pic: 1565 Linkage Troubles

[MrForbes]

Flat bars aren't very strong in compression...maybe try angle next time?

[T3_1565]

Originally Posted by squirrel

Flat bars aren't very strong in compression...maybe try angle next time?

So many people have said that to me at one point or another!!

Next time we will make sure that the outside frame doesn't get shifted (more bracing fixed the problem completely) lol. The flat stuff is strong enough, and only in that rare occasion would angled be nessacary. Unfortnatly angled pieces take up a lot of space. we may dimple them for next year though (raise the middle, so it is very slightly concave or convex)


JeeseK good work on the bolt!! The bolt is out of alignment because the two bars connected to it are also bent (just not nearly as badly as the long link )

[MrForbes]

You could probably get away with cutting the flange off the angle for several inches at each end. The dimpled center idea is good too, if you can figure out an easy way to do it. This is pretty common in linkages on real life machines (for example the flat bar that connects the inner door handle in a 1950s chevy).

[T3_1565]

Originally Posted by squirrel

You could probably get away with cutting the flange off the angle for several inches at each end. The dimpled center idea is good too, if you can figure out an easy way to do it. This is pretty common in linkages on real life machines (for example the flat bar that connects the inner door handle in a 1950s chevy).

lol.. seems like we found that dimple idea from somewhere eh??

[A_Reed]

In our shop we have what looks like an ancient machine that will put a big long dimple down the middle of sheet metal and such, a bead roller. we used it on paper thin and flimsy lexan in '06 and it seemed to work really well at giving some added strength.

[techtiger1]

Ya that looks pretty nasty. I wish I had a picture of the 3/8ths aluminum bolt we broke in half at champs and the welds that broke off our elevator bearing holder tabs the very first qualification match of the day on Friday. Quite funny stuff looking back at it now, not so much at the moment though. I hope you guys got everything up and running and were able to over come that little bump it looks like you took.

-Good luck
Drew

[T3_1565]

we managed to fix the linkage in about 10 mins lol flat bar is plentiful so we just made a new one!!

[robostangs548]

Bummer, that is a real problem....

[Jonathan Norris]

I would defiantly recommend getting some sort of bend in that flat bar, or replacing it with angle if you do this drive in the future. With the angle you could mill down one of the sides down to like 1/4" so it wouldn't take up as much space, but shouldn't bend like flat bar will.

[T3_1565]

Originally Posted by Jonathan Norris

I would defiantly recommend getting some sort of bend in that flat bar, or replacing it with angle if you do this drive in the future. With the angle you could mill down one of the sides down to like 1/4" so it wouldn't take up as much space, but shouldn't bend like flat bar will.

Mill lmao... Does a hacksaw work??

We actually may have milling capabilities next year (fingers crossed) so it will turn out better. We will also be sticking with this for the next couple of years (game dependant of course) to prefect it and call it our own. This years was more of a large scale functional prototype, next year has about a billion upgrades to it

Thanks for the comments!