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Thread: Catalyst - My beetleweight Build

  1. #21
    Thanks for the love guys. It is my firm intention to actually make it some sort of live event this year, if I actually made New Years resolutions, it would be that . (yes I know we are already in February, haha)

    One other, and the most recent addition has been a new speed controller courtesy of Rapidrory. I got myself one of the Beetletwo escs, and swapped out the pair of botbitz ones I was using to use as spares in the future (the spare parts pile is growing!)
    20170121_211710.jpg20170121_215633.jpg

    I realised my mistake after taking the photo, almost forgot to disconnect the BEC!
    I have to say I'm quite impressed with the esc, it has on board mixing already set up which works really well and I'm really happy with how it drives now. Plus I can possibly run a larger battery in the future as it can take up to a 6 cell (!) LiPo. Think I'll just stick to 3 cell for now.....

  2. #22
    Live Event Update

    So the big news is that I made it my first live event this weekend! I made the trip down to Burgess Hill with Catalyst to finally find out what this roboteering lark is all about. Overall it was a fantastic weekend, great fun, and it was awesome to meet so many friendly new faces that form part of this community. I also got the chance to check out many lovely machines (of all sizes!).
    As far as the beetle competition goes, I arrived full of optimism about how Catalyst would perform, and to a certain extent it actually really exceeded my expectations, (ignoring the actual outcomes of the battles, but we'll get to that!). The only real change to my last post was I had a few grams of weight left, so I swapped up to a 4s LiPo before the day, because....you know more......is better . As it happens, I was lucky (or should that be unlucky) to go up against some seriously well made and expertly driven bots.....

    (Credit to Gareth for these videos)

    Fight 1 - Catalyst Vs Tempus


    So my first fight ever turned out to be to the eventual winner to the tournament! Tweedy's vertical spinner really was something else, and this was over pretty quickly. 3 hits and a sheared servo motor shaft left me KO'd, but luckily nothing else major! This was when I realised how serious the wedge war is in this class, and despite the front being dead flat on the floor, it wasn't enough. So after swapping the servo, and being kindly lent a sharpening stone (cheers Tweedy!) I quickly attempted to put a better edge on it.

    Fight 2 - Catalyst Vs Inertia B2

    Another nasty vertical spinner, and this fight didnt go a lot better. I feel like I spent most of the fight flailing around trying to avoid Will's weapon after what had happened with Tempus. This time there was one moment where I was briefly on top, and pushed Inertia towards the pit, but it was not to be as the next hit sent me cart-wheeling over the arena wall having parted company with my carefully sharpened wedge blade!

    Fight 3 - Catalyst Vs Incomplete Control

    Day 2, and after discovering I had ruined another servo, I had another generously forced into my hand for my last fight by Craig (Snappy). I screwed my blade on again, and was ready to take on Rory's brilliant Super-nippy-hooky-bot! This was easily my best fight, and everything was working surprisingly well, even after the hits it has taken the previous day. It even managed to get a couple of lifts in, but really I.C. was too strong an opponent. I got pushed to and fro, really it was only a matter of time before I was plopped in the pit!

    Fight 4 - Annihilator
    Ok, so there was one more fight, but I cant seem to find a video for it. In summary, 6 (I think) robots and carnage. I was eliminated first and then almost died laughing watching an RC toilet almost take the win!

    So that was my first robot fighting experience, and I'll definitely be back at another soon. Big thanks to Dave Weston and Gareth Anstee for organising everything beetleweight, Tweedy and Craig for their help, suggestions, spares, cheery banter, and general entertainment, and everyone else for being generally friendly and welcoming.

    Jimmy
    Last edited by Jimmy; 5th April 2017 at 22:11.

  3. #23
    Man, well played indeed! Definitely a tough little machine you've made. Have you got any ideas about stopping that servo getting broken so easily?

  4. #24
    was fantastic meeting you Jimmy, hope to see you and the robot again soon!

  5. #25

  6. #26
    Quote Originally Posted by R9000 View Post
    Man, well played indeed! Definitely a tough little machine you've made. Have you got any ideas about stopping that servo getting broken so easily?
    Cheers! I was a bit daft and made the linkage direct, I wasn't expecting to have it so violently forced open! it needs a servo saver or something. I think I'm going to experiment with some gear motors next, and make it so an arm pushes the lifter up without being actually connected to it , and a torsion spring holds it closed otherwise.
    Last edited by Jimmy; 9th April 2017 at 19:10.

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