[chbot] Progress with Full Micromouse Maze

[Richard Jones]

This evening I cut four sheets of 1.2x2.4m MDF into four micromouse maze
floor panels 930x1980mm and used the offcuts to make walls, about 125 or
so. I just have to cut a square for the maze centre and do a few more walls
and the large scale work will be complete. Then there will be lots of
drilling and painting, and still the 600 wall pins to make. I already have
a jig somewhere to position the holes in the maze walls for the pins. The
floor panels will mate together with metal dowels to ensure a snug level
fit.

Now I'm considering the design of a jig to ease the cutting of the wall
pins. Probably using a metal cutting disc in an electric mitre saw, with a
jig to hold the wire in place and provide the cutting dimension. I'm still
on the look out for metal rod. Goldpine sell 4mm fence wire, about 250m is
$72, they didn't seem keen to sell me 16m.

More news next week.

Richard


On Fri, 17 Aug 2007 11:13:51 +1200, Richard Jones <rjtp@ihug.co.nz> wrote:
> I want to build a complete micromouse maze, which according to my
simulator
> has about 280 or so walls, but I'm having trouble getting hold of mild
> steel rod or wire to make the pins. I've enrolled at woodwork classes and
> can make the walls and base out of mdf for about $100NZ :-)
> I made a small sample maze shown in this picture:
>
http://groups.msn.com/chchrobotics/micromouse.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=4
> I bought the
>
bithttps://webmail.ihug.co.nz/webmail/?_task=mail&_action=compose&_reply_uid=558&_mbox=INBOX#s
> in the UK 10 years back. The steel pins are 25mm long and 3.93mm dia
> according to my very near calipers.
> My guess is that this is an imperial size 5/32 inch.
> 
> So far I've tried Mico Metals, they only supply Aluminium or stainless.
> The Steel and Tube catalog seems to start at 6mm.
> Ideally I'll buy the same size as my existing walls, but I might be able
> adapt the old walls and bases to a new size.
> If I get really desperate I'll try Bunnings for 4mm nails.
> In total I'll need about 16 metres of rod to make 600 pins of 25mm.
> Once I've obtained the rod I've located a metal guilotine (next door to
> the
> woodwork class) that should make quick work of the slicing to 25mm once
> I've put a guide fence on it to get the dimension roughly repeatable.
> One suggestion that I've looked at is no8 wire. I can get this free from
a
> friend, but its a little corroded and measures about 4.4mm.
> 
> Any thoughts or suggestions?
> 
> Richard Jones
> 
> 
> 
> 
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