Grippiest material for wheels?

andrea.taras · Post by **andrea.taras** » Tue Sep 21, 2010 10:49 pm

Hello guys

I just received the stuff I bought from Pololu, including two Solarbotics wheels. I am not fully pleased with these wheels though, because on one side I can fit the motor's gearbox inside the wheel, saving space and protecting the gears, but on the other hand they are heavy and not very grippy. So I was thinking about making some myself, but since I don't know what kind of material the various arenas are covered with (are all of them made of wood and paint?), I ask other roboteers: what materials can I use to have a good grip in the various RRC, RFRC and AWS arenas? Thanks!

widow_twanky · Post by **widow_twanky** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 1:11 am

Assuming you're in Italy you can get these wheels

http://www.robot-italy.com/product_info ... ts_id=1538

They're quite nice and grippy and fit straight onto the gear motors with the d shaft

Simon Windisch · Post by **Simon Windisch** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 6:04 am

https://uk-ssl.com/dycem/shop/shop_view ... rod_ID=125 or lint roller?

andrea.taras · Post by **andrea.taras** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 8:51 am

Wow, thanks! I've seen some pretty interesting stuff

On my first bot I've been using caps from some milk bottles and the strips that you can see on the right in this picture, but I'm not really sure they are gonna last long... Anyway, just so I know, what are the arenas covered with? Just paint?

Simon Windisch · Post by **Simon Windisch** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 11:21 am

Arena surfaces vary, but most are painted with emulsion.

Simon

razerdave · Post by **razerdave** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 6:04 pm

Hey

I have those same wheels on Stewie, except mine have an external boss with the grub screw on it rather than an internal one, but they're the same type.

What I actually did was glue some tread from the Tornado Robot Wars pullback toy, because I fould the same problem you did. Its worked very well since. The alternative is you could cut grooves into the tyres to make yourself a simaler grip pattern

bitternboy · Post by **bitternboy** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 8:09 pm

Again, I also have those wheels on robot of the opera. I was slightly worried the grip would be second rate so I took the (incredibly) grippy tyres of the lego wheels I was using previously and just fit them over it which was suprisingly effective. No problems now.

andrea.taras · Post by **andrea.taras** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 9:35 pm

These are other helpful tips, thanks!

Dave, I actually wanted to get the ones with the external screw but they were out of stock

so will lego tyres fit?? That's amazing cause I have loads! Thank you very much

bitternboy · Post by **bitternboy** » Thu Sep 23, 2010 7:15 am

It does depend what lego wheels you have. Most don't fit but luckilly I had 4 of them lying around. Hopefully you'll have some of the same.

andrea.taras · Post by **andrea.taras** » Thu Sep 23, 2010 10:44 am

Ok, so I've seen what you've done with Robot of the Opera and I have the same wheels. I just didn't fit them directly on the motors (how did you do that? cause mine don't fit

), I just fit the Lego tire over the Solarbotic tire, which I thought was easier, since I don't have a Tornado pullback toy. Now it's heavier but at least the grip problem is gone