In Need of Banebot Wheels

[Qbot2640]

The green mushy ones appear to be in stock right now.

[bigbeezy]

Because Banebots was out of stock we went a different route this year. We 3D printed wheels (~4" OD out of PLA @ 60% infill) and used Polyurethane Rubber Tube as the tread (McMaster 87235K79). Just cut to width and stretch over the wheel. We had lips on either side to retain the tread. These worked fantastic and the wear was nothing compared to Green Banebot wheels (we didn't have Orange to try). Just be sure to clean them in between matches. These collector wheels went through 2 regionals, champs, IRI, R2OC and are perfectly fine. We did replace the tread for IRI but we didn't need to.

[mwmac]

Originally Posted by bigbeezy

Because Banebots was out of stock we went a different route this year. We 3D printed wheels (~4" OD out of PLA @ 60% infill) and used Polyurethane Rubber Tube as the tread (McMaster 87235K79). Just cut to width and stretch over the wheel. We had lips on either side to retain the tread. These worked fantastic and the wear was nothing compared to Green Banebot wheels (we didn't have Orange to try). Just be sure to clean them in between matches. These collector wheels went through 2 regionals, champs, IRI, R2OC and are perfectly fine. We did replace the tread for IRI but we didn't need to.

Sounds like a great idea!

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by mwmac

Sounds like a great idea!

You can also do this with Vexpro pulleys as a wheel (kind of hokey, but works).

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...NNc/edit#gid=0

It doesn't make a huge amount of sense to use the pulleys as hubs for small OD wheels if you have the ability to hex broach something... but if you don't it's not an awful way to do it (relatively low cost and weight).

Quite a few teams this year made wheels with this tread and loved it.

[Mike Marandola]

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

You can also do this with Vexpro pulleys as a wheel (kind of hokey, but works).

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...NNc/edit#gid=0

It doesn't make a huge amount of sense to use the pulleys as hubs for small OD wheels if you have the ability to hex broach something... but if you don't it's not an awful way to do it (relatively low cost and weight).

Quite a few teams this year made wheels with this tread and loved it.

Originally Posted by bigbeezy

Because Banebots was out of stock we went a different route this year. We 3D printed wheels (~4" OD out of PLA @ 60% infill) and used Polyurethane Rubber Tube as the tread (McMaster 87235K79). Just cut to width and stretch over the wheel. We had lips on either side to retain the tread. These worked fantastic and the wear was nothing compared to Green Banebot wheels (we didn't have Orange to try). Just be sure to clean them in between matches. These collector wheels went through 2 regionals, champs, IRI, R2OC and are perfectly fine. We did replace the tread for IRI but we didn't need to.

Anyone have any tips for cutting the polyurethane cleanly?

[bigbeezy]

We put it around a chunk of plastic rod we had lying around and cut it on a band saw. Worked very well. But basically wastes the rod (creates nice hockey pucks). You probably could just cut it with a band saw without the rod and be fine.

I'm sure there's a better way.

[TheHolyHades1]

During my pit walk at St. Louis this year, I got a chance to talk to a few teams that used similar wheels.

One of the nicer methods of creating these wheels seemed to be to push the tube onto the hub, put the assembly in a lathe, and cut off the excess plastic. If this proves to be unstable, the above idea with putting a plastic piece inside all the way might be better.

[mman1506]

The company that made our wheels put the tube of urethane on a plug in a lathe and cut it with a exacto knife lathe tool.

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by TheHolyHades1

During my pit walk at St. Louis this year, I got a chance to talk to a few teams that used similar wheels.

One of the nicer methods of creating these wheels seemed to be to push the tube onto the hub, put the assembly in a lathe, and cut off the excess plastic. If this proves to be unstable, the above idea with putting a plastic piece inside all the way might be better.

This is what we did at real low speed with a razor blade clamped to the tool post.

[mlantry]

Originally Posted by bigbeezy

Because Banebots was out of stock we went a different route this year. We 3D printed wheels (~4" OD out of PLA @ 60% infill) and used Polyurethane Rubber Tube as the tread (McMaster 87235K79). Just cut to width and stretch over the wheel. We had lips on either side to retain the tread. These worked fantastic and the wear was nothing compared to Green Banebot wheels (we didn't have Orange to try). Just be sure to clean them in between matches. These collector wheels went through 2 regionals, champs, IRI, R2OC and are perfectly fine. We did replace the tread for IRI but we didn't need to.

You wouldn't happen to have any images of these wheels would you? Also some of the wheels without tread attached

[Chris is me]

My old taem used blue McMaster drive rollers for our intake this year. We tested the intake to death, trying almost every traction material and wheel we could get our hands on. At first it seemed like nothing beat orange / blue Banebots, but then when Banebots ran out of stock, we put these McMaster wheels on. These wheels work the same if not slightly better. Trust me, they're worth it. And you'll never have to replace them due to wear!

You may have seen these wheels on frisbee shooters in 2013; I think 341, 2056, 1114, 254, among others all had them. 2056 used one as a shooter wheel in 2012 as well. They're pretty nice. The only catch is you have to make a hub for them, though I've heard you can make a Vex VersaHub work in a pinch.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#drive-rollers/=y9865l

You'll want PN 2477K36. We used 60A durometer.

[bigbeezy]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

My old taem used blue McMaster drive rollers for our intake this year. We tested the intake to death, trying almost every traction material and wheel we could get our hands on. At first it seemed like nothing beat orange / blue Banebots, but then when Banebots ran out of stock, we put these McMaster wheels on. These wheels work the same if not slightly better. Trust me, they're worth it. And you'll never have to replace them due to wear!

You may have seen these wheels on frisbee shooters in 2013; I think 341, 2056, 1114, 254, among others all had them. 2056 used one as a shooter wheel in 2012 as well. They're pretty nice. The only catch is you have to make a hub for them, though I've heard you can make a Vex VersaHub work in a pinch.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#drive-rollers/=y9865l

You'll want PN 2477K36. We used 60A durometer.

I'm curious as to the difference between these and the ones similar to what we used (McMaster 87235K79). From a cost comparison at same width wheels you are talking ~$8.30/wheel vs ~$30/wheel. For our collector we used the 40A.

[thatprogrammer]

Would anyone happen to know how much larger/smaller you want the tubing to be compared to whatever you slide them onto? From what I've heard, you want something slightly smaller than the diameter of what you're going to slide onto, and you need to inflate it slightly so it slides onto it.

[mman1506]

Originally Posted by thatprogrammer

Would anyone happen to know how much larger/smaller you want the tubing to be compared to whatever you slide them onto? From what I've heard, you want something slightly smaller than the diameter of what you're going to slide onto, and you need to inflate it slightly so it slides onto it.

We over sized the diameter of our hubs by about %10. We had no issues with slipping or installation.

Here is a pic of our wheels if anyone is interested https://scontent-lga1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/t31.0-8/10256793_10155208355065576_3280327124933048631_o.j pg
Urethane is 30A and the hub is resin cast.

[bigbeezy]

Originally Posted by mlantry

You wouldn't happen to have any images of these wheels would you? Also some of the wheels without tread attached

Collector:


Wheel w/ Tread:


Wheel w/o Tread:


Vex Versa Wheel w/ tread. This was used on our practice bot since February. Never been changed. The notch at the bottom of the tread is from it rubbing against a bolt before we noticed. We went with 3D printed wheels for weight.