Ant or Feather

[craig_colliass]

Ant or Feather

What happened to the drill motor and wheel systems that were available from Gismon Robotics complete with the speed controller for the feather weight dose anyone have any of those, or know were to get them? I think Zack may get a pants kit (Ant weight) to start with but I think we together may build a simple feather weight for the shows. I do hope the ants get a look in, on the main shows, as they can be used in-between the heavy fights to keep the audience interest the people could see them via some video link to a projector screen perhaps!

[simon_windisch]

Ant or Feather

Funny you should say that Craig, thats exactly what were trying to get going. With any luck the ants will be on a big screen at Leicester in February.

BTW, for an antweight of any seriousness the servos in the Pants kit are a bit out of date. Try two Sanyo copy motors (perhaps from http://www.precisionmicrodrives.com/product_info.php?products_id=159http://www.precisionmicrodrives.com/...roducts_id=159
and controllers (perhaps http://www.robotpower.com/products/scorpion_XL_info.htmlhttp://www.robotpower.com/products/s...n_XL_info.html
All the best - Simon

[gravity]

Ant or Feather

a weaponless robot is NOT a robot.

[leorcc]

Ant or Feather

quote:

BTW, for an antweight of any seriousness the servos in the Pants kit are a bit out of date. You mean... Theyre pants.

I have made a antweight from one of these kits, and they are a bit (well, very) slow but very rugged. It even lasted 30 seconds against Katjuscha with added gaffatape armour.

[craig_colliass]

Ant or Feather

Simon that sounds great, I know ants will be well received by the public, I have had a look on the sites you suggested for the motor and controller I use the sidewinder in my heavy. Can you suggest a wheel that would fit the output shafts on those motors I was thinking of getting the pants plans and having a go!

[ady]

Ant or Feather

gary, im talking from a crowds point of view. a competition with 50 boxes, would their ever be an event with that many, or are their that many around? flippers are effective but disapointing when the fight lasts 15 seconds when the other robot is sent out the arena, spinners are also good but spinners against spinners normally have a quick finish also maybe? owning a spinner wouldnt you rather come up against something else that isnt a spinner i dont know, i agree totally that boxes against boxes are not the most exciting things to watch. also the comment a weaponless robot is not a robot the term robot is From Wikipedia:
In practical usage, a robot is a mechanical device which performs automated physical tasks, either according to direct human supervision, a pre-defined program or, a set of general guidelines using artificial intelligence techniques.

it doesnt mean a mechanical device with a weapon

(Message edited by ady on September 28, 2007)

[ady]

Ant or Feather

im sure you can build a spinner or flipper for next to nothing and maybe you dont need the fab skills either, but ive being doing this a while now and i still struggle with these designs and giving a newbee my opinion.

like when you pass your bike test, you dont go out and buy the fastest thing going if you havent had any previous experiance.

but this discussion started with someone building their 1st bot, when i built my daughter her first bot would i go with a spinner or flipper, no, because i want something strong,reliable,reasonably effective, easy maintenance and an ideal starter bot. my first fw was a wedge, now im moving onto a spinner, you will always have wedge robots as its a good starter, then in time these people will move onto something more advanced. but i will still always go back to use my wedge as it is effective and beaten good machines. the same as when robot wars started how many machines had weapons? most built a moving chassis then add something later on, even in the later years of robot wars you had machines that you took one look at and thought that weapon wont do any damage, they might have knew it themselves so why didnt they fit a fast spinning disk or a full pressure flipper? probably cos it was their first machine, or they didnt have the knowledge.

also i would find a fight with 50 flippers boring, but thats me.

(Message edited by ady on September 28, 2007)

[typhoon_driver]

Ant or Feather

All fair points Adrian. Always good to have a bit of heated discussion on these topics.

There is one thing that was mentioned at the UK champs that would make this discussion irrelevant though. I remember during the FRA AGM it was mentioned that there may be a new rule that states that all machines must have an active weapon of some kind. No idea what the status is on this one but its something for all of us to keep at the back of our minds.

Woo post 1400!

(Message edited by typhoon_driver on September 28, 2007)

[tom_kane]

Ant or Feather

No rule about active weapon yet! Would be good though, as I think it would bring more creativity and variety, which we all know is the spice of life!

Tom

[ady]

Ant or Feather

havent heard that one before, and personally i would be very dissapointed and have to seriously consider my future hobby if it happened, as its taken me till now to build a half decent machine for my daughter. the active weapon of my robot is the chassis, its sounds like the start of the same route mentorn took,what next?? having to fit a weapon into a machine has a big effect on weight, and then armour, then when you get smashed up more cost to repair, cant afford titanium! i believe this would also make it harder for newbees to get started perhaps. i thought their was a good bit of variety and creativity already lol.

one thing i am sure about is any consideration to make a change in build rules should immediately have a thread posted by the FRA, as perhaps like me, others building are not aware of this, and i WOUldNT consider this a slight change in feather building rules, perhaps the FRA could answer my question please..


(Message edited by ady on September 28, 2007)

[ady]

Ant or Feather

or perhaps up the weight to 13.6/8 kg with a weapon, and max of 12kg for the so called without maybe? you would still get the creativity that way and not upset the so called weaponless machines. your giving people a good incentive to build a robot with a weapon but also not affecting already built/unmodifyable machines.

either way the FRA decides to go i would recommend that a decision is made, the worse thing that can happen is it drags out for ages and leaves us builders in limbo.

not having a dig, its just annoying that i have just spent time and money building a machine which was finished about a week ago to be then told oh btw you might need to fit a weapon to that by other people, we werent all at the uk champs.

(Message edited by ady on September 28, 2007)

(Message edited by ady on September 28, 2007)

[teamshock]

Ant or Feather

This is the first I have heard of this.

If this rule did go through it would 4 of our robots as we dont have the time, money and weight to fit active weapons.

I also think that this would make it harder for new people to get involved.

And no-one has ever called whirlpool boring and the audience notice it due to the lights and other features even though it doesnt have a weapon.

Just my view.

Will

[typhoon_driver]

Ant or Feather

Like I said before I am only passing on what was said at the AGM. Any rule change would have to be agreed by the FRA via a committee vote etc.

Please dont take my above comment to mean that it is set in stone that it will happen.

[ady]

Ant or Feather

gary- i havent mate, it just would be nice that when such a rule change is even discussed some of us need to be made aware, im sure the fra throw around allsorts of different ideas and changes, which alot of us probably arnt that interested in or want to know anything about, but i would have thought if it is something big enough to mention at uk champs then it should have a post here.

will,

i would guess the weight would go up as it could then coincide with the americans??? i think, whos feathers are 13 odd kg, dont quote me on this!



(Message edited by ady on September 28, 2007)

[psycho_fling]

Ant or Feather

i would imagine that the rule wouldnt be a sudden thing there would be warning, but as a ram bot owner i completely understand

im not saying that i know that for definite but just how i would expect it to come out

alex