Spinner compatible arenas?

[john_frizell]

Spinner compatible arenas?

Is there any possibility that stronger netting can be found which (perhaps in two or more layers)
would meet FRA requirements for running feather spinners?
Id run mile toward a fight with a feather spinner and would build one as well if thre were somewhere to run it.

[leorcc]

Spinner compatible arenas?

As would I.

[grant_ploughbot]

Spinner compatible arenas?

Before the ruling for for 5mm polycarbonate roofing came in we were in the process of designing our arena when an object went through a net roof and so we made a device to test different materials to see what would be viable (as said, polycarb can be a pain to put on the roof).
We tested all sorts of netting, lorry curtain sides (multiple layers with stainless steel messign sandwich) and multiple thicknesses of polycarb and woods.
We were not able to find a single type of netting/fabric that would even slow down our test projectile, even with mulitple layers and tensions. Even most types of wood could not stand up and yet 5mm polycarb bounced things off all day long.
Looking at the specs, to find any form of fabric or netting capable of with standing even a featherweights tooth comming off would be far heavier and more expensive than polycarbonate. We couldnt even find anything close to slowing down our projectile.
The FRA also looked into this with their own testing and came up with similar results.

As jonno/alan have said - trying to put up a structure to hold a large area of polycarb will require forklift trucks/cranes and most likely an articulated lorry with ALOT of hard work. I know our arena is heavy enough at over 2 tonnes, trying that with a heavy arena isnt something I would want to do every few months!
inner arenas bigger than that stu:wink:lol

[leorcc]

Spinner compatible arenas?

When you did the testing, did you tighten the netting up or did you just let it hang over?

[james...venom]

Spinner compatible arenas?

both, the bullet wasnt even remotely slowed down. there was nothing that acted even similar to polycarb.

So is it all worth it? may spinner pieces of debris may be contained in net roofs but as demonstrated at this years UK champs the odd piece that really comes flying off wont even blink at netting, tarpauling, stainless steel mesh etc etc. A piece from a hornet hit, bounced off our screens so hard it slightly melted the surface.

regards making a heavy arena to be honest i dont think heavys are anywhere near the calibre of the current featherweights. And so arnt as enjoyable for me personally to watch. seeing the flippers lauch thier opponants 10 times their own hight, seeing spinners spin up in under a second is pretty exciting stuff. just my oppinion.

[leorcc]

Spinner compatible arenas?

Then you would looooooove antweights James.

[lex]

Spinner compatible arenas?

A mildly silly statement James. Power and stiffness to weight ratios for drives and weapons, smaller chassis and panel sizes etc will always give an advantage to the lighter weight categories in the ways mentioned. Set against this is the sheer size and impact of the bigger machines, which audiences enjoy. In many ways I do regard feathers as the most sensible weight category for a number of reasons, certainly from a builders point of view- manageable cost and weight being the major ones along with the greater creativity and experimentation that makes possible compared to heavies. Most fans, I suspect, still prefer heavyweights.

[james...venom]

Spinner compatible arenas?

notice i said And so arnt as enjoyable for me personally to watch

im not stating what i think audiences like, simply my personnal preference. In my oppinion Featherweights are the F1 robot combat. every type of weapon are really being pushed to their limits. Think of Flow as a flipper, LS2, LF3, Ploughbot, Basher, 360. All are pushing the limits with what can possably be done in a featherweight and that for me is more exciting. im sure many will agree.

[craig_colliass]

Spinner compatible arenas?

For me I€™m putting the halo back on The Saint, there is only going to be one suitable venue I will be able to travel to, this may only happen this year and I only get to use it once in one fight and hardly get a hit. But I have always wanted to run HW spinners.
I like heavies the other classes of machines are good and featherweight robots are the best compromise for cost and practicality. But the heavy weight robots are the ones I like to use most, and I think the heavies are the ones people pay their ten pounds to see! But I could be wrong