Questions about feather building

Since having a taste of roboteering at Newark (thanks Joe!) Ive been thinking about building a feather, but I dont know if its possible or not, given my situation. So I have the following basic questions:

1. Knowledge - do you have to be an expert in mechanical/electrical engineering etc. to build one or can it be done through scouring the web, asking questions at live events etc. (I suspect this is true, but just making sure)

2. Tools - do you need a workshop or can it be done in the garage with household tools? (this is my biggest concern)

3. Money - on average, how much does it cost to build and run a feather? (it would be a 4WD armoured pusher if I did build one, as thats my favourite type of robot and its easier to build than one with an active weapon)

Thanks for any replies. I can certainly see the benefits of building one and fighting in the events (I enjoyed every bit of that weekend and I can see myself having a really good time with a robot of my own), but I dont know if its beyond me or not. Ill be at Bristol this weekend, so Ill probably ask some questions there as well if I can find one of the teams (as there arent many with feathers).

hi,

I made my first robot at christmas/new year

I mainly learnt about robotics and the ways to make things on MSN (messenger) asking roboteers how they did it or if they was going to go it again how would they make it better

but with Tools my dad is a patternmaker so i have all the tools i need but i would expect you could make a good robot with house hold tools or even if you ask some roboteers if you give them a bit of money they would make parts for you like Alan Young (teammad) made me some shafts for my first robot and met him in bradford and picked them up

Money: I built a whole robot for strach from my Christmas money about £200 it wasnt a very powerful rambot but it moved and got to the semi-finals at the featherweight smash, now if you want to make another robot after that you can use nearly all the componants depending on the next design

1. Knowledge is easy to pick up nearly everyone at live events will give you new little tips and ideas. Also there is a fairly sized MSN robot community willing to help most of the time.

2. Well this is a matter of choice because the people with the workshops mainly could not live without them but as far as tools used when building Conundrum Mk1 it came down to a work mate, jigsaw and drill thats basically all we have used.

3. Money depends on your components even a featherweight pusher can be anything from £50 right up to £1000 and probably higher.

Chris - http://www.featherweights.org/forum

Stephen,
Welcome to the world of featherweights.
Im glad to see that you are planing to start with a nice simple featherweight pusher. So many people jump in at the deep end and try to build an evil spinner or somthing like that and end up getting totally put off the whole thing with the problems they encounter, not to mention risking life and limb becaus they dont truly understand the forces involved and end up building somthing which is in fact bloody unsafe!!
as far as facilities go, as Chris says, its what you have to hand. Both Scorpion and Scorpion Jr. were built in my team mates garden shed. With nothing more than a piller drill, welder, jig saw and a good selection of hand tools. We are lucky to have a friend with access to a full workshop for the odd bit of specialist machining we need.
As for finding out what you need to know, just come to this forum and ask the question, you have no idea of the amount of know how that exists on here and everyone is more than willing to help a new starter in any way they can.
As for costs.... Well, how long is the proverbial piece of string! One of the first, and most expencive items is a 40Mhz radio kit (100.00-200.00) But you only need to buy it once. A good place to start is http://www.technobots.co.ukwww.technobots.co.uk they have an exelent range of parts for all weights of robots and Paul Cooper is allways ready to give good advice. Chris is right about being able to build a feather for 50.00 it can be done! But to give you an example of the other end of the scale..Our new feather pusher, Pillow Torque, is using Astroflight motors and gearboxes from Team Wyachi in the US, Vantec speed controler, also from the US, CSM Pilot authority gyro, heavy duty high discharge NI-Cad battries, water cut Titanium armour,etc etc. and you dont want to know what that is costing to build!!
We will be at Bristol so come and find us and well be more than happy to show you round our machines and answer any questions you have.
Good luck,
Happy roboteering,
Geoff.

1. Im no expert and Im doing OK :)

2. The only tools Ive used out of the ordinary are my power mitre saw for cutting ali (cause Im lazy), and a £20 reciprocating saw for cutting the plastics. Otherwise, all Ive really used is a drill and a BFH :)

3. Rough costings for whats in omicron (not counting stuff Ive bought and not used... which we all do):

Radio gear - old stuff - new would probably be £70
2xel cheapo cordless drills - RRP £13.99 each (free from sponsor)
Aluminium - £5 from scrapyard
5mm polypropylene - £20? for a big sheet (Altec plastics)
2mm polypropylene - £18? for two big sheets (Altec plastics)
3 electronize controllers - rrp £30 each from technobots, I had an old one lying around.
Link - £5 - Stu
Drill Mod kits - Dom
Spinner motor - £10 - Technobots (now discontined)
Steel - Lying around shed coverred in rust.
Misc nuts and bolts - Free from sponsor (Wilsons agricultural), probably would have cost about £6.
LEDs - 5p each
Resistors for LEDs - naff all
Spare xtals - £30, but I have more than most people

So, about £250, if you use what you have lying around, you can do it for less, or you can get silly with things.

If youre using nicads (drills come with OK-ish ones, you can eiter use the drill charger, or get a perfectly servicable charger for £50.

Or as Geoff says... you can spend silly money :)

Dont know about maintaining, I have a spare drill and weapon motor. I have enough material to fabricate another couple of chassis in what I bought in the first place (might actually measure them first next time!).

Oh, and if you havent worked it out yet, BFH is an IT term for a Big Fn Hammer ;)