How scary are ant spinners?

[Remote-Controlled Dave]

What counts as "badly secured"? The bits I duct tape on tend to not come off, whereas bolted on bits do!

[EpicentrE]

Duct tape is not as bad as you might think, as it covers a wide surface area, is very sticky, and is stretchy, so it's more likely to flex and bend than just detach. But of course the comparison also depends on what bolts you're using; if you're using plastic bolts, they won't withstand much punishment. I don't think I've ever had a steel bolt fail.

[Remote-Controlled Dave]

I only use steel ones. But I just wanted to make a distinction. To an outsider to the sport, the phrase "mounting things properly" sounds like nuts and bolts and things rather than bodged techniques like tape or sticky pads, and its not always the best way for us. A good mount can be achieved or not achieved with any technique.

[EpicentrE]

I agree, although I would say that some methods are inherently more likely to be stronger than others. Double-sided sticky pads, for example, never seem to have much adhesion (unless I've only seen rubbish ones). Similarly, plastic bolts are quite weak, and I only ever use them if weight is an issue.

Of course, the material and how it's connected are only two parts of a much larger equation. But it was a mistake that I made when I was new to robotics, and so it's worth presenting just to ensure that it isn't overlooked.

As with all these things, it's best for the new roboteer to experiment and find what works for them, so I was more ensuring that he was aware that the connection and construction method was something he should experiment with, not that one is necessarily superior to the others.

[daveimi]

Yeah I've been digesting everything you've all been saying, it's one of the reasons I like this weight category as opposed to others etc.. There's a much more nurturing culture to this thing than with the feather spinners and so on. Basically, my lad and I wanted to build for the Fw Champs and also compete regular on the FW Circuit. I've been watching the video's and each year people seem to need a few more tons of energy from there ram, a few more joules from their spinners. And at the other end of it, there's me here trying to nurture an interest that my Autistic son has. He's obsessed with robot combat, but it would destroy him to see something he'd spent hours on be ripped to shreds. The featherweight champs I understand are the pinacle of the weight class and as such people need somewhere to build their blood thirsty machines. But then at the same time, there are some brutal machines in the regular RobotWars matches, axes and so on. There isn't really a tap-out, and no real mercy given.

It would be nice if we could build him a cheap feather and get pushed about a bit, rolled over, ditched in the pit and so on. And then when he grabs it and brings it back to the pits we can straighten it, charge it up, tighten everything up and stuff. And he can learn from it, learn about maintaining it, which bits of his design worked and didn't work, what he wants to change for next time and so on with a bit of help and support. Erm, but it won't, it'll be thrown 40feet through the air and hammered on by a CO2 powered axe of some sort. And it reaches a point where we're rebuilding each time with him in tears in the back of the car.

So moving to the ant stuff, it will be really nice for him to come and see some like-minded people and can tap out if he's nervous. He can generally just enjoy driving his ant weight and pushing people around and all the rest of it. I get that this is robot combat lol, but it'd be good if some of the feather stuff was as forgiving as the ants seem to be.

[Rhys]

The good thing about antweights is that even if you do get smashed up, it can usually be put back together with gaffer tape and glue. On a number occasions I've had to sweep my robot out of the arena with a broom and still had it ready to fight in the losers melee. Mind you, even that's becoming a rarity these days. Most ants are so well built they can take a few big hits from a spinner. And there's less spinners.

I wouldn't count against him getting upset though, it's just as frustrating driving off the edge as it is to be taken apart by a spinner. If you come to the next AWS you'll see plenty of grown men shouting, swearing and moaning when they drop in the pit (me included). All in good spirits though!

[daveimi]

Oh gosh yeah, I mean disappointment is just a life lesson really, helps us learn and grow and everything. I re-read my earlier post and it sounds like a right rant lol. Didn't mean it to, had just noticed they seem to have cancelled an event we're going to. Erm but yeah I mean for the cost of ants we can build a few and he can try his ideas out, (so can i hehe) and it just all in good fun somehow.

[Remote-Controlled Dave]

Ants do seem to be a good playground for autistic folks, we already have a couple of regular competitors with varying forms of autism (or similar learning based difficulties) which I think is great. We are an all inclusive weight class. Anyone can enter an AWS, any driver, any quality, any level, and, more to the point, anyone can win a fight or two! We have kids building robots from cardboard who pull famous victories out of the bag, and it isn't just a freak occurance, it happens at every event. Your son has as much chance of pulling of a few victories than he does even meeting a spinner, and even then, its not necessarily game over. If you watch the Robototron Mk 2 vs Flail Whale fight from the last AWS, you'll see a robot get beaten to a pulp by a spinner and yet still win legitimately.