Peter Wallers Robot Ramblings

[Remote-Controlled Dave]

Pretty small isn't it Peter? I guess it has to be, and allows for a bigger spinny bit. I hope you get it working properly, people will have to change their game a bit to beat it I think.

[peterwaller]

It is not as small as it looks the chassis diameter is 95mm so the weapon has to fit into the corners of the cube.
With the weight coming in I am down to the old problem of making it work on different surface smoothness.
That has been the downfall of all my attempts so far but you have to keep trying.

[Remote-Controlled Dave]

Scott and Andy's new arena should have a good enough surface I presume. They are building it properly, as they always do.

[peterwaller]

I didn't realise they were even building an arena but as you say they are likly to build well.
Here is the chassis moving at last with and without suction and just the spinner motor turning.
Need to start work on the weapon next.
http://youtu.be/JJSATAOyfcY
All up weight 106.7 but that was with a slightly smaller battery.

[peterwaller]

Machined up an arm and a couple of 2mm steel blades seen below just sat in place.

The arm was far to heavy and I got a bit carried away thining it down until it was too weak.
I decided it would be OK for a test run to I took the completed robot out into the garden to test the spinning.
All seemed OK as it was driving round under suction and spinning when there was a loud bang and then silence.
One blade and the end of the arm were missing as was one wheel and the battery the main body hadn't moved far but the suction seal part which is double sided taped on had obviously been ripped off when it had tied to hold the robot down. I eventually found the wheel about 5 metres down the lawn and later my wife found the battery about 10 metres away in the shrubbery but so far no sign of the blade. The strange thing was there was no sign of damage on the wheel or the battery and no marks on the board it was running on so what happend is a bit of a mystery.
Looks like testing in an enclosure is not only safer it makes it easier to find the bits.
Need to design a better arm and make a new blade.

[Remote-Controlled Dave]

I wish you'd videoed that. Mysterious robot implosions are always best. Hope you get it going.

[haz]

Mysterious robot implosion

that's my middle name . (or indeed a very good name for a robot!)

[peterwaller]

I had the camera all ready I was just checking it worked before I videoed it when it blew.

[earthwormjim]

Bummer!!
Be interesting to find out what let rip! Any ideas??
Do you think it was the weak arm that failed??
I guess something like the battery could have shaken loose and been ejected into the path of the arm??
BTW:What tyres are those,Peter??

[peterwaller]

That is a very good question Jim and I have been racking my brain to remember the supplier.
All I can remember was they used to have a stall at Brighton Model world but stopped this year. They were a model supplier quite local to Brighton and they moulded the tyres them selves. I think Gary may be able to remember them.