Catalyst - My beetleweight Build

[Jimmy]

Ok thanks. Just tried again with elevon mixing off, but no success. I've tried playing about with the settings, but the best have managed to get is:
Mix 1
Elev - Aile
Rate L +100% R +100%

Mix 2
Aile - Elev
Rate D -100%. U -100%

Does that look right?

Again, the problem is when I start pushing the stick diagonally up/right and down/right. It works fine with small inputs, but then cuts out when I get to about 50% or so travel

[Jimmy]

It's been quite a while since I updated this, so I thought it was about time I show you more of what I have been doing experimenting / evolving / attempting to generally improve Catalyst. I was thinking of doing an update after I'd actually been to some event with it, but lord knows when that may be, so I may as well go for it now.

One of the large problems that I had was getting it within the weight limit, and then having enough weight to put some meaningful armor on it. I had already gone down the road of drilling holes, which looked promising until I realised how much this had weakened the chassis. This prompted a bit of a redesign where I switched the lifter design from 4 bar, to a more standard setup, and shortened the whole thing by around 30mm:
20161113_213427.jpg
This shortening meant that the servo for the lifter had to go on the underside of the "lid", but after putting it all back together, and treating myself to a small sheet of Grade 5 titanium for the scoop, it looked like this:
20161126_190047.jpg20161126_190038.jpg
Adding the rear panel (also made from my old boiler) plus the lower weight at the front really helped the maneuverability, and it seemed much more nimble to drive. However having this design of lifter meant that it would not self right with a wedge shaped back, so I decided to move the battery to the front and make the rear flat HDPE, which significantly helped the weight situation:
20170106_052956.jpg
Also neatened up the front:
20170106_222421.jpg
Now with ample weight to spare I was actually able to add some top panels, and after an excellent suggestion on the wheels, changed to some orange Banebots ones:
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Paint and stickers and it sort of feels like its done.........for now anyway:
20170121_230442.jpg20170121_230458.jpg20170121_230535.jpg

[R9000]

Looks fantastic - can't wait to see this at an event sometime.

[suvv]

looks like a propper little tank at the rate beetles are popping up the champs will be a long day

[Andy]

Really love this robot, nice work!

[Jimmy]

Thanks for the love guys. It is my firm intention to actually make it some sort of live event this year, if I actually made New Years resolutions, it would be that . (yes I know we are already in February, haha)

One other, and the most recent addition has been a new speed controller courtesy of Rapidrory. I got myself one of the Beetletwo escs, and swapped out the pair of botbitz ones I was using to use as spares in the future (the spare parts pile is growing!)
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I realised my mistake after taking the photo, almost forgot to disconnect the BEC!
I have to say I'm quite impressed with the esc, it has on board mixing already set up which works really well and I'm really happy with how it drives now. Plus I can possibly run a larger battery in the future as it can take up to a 6 cell (!) LiPo. Think I'll just stick to 3 cell for now.....

[Jimmy]

Live Event Update

So the big news is that I made it my first live event this weekend! I made the trip down to Burgess Hill with Catalyst to finally find out what this roboteering lark is all about. Overall it was a fantastic weekend, great fun, and it was awesome to meet so many friendly new faces that form part of this community. I also got the chance to check out many lovely machines (of all sizes!).
As far as the beetle competition goes, I arrived full of optimism about how Catalyst would perform, and to a certain extent it actually really exceeded my expectations, (ignoring the actual outcomes of the battles, but we'll get to that!). The only real change to my last post was I had a few grams of weight left, so I swapped up to a 4s LiPo before the day, because....you know more......is better . As it happens, I was lucky (or should that be unlucky) to go up against some seriously well made and expertly driven bots.....

(Credit to Gareth for these videos)

Fight 1 - Catalyst Vs Tempus
https://youtu.be/82oGXjz8QaI
So my first fight ever turned out to be to the eventual winner to the tournament! Tweedy's vertical spinner really was something else, and this was over pretty quickly. 3 hits and a sheared servo motor shaft left me KO'd, but luckily nothing else major! This was when I realised how serious the wedge war is in this class, and despite the front being dead flat on the floor, it wasn't enough. So after swapping the servo, and being kindly lent a sharpening stone (cheers Tweedy!) I quickly attempted to put a better edge on it.

Fight 2 - Catalyst Vs Inertia B2
https://youtu.be/v_EpjISU0Vg
Another nasty vertical spinner, and this fight didnt go a lot better. I feel like I spent most of the fight flailing around trying to avoid Will's weapon after what had happened with Tempus. This time there was one moment where I was briefly on top, and pushed Inertia towards the pit, but it was not to be as the next hit sent me cart-wheeling over the arena wall having parted company with my carefully sharpened wedge blade!

Fight 3 - Catalyst Vs Incomplete Control
https://youtu.be/CbylZtrF0AQ
Day 2, and after discovering I had ruined another servo, I had another generously forced into my hand for my last fight by Craig (Snappy). I screwed my blade on again, and was ready to take on Rory's brilliant Super-nippy-hooky-bot! This was easily my best fight, and everything was working surprisingly well, even after the hits it has taken the previous day. It even managed to get a couple of lifts in, but really I.C. was too strong an opponent. I got pushed to and fro, really it was only a matter of time before I was plopped in the pit!

Fight 4 - Annihilator
Ok, so there was one more fight, but I cant seem to find a video for it. In summary, 6 (I think) robots and carnage. I was eliminated first and then almost died laughing watching an RC toilet almost take the win!

So that was my first robot fighting experience, and I'll definitely be back at another soon. Big thanks to Dave Weston and Gareth Anstee for organising everything beetleweight, Tweedy and Craig for their help, suggestions, spares, cheery banter, and general entertainment, and everyone else for being generally friendly and welcoming.

Jimmy

[R9000]

Man, well played indeed! Definitely a tough little machine you've made. Have you got any ideas about stopping that servo getting broken so easily?

[Andy]

was fantastic meeting you Jimmy, hope to see you and the robot again soon!

[Pinski1]

IC is a git, great pusher, and yes, spinners are murderous.

[Jimmy]

Man, well played indeed! Definitely a tough little machine you've made. Have you got any ideas about stopping that servo getting broken so easily?

Cheers! I was a bit daft and made the linkage direct, I wasn't expecting to have it so violently forced open! it needs a servo saver or something. I think I'm going to experiment with some gear motors next, and make it so an arm pushes the lifter up without being actually connected to it , and a torsion spring holds it closed otherwise.