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Well, details on how best to make a jig (to align axles parallel) would depend on how your vehicle is designed. Part of the problem - part of being a competitor - is figuring out how to build the tools you need to build the device you want. I'm assuming you're using some sort of rails through which the axles go, and those rails attach to the sides of some sort of plate/board - the chassis plate. If not, Don't know what to suggest. Each rail will have two holes through it, one for each axle. Those holes need to be exactly the same distance apart. EZ way is to be able to drill them together (as in literally, taped together). If, while you have them taped together, you cut one end, so at that end, the end of the rail is the SAME distance from the axle hole on both. Then take a piece of board. Glue a strip down one side (a little longer than the wheelbase of the vehicle). Glue another strip at EXACTLY 90 degrees to it- bummping up against it. Put one rail up against the long, side strip, with the accurately cut end up against the shorter strip. Glue the chassis plate to it. Then put the other rail on, with its accurately cut end also up against the shorter strip while you glue it on the chassis plate. If you build this simple jug carefully, you will have parallel axles. If you don't, you wont.... That's the thing about jigs, if made accurately, they help you. If not, they don't.

Good luck!; pretty late in the game to be building...

Nah, mines built. But, I like your idea of getting a fixed rail and drilling 2 holes in it...

I'm using Lego's with the holes drilled out (there's a little circle in the center). So, if I can line up some big pieces, it should be uniform. Hmm...

Well, maybe I'll fix it for regionals. But there's no way I can put that together before Saturday. Thanks anyways.

I was wondering if anyone can give me a rough estimate of the weight of anyone’s vehicle it's my goal to get mine to weigh under 250g. Also as a guess for a great score for this event is under 20 is that close to anyone else’s actual runs.

Tested Wednesday night! Got it down to 26! Invitational tomorrow!

Under 20 is really good, it would've taken 2nd at paradox's invitational ((s)he got under 5).

EDIT: Got it down to 9.6 distance at invite? Huh? Apparently my testing location is on a hill?

EDIT 2: 9.6 distance = 4th? What? I got lane bonus too... Unless my speed was really that bad...

NYC Metro regionals are in two weeks, and I've yet to figure out a stop-and-reverse mechanism for my vehicle yet. I have both mousetraps in place with lever arms, it runs straight (built vehicle out of robot parts salvaged from my Sumobot trial event), and it stops right between the 7m and 8m line, but I don't know how to make it reverse :\ Can anyone give me advice how to make this work? I'll be willing to help with Trajectory, Mission Possible, Sumobot (NYS trial) or Ecology in exchange for any suggestions here, please. Thanks :]

inycepoo wrote:NYC Metro regionals are in two weeks, and I've yet to figure out a stop-and-reverse mechanism for my vehicle yet. I have both mousetraps in place with lever arms, it runs straight (built vehicle out of robot parts salvaged from my Sumobot trial event), and it stops right between the 7m and 8m line, but I don't know how to make it reverse :\ Can anyone give me advice how to make this work? I'll be willing to help with Trajectory, Mission Possible, Sumobot (NYS trial) or Ecology in exchange for any suggestions here, please. Thanks :]

Check theMousetrap Vehicle Wiki. I'd suggest using the third option (you may have to move your mousetraps). From experience, I'd also like to add that while math is all fine and good, you should test your vehicle to see how many winds you need. 18 is on the wiki (if its still there, I put it there), but due to inertia, I ended up using 16.

I tried to follow what the wiki said, I've been at school 'till 7 or 8 all week trying to figure it out, but it just doesn't work. Can I see some sample pictures of how you guys did it? I'm desperate here.
And I'm in NY if you don't want to share with in-state competitors (never been to Nats, don't think it's gonna change).

look at some of the ones here Out and Back Gallery

inycepoo wrote:I tried to follow what the wiki said, I've been at school 'till 7 or 8 all week trying to figure it out, but it just doesn't work. Can I see some sample pictures of how you guys did it? I'm desperate here.
And I'm in NY if you don't want to share with in-state competitors (never been to Nats, don't think it's gonna change).

I took some mechanics wire (the heavy black wire used to hang parts in spray booths or tie things together) and created linkage between the 2 traps. When the first lever-arm comes down, it presses on the wire, and it in turn presses on the trigger of the second trap.

It worked perfect for me. Plus its easy to bend into shape and adjust on the fly.

Okay, thanks guys.
But mechanism aside, the rules say the traps have to be unmodified. I cut off part of the snapper on my traps and put in a bar to extend the lever arm to get more leverage when operating the trap. Is that considered modifying the trap? If so, how else would you add on and extend a lever arm from the spring? O_O