More messing around with the snow scooter outside of MITERS. Now is just needs modular tank treads for the back to match the modular ski in the front.
December 29, 2013
December 16, 2013
Snow Scooter!
In the hours after MEETERS at MITERS, Dane and I came up with a ski attachment for our scooters, for the purpose of snowy scooter shenanigans. Both our scooters have the same axle diameter, so switching it from scooter to scooter just takes adding a few shaft collars for spacing.
It was definitely a success. Fast turns cause the back wheel to slip out, and at one point I accidentally turned too fast and did a 180 at speed. Fortunately since the ground was covered in snow, it was a pretty soft landing. The brake is pretty much useless, but you can stop quickly shifting your weight forward and going into a sideways slide, like you would on skis.
It was definitely a success. Fast turns cause the back wheel to slip out, and at one point I accidentally turned too fast and did a 180 at speed. Fortunately since the ground was covered in snow, it was a pretty soft landing. The brake is pretty much useless, but you can stop quickly shifting your weight forward and going into a sideways slide, like you would on skis.
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| Credit for the last two photos to Billy Demaio |
Belt Reduction #2 Finished
After another end of the week blitz on the CNC mill, I finished the second belt reduction. The second differs from the first in that it supports the entire arm, while the first only drives a linkage to actuate the second link of the arm.
I started by pocketing the solid aluminum pulleys to make them lighter. To get rid of any slop in the arm, the arm is supported by a pair of tapered roller bearings.
The arm, the first length of which for now is a thin-walled aluminum tube, is clamped in place with this aluminum block. This arrangement allows the arm to be taken off the belt reduction by the removal of one bolt. That way I can do the programming and control side of things without the arm in place. This will stop the arm from self destructing by smashing into its physical limits.
A long bolt passes through the bearings, aluminum block, and pulley to preload the tapered roller bearings:
The two reductions will look roughly like this when assembled. I still need to make the plates that connect the output pulley of the smaller reduction to a linkage. Unfortunately, the 1/8" endmill I've been using to machine all these parts snapped 3/4 the way through making the first of those plates.
Next up is making the second link of the arm, as well as the linkage that actuates it. More updates can be expected in early January.
In other news, Cambridge got snow this weekend. SkiScooter pictures and videos will appear shortly.
I started by pocketing the solid aluminum pulleys to make them lighter. To get rid of any slop in the arm, the arm is supported by a pair of tapered roller bearings.
The arm, the first length of which for now is a thin-walled aluminum tube, is clamped in place with this aluminum block. This arrangement allows the arm to be taken off the belt reduction by the removal of one bolt. That way I can do the programming and control side of things without the arm in place. This will stop the arm from self destructing by smashing into its physical limits.
A long bolt passes through the bearings, aluminum block, and pulley to preload the tapered roller bearings:
The two reductions will look roughly like this when assembled. I still need to make the plates that connect the output pulley of the smaller reduction to a linkage. Unfortunately, the 1/8" endmill I've been using to machine all these parts snapped 3/4 the way through making the first of those plates.
Next up is making the second link of the arm, as well as the linkage that actuates it. More updates can be expected in early January.
In other news, Cambridge got snow this weekend. SkiScooter pictures and videos will appear shortly.
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