finally getting underway

[barrown1990]

After so many delays I've finally began preparations to begin my first combat robot. Got a friend at a pc repair shop to supply me with many different computer tower panels for armour and construction. 2x 12v batteries will provide most of the power. At last I'm getting somewhere. The panel shown has clear plastic, not full of holes like I first thought

[terry]

For an ant weight I imagine ?

[barrown1990]

Feather weight, i just need to make sure weather or not I'm allowed spinning discs in this weight class. A beetle weight and heavyweight will be built later if all goes well

[terry]

spinning disk allowed once a year at robot challenge. normal fw at most other events.
pc tower panels won't be enough for a fw frame.

[barrown1990]

True. But I can add more armour later when everything else is done

[typhoon_driver]

If you are building a spinner then the metal from a pc tower frame will be useless. It simply won't be strong enough.

[barrown1990]

I mean pc tower pannels for the basic body. Going to sort out the disc later. One thing at time. No point in starting the weapon if there is no chassis or drive

[overkill]

What Terry and Gary are saying is that the thin mild steel panels from a PC case are not strong enough for ANY part of a bot frame. The panels are usually 0.8mm thick or less and have very little strength. It would be fine to use the panels for a test bot to get your design sorted out, but you will need around 3mm steel sheet to stand up in the arena.

[barrown1990]

I know. I plan to add more armour later. It was either this or wood. I plan to utilise aluminium checker plate for the main armour , possibly double layer.

[ady]

If you building a spinner start with the weapon then build around it.
Personally I would bin the pc panels, wouldn't bother with Ali checker plate if you plan on going into full combat. Mock it up out of wood then build it out of hdpe or whatever material you decide to use.
Building your first fw is all about learning, trial and error but the advice your given will save you on some of those mistakes.

[overkill]

Given the choice of PC case steel and 12mm plywood, I'd take the ply every time! In fact my latest bot has just been upgraded with some high-tech plywood http://www.robowars.org/forum/viewto...=74&start=7395

[Eventorizon]

We destroy PC cases in demo's because its easy and looks good :-p It wont survive even if you armour it up later as the force will just be transmitted through the armour and into the frame in the middle which will get crushed.

Alu checker plate also won't survive full combat, it might work as top armour if you are willing to replace it occasionally but you best option is 16-20mm HDPE for the sides and 10-12mm HDPE for a base. And its nice and cheap too. As nick suggested you can use wood to mock up the build, test it out then build it again in plastic for real.

[mrsam]

As others have said you should forget about using the computer panels, they won't be strong enough.

Look at HDPE, it's great for featherweights as it's light, fairly strong and easy to work with. I'm now on the 3rd version of my Featherweight and i'm still using an all hdpe construction. I join mine together with barrel nuts and m6 bolts and it's as strong as anything else out there.

[daveimi]

If you wanna build a feather start with the live events. My first robot used pc cases for armour.



Also have a wooden feather going together currently...



Yes they're naff but I have yet to come home with non-functional robots so must be doing summat right...