Today I finished the box, complete with snaps to keep it closed. Of course, I need to get some foam to create a snugg lining for the RHex, but that should be fairly easy. Since that did not take very long, I spend the rest of the evening learning how to use templates in C++ to build an encoder library that did not need a huge function with all possible pins listed in it.

Since a while back, I have realized that I will need some form of box to carry the RHex. With its legs sticking out, and no covers for now, it is rather fragile and cumbersome. So today’s task was to make a box. I decided to check out the technique used by Laura Kampf and Adam Savage in using plywood and a nail gun. Normally, if you use 9+mm plywood, you can just fasten the plywood pieces together.

So my RHex just needs software now, and it is more efficient to program at home. But I still wanted to get out of the house, so I went to the makerspace without any supplies. The electronics corner has been rather messy since the days of the big reorganization, so I took it upon myself to clean things up. Now it looks way better. Also, I made a piece of metal to make a clip for the garage door remote controll.

So I had some issues with the software not behaving as I expected, and I realized that the signals from the encoders and breakers might now be as clean as needed now that the driving voltage has been dropped from 5 to 3.3V. The encoders even state that they need 3.5V minimum to operate. So to the Makerspace to check out all of the signals on the oscilloscope. With a change of two resitors, the breaker signals became clean and clear.

My RHex now has a second leg! All wired and seems to work. But as soon as I enable both legs something goes really wrong in the regulators. I think I just made som stupid mistake in the code so that the two legs are not as independent as I think they are. Oh. And I seriously need to learn how to route wire wrappings…..

So I started this project with an Arduino Uno because that seemed to be the right place to start. However, I quickly learned that in order to read the encoders, I need digital pins with interrupt capability. The Uno has 2 of these. And I need 2 per motor. Or even better 3. So for more than one leg, the Uno was simply a no-go. Fortunately, the Due is compatible (Except it uses 3.

So mostly working from home this week (Yeah, it is 2020. :P) and finally the slightly shorter m3 screws arrived so I could mount a second motor. Now I have all of the mechanics for this thing to crawl. Will have to see if the two interrupt pins on the Uno allow me to measure two encoders or just one. Hopefully, it can handle two. Anyways, here are some closeups.

So all of the parts seem to come together, and it is time to start producing more than one of all of the remaining parts. Note to self: When you change from an 0.8mm head to an 0.4mm head, do not forget to change the infill settings…… I guess these legs are going to break pretty much immediately. Oh well…. In addition to the nice spiral of legs above, I also made a second wheal axel, so now I have two and I should be able to build a creepy-crawler zombie that pulls itself forward on just its front legs….

Today I went to the makerspace without much of a plan. I knew I wanted to start at least one 3d-print but that was about it. So I started with printing the rest of the garbage bag holder for the car. OK. That picture wasn’t great. But it shows that the bed stickyness isn’t perfect everywhere. I will have to ask what to do about that so I can update the documentation.

So over the summer, I have been working a bit at home (No kidding? This is 2020 after all :D). I also purchased a wire wrapping tool at an unbelievable 600SEK for something which is essentially a glorified screwdriver. But it really does its job! What you see below is perhaps 10% of the wires that the final design will have. Not too pretty, but it clearly does the job. And with some planning, the final design could be really elegant.