CHAPTER 24 ■ BODY BUILDING
Widening the Motor Diameters
To reduce vibration and tilt, the motors should be made to fit snuggly in the tube by wrapping them with
masking tape (see Figure 24-19).
Figure 24-19. Masking tape enlarging motor ends to fit snugly in the tube
A negative consequence of the tape is that it is a thermal insulator, meaning it will be more difficult for
the motors to dissipate heat. That’s not an issue for this robot because the metal gearboxes remain exposed
and the motors aren’t being run at excess voltages or extreme loads. But, think carefully before adding tape
to the motors of other robots.
- Obtain a roll of low-adhesion masking tape, 1-inch (2.5 cm) wide. Scotch-brand
Long Mask #2090 works well. - Wrap approximately 68 cm of tape around the motor portion of one of the
gearhead motors. - Try inserting the motor into the larger end of the tube to see how it fits. Although
it should now be snug, the motor should still be able to be completely inserted
(including the gearhead) into the larger end of the tube. After testing, remove or
add tape as necessary.
You don’t want to use double-sided tape or anything that causes the motors to stick to the inside of the
tube. You are only using the tape as padding and to widen the diameter for a cushioned fit.
- Wrap approximately 39 cm of tape around the motor portion of the other
gearhead motor. - Try inserting the motor into the smaller end of the tube to see how it fits. The
motor should be able to be inserted, but the gearhead won’t fit. After testing,
remove or add tape as necessary.
Installing the Motors and Tube
- Feed the Molex connector of the 39 cm taped motor through the smaller end of
the tube and out the center hole (see Figure 24-20).