RE: Starting to build a tank [TANKS]

["jon s kowitz" <jonskowitz-at-hotmail.com>]

  Hey, I'm all about innovation, but I just don't think a pump-action 
paintball marker is the way to go.  Check Ebay for a cheap semiauto gun or 
if you don't mind driving up here I've got a stash of Stingrays I could part 
with.  There's been a few solutions on triggering mechanism, but the two 
simplest look like either using a servo to trigger the gun or using a door 
lock solonoid (somewhere on the net there's a digital attachment used to 
control it, but I don't remember where I saw it).

  Can't help you on radios, but expect to spend half your budget on one.  
You need a minimum of 5 channels to effectively control the tank with.  Not 
too sure how you were planning on building the gyro-stab system, but you 
might need to hold off on that one for $$$ reasons.

  Other than that, junkyards are a good source for motors, solonoids, wire, 
and so on.  Look for windshield wiper motors, heater fan motors, or engine 
cooling fan motors.  The new-style Ford motors over-volted to 18V and 
overdriven with a 1:2 gear ratio seems to hold some promise as drive motors.

  Happy building.