FingerTech Robotics - www.FingerTechRobotics.com

[FingerTech]

New Product!
MiniQD Connectors

In combat, drive motors get wrecked all the time.  Use MiniQD Connectors and swapping motors is easy!
MiniQD Connectors are designed to fit perfectly onto the solder tabs of 16mm Spark gearmotors (or any FK-050 clones).  They click into place and will stay on even if your robot is bouncing around the arena!



Specifications:
Accepts wire size: 22-28gauge solid or stranded wire
Dimensions (each): 8.9 x 2.5 x 1.1mm (0.35 x 0.10 x 0.04in)
Weight (pair): 0.20grams (0.007oz) with heatshrink
Installs with common servo crimping tools
Includes heatshrink
Available in packs of 2 pairs, 10 pairs, and 50 pairs!



Installation:
1. Strip insulation back 3.5mm (0.14in).
2. Twist stranded wires before insertion.  Tinning with solder is even better.
3. Line up wire with flat edge and crimp.  It might take another crimp farther up to make sure the whole connector is closed properly.
4. (Optional) Solder the joint.
5. Cover with heatshrink and shrink with heat gun.

[FingerTech]

Hey everyone!  This thread is going to be a place to check out new products and discover others you may not have known about.  Feel free to post comments, ideas for improvement, or ask questions.  (Questions usually mean the website is missing information, so I can fix it for everyone!)

[FingerTech]

Mini Terminal Blocks

• When you don't want to solder every wire connection, these push-wire terminal blocks are a convenient solution.
• Easily connect and disconnect up to four wires to a common connection point.
• Includes one red and one black terminal block for positive and negative (ground) connections.



Specifications:
Includes one red and one black push-wire 4-terminal block.
Material: Glass-filled nylon, 0.20m Beryllium Copper retainer tabs
Dimensions (each): 10.6 x 9.8 x 5.8mm (0.42 x 0.39 x 0.23in)
Weight (each): 0.7grams (0.025oz)
Accepts wire size: 18-24gauge solid or stranded wire (larger wires can be used by trimming away enough strands to fit)
Continuous Current: 6A (forever).  For robots, usable continuous current is 30A.



Installation:
1. Strip insulation back 4-5mm (0.15-0.2in).
2. Twist stranded wires before insertion.  Tinning with solder is even better.
3. Push wire into one of four holes until stop is reached.
4. To release a wire from the terminal block, push a flat tool into the slot above the wire to free it.

[FingerTech]

New Product!
Aluminum S3M DUAL 15T Timing Pulleys


• This double-wide pulley allows TWO belts - one to a front and one to a rear wheel, or two to your weapon for extra strength.  Use with our selection of FingerTech timing belts, or any other 3mm pitch belt (4mm wide or less).
• The setscrew is sunken beneath the belt teeth so there is no need for a hub to stick out the side!

These are in addition to our classics;
Aluminum S3M Timing Pulleys (9-42T in 10 sizes)

S3M 30T Weapon Pulley (no flanges, double wide)

S3M Timing Belts (40-136T in 32 sizes)


FingerTech Automatic Pulley & Belt Calculator

• It's important to get the spacing between pulleys correct, or it can put extra load on the motors or result in belt slippage (skipping teeth).
• This useful tool will tell you the center distance between pulleys, or if you want a certain center distance, it will tell you what belt size you need based on what pulleys you have chosen!

[FingerTech]

New and Improved!
FingerTech Blade Hub



FingerTech's Blade Hub uses a flange nut to hold the blade tightly (like an angle grinder), meaning you can use off-the-shelf sawblades without needing to drill screw holes into hardened steel!  Custom blades can be made stronger by not having those same mounting screw holes.

• The stepped design allows use of blades with different bore sizes (10mm, 16mm (5/8in), and 20mm).
• A clamp mount with two screws attaches the hub to your weapon motor shaft. (Remember to apply thread-lock.) (This replaces the 8-32 setscrew in the previous version.)
• The hub has a 6-32 threaded hole so that your horizontal spinner robot can rest on a screw head and not be pulled in different directions when the blade spins. Also useful for supporting the hub's far side in vertical spinners.

Specifications:
- Accommodates blade bores of: 10mm, 16mm (5/8in), 20mm
- Recommended blade thickness: 1.6mm (0.63in) - 5mm (0.2in)
- Material: Anodized 6061 aluminum for high strength and low weight.
- Hub hex size: 25.4mm (1in)
- Nut hex size: 24mm (15/16in)
- Hub height: 14.5mm (0.57in)
- Clamp Screws: 4-40 x 1/2in Socket Head (requires 3/32" hex wrench)
- Bore diameter: 3.175mm (0.125in), but can be drilled out as big as 6.35mm (0.25in).
- Weight: 14g (0.494oz)

Installation Tips:
- Observe the proper spin direction (clockwise looking from the motor side).
- Use threadlock on both the nut and clamp screws.  You do not want your blade coming off!
- If you can't get your 1" wrench onto the hub when installed, you will want to clamp the hub into a vice so you can tighten the blade before securing the Blade Hub to the motor shaft.
- As with anything related to combat robots, it is POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS to add a spinning weapon to a robot.  NEVER power up the robot outside of a safety enclosure.  Always use a safety lock and follow proper activation procedure.



Note the spin direction (Clockwise looking from the motor side). This will keep the nut tight on hits.
Reversing the direction will try to loosen the nut.  This is fine for drive wheels, but not recommended for weapon blades.