Featherweight Discs

I havent seen the build quality of Ewans machine so I am in no place to say if it is safe or not but i know for a fact that spinners can be run directly off a motor shaft. At Inspire Black and Blue was allowed to run without any concerns been raised about the strength of the axle, this may be because the builder is much older than ewan (and therefore more sensible?) and it survived the entire event (well the spinner did anyway). People seem to like commenting on things that they know very little about. I dont know if Big Daddy is safe or not so I am keeping quiet untill it has been examined in a tech check like every other robot, it is one thing to advise someone that there robot may not pass a tech check to save them turning up to an event and not been allowed to run but telling them that it is not safe fullstop without ever examining it seems a bit OTT.

Joe Townsend

Correction - the motor shaft is supported on the other side Joe. I know it dont look it, but it is. Thats why the other side of the chasis moves funny when you push his blade round with your hand.

Mr Stu

Ewan,
€œLike it or not This robot is safe€€¦.With all due respect, that is a decision that will be made by the Technical Officer at an event ! I really don€™t think you are qualified to make that call.
If you really feel that it€™s safe and is capable of doing what you claim€¦Bring it to the Featherweight Smash at Halesowen in March, or any other live event you wish, and I will be more than happy for you to put it in the arena with my machine.
I will then let my team mate, John, give you a practical lesson in the benefits of a rock solid drive and a properly constructed spinner. (Maybe Stu would like to comment on the probable outcome!)
I have tried to offer constructive criticism based on 4 years of practical robot building involving high speed spinners. Yes, we have had our own problems and the odd failed design over the years but we have learned from our errors and by asking questions were necessary. But if you chose not to take advantage of the huge amount of freely available knowledge within the roboteering community then I€™m Sorry Ewan, that is your loss!

Geoff,
Team Scorpion.

If you drive into a 6kg bin, at full speed, with your weapon going, then you simulate an impact quite well... The motor has some of the biggest needle roller bearings at each end, that I have ever seen...
Oh, and your being ageist :)
Cheers, Ewan (age 12...:))

sorry geoff, I didnt read the word unsupported when talking about the disc. Ive just seen a picture of black and blue and it does have an extra supporting bearing on the other side of the disc. My bad

Joe Townsend

I agree that the technical guy makes the decision in the end, but when you see this bot in the flesh and start to push on certain spots etc, you begin to see its real strength. Oh, and I have just begun to make the motor shaft supported at both ends...
And finally I would like to go against your spinner, I do personally admire it as a very well build machine. Your heavyweight is one mean machine as well...
THE END (maybe):)

Ewan iv said it twice today, stop going on about how you say your robot is great and safe, as Geoff said its not your call. Use the advice people are giving you!

and start to push on certain spots etc, you begin to see its real strength

Im pushing on this drinking glass at the mo that i use to drink out of, seems real strong. But i know it will shatter apart if i put more than 0.5Kj a spinner mounted onto it.

If you want to line up a 1v1 with Scorpion JR at FWSmash you are welcome to Ewan.

I can see if Jonno would allow it to run in his MAIN Roaming robots arena, as i dont think it would damage his arena nor bits fly out when Big Daddy smashes apart. But you running that at home just worrys me. It also maybe a different story when it comes to running that at a small Feather Arena.

I aint saying anything more on this subject. If an event organiser gives you the OK to run ur spinner at their event, then i hope their arena holds up to it when it smashes up, or they get lucky that the disc loses all its energy before it hits the roof/wall.

You have been advised that it does not look safe Ewan, dont be disapointed if you turn up to an event and your told its not safe to run.

Mr Stu

So, from what you have seen already stu, will you let this weapon run at the FW smash?
I run the weapon in a part of my my back garden, which has a concrete floor. When operating it, I put all the switches on etc, and I go to the second floor of my house, I look out (airiel stcking out window) and operate the bot from there. This is as safe as you can get when testing...
I will never run a weapon like this at close range, or in an arena incapable of containing it.
Cheers, Ewan

ewan, a 6kg dustbin doesnt put up as much as fight as another robot.

put dig daddy in with alpha at RCwars. We can see how tuff the robot is then.