Arena Size Question

[LLL003]

Hi all,

We're planing on building a beetleweight arena for our University group, just wanted to check I'm not being dull here!

For the sake of cost we were looking at 2 x 8ft*4ft (2440*1220mm) MDF boards to make a total of 8ft*8ft(2.4*2.4M), with (judging by the older document that was floating around on here)
a 600mm high Plexiglas wall.

Does this sound reasonable?

Any advice welcomed

[Retroman]

As for a my limited beetle knowledge goes, that seems about right, although I think plywood would be a better choice for flooring, my experience with mdf is it being rather soft and easy to damage

[LLL003]

my experience with mdf is it being rather soft and easy to damage

Noted, Thanks!

[Ocracoke]

That sounds fine for a non spinner arena. The BW champs arena was roughly that area, about 1m high 6mm polycarb walls and roof with 4mm steel floor plates I seem to recall.

[LLL003]

That sounds fine for a non spinner arena.

We're planning on allowing spinners, but at a much reduced maximum speed than in the normal rules (20% robot mass, 200 rpm, 300mm dia) which by my maths at least shouldn't be able to throw a 1KG robot more than 0.5m.
We considered that to be a safe compromise, is there something I've missed?

[firefly1]

What thickness is the Plexiglass? It wouldnt need too much to keep 200rpm bots in check bearing in mind 6mm polycarb has withstood robots of 16k rpm up. I would like to say that for full combat arenas 6mm polycarb is no longer advisable for new builds 8mm+ being prefered as beetles are getting scary powerful.

[Maxamuslead]

Size should be fine, but if your gonna have spinners at all it would suggest 6mm polycarb, you can get it cheap to free, talk to a bus stop Refurb company near you, they use poly and it will be worn but it will work fine. Also I would suggest a 3mm steel kick plate, even a lower power spinners can take bites out the poly and it will make it last longer

[Roboteernat]

If you are making the arena from new polycarb, it is also worth putting a 1mm or 2mm inner sheet of ploycarb inside, so that when the bots do scratch up the inside, you could get away with just removing the inner sheet and replacing that, rather than replacing the thicker material sheet each time.It would save a fortune for future cost.

[LLL003]

1mm or 2mm inner sheet of ploycarb inside

suggest a 3mm steel kick plate, even a lower power spinners can take bites out the poly and it will make it last longer

for new builds 8mm+ being prefered as beetles are getting scary powerful.

Thanks all!