Problem with Mechanics

[Electric Rain]

I seem to be having a problem… I have always had this problem. Plastic molding. Saaaay… I’m building a robot, with all of those gears, pulleys, you know, mechanical stuff. How do I mount them? Mounting, and plastic molding I have always feared. You know, like, when you take apart really anything with wheels that runs on a motor, you see TONS of little tiny raised holes, and… just a bunch of little plastic “holders” that gears are sitting in. (Then, when your done fixing/looking at your little box of gears, you can’t put it back together because one little gear is slightly off, or upside-down or SOMEthing.) So, if I need to make something like that, how can I do it? Please help! Thank you.

Electric Rain

 

[Squintz]

I second this question except i want to know how to make any type of plastic mold. Like if i wanted to design a remote control. How would i make the mold and then what materials would i pour into the mold to make the plastic. I remember back in middle school we molded screwdrivers from plastic pebbles that we melted in a machine. Im sure that is old technology now.

 

[nettron1000]

Why re-invent the wheel..err...gear ? Why not just buy some ready-made gears ? better yet if your into robotics, just buy some gearhead motors or servos. Would save you hordes of time and frustration.

 

[Electric Rain]

Squintz,

I was told that they use plastic pebbles for plastic molding. I don't know how they melt them, but my thing is, like you I'm not really getting how to make the mold. :?

Nettron,

I was talking about making the "stand-offs" I guess you can call them, FOR the gears. Not MAKING the gears.

 

[EdG]

Try here for molding:
https://www.smooth-on.com/

For us one-off project makers, using an existing case is probably much simpler. Molding compounds are expensiveand it's a complicated process to design and make a good-looking case.

For standoffs, try brass tubing cut to length.

-Ed