Iam a big fan of this site...
and also big noob in robotics
but this site has helped me a lot.
iam currently working on 50$ robot.
just begging money from everywhere Possible to buy servos
.
Now It would be great if u write a tutorial for what all parts can be extracted from easy to find products like VCR,s, scrap computer Junks
scrap toys etc..
It would be great for novices like me.
if we go for some kinda garage sale, (Iam from India... So i can go to Pirate market what we call
Chor-bazar) we might pick up appropriate items next time.
From the book Robot Builder's bonanza i found this
• VCRs are perhaps the best single source for parts, and they are in plentiful supply (hundreds
of millions of them have been built since the mid-1970s). As previously discussed,
you’ll find motors (and driver circuits), switches, LEDs, cable harnesses, and IR receiver
modules on many models.
• CD players have optical systems you can gut out if your robot uses a specialty vision system.
Apart from the laser diode, CD players have focusing lenses, miniature multicell
photodiode arrays, diffraction gratings, and beam splitters, as well as micro-miniature
motors and a precision lead-screw positioning device (used by the laser system to read
the surface of the CD).
• Old disk drives (floppy and hard drives) also have a number of components that are very
useful in robots. Along with the motor that turns the disk, the stepper motor that moves
the head is well suited for use in robot arms or even small walking robots. Later in the
book, opto-interrupters will be discussed and the typical disk drive has at least two of
these that could be used in a robot.
• Fax machines contain numerous motors, gears, miniature leaf switches, and other
mechanical parts. These machines also contain an imaging array (it reads the page to fax
it) that you might be able to adapt for use as robotic sensors.
3.7 SCAVENGING: MAKING DO WITH WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE 35
• Mice, printers, old scanners, and other discarded computer peripherals contain valuable
optical and mechanical parts. Mice contain optical encoders that you can use to count
the rotations of your robot’s wheels, printers and scanners contain motors and gears,
and scanners contain optics you can use for vision systems and other sensors on your
robot.
• Mechanical toys, especially the motorized variety, can be used either for parts or as a
robot base. Remember to keep the motor drivers (as will be discussed later in the book).
When looking at motorized vehicles, favor those that use separate motors for each drive
wheel (as opposed to a single motor for both wheels), although other drive configurations
can make for interesting and unique robots. Don’t limit yourself!
it would be a great tutorial and also everbdy can post their views
