paper: DIY 'encoder stage' for VersaPlanetary

[GeeTwo]

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

Why wouldn't you let students touch?

That didn't come across quite like I meant it. We would never buy a tool that we would not let the students touch - it makes much more sense to outsource on so many levels, including inspiration. I meant that a couple of our mentors might be able to do the job with tools that our students had never touched; we have yet to have a band saw or drill press or soldering iron see more than a few dozen hours of student use without becoming a less precise tool than it was designed to be. Until we can teach students not to damage the tools, there's no use in spending thousands of dollars on a tool. It is sort of a catch-22, but so far we're stuck in it. I recognize that at the root this is more a mentor problem than a student problem - we only have one mentor who uses cutting tools on a daily basis (and those hand tools, not shop tools), and he can't be everywhere at once.

Also, back to the original project - it might be more efficient (especially if you were to put this into production) to start with 3/16" steel plate (or even better a thick washer) and cut the teeth. The teeth could also then have a more rectangular encoder-like shape.