Team Psyclone: The Uprising (Of Build Diaries)

[TeamPsyclone]

More questions, as usual.

Where can I find 18v Limit switches, suitable for the sort of stresses that a feather produces?

[TeamPsyclone]

Finally, progress! Took two drills apart, managed to get the motors working properly. I never knew Argos Drills had metal gears. Pretty good for £12. Did most of it last night, but got fed up when a trio of ball bearings refused to come out. I took the gearbox casing off, they popped right out. (Not without stabbing myself with the screwdriver. Multiple times.)

[TeamPsyclone]

Well, it's back to square 2.5, as the robot... Imploded, really. The place where the bars joined was melted, not welded, so as I was drilling (Managed to break a drill bit, and hurt me thumb ) The side snapped in on itself. Tomorrow, I'll be ordering a 1000 by 500 mm by 12mm Sheet of HDPE, and I'm going to make something hopefully working. A four wheel (Chain Driven) Two motor axe bot. Made from HDPE and a layer of steel.

[Bodge Job]

sounds good, but any chance of some photos to find out whats going on?

[TeamPsyclone]

Sure, I'll take some in a bit, and edit this post. I can't be bothered to save up for a welder and weld it back, it'll most likely do the same. Not quite sure about how the drive is going to work out, might end up going with scooter motors, in a four wheel or two wheel setup.

[TeamPsyclone]

Looks worse than I remember.

[TeamPsyclone]

Finally, I've got my HDPE, and I've already made a base from it. 425mm by 365mm. Tempted to do a short pyramid design, give it a better wedge.

[TeamPsyclone]

Well, after a bit of news regarding drill motors, and their lack of capability for weapons, I've been scouting around for something less failure prone under stress. When I found nothing, I decided to, instead of make an immediate amazing robot, get used to building from scratch by building a little fun, but combat useful bot. Going to go with a design that hasn't been used in ages over here.

[Ellis]

I don't mean to say they're useless for weapons, only the small drills for fast moving weapon types seem to struggle. We used a normal small drill in our first robot's lifter weapon and it lasted easily, even with plastic gears. Partly luck in that we fought no huge verticals, mostly because it was slow and steady and not jerky.

Good luck with what you build anyhow.

[TeamPsyclone]

I'd still prefer to use something better than a second hand Draper drill for a weapon. Might go with a scooter motor for the axe, but I do want to go with a somewhat Shunt-like system, but a little less professional. As for the cheapo first attempt (As not to use up too much of my HDPE, £44 of the stuff) Made of chopping boards.
___
/___/ Something like that, with a wedge either way. Might add a weapon, such as a faux 4 bar lifter. A similar system, but a bit odd. Tomorrow, I'll be getting some P clips, to mount the drills, and try and get things joined, using a mix of bolts and HDPE Welding.

[TeamPsyclone]

So, the cheap/cheerful bot is almost finished, going to make some bang-bang Motor Controllers, via servo and microswitch, when I get them. Going to cut the sides from 12mm, soon, a top if necessary. I want to make it as cheap as possible, while still effective. I'm still debating whether I should, or can put a simple lifter on it, just to make it a bit more fun.

SANY1297.JPGSANY1298.JPG

[TeamPsyclone]

Tiny bit of progress today, got the rest of my parts ordered, and I've cut out some sides, 50mm tall. Going to be quite a small bot, but it allows a weapon. I've been thinking of some names, and with nothing towards the spirit of the entire team, I've gone with McCheapo, for now. Should be running (Somewhat) by the start of the School summer holidays, hopefully.

[Gaseraki]

Haha, loving the name.
Looking forward to seeing your version of bang bang controllers
My first version had servos with screws attached making conections with other screws. It was amazing.

[TeamPsyclone]

It's not exactly my version. Well, not at all, it just presses limit switches, but since the servo auto centres, and I'm using a failsafing Orange RX (With the cheapest E-Flite controller available), it should have less to go wrong. Actually, with my luck, it'll work perfectly, until Kenny comes along (Again) and takes a chunk from my HDPE, via Cobolt. I'm definitely keeping the name though.


From the look of it so far, however, it is quite robust, as I've been using M8 Bolts. Well, two so far, with one part of the side mounted, but there's no wobble. Gonna drill, cut, and jigsaw the most odd, slanted, dodgy robot that you really don't want to meet in a dark alley. Like a feral clown.

[TeamPsyclone]

Finally got round to mounting the motors, with the pipe holders (Basically these). Couldn't find anything bigger than 40mm so I struggled to mount the front one properly, but it works. Did a little flipped stress test, by dropping it from roughly 5 ft. No rattles, visible damage, and none of the bolts have come loose. Luckily, the rubber on the mounts works as a basic shock absorber.