Support Sawppy via Amazon Associates Program

September 21, 2025 ยท View on GitHub

Sawppy the Rover is a project done out of love of our interplanetary robotic explorers Curiosity and Perseverance. Sawppy's design and instructions for construction are shared with other rover lovers free of charge under the permissive MIT license.

Some very generous people have offered to donate to help the project. I have declined offers of direct donation, but I have set up an Amazon Affiliates account based on suggestion. If an aspiring rover builder buys components from Amazon (USA) using the links below, they will pay the same price but Amazon will send a (very small) percentage of the sale to me as sales commission. Here is the boilerplate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

I have other links to Amazon products scattered throughout Sawppy documentation, but they are generic links that do not earn commission. This is the only page with affiliate links.

NameSpecificGenericComments
Mechanical
LX-16A BundleHiwonderEach bundle includes 5 servos and 1 BusLinker. A rover needs 10 servos and 1 BusLinker.
LX-16AHiwonderIndividual replacements, or if bundle is not available.
BusLinkerTTL BoardOnly one needed per rover. Do not need to buy separately if buying LX-16A bundle.
TurnbuckleHobbyparkEyes at end should fit M3 fasteners
BearingsSACKORANGE608Inexpensive generics are fine
M3 Heat Set InsertsIniteq3D printed parts are sized to this outer diameter
Cable sleeveTechflexWire management
Electronics and Communication
Servo Cable Connectors (LX-224)JST2.0 P3 ConnectorsTo connect LX-224 servos to BusLinker
Servo Cable Connectors (LX-16A)Mini-SPOX Pins Mini-SPOX HousingTo connect LX-16A servos to BusLinker
Crimper for Mini-SPOXiCrimp XH2.54mmTo crimp Mini-SPOX pins
Raspberry PiPi 3 Model BRaspberry Pi3B+ now available, Pi 4 should also work
microSD CardSandisk Extreme 32GBFor Raspberry Pi
Wireless RouterAsus RT-AC1200(Optional) Easier to find a channel on 5GHz WiFi in crowded places.
Arduino NanoELEGOOOther Clones(Optional) backup wired control
Joystick moduleWMYCONGCONG(Optional) backup wired control
Power System
BatteryFloureon2S LiPoTypically sold for remote control cars/boats/aircraft.
Battery ConnectorAdorecoDeans T PlugCommodity plug
Inline Fuse HolderNilightHolds automotive style blade fuses
Fuse AssortmentBESTTOYHOME5A fuse allows normal operations while protecting against abuse
5V RegulatorQunqiMP1584ENConverts raw battery power to 5V for Raspberry Pi
Battery ChargerTenergy TB6-BLiPo ChargerCell balancing capability preferred
Power SwitchConwork SPST(Optional) This one fits in my power panel
Voltage LEDBaite(Optional) This one fits in my power panel
Low Battery AlarmWoafly(Optional) Connected to battery's balancing plug

Legend:

  • Name used in Sawppy documentation.
  • Specific This is the specific item for my own Sawppy and I am happy with my first hand experience.
  • Generic This is the general category of items. Not specifically on board my rover but they should all work just fine. (If it's a link to a specific item: I was not happy with my experience, but it was nominally usable.)
  • Comments Addendum