Wood in robotics

Well, the higher grades of plywood are pretty nice. It is easily water or laser cut, and is a lot easier to work than Aluminum.

I hear they used to even make airplanes out of the stuff.

successfully

There's two reasons why I don't use wood in robotics, saw dust, and "coolness." I think polymers from long dead reptiles* are cooler than fibers from recently dead plants.

Actually, as a structural element, wood is incredible. It has very good strength and very light weight. The reason it is not more often is that its fibers are a bit too corse from some of the finer work often needed in robotics, often leaving a splintery mess instead of a finished product. Also, it's flame point is a bit low compared to aluminum.

*poetic license, don't go in to a palientology dissertation.

Airplanes, boats, cars (ok, horse drawn carriages).

Rich

You might also want to post this on the dprg.org list. I seem to recall several prototypes using wood.

Look up Artbot Competition to see what some people have done with combining robotics with art.

Milford Instruments, out in the UK, has several wood-based commercial kits they sell.

Some of the kits made by Mekatronix are available in wood.

Hardwood plywoods, available at better hobby stores, can be excellent choices. I wouldn't recommend a softwood plywood, milled softwood plank, or particle board, but I know some folks have used them, because of availability.

I did a Robotics Resources column about a year ago that talked about wood as a building material. You might look that up for ideas. Outlets like Constantines offer a widfe selection of many different types and grades of wood. It could be rather cool to make a base of a small robot out of polished bubinga.

-- Gordon

I built a fairly simple hexapod out of aircraft ply. It was easy to work, light and more than strong enough.

Bob

model t frame rails were wood, as well as many others before the days of high HP engines.

Morgan's have long used wood (ash, I think) for their frames. The 2006 Aeromax has a 4.4 liter V8. Not bad for a "wooden" car!

-- Gordon

I wonder how much it would cost now to get a vintage Ford "woodie" station wagon to haul my surf boards?

Hah! A vintage Ford Woodie, in restored condition, can go for $50-100K. Donteventhinkaboutit.

A couple of weeks ago I saw a prestine war-era Woodie driving down the freeway. Looked like it had just rolled off the assembly line.

*Everyone* on the road stared at it.

-- Gordon

Only as a simple base -- but as I am easily impressed with my own handiwork, I consider it a glorious wood creation. Sanded, a few coats of polyurethane, sanded again and painted with metallic auto paint, it could easily pass for metal.

"Gordon McComb"

"Gordon McComb"

I once saw a pneumatic biped robot (sorry, don't have the link anymore) with the main structure completely made by wood. Surely someone here will know which robot I'm talking about.

Padu

Hi,

There is a book on amazon.com with biped robot, servo actuated, frame is %100 wood (1/8 plywood I think)

Rich

Sure. That's the Shadow Biped.

-- Gordon

All the android type robots I produce are mostly wood.Really nice for bodyshaping.mounting components,fast add/delete and mockup work. A few coats of primer,some sanding and good paint,you just cant tell whats its made out of. I used to hate wood-I have a foundry and complete machine shop. Still rely on wood for exoskeletal bodies.

Play nice-The bipedals are coming!

That'll be us.

Also, we did the first dextrous Hand in wood.

Search the archives of this group; I've probably rambled about it at some point.

It was maple - we received a whole load of someone's scrap. Very fine grain, very hard - good to work with.

Mind you, by the time you finish, there's usually as much Liquid Metal and Plastic Padding as wood :->

cheers, Rich.

Yes, we have one member who has been building model airplanes out of wood for years, so when he started making robots he made them out of wood too. He's made a couple, including 2 four-legged walkers.

~WEC

successfully

There's this, but it's not much and the designer/maker says this is only a prototype, the real thing will not have any wood in it:

Inside the wooden (soon to be metal, I presume) wheelbearing case are five metal gears - all three wheels are driven. I know this because I was at the club meeting a few months ago when Dale showed this off and took it apart. I'm not sure if I should divulge any more details. :)

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