Alt-BEAM Archive
Message #09641
To: beam@sgiblab.sgi.com
From: Evan Dudzik evandude@yahoo.com
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 2000 17:16:53 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [alt-beam] Re: A neophyte enters the BEAM realm....
well.. forget about the prices of shipping, man! just
order over $25 from digikey, pay with a check and
there is no shipping!!!!! rat shack is the biggest
rip off because their parts are horrendously
expensive! for example, a set of 5 resistors from rat
shack is .50 while you can, at jameco, get 100
resistors for just .89!!!!!!! and the same goes for
everything else they sell... there are very few
things they have that are worth buying there rather
than sending away for, if any. Solarbotics is
expensive, and costs a lot for shipping... and if you
don't live in Canada, it can take a REEEEEALY long
time to get to you... (try adaptobotics.com for solar
cells) but Dave's gotta make profit! anyway,
ordering stuff is SOOO much better if you can be
patient to get it (about a week for digikey, not
including backordered parts...)
and in my opinion, starting with a solaroller is a
great deal better, because you learn better from it...
SO many people delve right into complicated stuff,
and I wouldn't suggest that you do.. just stick to
simple stuff. :-)
--- William Cox wrote:
> Hi Folks,
> I just getting interested in this beam stuff.
> Solar stuff etc. has
> always fascinated me, but I've been to busy with
> regular robotics to really
> delve into it, not to mention the prices of kits I
> see. Personally anything
> over $50 is too much for me. I MUCH prefer to do it
> myself. You learn a
> whole bunch more. Frankly what really set me upon
> trying out BEAM, is the
> article in Febs. Smithsonian about Mark Tilden.
> Fascinating. Anyway.... I
> had some questions....
> 1. Me as a total neophyte, what do I do?? I read
> that a good starting place
> is with a Solar Rover, BUT, it seems well ...
> simplistic ... a photopopper
> typeish design seems so much more interesting.
> Yall's (Ok, you know I'm from
> the South now) opinion?
>
> 2. One thing that greatly disturbs me about this
> whole hobby is that I can't
> get everything from Rat Shack! (Sorry, I know you
> EEs and such are gagging
> :) I'm a first class tight wad, and the thought of
> paying $6.00 S/H for
> $2-$3 of parts is like pulling teeth, or worse!
> Isn't there anyway to build
> a solar engine with RS parts?? Bicore? I mean, $1.00
> - $3.00 is not SO bad,
> but $6.00 with Solarbotics is a bit over the limit.
> Any thoughts?
>
> I think that's about it. Thanks so much for your
> help.
> -William
> Snowed in in Raleigh, NC
> ____________________________
> http://robot-central.webjump.com/
> Robotics books, projects, resources,
> links, news, and more!
>
>
=====
+------------------------+
|http://surf.to/photovore|
|Photovores online! |
|Evandude Dudzik |
+------------------------+
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9642 Sun, 30 Jan 2000 17:30:37 -0800 (PST) [alt-beam] which motors should I use? beam@sgiblab.sgi.com "Leonardo Boulton F." I finally quit the idea on building a walker and decided to start with
something simpler: a photovore. However I don't know which motors are
better. I don't know what motors to use.... i read about Clock motors,
Casetteplayer motors, walkman motors, or even Lego motors; which of
them are the best to use?. Most eficient, most economic, most ez to
find?...
Thanks.
Leo
=====
mind the gap...
http://www.geocities.com/l.boulton
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9643 Sun, 30 Jan 2000 22:08:04 -0400 [alt-beam] Re: which motors should I use? alt-beam@egroups.com michael.hirtle@ns.sympatico.ca (Michael Hirtle) Don't forget our Friend the pager motor :-)
Leonardo Boulton F. wrote:
> i read about Clock motors,
> Casetteplayer motors, walkman motors, or even Lego motors; which of
> them are the best to use?. Most eficient, most economic, most ez to
> find?...
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