Build Diary and some questions that may appear - BW/MW

[Bodge Job]

Re: Build Diary and some questions that may appear - BW/MW

My first RC car charger was like that, it should turn green when its done Normally those chargers will discharge battery's when unplugged from the walls. And if it doesn't go green after a few hours, you can try to keep it charging, but keep an eye on it, make sure it doesn't get too hot. and if it doesnt go green after like 5-6 hours i don't think its ever gonna go green. If its advertised as a charger though it should go green, and float charge when its done (which means it doesn't over charge them).
hopes this helps!

[Merkabah_PT]

Re: Build Diary and some questions that may appear - BW/MW

Yap, you are completely right.
During the charge, i noticed that the led might be changing color and around 3h in the charge it was almost green. I waited a total of 3 and a half hours so it was solid green.

Tested the robot for about 6 minutes and the speed stayed about the same, just a small drop.
Also tested the mixing and it's great, the PC utility is very simple and intuitive.

Small video of the test (my dog gets really confused and excited with RC things ):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AUijl-uej8

[Merkabah_PT]

Re: Build Diary and some questions that may appear - BW/MW

After almost one hour, 50 screws and an hell of a pain on my hand/wirst, Primogenito is finnaly fully disassembled so i can paint the steel parts.







Electronics:


All body parts:


Cleaned the rust with lemon juice (i don't have tools to unscrew the nuts at home):





Tomorrow at the workshop i will sand every thing and paint it. I am undecided between black or dark green, what do you think would go better along with the white HDPE?

The gears on the first stage of my planetary gearboxes is plastic, so i will see if the metal gears from an old drill are the same size so i can replace them.

[Max]

Re: Build Diary and some questions that may appear - BW/MW

It all looks very good- I would go for black paint

[Merkabah_PT]

Re: Build Diary and some questions that may appear - BW/MW

Metal parts all painted, phase one completed. And i also discovered that using relays and servo electronics Primogenito actually as some speed control.

Phase two will be building the weapon, a vertical spinning bar. Already have a generic 550 motor and steel for the bar but need to find or buy two pulleys and a belt.
I also have an old electric screwdriver that i could used to power a lifter, but since this is a showbot, the spinning bar will be better.




I found some old motor on my garage: 2 drill motors, 2 wiper motors, a wiper motor without the gearbox, a really big 24v wiper motor from a truck and a 24v 250w scooter motor. I am thinking about building a Backlash/Nightmare FW replica. The scooter motor to power the disk and for the drive the drill motors or the wiper motors, but i will leave that for after i finnish Primogenito.

Backlash v5


Nightmare v4

[Merkabah_PT]

Re: Build Diary and some questions that may appear - BW/MW

Note to self: Never build a spinning weapon unless its made with precision and proper parts, especially one powered by a 550 motor @ 18v

So, i spent the last days/week building a weapon for primogenito, every thing was going fine until today.
I had already tested it, but today i wanted to test it at full power (18v) against a 2kg 1mm steel power supply. The PSU had no chance, it just flew ~1.5,meters, but the belt snaped in two and pulleys broke.
But that's what you get when you used the wrong materials. One more lesson to me at least.






Now i have to think about how i will make the new weapon, a properlly made one this time.
It will be an electric lifter or clamper powered by a drill or a screwdriver.

[Merkabah_PT]

Re: Build Diary and some questions that may appear - BW/MW

Some advances on the lifter:




I use a screwdriver to power it, but it's a 3 stage reduction instead of 2 stage one, full metal gearing.
Overvolted from 6v to 7.2v.

Only tested it at 4.8v and it could lift 3kg no problem, at 7.2v it surely will lift much more. Can i use a scale to see the max it will lift?

[Merkabah_PT]

Re: Build Diary and some questions that may appear - BW/MW

My mom showed my topic and the FRA forum and some youtube links to some of her students (14/15 years old) and they just loved robot combats. Some of them wanted the school to start a club to build and fight.
My mom wants me to get my robot fully working and make a small demo at the school and explain them the basics (small presentation with a powerpoint).

I am really excited because i will have the change to get the interest of students and maybe some teachers.

Armor and cosmetics are not important, but i have to build the control system for the lifter to make the demo. So, to do list: order a servo, UBEC and two relays; build control system; new wiring to handle a third motor.

[Ellis]

Re: Build Diary and some questions that may appear - BW/MW

That's brilliant news! We live down here in M¡laga, we currently have one active featherweight, if there is ever a suggestion of them wanting some demos I am sure we could make a trip to where you are and help out. Getting interest in the peninsula would be a huge huge thing!

Also, I really like the things you're building. You have a way with chopping board my friend! Keep it up, and post some vids of that lifter when it's alive, it looks great.

[Merkabah_PT]

Re: Build Diary and some questions that may appear - BW/MW

Thanks Ellis!

For now i will just go to my moms school when i get Primogenitos lifter operational and make a little demo and a simple presentation talking about the components of a robot, some basic rules and fights.

The school as a small robotic club, they build small autonomous robot for the national competition of search and rescue and robotic dance (founded by my mom and other college of hers) and they have a budget for that, arduinos, lego nxt, etc.

If i could get the interest of the school to put the kids building and fighting antweights that would be accomplishment of my life, but if i can get 1 or 2 persons building combat robots that would be a great start.

The biggest problem of this hobby, even more here in Portugal, is the costs. I bought the cheapest TX/RX and it costed me 50‚.

About the chopping board, its the only way i can get raw plastic to use, i cant find hdpe or any other type of usable plastic anywhere. And every thing is done by hand, the only electric tools i can use are a drill, angle grinder and a dremel. But you know, i have to work with what i can get.

[Merkabah_PT]

Re: Build Diary and some questions that may appear - BW/MW

Some work done this weekend.

[maddox10]

Re: Build Diary and some questions that may appear - BW/MW

Looks seriously dieselpunk cool.

[Merkabah_PT]

Re: Build Diary and some questions that may appear - BW/MW

Thanks.
You got me to search what dieselpunk was, i've only heard about steampunk. xD

[maddox10]

Re: Build Diary and some questions that may appear - BW/MW

Skycaptain and the world of tomorrow is the prime example of Dieselpunk.

[Merkabah_PT]

Re: Build Diary and some questions that may appear - BW/MW

Just got my order, an UBEC, micro servo to make the lifter controller and some connectors.
Also started to take Primogenito apart to make the upgrades.
Will update the thread later or during the weekend.