Team Invade - Antweight Parts

[Team Invade]

Hi, we've been competing in robot combat for quite a while now, (since 2004 to be precise), and we have quite a few robots, like Explosion (fw), & one antweight (Spark).

Spark is getting a bit tired now, and it wasn't made with the best parts in the first place. The 0.5mm aluminium chasis is now bent & twisted, we have blown 1 out of the 4 motors we have for it, 1 is very nearly gone, and needless to say. they don't give the best possible performance.

So we were thinking of making a new antweight(s), over christmas, and so far I've had a few Ideas:

Idea 1:
A total re-build of spark using better motors, a better (and smaller) lipo, better (smaller & lighter) speed controller, still using a HPXF servo, and this time made out of HDPE

Idea 2:
Another total re-build of Spark, using pneumatics, to try and get it performing more like explosion. Better motors, smaller lipo, smaller & lighter speed controller, HDPE

Idea 3:
A scaled down version of Annihilation, would use good motors, a small & light speed controller, maybe a slightly bigger lipo, either HDPE or 1mm Polycarb

However, I haven't got a clue what to get, or possibly where to get it (although I presume most of this will probably come from either technobots or the robot market place), so advice on this issue would be greatly apprieciated.
To cover all three ideas, I need to know where is best to get all this:
Lipo's, (including charger)
Small, light speed controller
The 'best' motors
A pneumatic set (if these are still made)

Incase the pneumatics sets aren't available:
Small, light valve
Gas bottle
Tubing
Appropriatly sized ram
ect.

What would be best to use, HDPE or 1mm Polycarb?

Any help would be appreciated!

- Team Invade

[BeligerAnt]

If you trawl through the forum you will find answers to most of these questions in recent threads.
There is no one "right" or "best" answer - HDPE or polycarb? It's up to you. Both are commonly used and have their pros and cons.

[joey_picus]

Hiya, I know Spark quite well having tussled with it quite a bit with Jigsaw over the past year...very good little robot good to see you guys on this forum.

For parts:

LiPos: There's a lot of suppliers and not too much difference between them (or indeed between brands at antweight level) so any model shop will probably do...I use and would reccommend the Hyperion 25c packs from Micron as their delivery is usually very fast and the 120mah and 180mah packs weigh very little indeed. Micron also sell chargers but I've used a Pro-Peak Quattro from Technobots since I started out with...erm...a random 12v supply Dave sent me and had no problems with that.

Small, light speedos: Peter Waller! http://www.antweightwars.co.uk/Controllers.htm

The best motors are quite subjective as it depends largely on what sort of robot you're planning on doing, your driving style and wheels...a lot of people are using 50:1 high power gearmotors though, which Robot Bits among others sell. You can get a few other ratios and power levels of the same type of motor from Technobots as well I think.

I can't comment on pneumatics really having done nothing with them but I don't think the Robot Combat/Inertia Labs sets are available any more. As far as armour goes it's quite subjective, I would prefer polycarb but that may be because a) on my ants the armour and chassis tend to be one and the same, so I need the extra stiffness, and b) HDPE does get awfully scuffed and battered after a few fights

Hope that all helps somehow.

[razerdave]

Hey Micheal, nice to see you've finally made it on here

I would agree with everything Joey has said; the 50:1 motors joey linked to are powering all 5 of my ants on different voltages.

As for armour, if you're going to rebuild Spark in the same shape, HDPE (1-2mm thick) would be best, but be wary to have the base made of something stiffer, it may tend to flex up otherwise (as I've discovered rebuilding Team Toon's 'Ant'). 1.5mm polycarb would make a suitable base plate.

[ajrobotics]

I love the current version of Spark, I think it is a great antweight. It has inspired me to build a wedge shaped flipper myself at some point.

I also use the Hyperion 120mAh 7.4v batteries from Micron and the 50:1 High Power gearmotors from Robot Bits, they are very good.

[Team Invade]

Thanks for all the replies!
Those motors seem the best, I know I was told about them before, I just forgot to white it down
Anybody know much idea on pneumatics? I'm not intending it to be as powerful as Anticide (I think I got the name right), because I still want to use it regularly at the live events. I don't think the crowd would appreiciate an antweight in their face! It would just be good to get it a little more impressive than Spark atm, and be able to get 1 flip OOTA's

[Team Invade]

This is the re-built version of Spark for those of you who didn't see it at Barnsley

2mm HDPE armour with a 5mm frame undermeath, and a small 1mm titanium bracket on the front of the flipper.

HPXF servo, 50:1 High power gear motors, and an option B speedo

Weighs approximately 140g and easily fits in the 4 inch cube

[joey_picus]

Looks great was good to see it at Barnsley yesterday, the speed increase seemed to do it a lot of good.