we are still trying to get everything figured out, and we don't want to design them, especially since we cannot build anything until January. If we were to mill them out, that would break the rules. I think the thing that Richard posted looks pretty neat, and I'll look at that. Trust me, if we had the patience and knowhow to CNC our own aluminum wheels, we would. We ordered the shiny aluminum ones from AndyMark, but found them to be too thin for our needs. They were so pretty though...
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Well, the off-season is a good time to practice with your CNC machine. If you practice making some wheels now, I'll bet you can make it so that you can create the CNC file pretty quickly once build starts, and after that it is mostly a matter of clamping down the stock and pressing "go" a few times. The same thing goes for programming... if you figure out how to code encoders, or improve your camera tracking in the off-season, there is nothing to prevent you from using that knowledge during build... heck... that is what you are SUPPOSED to do!
If you want a quick alternative, however, consider wooden wheels... I've seen some very effective wheels cut out of plywood (glue a couple sheets together to get two inches) with a conveyor-belt tire. Turn a couple of aluminum inserts to hold bearings, bolt on a sprocket, use a hole saw to cut out some "speed holes" and you're off to the races.
Most importantly, however, don't forget that whatever you are planning right now could change drastically when the challenge and KOP items are announced. For all we know there is going to be a layer of washed gravel spread across the carpet this year... or we're going to have to climb steps, or cross a section of low-friction polyethylene.... or there could be 6" x 2" wheels in the KoP!
Who knows.... but you can't go wrong by learning to program your CNC machine better.
Jason