I regret inventing Tank Boots

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I built motorized tracked boots...on purpose...are they worth it? Could the tracks be better used some other way? Does anyone even read this part anymore?
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Old tank footage from Prelinger Archive

[@JoelCreates]

Your browser is holding you back. Level up with Opera here: opr.as/Opera-browser-JoelCreates

[@imnothere394]

Nice vid

[@deejaygaming7389]

You know opera is possible malware right? The company that owns it is really suspicious.

[@limemason]

@@deejaygaming7389 No, Opera is not malware XD

[@thedotgiver2820]

.

[@lio1234234]

The radio controlled mini tank idea is cool, but it needs to be faster (and heavier for the low CoM given the higher speed)

[@storbytronics]

Next step: Make tank gloves and a turret backpack to go with them and become one with the tanks

[@senfdame528]

I support this message

[@KainaX122]

Next step: Make tank waifus a reality

[@jeremysmith7176]

@@KainaX122 there's already an anime about anime girls in tanks

[@Avetho]

@@jeremysmith7176 Its more like Strike Witches, with their Ground Witches, but with tracks instead of mech legs

[@KainaX122]

@@jeremysmith7176 yeah but now make them REAL

[@Henry-by8en]

Hey, a figure skater and rollerblader here. The balance problem can probably be dealt with by changing your stance. You should have much better balance by putting 1 foot forward and one foot back. That will give you a much longer base forwards and backwards and allow you to deal with the hill and obstacles much better, as well as stop you tipping over when you stop

[@SlitexGaming]

I was thinking that the whole time lol. he rode them like it was a hoverboard.

[@funkpunkdave220]

also coming from a skater, the problem is that the boots are so high, therefore blocking your shin from going forwand and into your knees. This way the balance point of your body could be more in front, and this stops you from falling backwards. i would love to see an improved version!

[@Stay_away_from_my_swamp_water]

Not a skater (anymore) but an engineer (not yet and a software engineer at that) and I can say that he's right, and this is a skill issue.

[@GrustnyyDrug]

He is a intelligent man, but not a athletic one.

[@jado3069]

Nobody goes straight up a mountain with ski boots like this. Thats why old ski bindings have a release function in the back + of course you are using sticks.

[@Wolfe_Blue]

I’m impressed with how many ideas you have come up with and that you can actually build it.

[@JoelCreates]

Thank you :)

[@danese1636]

@@JoelCreates I'm impressed you're not dead

[@starshot5172]

​@@JoelCreates Yeah, at the level of determination you build them with, there are few to no other people who who match your level. Keep going!

[@deejaygaming7389]

Now that’s how you grab someone’s attention with just a title. Love the content.

[@egg5802]

It’s also not clickbait, this really is one of the best examples of titling

[@JoelCreates]

Thank you!

[@PeterSripol]

Bootlickers: 👁️👄👁️ I’ll take your entire stock

[@JoelCreates]

Just make sure the battery is disconnected first

[@storbytronics]

@@JoelCreates where's the fun in that?

[@hyperteleXii]

Tonguetreading

[@Tachikoma0333]

I do, in fact, read these lol. Also maybe take a page out of a halftracks book and mount two wheels in front that you either swivel with your feet, like a bike handle bar for your feet, or freely rotate. These would provide some much needed stability and keep the military theme. Good luck man!

[@limemason]

Bro just revolutionized travel, he's just being modest

[@NeedWantBuy]

Great video! If you made 2 mini tanks and a bigger frame to connect them, you can have a giant longboard tank!

[@AntoLeNice]

I would add a wheelie bar at the back and footrests further in the front, and probably incline the back of the seat a bit.

[@Erik-wf7wb]

ya, maybe front and back wheelie bars, with nice big wheels/rollers

[@StuffandThings_]

That comment about offroad skis, along with a comment in the comments section about attaching ski poles to the controller handles got me thinking... What if you adapted this concept into actual powered offroad skis? Make the treads much, much longer and flatter, a bit skinnier, and well just generally ski shaped. Attach the controllers to ski poles, and keep the ski boot system. Boom, now you've got skis that can go on a lot of surfaces that normal skis can't, and they'd also have their own power so cross country might actually be fun for once.

[@ThatTieDyeGuy]

Longer Tracks. If you quadruple the length of the tracks it will stablize them. Then bring in bindings down even with the center line. Final idea would be to replace the ridged plastic wheels with small pneumatic wheel barrow/cart tires. Should be more like walking in mud. Use an arduino to control the tire pressure based on terrain type. Thank again, loved the episode.

[@Wico90YT]

Tank Boots + Gravity jetpack is great. Also track chairs are perfect

[@zdog90210]

🎵 The shin bone is connected to the ... ski boot 🎵 the ski boot's connected to the ... tank tracks 🎵 and that's how we move around 👐👐

[@socialmediumspace]

I really appreciate the way you are always able to push your projects right up to, but not over, the line of safety. As much as I enjoy learning about engineering through your projects I enjoy learning about your process even more

[@BigRigCreates]

Uh oh, he put on the hat at the end. Wisconsin Winter Joel is coming.

[@InspireToMake]

This is Awesome!

[@JoelCreates]

Glad you think so!

[@jg-7780]

I believe the drill you used has a special feature which brakes the drivetrain when the trigger is released. You might rather use one which doesn't have this feature, so that the motor winds down more gradually.

[@Kitteh.B]

Oh my god I was trying to figure out what was wrong... I got to 3:00 before realizing it's Joel not wearing his hat!

[@Weisz]

“Like a hesitant monkey at a computer” joel you kill me 😂 Sick video dude!

[@TurtleMasterFlex]

At the start of the video right away I could see the main issue is that your center of gravity is too high, I have an idea that would solve that and still be boots. You'd have to source new tracks.. but two tracks half the width, but on both sides of your boot. with a platform maybe level with the wheel bearings, or a little lower, like a real tank. I feel like this would give you much more of a Grounded feel.

[@johnsherby9130]

The fact that I never really realized those $40 drills are a crazy good deal is kinda funny. Now I’m wondering what else I could power with them. You could make some insane power wheels upgrades for like $100

[@arcotkk]

There is potential with this to be great. I'd say the biggest way to improve these would be to make them shorter but longer, like skis. Using smaller wheels and a longer platform would have greater stability and less risk.

[@justinbremer2281]

I love how "shorter but longer" makes no sense but actually totally does

[@carnivorousmoss]

Great video Joel! This invention is ahead of its time. I would LOVE to see foot pegs and peddles for tank steering + throttle! If you want try more with the boots, maybe find treads on a smaller wheel base. You wouldn't go as fast but the surface contact would be identical.

[@michaelfloodine]

I think to get the kind of use you seem to be looking for out of tank boots they'd have to be longer tracks, like short ski's rather than everything directly under you like skates.

[@eslachance]

From riding EUCs, I'd say the number one issue here is your locked ankles. Not being able to actually lean forward to keep your center of balance correctly, that's a big issue. Considering I want to make a vehicle with similar features though, this is... actually a pretty useful video for me. I shall learn from your failures and learning experiences!

[@Tony-op6xf]

5:59 next episode make an electric unicycle with tracks.

[@WarpedYT]

How to learn to Rollerblade .... Hahah

[@Magnetic999]

Great invention, Joe! I invented a similar silly thing with the same snowblower track. A motorized Swiss sled. Instead of a power drill I'm using a bicycle hub motor. If you are in Switzerland, feel free to try it out :)

[@JoelCreates]

Sounds like a good time!

[@MillerKevinG]

Elver! I haven't been there in years. Super fun video!

[@dfgaJK]

Top tier craftmenship! Make an RC mower! but one that can mow anything at full movement speed!

[@ammunitions6452]

put 2 more of those on the front and have all the wiring for one side hook up to 1 controller and vise versa

[@Orion_5764]

8:13 "let's take these to the steepest hill in town" jump cuts to literally just a field with a 1% grade

[@RealAndySkibba]

You should send these to Eddy Burback and he can compare to the moonwalk shoes he didn't like.

[@joshharniss7432]

you shouldve rotated the track directions 65 degs angle to skate pos would make it so easy to balance

[@Reversed82]

i think if you built this based on rctestflight's snowcat design it might work better, implying the tracks and frame can somehow take the weight. the snowcat looks a bit slimmer and you can adjust the tracks to be wider to have a lower center of gravity and a wider base on each boot

[@RobsNeighbor]

Love it Joel! Great Job!

[@Tyranzor64]

Standard tank treads can articulate up and down for getting over rough terrain. Maybe a V2 with some articulating joints and longer tread to make bumps easier to handle?

[@nosidenoside2458]

Maybe longer tracks or a cross country skiing stance

[@jamesrivas4572]

All new all-terrain roller skates BABYYYYYYYYYYY And almost we got it working but hey at least we go a chair tank or butt tank or mini tank

[@greyzeel6554]

I have some ideas. 1-adding some back wheels that are slightly above the groind on the back will help catch you when falling 2- making a longer front to rest your legs on seems like a good idea for comfort Great video though!

[@jlco]

I think the tank chair might benefit from having the controls affixed to the sides, at about the position you were already holding them, so you can use them to hang onto the chair.

[@Death_Lord_Eleressai]

You gave up too soon, you could have made it work. You made these with ski boots, so think of how skiers stay upright. Attach the hand controls to ski poles, add rubber cane tips at the end of them and use those to keep balance and reposition yourself. Also add some velcro or something to tie the wires to your boots so they don't get into the treads.

[@eduardostapenko6808]

you made a tracks platform, now maybe try doing robotick tank platform? some drone to transport maybe supplies, or wounded people at lockal airsoft field

[@Den_drummer]

Perhaps longer tank tracks could helpfor the boot design? Like their current length x2, bringing it closer to those very short skis. Though that might bring some other problems with it.

[@Xerom]

I have an old snow blower similar to the one you used here that I have kept around to build an RC lawnmower/snow blower with. This video was awesome and may just get me moticated to give my project a shot. Awesome work!

[@cardinalhamneggs5253]

Technically, because of the size, shape and proportions of the treads, each of the boots is less of a _tank_ and more of a _tonk_ (look it up. I dare you.)

[@Arkay315]

I think tank boots would work better if the crawler tracks were longer.

[@KainaX122]

I think the best improvement you could make for the tank chair (patent pending) is if you could stretch your legs out. Extend out the front to include some foot rests on top of a large swivel caster

[@solarflare623]

What if you added stabilizer wheels to the front and back? I think the main thing causing you to fall over is the short wheelbase.

[@Dpedersen35]

Hey brother, first video I've ever seen of yours. The algorithm really knew me when it suggested this video. I cannot wait to see tank chair v2. Please keep making things. I can't wait to see you on the Safety Third Podcast in less than a year because that's your crowd for sure!

[@jonathancook4022]

These will be perfect for use at my local ski club where a 10min walk across a feild is required before skiing! - I can go straight from ski tanks to skis with 100% compatability with my own ski boots. No change of footwear required!!! AWESOME!

[@ProtesttheAntagonist]

Un-motorized tank boots have been around for a while! Some crazies back in 80s decided they wanted to ski, but there wasn't any snow. So they made tracked skis for usage on grassy hills. Definitely not great to use, but better than not ski-ing I guess.

[@rkroll17]

You could mount the triggers to the sides of the “mini tank” to give a more stable feel to it and then you could also add a canon to the front

[@Chaedron1]

So you ended up making a really tiny off-road electric wheelchair? LOL, it is cool though.

[@spthibault]

Trapazoid the wheels some, add a foot rest and (and arguably or) tip the chair back a bit to allow easier leg extension. For standing (or sitting) the use of a bracketed set of smaller wheels to the frame to allow some rocking would assist with a ridged double hinge (to allow bending) in the foward and aft sections would also help with stability.

[@AydenVr7]

you need a skeletal structure that goes from the base of the boots connected going up your legs and then wraps around to a small seat when you bend your knees the skeliton locks and becomes a seat to balance out your weight this plus kick stand wheels that shoot out backwards when you lean to far back. With this you can add more speed.

[@therealtwo2dee]

i feel like the only way they could work as boots is: wider tracks and wheels, the front wheel being the drive wheel and possibly a longer frame with a middle suspension bogie to not only keep the track tight against the ground, but also to possibly help get over things, but then again im not all to good with physics i just love tanks

[@janthran]

my thoughts at just about every step of the way are that you need to just put heavier wheels inside those tracks to ensure bigger surface area as well as lower the center of gravity. if that's not enough you can drop a couple weights in there too

[@joshgrant6873]

These are so cool! Would it potentially solve the balance problem if you were to add a layer of more flexible materials like springs or a gimbal-like mechanism where your feet go so they wouldn’t be locked to staying parallel with the treads?

[@profusemoose1488]

Very good call on the safety call-off. I knew a guy who died instantly falling backwards on rollerblades and banging his head on the pavement. Also, honestly, scale it up, put a chair on it, replace the off-road wheelchair that some company made that was great but broke too easy and they never supported properly (iirc)

[@DRILLEX1312]

as the words of my favorite blue genie go "INFINITE COSMIC POWER, itty bitty living space" very accurately describes the prototyping phase and i love it

[@Sopsy_Hallow]

from bad rollerskates to fun moving chair, what a journey

[@dfgaJK]

4:14 sorry I had to LOL to fend off the PTSD 😂😭

[@RafaCB0987]

They maybe be dumb but i am glad that you did it

[@georgewolf7063]

LOL!! I'd almost forgotten what it was like to laugh so hard at ingenuity while still being outrageously impressed! I love your channel!

[@ratsmacker8113]

once the complete mini tank is done, make it modular to convert back into boots

[@Insert_Bland_Name_Here]

"Now, there's a label on front warning you not to use other batteries, but there's an easy fix for that." Me: You're gonna create some kind of adapter? Joel: *Spray-paints the label*

[@KrawllUnchained]

I think the idea was really cool and fun, i also think that by modifying the design of the tank treads you could make them easier to use and reduce the "tipping" that you were experiencing. There is definitely a way to optimize this to make it useable and practical but of course that would cost significant amounts of money and you'd have to make this your main project for a long time before coming out with a viable version.

[@Sjarken100]

YES! Please make it into something radio controlled awesomeness!

[@AleksaNoeksa]

That hill in Elver Park doesn't seem steep until you're lugging a sled back up to the top for the fifth time that day :D

[@JoelCreates]

Truth

[@TheUndermind321]

How is this not sponsored by Armored Core?

[@Madnessnunky]

Mount the controls to the mini tank on short metal standoffs and that would give your body leverage over the rotation of the vehicle and stabilize your upper half a bit. An extension out the front with offroad caster wheel(s) and a tray for your legs would further stabilize it and move the center of gravity slightly forward to negate backwards rolls. It'd basically be a tracked truck like those old WW2 vehicles.

[@Qsandbank]

Just put tank treads on your stomach, back, and head and no matter what you keep moving

[@dupre7416]

I didn't think I needed any more channels like this. I was wrong.

[@CloudHater]

They finally made Noise Tanks a real thing! 😍

[@Galvatron102]

Based JSR fan

[@GrumpyIan]

That second configuration where you sit on it reminds me of the Goliath tracked mine from WW2.

[@bhutwheyttherismor86]

I regret that you didnt invent them sooner.

[@Pineappleparty]

lets be honest, thoes drills wern't going to last long as normal drills anyway. So tank boots are actually an upgrade. Had you used DeWalt or Miliwakee drills though, that would be different.

[@v1x4z]

In the end you've basically made a mini tracked wheelchair

[@henrykau3095]

I think you should keep improving your sleeper lightsaber

[@davidmete5]

I saw someone mention a wheelie bar. Thumbs up to that. Can you lower your center of gravity more? Your boots were ON TOP of the treads, what if you were able to put them beside (or inside) the treads? Same for the chair, wider tread base, sink the seat, add some heel bars or stirrups?

[@lowgrs1]

looked very fun at the end. good work.

[@MRboomchongo]

add some kind of stirrup to put your feat in attached to the seat and put the controls in the foot pedals

[@Dracklen248]

I love that you’re right by my home for these tests, I sled on that hill every year :D!

[@mittensthefeared5401]

You're slowly on your way to becoming a human armored core, all you need are some energy rifles and an exoskeleton

[@villafanmart]

'this is dumb, but its a great idea' tis a quote that got me though my teenage years XD

[@f3rny_66]

next episode: I made robotic knees to replace mine after last video

[@ryanlevis7532]

Maybe add two sets of tracks on each boot for balance purposes. Although the idea isn't bad. This would be good for SAR purposes. I could see this working.

[@SpaghettiWaffle]

This dude just made the Manntreads irl

[@ku8721]

I have that same snowblower! I'm slowly working on making it radio controlled.

[@tom-was]

you made me laugh more than I laughed in days thx

[@jaosnv2979]

they also make a ride on attachment for those hover boards would give you a place for your feet and a stable sitting platform

[@conord82]

Fantastic title. Fantastic redesign

[@Audi_Sport_Quattro_S1_E2]

Try putting the tank seat on your lower legs and separate ones on your hands so you can crawl on your hands and feet/legs. You will have more traction, more stable since you got 4 contact points and lower center of mass

[@stainlesssteelfox1]

One way to fix the CoG issue would be to move the foot plates from the top to the insides, low down, so they're no higher than regular skates. Of course you'd need smaller wheels under or on the inside of your foot to support the unbalanced plate. But they could be simply free wheeling.

[@avist7]

i literally had a dream about boots with snowmobile tracks 10+ years ago and ive been thinking about how to make them for so long now. i thought of them as rollerskates for snow. i imagined them to be essentially in neutral until you apply power to them, kinda like a boosted board. i also thought of implementing balance controls like a hoverboard, but on two feet i dont think that would work. something like a wireless remote with a throttle and brake system might be the way to go imo. i think im gonna try to make the design ive been thinking about all this time now that ive seen someone else try it lol

[@Sicsempertyranus313]

What about mounting the boots on a platform offset to the side of the centerline of the wheels. Lower center of gravity should add a bit more stability. Also what about lengthening the tracks with a bit of center suspension. Offset platform with built in suspension?

[@weedjesus5587]

these are insane, just imagine if hese able to make them as long as actual skiis you genuinely could skii in any place or season

[@RandomBogey]

Put one foot slightly ahead of the other to brace yourself when stopping/starting or when on an incline to keep from falling over forwards or backwards