whats needed for an electric lifter/axe?

i know it sounds funny but whats the best set up for an electric lifter or axe on a budget that can give ok results, without breaking the bank?

thanks
matt

for lifter cheap actuator then a lifting arm for an axe get a cheap scooter motor some chain and sprokets or gear it to the ratio you want with an axe arm bot are hard to do well but easy to start with :)

does anyone have a photo of there set-ups so i can get a good look at how its done?

http://www.robowars.org/wikka/ElectricAxeWeapons - A good electric axe guide

thats a good help, thanks!

anyone got a good one for electric lifters?

I posted a diagram of how the lifter in Kaizer worked, along with a bit of explanation in an old thread a few months ago. I'll see if I can find it.

EDIT: Found it, although just for reference, the forum search capability is crap.

viewtopic.php?f=111&t=3440&start=15

The last two posts of that thread. The first one gives a brief explanation of how the lifter in Kaizer worked, and the second one is just a couple of pictures to help aid the explanation.

It's worth noting that if you use a commerical actuator as opposed to the drill motor setup in the diagram, the principles are exactly the same. The only difference is that a commercial actuator moves like a pneumatic piston, so you've got a bit of tubing moving in and out, whereas the drill motor has a nut sliding along a fixed piece of threaded rod. If you make a lifter using a commerical actuator, the end of the piston takes the place of the nut of the drill motor setup by being attached to the linkage arms. Hope that's moderately clear, I feel I'm mushing my descriptions slightly...

I'm building my first robot with a lifter. I'vegot all the bits for it but havent got round building it.
jamies way is the way i'm using , it costs around £50 for the motor, studding(or threaded rod), bolts and ESC

which one would probably be cheapest too build?

i am doing robot combat on a budget! lol

ive owned both and i think an axe is more fun you have to be more tactical with a lifter so if you like tactics go for a lifter if you like hitting things that get in your way go for an axe in terms of price lifter is probably cheaper but more work than a simple axe mechanism if you go for a lifter i have a actuator and servo control unit available that would be a great starting piont