Wow jeff, you really have a way of making technical things seem so easy! It looks cool, but honestly I really don't know what I'm looking at (not your pics, my lack of understanding lol). Good call on staying away from LiPo's, they're awesome for allot of things, but can be dangerous in certain instances. I've been using them in my R/C planes and heli's for 7 years, and have seen my share of them over heating and exploding (not just a puff of smoke, a true to life bang). Also, they take a very specialized charger than can cost upwards of $150.00 + for a reliable one that won't kill your batteries. Just for kicks I measured 7 1/4"... that's allot of movement. This is gonna be awesome when it's done. Thanks for the frequent updates!
Brian