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As above really, is it a viable option to cut plates and bulkheads to make a robot and then use angle iron etc to drill and bolt it all together? This would involve hefty plating and m8 bolts. I've been curious about it as it's something I could make with stuff I have at home. I fancy a go at the champs in 2015 but can't weld nor afford for someone to do it for me lol.
Or if I were to use hdpe how thick would i need to go?
Depends on your design, really. A badly designed chassis won't stand up to anything, be it wood, HDPE or hardox.
HardWired II uses many angles so it can deflect spinners rather than taking the full force of the attack - just watch my fight vs NST, they're very effective.
A bolt together chassis can definitely work, in fact I'm fairly sure there's quite a few machines out there that literally are just bolted HDPE, I know Hatchet is and I think Loki is too, but I could be wrong. As for thickness, if you go around 20mm you'll be fine. You could go less but it's just dependant on your design - again, the design is key, it's not so much a case of just bolting it together at the sides - unless I've got the wrong end of the stick here!
Either way, I'd look at the construction of a few machines in the build diaries section, and go from there!
DB10 is bolted together 10mm aluminium bulkheads. Last week Binky ripped out the middle of the bulkhead, but left the ends where the threads were in place. So it was the material that failed not the construction.
Hatchet is just 15mm Hdpe end tapped with m6 high tensile bolts and angle aluminium for extra support at the rear. It took big hits from Mr Mangle, Drumroll and Binky and the chassis is still holding together, the tapped threads don't even appear to have stripped.
I should clarify that Hatchet 2 will have helicoil inserts next time and 20mm Hdpe but the method will remain roughly the same but i would advise to use actual high tensile bolts instead of screws, they do grip better but they are nowhere near as strong.
Edit: also just to focus on what Matt was saying, his machine can deflect spinner attacks due to the steep angles whereas if Hatchets shell was caught by a good horizontal odds are because it is end tapped and there are corner joints then it would lose a panel, both construction methods have their upsides and downsides, Hardwired is stiff as but that means when a spinner does manage to grab on the chassis has to cope with the full force of a hit which is why the hit from 720 buckled the shell whereas something like Hatchets Hdpe shell will deform and absorb some of the impact. Binky caught it really hard at the front and dug in but even that only caused minor damage it looks worse than it is.
Ok that's fab, given me loads to go on. I'm planning on entering the champs next year so getting a head start now with Rag N Bone 3 lol.
Glad to help, in my experience i'd aim to have the robot done for Whitwick or another event close to the champs as it will give you a chance to see how it performs before you stick it in with the spinners. I didn't manage to get Hatchet done in time and a whole list of problems presented themselves at the champs and at that point you kind of have to just go with it.