Wheels: Flat Spots On Wheels

[MetalRobotHead]

This has probably been covered before but can't find it. I was looking over my Mr Mercury yesterday and noticed two of the wheels / tyres had fairly noticeable flat spots, I supppose due to being stood in the same place for too long.

Then checked big Osaka Robby and found same thing, not so bad though. The smaller robots seem to be OK

All my robots (not that there are many) stand on glass shelves in a cool cabinet without lighting so heat is not a problem

I see in 'Articles' it suggest not standing robots on painted surfaces as the paint can react with the rubber and decompose it.

I have put some spacers under their feet for now to raise the wheels off the shelf, which should do the trick.

I was thinking, do you all put spacers under your robots feet or do only particular robots suffer from this problem.

[mike van]

MRH, in the adverts section Robert has made spacers to help with this problem - It's not just your robots, everyones it seems. :o

[larry seven]

:) You know what would be cool, is a refrigerator magnet material that, when put on the bottom of the feet was thick enough to hold up the robot off the shelf. I suppose that a person could cut enough of it to stack up several thicknesses to do the job. It would hold onto the tin robot's feet by magnetism. I'll try it and post later, -L7

[robert]

Larry,

I like that idea. I could easily marry some sheet magnet material to the plexi spacers I have. Would you mind if I use your idea? :D

[H.I. Gosses]

Any old fridge door contains meters of bendable magnetic strip.

This can easily be cut and (super-) glued to any spacer you care to use.

[robert]

Thanks Henk,

You can also buy 1" wide by 2ft long rolled magnetic strip at hobby store for a couple of bucks.

[larry seven]

:) That's neat. Go for it, guys, I will do the same. -L7

[dratomic]

I'm confused -- why do you even need the magnets? Aren't you just standing the toys on the plexi spacers? Why is it necessary to have them stick to the spacers? Unless, of course, you live in a neighborhood that's prone to earthquakes...

Assuming for the moment that there is a good reason to use the magnets... Is there any negative side (no pun intended) to having a magnet attached to lithoed metal for any length of time? Can the magnet somehow screw up the surface it's attached to if left for months at a time? Is there anything in magnetized sheets that reacts negatively with paint or litho itself? Just curious.

[robert]

Doc,

Scientific Test!!

Pulled a magnet off my fridge - it's been there for 3 years....no damage to paint!

Seriously though, i think the magnet is a good idea. Although the flat plexiglass spacers i made are fairly easy to position, it would be even easier if you could just stick them to the Robot's feet and have them stay in place while you move him in or out of display case or reposition your display.