Society of Robots - Robot Forum

Mechanics and Construction => Mechanics and Construction => Topic started by: SixRingz on May 26, 2008, 01:59:31 PM

Title: How do I create a cool body for my bot?
Post by: SixRingz on May 26, 2008, 01:59:31 PM

I'm working on a new creation but this time I'm not using ready built chassis like RC cars etc but instead I'm creating my chassi from scratch. This unfortunately means I loose the otherwise cool bodywork.  :-[
So I'm wondering if anyone have a good way to create cool custom bodies? I'm thinking something like creating a frame to create plastic ones yourself or something like that...
Well, enough of me, give me your input on cool custom bodywork!  8)

Title: Re: How do I create a cool body for my bot?
Post by: Private Reid on May 27, 2008, 02:39:02 AM

well...

wood?  :D

Metal \ Aliminium


Random bit's you find around your house  ;)

Thats what I do


Containers  (like icecrem)

So on So forth...

Title: Re: How do I create a cool body for my bot?
Post by: SixRingz on May 27, 2008, 03:13:21 AM

Yeah, that I've tried before...  :D But I want to go that extra mile, to make it look like Orange county shoppers designed it.  ;D Of course this can be done with aluminum if you have some neat tools and some metal carving skills, but since I lack pretty much both of these I doubt the result will make the girls go "Sleep with me now hot robot creator, and bring that bot!"  :o

I've been searching for some good home plastic moulding kit, anyone know one? Papier maché crossed my mind for a while, but that would probably give me an undesired "Show and tell"-look...  >:(

Title: Re: How do I create a cool body for my bot?
Post by: Private Reid on May 27, 2008, 06:46:17 AM

Quote

I doubt the result will make the girls go "Sleep with me now hot robot creator...

right so you want that result... :D

well i guess thats normal...

Title: Re: How do I create a cool body for my bot?
Post by: JesseWelling on May 27, 2008, 07:01:19 AM

Normal... but realistic?  :P

Title: Re: How do I create a cool body for my bot?
Post by: AndrewM on May 27, 2008, 08:14:20 AM

The chassis itself really doesn't matter for the cool "chicks dig me" factor if you have a slick shell (cover) to go over it.  Your best two options for the shell on the cool-o-rometer rating would be vacuforming and carbon fiber.  I am in the process of making two robots with carbon fiber at the moment with one about 50% finished, and I have to say it looks very sharp.

Title: Re: How do I create a cool body for my bot?
Post by: pomprocker on May 27, 2008, 09:53:51 AM

Design out all your chassis parts in CAD and send the file off to get CNC'd

http://www.societyofrobots.com/robot_parts_list_manufacturing.shtml (http://www.societyofrobots.com/robot_parts_list_manufacturing.shtml)

Title: Re: How do I create a cool body for my bot?
Post by: Brandon121233 on May 28, 2008, 01:55:38 PM

make your own plastic vacuum forming machine with a box and some pref board on top, then a hole in the box to put a vacum hose in. Heat up some plastic sheet with a heating element and lower it over a shape that you carved out of foam or something. This is the idea http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-a-good%2c-cheap%2c-upgradeable-sheet-plastic-vacu/ (http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-a-good%2c-cheap%2c-upgradeable-sheet-plastic-vacu/)

Title: Re: How do I create a cool body for my bot?
Post by: SixRingz on May 28, 2008, 03:28:14 PM

YES YES YES!!! Thanks brandon, that's exactly the kind of stuff I'm talking about! That could create some cool bodywork that you could airbrush into something really rad.  8)

Title: Re: How do I create a cool body for my bot?
Post by: Fredrik Andersson on June 02, 2008, 04:01:11 AM

I really recommend acrylic/Plexiglas. You can create your own acrylic glue by mixing small acrylic pieces and acetone. The acrylic melts in it and when you put it out to the air the acetone will evaporate and the acrylic will remain hard again. Now the best part with this glue is that when you put the glue on the pieces you want to glue together, they will melt as well and harden into one piece. So it's actually more like welding than gluing.

With these limited means you can still create awesome shapes if you just are a little patient. By gluing layers with different shapes and filing them to make the shape smooth you can come up with pretty cool shapes.

This as far as I've come on my project where I'm using this technique:
(http://xs127.xs.to/xs127/08210/aaaa0132503.jpg)