Boring Brick

[mrsam]

I just thought that i had to share this, If you remember at the champs Hatchet was acting strange to say the least towards to end. At the time i thought this was just down the the escs being dicks, well it turns out that i actually had one of the escs (presumably the one that went squiffy) plugged in the wrong way on the rx. So obviously in my haste to get it all back together and working i plugged it in wrong, didn't check and i imagine that is why it was acting so strange.

Rookie mistake to say the least, lesson learned, check your wiring!

[mrsam]

Awesome thanks again Dave

[razerdave]

Yeah, they would do. I'll sort you out a wiring diagram when I get home.

[mrsam]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Microswitc...item4d07b3c200 I've just found those, would they be suitable ?

[mrsam]

Cheers Dave, i presume for that i'd need two servos, 4 switches and 4 relays? how do i connect it up, do i wire the battery to the relays or the switches? ( sorry i'm a bit of an electronics novice as you might be able to tell)

[mrsam]

I could do that but i'm saving up money to build the new one so atm i'm just after a cheap solution to get this one running

[Ellis]

Could you power the axe with relays, use the speedo that frees up, and scrounge the cash for a second electronize for the drive?

[razerdave]

For higher voltages, people use micro switches to fire relays for high power applications. Most micro switches I find are rated to 240-50v, but a low current rating. You use them to fire off the coils in the bigger, 30A relays.

[mrsam]

Hi all, i'm thinking about just making up a bang bang esc for Hatchet 1 just as something cheap and easy to replace since it will only be a whiteboard machine now. The problem i'm having is that most microswitches seem to be rated for 12v and i want to run the whole bot on 5s, just wondering if there's a way of using relays to handle the current/voltage instead.

[mrsam]

Just a quick one, in my last post i said that Hatchet 1 would basically be retired well i've decided that i just can't do that yet, i feel it deserves at least getting put back together for whiteboards and non spinner events. So it will get a few improvements as well as enough to get it running for the time being such as...

Wheels need re-treading, getting beached/lack of grip cost me dearly in so many fights at the champs

New/old escs, i'll just put something simple and cheap in since it won't be a competition machine

Lipo, Let's face it, it needs one

Ball transfer units, it scrapes it's arse across the floor too much, so these will push the front scoop down and also help to lower the friction.

I'll also be adding some steel plate to the front, what this will do is add more weight to the front helping to even out the weight distribution and i'll put the bolts holding the scoop on through them as well to help anchor the scoop.

Hatchet 2 i've now decided will be my full combat machine only which means i'll be going all out, same basic design as before chassis wise but i'll be going for maximum power..

I'll hopefully get a new axe made up at some point for Hatchet 2, roughly the same size/weight but a smaller, thicker head

I'll be going for a more powerful motor 350w compared to Hatchet's 300w, and also the axe will be run on 6s on a 5.5:1 reduction up from 3.5:1

The axe will also have a hacked TZ85 controlling it rather than the old 30 amp Electronize which will be staying in the current machine.

[mrsam]

So i've been thinking, ever since the champs finished i've wanted to get the current Hatchet fixed and working ready for Barnsley. Well all of this week i've been looking for and costing up parts for the new one and i've decided that, whilst Hatchet looks great and i COULD get it working it's never going to be as good as i want it to be. So at the risk of not being able to get to the event at Barnsley as of next month i'm going to start gathering parts for Hatchet 2, as much as Hatchet 1 could still be used i don't see the point in buying new parts for an old machine that wont be able to use them to their full potential. I don't have any CAD software or a computer that works well enough to run any so there may be some rough sketches and what not over the next couple of weeks before i go about gathering parts, so look forward to updates in the near future.

[mrsam]

Hatchet's fights

[mrsam]

Realised i didn't actually do a rundown of Hatchet's battles at the champs, so prepare yourself .....

Q1 Hatchet - Mr Mangle - Loki

Wasn't overly worried about Mr Mangle's weapon before this fight, i thought i'd get thrown around but nothing more, how i was wrong! The battle started and it was clear right from the off that Hatchet had a clearance problem, Loki came over and lifted me against the side wall but backed off and Hatchet gave chase just missing with the axe before Mr Mangle charged up behind and sandwiched me between it's beater and Loki. The robots were stuck together for a few seconds but eventually freed themselves, but Hatchet wasn't moving properly and although i tried to ge it moving again it was counted out. After the battle i saw a slice in the rear alu angle but nothing else, until i turned Hatchet over and found the 10mm polycarb baseplate shattered into 3 pieces!.

Q2 Binky - Hatchet - 44 Toon

Not much to say about this battle really, Me and Dave Weston had "fixed" Hatchet with a temporary 2mm stainless base but it wasn't good going in. The battle began and Hatchet barely moved, which i later discovered was because the 2mm scoop i had on the front had been bent towards the floor by the force of the axe firing and beached me, i was counted out fairly quickly.

Hatchet - Drumroll - Bonx

For this fight i had removed the scoop which allowed Hatchet to move more freely if not brilliantly, but it was moving! The fight started and i somehow managed to keep Hatchet tussling with Drumroll, just narrowly missing him a couple of times with the axe until the chain snapped and i was left with no weapon, so despite many good chances to get a smack on drumroll and shouts from the crowd of "Hit him!" i couldn't do anything. Hatchet then got beached on something right next to the pit and i thought i was out again, until Bonx i think eager to get us both in sped towards the pit pushing drumroll, smacked Hatchet out of the way and went in itself!. This left me and Drumroll and Hatchet appeared to have only one side moving, Jamie got behind pushed me to the wall and slammed Hatchet, throwing it over and with no axe i couldn't self right

Q4 Hatchet - Binky - Loki

Hatchet wasn't very good going into this, the right side drive was barely working and the clearance issue was now very bad. The battle began and Binky span up it's weapon, all 3 of us dodged around for a while, i took a few swings at Loki but i couldn't line up Hatchet to get a hit. After one too many missed swings i ended up right infront of Binky, he got onto my side and pushed me to the wall, grinding away but not doing much. Loki appeared to be out as me and Binky carried on tussling, i managed to turn Hatchet to face Binky and Smack!!, i fired the axe onto his disc which sent Hatchet flying over, i tried to self right but it just rocked then stopped, the chain had gone again!. At this point Loki had freed itself and was fighting with Binky when Binky suddenly charged at me and completely buggered the baseplate, again!, Hatchet was immobile and got swiftly counted out.

All in all not a great champs for Hatchet but i thoroughly enjoyed it, the clearance problem i later discovered was due to the tread wearing down on the wheels so the robot was just running on the screws holding the tread on. Also the weight distribution was completely off so there was virtually nothing over the wheels, the pins had also sheared in the one drive motor and one of the wheels kept coming undone. On the plus side Hatchet gained a rather lovely 3.2mm Hardox scoop courtesy of Matt from Hardwired so not all bad, and i have learned a lot which i can use when building Hatchet 2.

[plargen]

since there free postage you could order 1 and check it out, ive double checked they type nf has and it defiantly has the CHD version but those are CDC but with that amount of torque i would be surprised if it has plastic gears

[mrsam]

Ahh that's even better then! cheers again for all the advice