Wooden Robot Class

[mattsdragons]

Re: Wooden Robot Class

A non shatter wood cutting disk slicing into a wooden robot at limited power would just make saw dust surely?

[psychostorm]

Re: Wooden Robot Class

A non shatter wood cutting disk slicing into a wooden robot at limited power would just make saw dust surely?

A shatter proof disc may not take lightly to being whacked sideways.

The bullet proof box bit worked better when it was in just the fire conversation.

[daliad100]

Re: Wooden Robot Class

Wood cutting tools like saws aren't really designed for heavy impacts so will quite likely break when hitting walls.

Chisels and drill bits should be fine with hitting stuff but something more solid than a saw is needed to not shatter.

[mattsdragons]

Re: Wooden Robot Class

By that then, we would need to be alowed to make bars or disks out of 3mm steel and run then at a specific rpm and under a specific weight

[craig_colliass]

Re: Wooden Robot Class

!!!

[craig_colliass]

Re: Wooden Robot Class

Every thread seems to get the lets bring spinners back lot out. If this type of fun robot is to ever work

FORGET SPINNING DISCS 2000RPM, 50% OF THE WEIGHT OF THE ROBOT OR WHAT EVER. IT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN

As for the Wood robots running in a show

In effect these would run with the other featherweight robots at least to start with, so they would not make any difference to the show format, the same Featherweight rules would apply.

There is already a wooden featherweight robot out there doing just that (Block of Wood) and doing fine even in the UK champs.

Don't get sidetracked by spinners In the big arenas, It's not going to happen!!!!!

[psychostorm]

Re: Wooden Robot Class

FW spinners are not allowed to run in HW arenas, end of. Nothing short of a complete arena rebuild will let them
*breathes*

I so getting sick of this 'The Only Way Is Spinners' attitude.

I hereby announce the Colliass law of spinner analogies.

[mattsdragons]

Re: Wooden Robot Class

people were putting forward a spinner idea, i was making it practical but i would have assumed people would have seen it would then just be running spinner which seems just dangerous and i was being sarcastic but i guess it didnt come through in the post

the wooden class is a nice idea though, gets everyone on a level playing field in terms of armour

i must agree with you two

[PJ-27]

Re: Wooden Robot Class

I'm glad everyone is getting stuck into this!

Lots of people making some very good points, I can't remember exactly who, but I'll try and address all the points!

Agreed lots of impending rules WILL ruin the fun, hence me saying people should build to be fair and to have fun, not to win!
I don't think though, we should have a size limit and not a weight limit. Most people are used to working within the confines of weight not size (except ants, which are both!) and I think size will limit innovation further, look at Seraph to instance, that wouldn't be possible. Plus bigger robots are easier to see (especially in RR and RL arenas) and that is a current problem.

I don't think, as much as I would love for it to happen, Spinners is going to happen. Cutting disks and other rotating wood working tools would be awesome, but it all comes down to safety and insurance which are far to introverted to understand the distinction between different rotating items.
This isn't to say we can't run Spinners at RoboChallenge events, but it's worth baring in the mind the only current RoboChallenge event is the FW champs and roboteers may be per-occupied with the main event.

I also like the idea of all metal external weapons only being wood working tools, chisels, saws, drills, chainsaws etc.... Remember they will be very effective.

Also bare in mind, most weapons currently considered as ineffective may/will be very effective against wooden robots. Axe's will be incredibly, Rambots will easily snap and break MDF. We could also introduce spearbots, pneumatic rams, pincers, crushers, these would all work very well, in a class where they would normally be useless. Be imaginative! There is much more aside from Spinners and limiting armour to wood really opens up a whole new world.

I'm all for using MDF, the dust is bad for you, but you only create enough if you working with it, and even then it's effects are questioned. Plus MDF breaks in very spectacular fashions!

As for creating a powerful flipper and needing a Hardox frame, well I say limited metal inside the robot SHOULD be alright. But you could always reduce the power of the flipper, or let your robot destroy itself! That'll be fun!

Remember this is all about fun and causing destruction. We're building this as a community so as long as it's deemed FAIR then it's OK.
Can I suggest people submit their plans and designs for their robot here if they're worried people would disapprove. Don't ask individual questions though! We'll be here forever! For instance if everyone built their robot on a Hardox frame then that's the class ruined, but if a couple of people (the Explosion guys for instance) NEED it to make an awesome flipper then that should be fine because a couple of awesome flippers will make the class for fun.

[mattsdragons]

Re: Wooden Robot Class

i could build a one off, full power LP let it kill itself

[daliad100]

Re: Wooden Robot Class

Even the cheap paper dust masks (50 for £5 at screwfix) and/or running a vacuum cleaner behind any power tools should stop most mdf dust from entering your lungs.

It's a shame I'm starting university next week because these would be fun to build

[PJ-27]

Re: Wooden Robot Class

So my current thoughts for a robot are to make one called Dead Wood and it'll be based on the series 1 version of the house robot Dead Metal (get it?). The one with the arm that went all the way over.

Think I'll use MDF for everything, baseplate, uprights, supports, claws, arm, wheels.

I'll probably leave the claws stationary, unless I find an easy and cheap way to make them move, with an interchangeable weapon on the end of the arm from a cutting disk (for spinner events) to a chisel for everything else.

Anyone got any decent photos or info on the first Dead Metal that I can take from?

[death robotics]

Re: Wooden Robot Class

There maybe some floating around on the RW wiki

[PJ-27]

Re: Wooden Robot Class

I had a quick web search, but there wasn't really that much out there. Not that detailed anyway.

Who is it that made the house robots? Maybe he could be helpful?

[TEAM ENIGMA]

Re: Wooden Robot Class

Chris Reynolds made them.