Hi all - My first bot (full-body hammer kind of thing).

[Ellis]

Re: Hi all - My first bot (full-body hammer kind of thing).

Ok, well, I'm back from that family trip like thing and ofcourse, I no longer have any inspiration and I feel asthough I'm crazy to believe I could build a robot.



Btw, downloading that tut now, and wow, it IS long!

[daliad100]

Re: Hi all - My first bot (full-body hammer kind of thing).

That's some light reading for me

It's more of a book than a tutorial. I think it's marginally better than build your own combat robot which costs money (although it's still a good book to have.)

[Ellis]

Re: Hi all - My first bot (total change of heart).

Ok...
After watching feather and lightweight rumbles and regular fights. I don't see all that many bots getting flipped, now, I know that's a silly thought, but making something that can run both ways up is highly restricting.

So, I've had a change of heart:

Still going for high speed and maneuverability, and if I can, good ramming power, I'd LIKE to build a hammer or axe-bot (whatever they call them, a robot with an axe, basically).

Basic design would be...
A fairly basic box, with a slightly raised and curved top, sloping maybe slightly curved sides and rear, a strong small scoop running the width of the robot at the front as low down as possible, preferably with no ground clearence (still hoping to be able to shove if needed ) and a huge, high speed, NICE and sharp axe on top, powered by a motor of some sort.

My brain is going crazy with designs but this one stood out to me, and y'never know, by putting Turn me over and fight like a man on the bottom (IF the axe for whatever reason doesn't work as a SRiMech) might get a few to turn me back over, if I got stuck! :wink:

It would be a struggle getting inside 13.6kg but I don't think it's impossible... Maybe I could laminate the armour... Suggestions?

Oh, and, obviously, name would be changed xD, suggestions there too please.

-Ellis

EDIT: Wait, how can I change the title of the topic?!

[daliad100]

Re: Hi all - My first bot (full-body hammer kind of thing).

What about an invertible hammer?

http://www.teamsaber.com/fusion.html

To better push things you could put a scoop on the front to get under other robots (with a gap in the middle for the hammer to pass through.

In my mind something a bit like this (http://robot-club.com/teamtoad/halfpipe.html) with the slot and a hammer.

Finally, if the gear ratio was correct then a crude lifting fork thing could be exchanged for the hammer providing another option for different opponents (i.e. lifter for pushers so you can remove their traction and the hammer where you need agression)

[Metal Demons]

Re: Hi all - My first bot (full-body hammer kind of thing).

Thing is realistically you'd want access to a machine shop or at least a lot of money (to get parts made) in order to do a decent axe. If you want real power in it, you'll be looking at running pneumatics as well, which require a fair bit of effort. You'd probably want to do a rack and pinion system, which is pretty simple and lightweight - http://news.terrorhurtz.com/axe/default.htm has a good overview of how a successful one (in Terrorhurtz) works and some drawings.

[Ellis]

Re: Hi all - My first bot (full-body hammer kind of thing).

Thanks for the links guys.

I don't especially like the invertible hammer design. I want something to pierce not pound.
And as for the pneumatics, I think a Magmotor or something as heavy and robust, at a ratio of maybe 4:1 (1:4? Which way round does it go?! ) would do fine... For a first bot atleast.

I've just realised, what I'd be making is a flattened mini X-Terminator with it's axe installed.

Keep the suggestions coming, don't hold back becuase osmething might be expensive.

And why can't I edit the topic title?!

[daliad100]

Re: Hi all - My first bot (full-body hammer kind of thing).

Although pneumatics is the way to go for a powerful axe, a motor powered one that has a high rate of fire would show agression and could make the difference in a fight.

I agree that access to a machine shop would seriously help in building your robot for accuracy's sake unless you happen to be willing to do drawings/templates for everything, have a steady hand and a great amount of patience. Also, be prepared for things to not fit if you do try to build your robot by hand.

On the subject of names: Blademaster still sounds good as a name for an axe but less so for a hammer. Possibly something like Anvil for a hammer/pusher combo.

[Metal Demons]

Re: Hi all - My first bot (full-body hammer kind of thing).

If you're going to spend the money on an axe setup powered by a Magmotor, and the controls for it, you might as well go for the pneumatics IMO... get an axe mechanism machined up (Kenny at ALK Engineering, in the commercial section, did a great job for me) and build everything else up off off-the-shelf components.

Pneumatics can be very dangerous though, so you'd be needing advice from someone with a lot more experience.

[daliad100]

Re: Hi all - My first bot (full-body hammer kind of thing).

I know of an American 30 lb robot that uses a Dewalt drill motor for a hammer.

Remember, you can always use a different head (sharp rather than a hammer) to provide a piercing action. However, you will quickly blunt a sharp head against things armoured in hard stuff like hardox and not get through it easily, so something blunt is more preferable providing shock damage.

[Ellis]

Re: Hi all - My first bot (full-body hammer kind of thing).

Then maybe a verticle disk?

It's just all that's been done a million times before, and has the same effect. It IS effective but just boring, watching bots fly up into the air thanks to a verticle spinner..

Nah. I don't know why I'm really letting myself think about building fighting robots. School starts in a week, I don't have any money and I live in a dried up corner of Spain!

I'm f_cking tricking myself into thinking something is possible when it's not, especially since my dad has work, my mum doesn't have ANY kind of background in this area, and is working, and my sister doesn't give 2 sh_ts.

It's all coming together now, I just don't have the slightest hope of completing anything.

[daliad100]

Re: Hi all - My first bot (full-body hammer kind of thing).

Unfortunately, spinners can't compete as often as non-spinners as there are few arenas that can take them.

Don't be disheartened though. You can make it a project that you spend an hour or two on at the weekend in your free time. If you get some designs down on paper then you can build a driving base from that and compete in whiteboard fights to gain some experience.

Or you could always build an antweight

[Ellis]

Re: Hi all - My first bot (full-body hammer kind of thing).

What are whiteboard fights?

HOW DO I CHANGE TOPIC TITLE.

[daliad100]

Re: Hi all - My first bot (full-body hammer kind of thing).

Whiteboards are friendly fights so you can practice against other robots without being badly damaged as weapons etc. are turned down.

To change the topic title you will have to ask admin or a moderator nicely and they'll change it for you but you don't really need to.

Completely forgot about Rex's robot challenge earlier on which can be found here online: http://www.rrc.dannysrobots.co.uk/

Using drills and drill batteries instead would give you more weight for better armour and weapons (you also have an extra ~1.6kg to play with due to an increase in weight allowance since then.)

You could have a go at the pneumatics in that for a weapon or a windscreen wiper motor as an alternative weapon drive with more torque than a drill (as a windscreen wiper usually contain worm gears) which could be a useful lifting weapon drive.

[Ellis]

Re: Hi all - My first bot (full-body hammer kind of thing).

Never had to ask before

Ugh... Ok. I'll check out that link tomorrow, it's VERY late (or early, as in morning) so I'm not quite thinking straight

I'll try to get back into it but this trip has completely destroyed my determination.

'NiteNite

-Ellis

[RogueTwoRobots]

Re: Hi all - My first bot (full-body hammer kind of thing).

Thing is realistically you'd want access to a machine shop or at least a lot of money (to get parts made) in order to do a decent axe.

I'm guessing Ellis that you don't have access to a machine shop or a lot of money to spend on getting parts made, but that doesn't mean that you won't be able to have a decent axe/hammer robot. Maybe if you want one of the best axes in the business the above stuff would help, but it is perfectly possible to build a decent axe with a few basic power tools and some patience. Never underestimate what can be achieved in a back garden with a low-cost 'Workmate' bench, some simple hand/power tools and sheer determination.

This robot is from Australia:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fl1cOdXizC8

Now watching that video you may be thinking; that it flips over easily, that soft drinks cans are a lot easier to pierce than robot armour etc, but this is just to give you an idea of what is possible with a simpler mechanism.
All that is used in that axe setup is an electric scooter motor, a chain and a couple of sprockets, a go-kart wheel hub, a shaft and a commercial axe implement (machete, log-splitter etc)

Making the above axe mechanism can be found here:
http://www.robowars.org/wikka/ElectricAxeWeapons
(this is an older version of the same robot, so the mechanism is exactly the same)

I remember someone talking about using a Magmotor to power an axe but they were talking about ratios of 20:1 I think, so 4:1 may not be enough. Pneumatics add a bit of complexity to proceedings and of course there is the safety aspect that comes with working with high pressure gas.

Realistically you're not going to be able to pierce Hardox-armoured robots with an axe regardless of whether its electric-powered or pneumatic-powered. What is achievable is puncturing thinner steels, polycarbonate and most other plastics of mid-thickness in robots (maybe about 6mm, more if your axe is more powerful) and wood.
If you want to go for an axe I'd suggest using the electric scooter method because:
a) its the cheapest method of the three
b) it can be pretty effective in the arena
c) it is possible to build it in your back garden with basic tools
d) your motivation to build a robot seems to be wavering slightly. If you spent loads of money on pneumatics or a Magmotor then lost interest, its quite an expense you've incurred. Going for the cheaper option means that even if you do lose interest (hopefully you don't, its a really good and fun hobby/sport ) you've still incurred an expense but it won't be nearly as much as a pneumatic or Magmotor setup will be.