<R35> - Adhesive Tape

[Mike Betts]

I would suggest that you check into one or two part epoxy paints intended for use on garage floors. These floor epoxies have fine or course grained additives (sand, et cetera) which can be added to the paint before application. This treatment gives the paint a sandpaper texture which should be just as good as the non-slip tapes being discussed here and would be completely legal on a FIRST robot.

Another alternative is cloth backed sandpaper applied with an epoxy adhesive.

Rules are rules. Spend your time coming up with alternative solutions rather than complaining about rules you don't like.

JMHO...

Mike

[Ben Piecuch]

Elgin,

The further out your chain is from the side wall, the larger the bending forces on your tensioner. So, you either need a bigger/stronger bolt, or you need to reduce the load on the bolt. You can either bring the chain in closer to the wall, or create a wider base on your tensioner. The wider base will help counter-act the bending load in conjuntion with the bolt. We typically use a 1.5" - 2" diameter HDPE rod and if required, we'll turn down the center of the OD to create a flanged tensioner.

The grooves you're finding in the tensioner will develop over time. The harder the plastic you use, the better. HDPE, Acetal, Delrin are all good choices. Polypropylene and Teflon are softer, and while they provide excellent low-friction surfaces, they also wear away much quicker.

BEN