Polycarbonate vs HDPE

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Remote-Controlled Dave
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Re: Polycarbonate vs HDPE

Post by Remote-Controlled Dave »

I didn't dare take LiPos in my luggage!
Been reading up on this recently as we now have to fly in to AWSs. Maximum Lipo capacity allowed on planes is 100Ah. Considering the average ant runs one somewhere in the low mAh, I think you'd have been absolutely fine, though they have to be hand luggage.
Sorry to leave topic!
Die Gracefully Robotics
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BeligerAnt
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Re: Polycarbonate vs HDPE

Post by BeligerAnt »

Hi Joey
I think heat treatment is the only way to relieve the stresses. Since most plastics have a fairly low melting (or at least softening) point, dunking them in hot water should do the trick.
You can either heat the material, bend it hot then let it cool, or bend it cold then heat and cool it to relieve the stress.
Some experimentation would be needed to arrive at the right temperature/time, but the easiest to try first is to bend it cold, immerse in boiling water for "a while" then allow to cool naturally. It may be advisable to have some means of holding the form whilst it cools to prevent any unwanted sagging :o

Good luck, and don't forget to tell us how it goes!
Gary, Team BeligerAnt
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joey_picus
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Re: Polycarbonate vs HDPE

Post by joey_picus »

Dave: I wish I'd realised that then, hehe! I imagine they'll all have completely drained by the time I get back home and I'll need to buy a new set...I am planning to get down to a couple of big hobby stores in Edmonton though which should help. I really miss robots, wish I was back before August ^^;

Gary: That sounds like it might be an idea, thanks! I've got another source of the VHS tape plastic (read: I bought a copy of Scenes From The Big Chair by Tears For Fears off eBay) so I'm going to see how easily that works, but failing that I'll do another polycarbonate chassis and bend it hot this time. Considering a welded plastic chassis for Jigsaw 64 though, and/or a reversion to the old approach of having separate tabs.
Joey McConnell-Farber - Team Picus Telerobotics - http://picus.org.uk/ - @joey_picus
"These dreams go on when I close my eyes...every second of the night, I live another life"
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