Team Darklight - Featherweight Axe/Hammer diary

[Flag Captured]

Me and Sam both use 8mm chain on our respective axes, I've never had a problem with it in testing and I don't think Sam's lost a chain (much anyway) in battle. If you can go higher, do, but 8mm should be reasonable enough if you treat it right.

[RogueTwoRobots]

Onyx has used 8mm chain as well and in three years it never snapped from not being strong enough.

[Shakey]

Should probably point out the 8mm chain Sam uses is T8F known often as 'minimoto' chain. The regular old 8mm is definitely a bit too thin.

[mrsam]

What Shakey said ^^

The minimoto stuff is a fair bit sturdier than regular 8mm roller chain, I've never had one snap, the chain has jumped off the sprocket before but in 2 years hasn't physically snapped.

[qbnut]

Yesterdays progress: none

We are awaiting replacement cutting tools, which were supposed to arrive on Thursday but hadn't arrived by the time I could get to the workshop on Sunday.

In the meantime I propped the bits we have made so far so that I could see what it might finally look like:
IMG_20170528_165454.jpg

I haven't yet sourced 8mm sprockets, so still with the 6mm but very likely that will get changed in due course

[Maxamuslead]

I might be able to help you a tad Qbnut, Having to search for the same thing i found these

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1224803329...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1219219480...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

They are stated to be T8F but i will inform you they arrive if you wish

[qbnut]

I might be able to help you a tad Qbnut, Having to search for the same thing i found these

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1224803329...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1219219480...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

They are stated to be T8F but i will inform you they arrive if you wish

Thanks, will take a look.

[Maxamuslead]

oh yeah sorry about not getting back to you but they arrived and they are as they say.


EDIT: Side note what steel are you using ?

[daveimi]

Sorry for being a pain, but I wondered if I could ask how the sprockets attach to the motor shaft and axle where the axe is? Once you have them attached, is it a case of Mount the motor and axle and then attach the chain to size using a chain link remover to get the size you want? Are there any motors that have common shaft sizes I should look out for etc? This looks like an active weapon I could manage but just need a nudge in the right direction.

[Felix Townsend]

You normally have a flat on your shaft then weld or ad a collar with a grub screw threaded to a flat spot on the shaft.

[qbnut]

This week I did most of the wiring loom, added connectors to the ESCs and motors, etc.

Then it was a at a case of connecting everything together, and we are rolling

There's still a bit of adjustment work to do to the armour / bodywork to get things under weight, currently at 13.8 which is a tad over.

Anyway, here's a video:

[qbnut]

EDIT: Side note what steel are you using ?

I'm using mild steel as it's what I had to hand (I know Hardox is a thing - maybe a future upgrade). It probably won't last long in the arena, we shall have to see if my driving compensates...

[Maxamuslead]

I'm using mild steel as it's what I had to hand (I know Hardox is a thing - maybe a future upgrade). It probably won't last long in the arena, we shall have to see if my driving compensates...

fair enough, what are you going to make the axe/hammer out of mild steel again ?

[qbnut]

Probably, depending on what weight allows. The axe shaft was made out of a thick piece, so might use that again.

[qbnut]

Brief update today, finished wiring for the weapon as well, tidied it up and tied everything down.

Tested the weapon for the first time hooked up to the final electronics. It packs quite a punch, so much so that it sheared the bolts holding the bar to the sprocket :/ Probably should have welded it in hindsight. So back for a rethink on that one.