Topics

1

Real Robotics Discussion / Mantis (6lb) weight class events

« on: July 23, 2014, 12:49:17 PM »

I've was following the recent BotBlast event, and it seems the number of mantisweight entrants has increased compared to last year. I would be interested in building a mantis class robot, but I'm a bit concerned about the lack of interest relative to other more popular (ant, beetle, feather) weight classes.

I know that the mantis class has been around a while. I remember seeing them fight at the now-defunct BattleBeach event in Florida (back in '06). Does anyone know if this weight class is getting more support these days? The closest events to me are BotBlast, Moto, and Franklin.

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Real Robotics Discussion / Sump Thing- Anyone remember it?

« on: July 19, 2014, 11:11:49 PM »

I've read through a lot of the Robot Wars-relayed topics. No one seems to mention Sump-Thing, even in the "most dissaointing" thread (lol). Despite not having much success, Sump-Thing is probably my favorite Robot Wars competitor. I'm a big fan of tourque-reaction hammer weapons (think overkill from battlebots), and I also think the team captain, Richard (Mr.) Dig was one of the best robot wars "personalities".  I also think it's amazing that it was constructed almost entirely from scrap. Amount remember this robot?

3

Existing Games / Magic: the gathering

« on: July 19, 2014, 11:00:03 PM »

Anyone play magic? I've been playing since the release of the worldwake expansion about 4-5 years ago. If you play, what formats do you play, what do you  think of the new M15 expansion?

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Real Robotics Discussion / Real robot "replicas"

« on: July 17, 2014, 10:17:02 PM »

I've seen a lot of replicas of robots from Robot Wars and battlebots in the RA2 threads. I've built and competed with insect weight class (1 and 3 pound) robots before, but I would like to enter a 30lb sportsman eventually. Mortis is my favorite combat robot, and it's design, if shrunk down to 30lbs, would be compliant with the sportsman rules.

I've been thinking of building a "mini-mortis" (don't know what I'd actually call it), using it's original series 1 design as a guide. My primary challenge is finding a source for conveyor belt chain (What Mortis' tank treads are made of). I have found them available, but they are stupid expensive. I need to find a surplus source.

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Robots Showcase / Team Drinking and Operating Machinery

« on: July 17, 2014, 06:16:18 PM »

I've been taking a break from combat robots since moving across the country for grad school, but I'm getting all my robot stuff shipped up here, so I will be able to get some builds started fairly soon. My goal is to compete in Moto '2015

Here's what I've got planned:

Antweight (1lb, American):

"Nom-Nom 2.0" : a compete control/uberclocker style lifter/grabber. The lifting arm will be driven by a HXT12kg metal gear servo (the ones fingertech sells). The clamp mechanism will be a HS85mg mini servo driving a clamping arm via. a 4-bar linkage.

Drive will be 2 x 22:1 silver sparks driving 1:375" banebots "green" wheels

I competed with the original nom-nom back at DragonCon microbattles in 2010. It also had a lifter/clamper weapon, but unfortunately, never got to use it. My first match was against Jamison Go's "DDT", a horizontal disk spinner. 30 seconds into the fight, Nom-Nom "grenaded" and got sprayed across the arena. They had to get a broom to sweep up all the pieces. This re-build will hopefully be more durable.

I've got all the parts, so I should be able to start building as soon as I get all my robot stuff shipped up here.

Beetleweight:

The Claw: a 3lb lifter/grabber
When I designed The Claw about a year ago, servo city was having a sale. I needed the lifter to be able to hoist 3 pounds on the end of a 6 inch arm, so I went with the HS-7980TH titanium gear servo, which puts out 500 oz/in when it is run off of a 6V external BEC. I mounted a sprocket to the servo horn, so I could run the arm off of a chain reduction. The reduction is 1:1, so I am not gaining any torque, but the chain reduction will isolate the $170 servo from impacts on the arm. I REALLY don't want to break a $170 servo. The "clamping" claw will be driven by one of fingertech servos, using a 4-bar linkage mechanism, like in Nom-nom.

I've got all the parts for this one too, with the exception of the external BEC I'm going to run the servos off of.


"Everything Burrito" : Have you seen Dumb Post Motorama Idea?, basically like that.




All of my robot stuff is in my Dad's basement back in Georgia (I moved from Georgia to upstate New York for grad school). He should be shipping it out soon. I need to talk to the people who run the engineering machine shop, so see when I can get clearance to use the tools. I may have to wait until the beginning of the academic year (sometime in August) to actually get access to the machine shop, but that depends what schedules the engineering school faculty during the summer.




For larger weight classes, I ultimately want to build a 30lb sportsman "replica" of the Robot Wars robot Mortis, but I have not been able to find any conveyor belt chain (the stuff that Mortis' tank treads are made of) that wasn't absurdly expensive. I'll have to keep an eye out for it on surplus.