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MDF is probably the worst wood for dust and breathing it. I have been watching this thread and the sound of a wooden class is great but limiting it to mdf in my opinion is a bad call. Also if your making it out of wood then the only metals that should be used are component metals. Building a metal chassis and just using wood for armour would detract from the wooden class.
Thanks everyone for your input!
This is exactly the short of issue we need t sort out. Unfortunately there are several mixed opinions on some issues, which we should bring to light.
Current consensus is moving towards all wood then?
I agree with PJ-27 that MDF would make the best base for building for a level playing field. I see no problem with ply as an alternative as suggested by Relentless. A rule that allows any wood will simply encourage blocks of Oak and railway sleepers to dominate and that would be little better than an arena full of 'steel box' rambots insofar as excitement is concerned and therefore not in the spirit of this class. However, as said earlier, I feel it is essential not to restrict the use of metal or plastics for the chassis for protection of R/C, drive motors and ESC etc.
Given that its natural to build to the limit of the rules and given that this 'fun class' is intended to attract newcomers, irrespective of what materials are eventually specified, the rules need to ensure that in the build, there is no mechanical strength advantages by simply choosing a harder wood or increasing thickness of armouring to survive a battle. A reasonably level playing field in these areas is IMO essential if this class is to be a success.
As spinners are ruled out, I do not see a real problem with dust, even should slow spinners be allowed.
Hoppy
The threat of dust is more to do with the fabrication of the robot. Harder wood would be ideal for protection of components.
I agree about the threat of dust being more to do with the fabrication. I always use a face mask when cutting MDF.
Maybe a compromise for the chassis would be just to allow the electronics to be protected in a metal enclosure(s) affixed to a plastic or timber base plate. A softwood chassis could then be formed around the base plate to affix armour and provide a anchor for weapons. This would avoid the need to seek out hard woods which even in small amounts are costly nowadays.
Hoppy
Jesus, I thought we had sorted out this debate a while back! Why stiffle creation by saying you can only use crap woods?
Make them entirely out of wood, any wood, if you find some scrap oak then good for you, if you can't then layer up the ply or MDF. It weighs bugger all and you could easily have 2 inch armour all around your electronics.
Weapon wise, everything should have come from wood working tools originally. Modify them to suit, use a chisel as the basis for an axe, use chainsaw chains and saw blades.
With these two rules here and the others of the featherweight category it gives the biggest amount of inovation you could have with this class. Stiffle it too much and most won't bother.
Why stop at wood! Let's also allow metal, wouldn't want to stiffle people's innovation.
I've heard Titanium and Hardox are good......
I'm being facetious by the way.
Ok, maybe opening up to all woods is the way to go, but it does create issues with people just opening their wallets and buying the best, strongest and lightest wood they can.
On the other hand I think BOW should be able to run, and I like the idea of people using scrap wood they happen upon (how very Bitza!)
Hopefully their will be a nice even trade off of weight to strength with wood. For instance Oak is strong but heavy....
I think use any wood, using bits of 2 by 4 is an easy way of building it as its pre-cut. And different people have access to different bits of wood, personally I have some some nice thick pieces of wood designed to go above a door.
Also I think there is no harm in a metal interior to protect the electronics as I think the reason to go with wood is so the armour gets ripped up and destroyed which looks amazing, not to have your internals destroyed which is devistateing. That also means you can have it very thick, infact the thicker the better as it will never need replacing so will look really beaten up and means you can put it in with any spinner not just wooden ones.
OK, lets go with all woods with option on metal or plastic baseplate / chassis to protect electronics and drive motors.
Hoppy
so what's to stop me strapping some wooden armour to the outside of boner or 540 and entering that?