What NEW Vex Accessories Would You Like TO See?

[SamC]

I also think some sort of all thread should be added so that you can splice the "beams" togather (beams). I found i ran out of these long beam rather fast so splicing a few little ones would be a quick fix before buying a hardware kit or something else.

[nonother]

If you mean connecting the beams together then just use the 8-32 Coupler they sell on the page you linked to.

[SamC]

Yeah that is exactly what i meant... i didn't even know they had those...

[marccenter]

First, small, grippy Vex wheels to replace the small, low friction wheels
would be high on my list. We participated in a non-First,
Robotics competition, Robofest 2006 - LTU, Southfield,
Michigan and were unable to use the VEX platform because
it required a small profile robot (smaller than squarebot) with
higher traction than these two, small, wheels provided.

Second, would be red, keyed analog/digital pwm extension
cables. I know Vexlabs sells extension cables, however,
we built our own IR distance sensor from Sharp GP2D12
sensor and would have preferred using the red, keyed
cables that cannot be purchased outright.

Third, Tank threads with increased friction, adapter kit.
The Robofest competition occurs on shelving unit boards
obtained locally (5/8 inch thick, three/four feet long -
costing about $10 - Meijers, Lowes, Home Depot). These
boards have thin, laminated, smooth, white coating.
Email recommended McMaster 2126T1. Will look into.

[EricRobodox]

i got one today when building. CHANGE THE FREAKEN COLOR OF THE DRIVE SCREWS!!!!!! ahhhh. they drive me insane when i cant find the drive screws because they have been scattered with the normal screws. I think making the normal screws black like they are, and no coating on drive screws, this would help many people.

[Jeremiah Johnson]

Originally Posted by EricRobodox

i got one today when building. CHANGE THE FREAKEN COLOR OF THE DRIVE SCREWS!!!!!! ahhhh. they drive me insane when i cant find the drive screws because they have been scattered with the normal screws. I think making the normal screws black like they are, and no coating on drive screws, this would help many people.

I fixed this by trying to put the screws back into the motors.

[Simon Strauss]

Originally Posted by Budda648

I'd really like to see belts and pulleys. ...Sprocket and Chain Kit

How about a different type of chain that could run off the gears the kit comes with instead of sprockets, kind of like a timing belt but adjustable/detachable like the chain set. I'm thinking this could be done by just making regular chain links but with teeth that mesh with the gears, allowing them to function as timing pulleys as well as gears and minimizing the amount of parts people would need to a great working vex robot.

[Donut]

Originally Posted by nycpunk

How about a different type of chain that could run off the gears the kit comes with instead of sprockets, kind of like a timing belt but adjustable/detachable like the chain set. I'm thinking this could be done by just making regular chain links but with teeth that mesh with the gears, allowing them to function as timing pulleys as well as gears and minimizing the amount of parts people would need to a great working vex robot.

Adding to that, they could convert all of the current sized sprockets into gears of equivalent size for even more gearing options. Having only 4 sizes to work with does somewhat limit your options. I had a good deal of difficulty figuring out how to gear a tank tread pulley and an omni-wheel to the same speed in a reasonable amount of axles/gears, and eventually gave up on it.

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by Donut

Adding to that, they could convert all of the current sized sprockets into gears of equivalent size for even more gearing options. Having only 4 sizes to work with does somewhat limit your options. I had a good deal of difficulty figuring out how to gear a tank tread pulley and an omni-wheel to the same speed in a reasonable amount of axles/gears, and eventually gave up on it.

Wouldn't different gear sizes cause meshing issues without some funky hole placement?

[Donut]

You could do in between sizes from what they have now (for example, two 36 tooth gears have one hole between them, they could make 24 tooths so they would have no holes between them). I'm sure you could probably get these half sizes to connect to the current ones if you connect them at an angle instead of directly above or to the side of the gears.

[gblake]

Where do I begin?....

• Small Right Angle brackets (not those goofy easily-bent gussets)

• Small 3-sided Corner Brackets

• 4", 5", 6" Axles

• A way to lock a clutch, motor and axle together so that the clutch/axle won't fall out

• A rack gear for creating Rack and Pinion mechanisms

• A Crown gear for transfering rotation around corners

• Cams for using servos and motors to move lever arms and pistons

• A reel and cable/chain that can be a Winch (for torque or for speed)

• A Shaft Encoder that understands direction and counts up/down accordingly

• A Ratchet that can be used to apply torque in one direction, but slips almost without friction in the other

• A high bandwith hard-wired connection between Vextrollers or one controller and another computer/coprocessor

• An IR communication transceiver for high bandwidth comms with other Vextrollers or other computers/coprocessors

• An RF communication transceiver for high bandwidth comms woth other Vextrollers or other computers/coprocessors

• Individual and grouped LEDs of multiple colors that can be set on/off by using serial I/O to send command "bits"/"words"

• Audio outputs

• A turntable that can support substantial weight

• A tailgate that can be attached at the end of a chute and raised/lowered by a servo

• A swivel joint made from a captive ball pierced by a rod/axle

I'm sure more ideas will come to me shortly....

[foobert]

Where do I begin?....

• 4", 5", 6" Axles - hacksaw

• A way to lock a clutch, motor and axle together so that the clutch/axle won't fall out - yes that would be nice

• A Shaft Encoder that understands direction and counts up/down accordingly - just had the vex encoder open the other day considering printing out an encoder disk and sticking it to the plastic disk in there already then putting in a piece of perf board with a couple of hammatsu p5587's

• A high bandwith hard-wired connection between Vextrollers or one controller and another computer/coprocessor - you've got two serial ports, there must be something you can hook up

• An IR communication transceiver for high bandwidth comms with other Vextrollers or other computers/coprocessors - you've got two serial ports, there must be something you can hook up

• An RF communication transceiver for high bandwidth comms woth other Vextrollers or other computers/coprocessors - you've got two serial ports, there must be something you can hook up

• Individual and grouped LEDs of multiple colors that can be set on/off by using serial I/O to send command "bits"/"words" - one 74hc595, 8 resistors and 8 leds

• Audio outputs - piezo speaker

• A swivel joint made from a captive ball pierced by a rod/axle - check out sites for radio controlled airplanes

I'm sure more ideas will come to me shortly....

[SamC]

Has anybody found alternate gears and sprockets available for other sets that work with VEX items aswell?

[gblake]

Foobert,

I appreciate the friendly intent of your info; but particularly for items like the high bandwidth communication, I was kind-of looking for something that didn't require a hundred or so hours of my time to research, code/build and implement robustly.

For the axles, I figure they have hacksaws at VexLabs (or in China) and I am glad to let them worry about cutting straight and about getting rid of all the burrs.

Just as soon as someone wants to put all of those items you describe into mass produced packages that I can pick up at my local Radio shack for $5-10 each; then I'll buy some.

I enjoy hacking as much as the next guy, but for the purposes of this thread, I am one of those guys who wants to hack at a higher level of abstraction than the one you imply.

Maybe if we could get together in the same room you and I could crank out something interesting; but until then I'm going to push VexLabs to do all the cutting and soldering, so that I can do the using.

Blake (still hopeful) Ross

Originally Posted by foobert

Where do I begin?....

• 4", 5", 6" Axles - hacksaw

• A way to lock a clutch, motor and axle together so that the clutch/axle won't fall out - yes that would be nice

• A Shaft Encoder that understands direction and counts up/down accordingly - just had the vex encoder open the other day considering printing out an encoder disk and sticking it to the plastic disk in there already then putting in a piece of perf board with a couple of hammatsu p5587's

• A high bandwith hard-wired connection between Vextrollers or one controller and another computer/coprocessor - you've got two serial ports, there must be something you can hook up

• An IR communication transceiver for high bandwidth comms with other Vextrollers or other computers/coprocessors - you've got two serial ports, there must be something you can hook up

• An RF communication transceiver for high bandwidth comms woth other Vextrollers or other computers/coprocessors - you've got two serial ports, there must be something you can hook up

• Individual and grouped LEDs of multiple colors that can be set on/off by using serial I/O to send command "bits"/"words" - one 74hc595, 8 resistors and 8 leds

• Audio outputs - piezo speaker

• A swivel joint made from a captive ball pierced by a rod/axle - check out sites for radio controlled airplanes

I'm sure more ideas will come to me shortly....

[Jeremiah Johnson]

I find a Dremel to be infinitely more usefull than a hacksaw. And you don't need a file most of the time to get rid of burrs.