[chbot] Drive belt problem (mostly) solved.

[Robin Gilks]

Greetings again

Another step, this time powered rotation of the main drum. Its like me - a
bit eccentric - so it wobbles a bit (i.e. lifts the drum off one of the
idlers during part of its rotation) so I have some work to do with a big
hammer.
   http://gilks.ath.cx/gallery/index.php/Nuts/IMG_3466

If the hammer doesn't work then I'll have to put a couple of tensioners in
- one each side of the motor pulley, just to take up the slack. I'll need
2 as the drive is reversible and the one on the non tension side should
just pull in the flappy bit :)

I went with a type 'A' belt in the end - $30 pulley, $45 to have it bored,
hub reduced, key slot cut and motor mounting spacers made and then just
$20 for the belt.

Started to think about the nut picker upper again now. This is the
commercial gadget I'll be pushing round, I know already that its very
effective and it dumps the nuts into a tray for easy emptying.
   http://gilks.ath.cx/gallery/index.php/Nuts/IMG_3058
   http://gilks.ath.cx/gallery/index.php/Nuts/IMG_3059

GPS and a Pixy cam5 to start with, maybe with a change of lens on the
camera so I can look for colour codes on the trees, as I go past them, to
work out where I am to within 100mm or so in the 5 acres. I want to make
sure I cover all the ground as I go up and down - I'm not going to chase
individual nuts!!

See you all Monday, hopefully with some video on a USB stick (I'm sure
someone will have a laptop...).


Cheers

-- 
Robin Gilks
Internet: robin at gilks.org    http://www.gilks.org
Tel:      (+64) (3) 347 4370