Well it is November again. Which to some of us means a chance of snow. I was sitting around yesterday, looking for something to do. Well I found it. Thinking back a year ago, I remembered, how much my back hurt, from shoveling my walks.

Several years ago I had an idea, What if there was a way to make a machine shovel my walks for me, it could be controlled from my computer, and I watch what was going on from my screen. Well at that time, things like ArduRover simply didn't exist.

Now things do exist that could make this thing a reality. If a CAN (controller area network) system could be interfaced with ArduRover for the control stuff, hydraulics, heavy electric motor controls, and so on, there could be one of these included in everyone's arsenal for countering winter's assault. Well probably not everyone's, but for those fortunate enough to have a six figure income could have one. Well that leaves me out.

This was drawn with SketchUp, animated with SketchyPhysics. I used a video capture program to make the video, so the quality isn't top notch, but good enough for viewers to get the general idea.

Enjoy, hope it gets those gears turning.

Yesterday when I found this group I was quite surprised with the whole project. One thing in particular I noticed was there are people that think like me. These people have come up with a device than can do the things I have wanted to do for at least twenty years.

I am not an engineer, I am an idea guy, I do a lot of research, trying to find a different way of doing things, not necessarily better just different. I have "reinvented the wheel" 4 or 5 times, know what?, it still looks like a wheel.

Last evening I uploaded a picture of the latest incarnation of my rover. Although it is pretty much the same as it's predecessors, 4 wheels, a drive train, a body for protection of the components inside it. This time I added a panel PC and some illumination devices.

Within a few moments I had a comment on what I uploaded. He brought up an important point about a suspension system, I replied with a "been there done that" comment, but it got me thinking again. There must be a way to "steal" a suspension system from another, existing, available vehicle to start with. I was thinking a quarter-scale RC chassis, perhaps 4 wheel drive, front steer, electric. Well I didn't find electric, but all the other things I wanted I found.

Being me, I started thinking, mods. How hard could it be to mod this thing, with, an electric motor, and how much cash would it take, but I could have reverse, (a handy thing to have on a vehicle). The ICE it comes with is a 30c weedeater type engine, two stroke I think, at least the engine used in the demo video sounded like one. Now the model is fast, very fast, and very agile, perhaps too fast and too agile for my purposes.

Fast forward>>>

I just looked again I found a 1/5 scale electric, 4 wheel drive, full suspension. Perfect!

Check it out here

Ok folks I need to get ready to go to work, have a great day!

BTW I write about what I am thinking about, at the time I think about it, so don't expect literary continuity. My thoughts are all up there waiting to get out, so when they do...you have ramblings, it is an ADHD thing.