Team Pasty Build Diary: Loki

[ChrisKazoo]

Hi Guys, pretty new here so this is my first post. I've started building a featherweight which I am naming Loki (hopefully it's not taken!). It's going to have electric lifting forks, inspired by Panic Attack and Biohazard. At the moment I have an MDF mock up of the chassis and the following components:

2x drill motors
2x BotBitz 85A ESCs
1x Orange 6CH RX
1x Spektrum DX5E TX
2x 75mm RobotChallenege Blue Wheels
2x 7.2V 3300 mAh NiMH batteries in parrallel (borrowed from my Battle Rat, Nasty Pasty)

The final chassis will be made from HDPE and hopefully if I can get enough cheap off cuts the armour will be titanium. I have a few new bits and bobs coming next week, a Turingy V-Tail Mixer (controlling is interesting at the moment!) and 2x 9.6V 3300 mAh NiMH batteries and an electric actuator.

Would appreciate feedback/tips/advice

Here's some photos of progress so far:
[attachment=1:kf34ow3k]2013-02-22 22.06.41.jpg[/attachment:kf34ow3k]
[attachment=0:kf34ow3k]2013-03-03 15.29.39.jpg[/attachment:kf34ow3k]
And a video:

[harry hills]

I like it Cool lifter. Can't help thinking that its not going to drive particularly well with the wheels that far front. maybe look into 4wd for the future?

[ChrisKazoo]

Thanks Harry 4WD is definitely a consideration for the future, I'll see how I'm looking for weight when I finish my current design.

[Andy]

Liking the design, looks like an industrial vehicle like a fork lift or something.

[ChrisKazoo]

I have three ideas for the lifting part of my four bar mechanism and was after some opinions/feedback/improvements. Sorry for my limited CAD skills lol

First and original idea, long forks. Originally I wanted to be able to pick up and drive around with other robots but watching videos of robots since then it seems that it would more than likely tip forward like Big Nipper does. I've tried making it as wide as possible/sensible and placing the heavy parts toward the back of the robot but until I can make the arm it's all just guess work whether it will work. I also thought that if they were long they might have a greater reach than a spinning weapon would so would be able to turn over a spinner before the disc got close enough. I am concerned that they would get bent though.



Second idea is to have the forks but to have them shorter so they'd be less likely to bend but wouldn't have the reach advantage of the longer ones.



Last idea is the more standard Biohazard/Storm 2 type end which would propably be stronger and easier to make but doesn't look quite as cool as the forks.



What do you guys think?

[Bacon Wizard]

I don't know enough to say which would really be best, but you seem to think the last design is probably most practical?

I think winning, looks cool.

[Shakey]

One thing on the forks is you might want like a small triangle support or another bar to support where the bar comes out of the front. At the moment it looks like it would be particularly vulnerable to having the front bars bent where they are attached.

[Ellis]

If you intend to fight spinners with the design, unless the little wedges on either side at the front are seriously tough, those corners are spinner heaven. Maybe something like this?

[calumco]

looks good, if it was me thou definatly go 4 wheel drive as robots with drive wheels at the front are dreadful to drive! or perhaps have wheels in the middle

[ChrisKazoo]

Thanks for the feedback guys, lots of things to think about. See if I can squeeze some more motors in