Drive System Part 9: Issues after issues

Plagued with issues

Body Magnet holder (gimble)

The Magnet holder for the gimble has too much slippage and will not grip onto the 8mm rod.  I will need to build something into the gripping that will allow me to take it off BUT still hold it tight against the rod.

This tube thing is not tight enough around the 8mm rod so I will need to compensate maybe with some more material to essentially squeeze that rod tighter.

These are N52 magnets which are the strongest there is... they are counter bored.  I am going to put these 3 marked NORTH in the ball and the other 3 marked SOUTH in the dome.

The cushion piece is flexible material used as padding for the magnet.

Here is a view of the assembly...

First magnet in... need to find right screw... ended up using #8x32 at 1 1/4" length...

Its ready to connect - will use a will use a fastener similar to what is used for pipes or old school oil filters on cars... to connect the unit together tightly.

Top braces on the banana

The braces I ended up permanently gluing to keep them tight, also the one side that will have the servos that push/pull the gimble its hard to get my hands into the assembly - not a lot of room... so I will need to revert to wood type screws and a special wrench to turn it...

Holding the pole / metal pipe

I see that as the whole unit rocks back and forth it slides back and forth as the weight of the gyro assembly moves front and back... will need to some how cover the hole when the ends are put back on and it should prevent this...

Flat tire?!?!

The gyro motor sprocket looks like it is having too much pressure against the gear track.... so it literally is bulging out.  As seen in these photos... what am I going to do?  I may need to raise the overall trouser/gyro up higher to elevate it off the track more... we shall see, I am going to leave it like that for now.

Otherwise I will be installing the servos and doing some test power ups to the main drive and the gyro motors to see if there is too much slippage or if its working correctly...

Drive System Part 8: Gyro Assembly

Weight for Gyroscope

Purchased 2 x Mold Latex from a online hobby shop on Amazon
Posted the action to the users group and they indicated that the mold compound will take too long to dry...

NOTE: Since I am using the compound more as a hardener for the shot pellets that I am mixing it with in each cavity.. it may work.  lets see.

This is the compound I am going to use along with the below lead shot pellets that I purchased from Amazon.com.  They came in 4lbs bags..

Mooresales is where I purchased the lead shot pellets... received 3 bags at 4lbs each.

Changes or altercations to James' build:

1. The 3 cavity's in the gyro only needed 2lbs each total of 6lbs for the gyro weight... I am going to go with all 4lbs in each and my gyro will be 12lbs.  This may be more stable in the long run due to the weight.
2. I ran into the same issue James did... where the Gyro is too low and collides with the wheels on the drive assembly... as seen further below.

Here I have the main 14" lazy susan connected now with the correct bolts and notice the trousers are snug up to the braces for the gyro.... I will have to raise them 1 hole higher due to the below issues with colliding into the lower drive wheels.

Some video talking about the decisions to use the latex mold.

Some video footage of the mixing and stuff

2 down and 1 to go.... mixing in a portion of the mold compound and then filling it slowly with the bag of lead shot...using the back of a old brush to mix it all together... if you notice the upper left cavity appears to have the right mix... while the other 2 may have too much.

Shaking the entire unit and gently bouncing on the floor allows the chambers to settle and level out.

Here is a quick recap of the gyro completed and what I needed to do next

Once I assembled it back inside the cheese.. immediately I noticed the gyro rubbed up against the lower wheel... as seen above.

Here is a great picture of the trousers correctly installed inside the cheese with the weighted gyro... this thing is pretty heavy.

Another view from another angle

This side does not face the same issue... however its pretty close and too close for comfort.  I will move the assembly higher OR I will adjust the location of those lower wheels.

Moment of silence...

Retrospective

Pausing in respect for the loss of Adam Irish (26)... with words to add to his obit is to say that he was just starting in life... he was an avid strategist and pretty much could troubleshoot anything thrown at him.

I personally enjoyed greatly the times spent playing games with the guys and his contribution to winning most if not all of the games played. 

No parent needs to lose their child before their time... you are missed and loved kid!

RIP Adam Irish: 1990 - 2016
Obituary here: Link

Drive System Part 7: Outer wheels

Bolts are everything :)

Gave up waiting and went to Home Depot to purchase M6 X 40mm bolts... they didn't have any left and had 50mm instead.  So I purchased those... what the heck little long...

Finding not a lot of room and not easy to remove the drive carriage from the cheese wheel and its very hard to get in there to work... might need an angled screw gun (small) for the future work.

This stuff is expensive... 1.29 per?!?!  X 8 is $10.00 easy.  The bolts are Philips head round button tops. they didn't have flat top bolts.

you can see the bolt a little high through the assembly arm where the wheel is.

Got one side completed... now to flip it over.  Note:  Had to angle the carriage so it exposed enough of the underside of those arms so I can screw the bolts through the bottom.

Both sides are completed and it fits like a glove.

Good close up of the wheels installed.

Head Mechanicals: Part 1 Gimble Assembly

Gimble Assembly defined

The gimble as its term implies is a mechanical device that rotates as well as moves around 20 degrees in any direction allowing the dome head to move around on the top of the ball / cheese.

The gimble consists of 1 central 180 degree servo that will rotate the head, 2 BB+ servos (hi torque) that will push and pull the gimble body around thus moving the head on the larger ball.

The end of the gimble consists of a casing holding N52 magnets that are strong enough to hold up to 50lbs of weight.  The dome head will have 3 other N52 magents that will pull against it to hold the dome onto the body as it moves around.

The assembly minus the body and head areas as shown above.  This assembly will magically move and turn the dome around on the body.

Started the assembly with the printed parts from back in June 2016...

The gimble body pieces connected don't allow too much room for the bearings... this will require either:

1. Boring out the bearing holes
2. Purchasing smaller outer diameter bearings

Here is another look at the bearings and their fitting between the two halves...

You can see the seam there due to the bearings being too large on the outer diameter.

The inside bearing... and the seam

A hitec servo will turn the dome's head from inside the gimble.

The tension cady connects the 8mm rod from the dome magnet assembly to the servo via the hat that connects to the servo gear ratio.

Another view of the servo 8mm rod that will drive through the magnet assembly

Drive System Part 6: Lower wheels

The correct size wheels (130mm) finally came in!

With these parts I am able to assemble the under wheels that the entire drive carriage rolls on inside the cheese.

Attaching to the connectors, I then use nuts (6mm) to keep the wheels in place, and then locking the end in with 6mm lock nuts.

Will need 4 of these total to connect the lower wheels, I may need to add additional to the outer top areas as well... we shall see.

Slipping the 130mm 6m bolt through the first

Sliding the wheel down the bolt (the wheels have a built in bearing assembly) locking first into place using the 6mm nut

Adding an additional nut, adding the wheel and running that through the other end.

Here is a good look of the nut pushing the wheel against the other connector.

Finally adding these to the carriage itself... and placing inside the cheese frame.

Placing the assembly inside the cheese was very tight.

Almost there... need to add the outer wheels and then run power through the drive motor to see how it runs.

Drive System Part 5: The Trousers - Gyro Assembly

More measurement mishaps

The bolts (#8-32 X 1 1/4") that connect the 14" lazy susan bearings to the harnesses that go around the trousers were slightly too short.  I need roughly another 1/4" or more to connect the nuts.

The bolt comes through but not enough to have a nut bite onto them

Here is a shot of the hole alignments for the trouser braces

Also the treads that are being used to grip the main drive and the gyro tilting pieces are loose and slip on the hubs... may have to glue these into place.

Using #4x40 X 7/8" screws  to fasten the main assembly for the trousers

The alignments need to match in order for the second drive to fit snug

Counter sunk holes keep the screws from being exposed and allows better support to the main assembly

Completed assembly of the trousers for supporting the gyroscope or gyro.

Loose check of the trousers with the 1/4" pipe assembly into the banana or drive system.

Another view of the assembly... with the drive installed for supporting the gyro.

I glued using weld-on 16 the main gear to the main drive assembly... the fit was snug and the I ensured the gear was level.

Here is another view the gear track mounted to the main drive.

Assembled the drive wheel gear that will run along the track that essentially causes the whole trouser assembly to rotate 30 degrees either way.  This will allow BB8 to turn while moving forward or backward similar to a motor cycle banking.

Another view of the preliminary assembly for fitting purposes.

Another close up of the gear and track fitting or placement... will need to adjust as I assemble and fit the gyro.

Another view of the gear to the track.