Events in Scotland / North England

[alexc]

Hi Guys,

My son has recently started talking about Robot Wars and I thought it would be fun if we were to built a robot and enter a competition or two, but I was just wondering how rougly many events are held each year and whereabouts in the country the majority of the events are?

We live in Edinburgh, and I'd be keen to know if there is much of a Fighting Bots community in Scotland?

I was also wondering if Featherweight is the most common category in the UK? / A good category to start in?

Thanks,

Alex

[Anttazz]

Majority of events are way down south unfortunately for us . There was an event in East Fortune for years, but it wasn't there last year, not sure if thats coming back and likewise with Glasgow Comic Con, there was also a BW Scottish championship last year in Glasgow. Obviously, Robot Wars in/was in Glasgow too...so it's getting better up here than it used to be

There are a few of us up here, i'm in Glasgow, Jamie and Gary are in Aberdeen and Liam is in Edinburgh and each of us has been involved with HWs and FWs.

FWs are definitely a good start to the sport and theres plenty of help out there. Likewise BW and AWs, but theres no AW events up here and last year there was 1 BW event, not sure if thats coming back or not.

Hope that helps!

[alexc]

Thanks Anttazz.... It's good to know there are at least a few fellow Scots building & competing... Hopefully we'll get a competition or two up here again soon.

Cheers,

Alex

[Eventorizon]

We are in North Yorkshire, not very helpful but we do have our own Mini arena for testing (10mm Poly walls, 5mm roof, 4mm Steel frame). If you are ever in need of a hand just give us a shout and we may be able to work something out.

As for events, I believe Barnsly is the most northerly HW/FW event run by Roaming Robots. We did hold an open BW event at the York STEM center. Still not close but better than London.

[Anttazz]

Hasn't been a Barnsley one in a few years I don't think. Glasgow is closer for Comic Con anyway

[alexc]

Thanks Eventorison... the offer of help is always very welcome - I'm sure i'll be asking lots of daft newbie question soon & your right Yorkshire / Barnsley is a lot closer than London.

Anttazz - do you know roughly what time of year is Comic Con on in Glasgow?

Actually - i think i'll throw in my 1st daft / newbie question.... Are the Botbitz - 30a Brushed ESCs suitable to drive a standard motor from a cordless drill, or do i really need the more expensive (and out of stock) 85a ESCs?

Cheers,

Alex

[Ellis]

Hi Alex. The 30a model ESC on Ranglebox will happily run a single drill motor. The 85a version will continue to be out of stock for a while; Botbitz (the supply) are taken up by a Battlebots (American equivalent to Robot Wars) appearance this month.

Welcome to the forum, also!

[alexc]

Thanks Ellis - I'll probably be placing an order in the next week or so, just trying to tie down my started kit list.

Cheers,

Alex

[suvv]

hey man welcome to the group your not the only scotsman here the bot bitz stuff is good i run my beetle on 30amp escs no problem as far as events go keep an eye on the kinematic events guys for beetles as for fw i dunno as its mostly a long way away even for me in the borders we really need to get something sorted for us natural engineers ...and jamie

[alexc]

Thanks Suvv, I may look at building a BW too, but reckon a FW may be a better size for the 1st attempt.... no matter what category I go for I know i'll get my ass handed to me in the 1st couple of competitions.

I'll deffo keep my eye out for BW & FW events up here though - is there normally quite a bit of notice for events?

Cheers,

Alex

[suvv]

there is useally a good few weeks depending on the organiser keep an eye out for kinematic events for bw stuff as for feathers honestly not a clue

[RogueTwoRobots]

Hi Alex,

Unfortunately there isn't a lot of feather action happening up here, we usually have to travel south for it. The main event featuring feathers now is probably Robots Live at Glasgow Comic Con. RL have yet to announce their dates for this year's smaller events but they've done the Comic Con for two years now so hopefully they'll be back again this year. The Comic Con is on September 24th and 25th at the SECC.

As Tony mentioned, they also used to have an event in June at the National Museum of Flight just outside Edinburgh but the museum was undergoing a revamp last year so it never went ahead and there is no word yet of it returning this year.

Other than that (and Robot Wars now being filmed in Glasgow), there isn't much up here. Tony and I do have a small arena setup that we used to use for some public demo events that can accommodate non-spinner feathers, so depending on our availability, we could maybe throw it together somewhere over the summer just for a friendly event/Scottish social. Only just thought of it so haven't run it past him yet

[Anttazz]

Thanks for volunteering me on that one :P

Could be good fun, got to do something to fill my 6 weeks holiday Depending on timing of Robot Wars being released a more public appearance might be on the cards too.

[alexc]

Haha - nothing better than getting volunteered for something Anttazz, eh?

Comic Con in September sounds good - I'm fairly sure I can get a pretty decent first attempt at a FW by September.

If you guys are going to be meeting up before I'd be keen to come along to meet you & see your bots in action.

Cheers,

Alex

[daveimi]

If you're running a Scottish social for feathers I'll run up from sunny Blackpool with mine Have a beetle or two as well...