Why me specifically? :PQuote:
Originally Posted by Maxamuslead
I think there's a good 7 or so axe/hammer likes going at the last count, if Team Arc and Team Panoramic are also bringing theirs as I've heard on Facebook
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Why me specifically? :PQuote:
Originally Posted by Maxamuslead
I think there's a good 7 or so axe/hammer likes going at the last count, if Team Arc and Team Panoramic are also bringing theirs as I've heard on Facebook
Because i love you..... more the fact i didn't know who else was bring axe botsQuote:
Originally Posted by qbnut
Crikey, 7 axe bots... going to be very choppy in there (bah-dum-tish). It is going to be very interesting seeing how different the various implementations are and how effective they are going to be.
Many thanks! Definitely characterful and the effect of that impact plate on the front of the bodywork is definitely eyecatching. Hopefully it will work in the arena as well. :)Quote:
I love seeing just how much this bot has evolved over the months, and it just keeps getting more and more character. The checker plate aluminium in particular really pops!
With 7 axe bots I feel that this is an accurate representation of what will happen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-2YN_Ak9eE
If I get Ratatoskr done in time, then that'll be another axe bot for you to keep an eye on. :P
Aye indeed!
I think there are three improvements I can make to the axe on The Honey Badger before Manchester:
- Increase the voltage from 13.2v (LiFePO4 4S nominal) to 19.8v (LiFePO4 6S nominal), which should have the effect of making it faster and have a bit more oomph when striking.
- Add a bit more weight to the axehead. At the moment, it is pretty light up there.
- Sharpen the axe blade properly into a point. :P
So mixed results - I upped the voltage from 13.2v nominal to 19.8v nominal and the axe now fires at a relatively quick rate. I'll need to get a new LED to handle the upped voltage (I am all out at the moment) but a bigger issue is that the whole thing jams every so often. I am not sure why this is but once the axe retracts and when you try to fire it again, it simply does not move. Sounds as if it is trying, will need to free it up and then see what is going on.
I've not had a chance to add more weight to the axehead but I've sharpened the axe so it is making more of an impression these days, when it wants to work :P
UPDATE: The axe is working again. Took the gearbox case off and watched the mechanism in action. It hasn't stripped any teeth but the whole thing was a bit slack in one direction. Put the case back on and re-tightened the case screws which now means the gearbox is working but I don't think it is handling the shock at all but is that really surprising given it is a solid gearbox?
If I do a 2.3, I'll be going to a custom built gearbox - I've been researching this for Kaizen but I reckon a lowish Kv inrunner connected to a relatively high gear ratio box will offer the performance I need.
How long it lasts at EXR Manchester is the big one on my mind.
Annnnnndddd now the grub screw has sheared in the hub, new one required and ordered :( Definitely going to change this mechanism, it just does not handle shock at all well.
Actually, in addition, I am going to try and build my own hub, see if that makes any difference.
Unless Shane brings the old Hatchet along it won’t be there unfortunately, there is a new Hatchet in the works but it won’t be a thing for a while yet.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ocracoke
No worries, plenty of axe bots left to have a play with ;) I would like to get mine going again :P
So a new hub arrived and now it has a M4 hex bolt as a locking pin. Great, except the gearbox has jammed up yet again. :(
I know what the issue is - the gearbox is a 2 stage reduction gearbox and that just cannot handle the shock through the gears (and the bearing case by the looks of things). I can get 3 or 4 hits at the full distance the axe can reach of it before it packs up.
Got a video of it binding up ? and what releases it ?Quote:
Originally Posted by Ocracoke
Because of where it is in the robot, you can't see it binding up, definitely got a video of the gearbox after the case has been dissembled, I'll post it shortly. Repositioning the shaft and bearings brings it back to life but a quick and dirty hack is to undo the 3x M4 screws holding the motor to the plate which seems to help.
Here we go. A slight revision, it is a 3 stage gearbox, not a 2 stage. The key bit to watch is the gear on the topmost shaft, watch that wobble about.
https://youtu.be/PMtbOCmslXY
Pretty much ready for Manchester now except for some LEDs that were supposed to have been delivered yesterday but haven't. I do have another LED which if put in series with the other LED, should allow me to use the 19.8v battery set without blowing the LED but it is soldering time I just do not have. I'll be at the pits early working on it.
For the sake of longevity, I am going to switch the drive and weapon batteries around so 6S on the drive, 4S on the weapon and just take it, I don't think the gearbox on the axe will hold up to the strain of 6S in the arena, 4S and it might.
If you have a single LED, put in a resistor. Use a 1k resistor or value around that (900 ohm to 1.2k will be fine)
I don't have any resistors at the moment and can't leave the house to go get some. Putting the second LED in series, I thought, would half the voltage over the two lights.
I'll have a box of resistors at Manchester if you need any. What voltage LEDs do you have?
I have a pair of 14v LEDs (they already have a resistor in them).
Just tried putting the batterties on charge, a 3S LiFe battery is reading < 5 volts! The other 3S set is not far behind but the charger has managed to get started with that one. Yikes.
More than likely be fine in series then, but bear in mind that if one fails short, it will probably take the other one with it.
I would have thought so but one of the resistors have exploded (I might have plugged in the 6S set into that one without disconnecting the LED). I have got some higher voltage LEDs on order but they have failed to arrive. With this and the new battery issue, I am going to be having a late night :(
Update: So the LED hasn't blown the resistor, just the wire has snapped.
So Manchester was a blast. It did feel more like "A featherweight event with some heavies thrown in" but when you are talking 28+ featherweights in the pits, it is easy to come to that conclusion. Congratulations to Aegis for the win over the four matches!
As for The Honey Badger, for those that didn't know, the lance was fitted the night before and then the M4 bolt that acts as the locking pin sheared so I couldn't get the lance off and since the LEDs hadn't turned up, I couldn't use the mechanical part anyway, leaving it as a good ol' fashioned rambot. It had rather put a downer on things from the off but I was determined to make it through one fight.
First fight was pretty crazy with all 28 in the arena. From my perspective, the lance worked OK, taking on a upturned Neophyte but the robot itself got wedged underneath the arena wall, got lifted by Aegis and then for a encore scored a TKO by one of the battery leads popping out after hitting the wall. Boo!
Second fight was a bit flat for me. The Honey Badger rode up on another FW's wedge (I don't know the name of this one unfortunately), which caused it to veer onto its side. Now the big wings on the side of the robot are supposed to prevent this from happening and for about 1/8th of a second, it did but then Blunt Force Trauma came rushing in and knocked into The Honey Badger, causing it to go over the wing and onto it's back. Eventually ended up in the pit :(
There was also a "Featherweight fun time" after show event which sadly I didn't film where I wanted to test out a couple of new trims I had applied to the controller. They worked amazingly and was having a whale of a time pushing Blacksmith around but then the robot slowed to a crawl and then stopped altogether. Turned out I had blown a set of LiFe batteries. Pants. I also managed to break off the lance and the weapon motor mount so things were not going well.
The third fight, the first one on the Sunday, I had patched up the hole where the lance would have been and promptly sent it back out in the arena. I had heard that Drumroll (3?) was in the arena but I wasn't too worried immediately. However, Get Shrekt had me worrying for a moment when it got close to the drive wheels but the wings did their work. They then did their main job when The Honey Badger clipped the front end of Barróg and went up the wedge. What would normally happen in this instance is the Badger would land on its side and then it's back but the wings allowed it to skid across the floor and landed right way up. The design paid off...
Attachment 8007
...briefly. In all the excitement of still running, I had "forgotten" that Binky and Blunt Force Trauma was still in the arena. Looking at the video, I think it was Blunt Force Trauma who ripped the lid off the Badger though Binky got real close. It was still running without a lid but then Drumroll came and smacked the corner of the The Honey Badger, which caused most of the internals to come flying out. For a brief moment, it was still running with its guts hanging out but subsequently died. For a final encore, Binky and Drumroll focused a dual attack on one side of the robot, causing the entire side to be ripped out with the motor still attached. I then got pitted by the house robot.
Attachment 8008
Now, in all fairness, Alex and Jamie did come and see the mess afterwards and offered to help rebuild it but I know there was a opinion floating that the The Honey Badger was dead (even I had that momentary thought when I called out "destroy it" after it had been ripped apart).
Attachment 8005
The heck it was.
Many thanks to Arc Robotics for getting the motor connectors soldered back together and for the various offers to help rebuild. In short, the front crossmember had been torn off, the side panel obviously taken off forcibly, the front panel was a write off and all the electrics were in a bit of a state. However, the electronics were still working so with a bit of haste, reattached the "old" front panel to the Badger, remounted the motor onto the torn off panel, reattached that back onto the crossmembers with the best screws I could find that wasn't snapped or twisted.
Attachment 8006
The fourth fight was nerve racking to say the least. With The Honey Badger not really working at its fullest (despite upping the voltage from 13.2v nominal to 19.8v nominal) with it wobbling around the arena and the front not really connected to the base plate, keeping my nerve as I was driving it around was arudous. At one point, Drumroll did clip me but it seemed to have little effect. In the end, I got stuck on Madusa's flail and the arena flipper got me.
I will admit, I was a little gutted I didn't make it to the end of a fight, let alone "win" any of them (I am beginning to take this roboteering lark a little more seriously this year) but rather pleased with managing to get the robot back into the arena. I also managed to fry 3 sets of batteries, though this was more down to lending a 6S set to Tango and a 4S set to Madusa along with the 4S set from Saturday. I am not sure on the health of the 6S set in the Badger either... time for a battery upgrade me thinks.
It won't be in this robot though. Perhaps a little unsurprisingly, I've made the decision to retire The Honey Badger 2 from combat and get started with The Honey Badger 3, the design of which I was pondering on the way back home. However, I am not sure if that is going to be the priority over Kaizen though, I need to work out timescales and so on. I might yet be at EXR Guildford but I simply don't know yet.
I'll add a video of the fights later on when I've had some sleep. ;) However, it was great seeing everyone at Manchester, especially the Madusa robot who I've been advising/helping over the weeks prior to the event and even then, getting involved in getting their wheels to stay attached to the robot. Also helping with the soldering on Eric to get it into the arena on Sunday plus meeting and greeting new (such as the Barróg team) and familiar faces.
Saw fight 3, was shocking to see such carnage, and I was impressed at how well the Badger held up to some pretty hefty abuse, can't wait to see what you come up with next... also can't wait to join in the fun proper.
Sorry dude, typed on my phone and didn't see the autocorrect there, that sounded nasty and wasn't supposed to.
I didn't see anything nasty there, I wouldn't worry. ;)
As I say, I've got an idea in my head for the next one. I'll need to sit down with a pen and paper and work it out properly. Can't wait to see Pushover in the arena.
And here is the video of all four fights. There'll be a "cutting room floor" compilation later on.
https://youtu.be/rhtfOed_rZo
Now to design The Honey Badger 3.
Wow, that was one of the most brutal demolitions I've seen in a while - felt gutted for you while watching it! The Honey Badger 2 was a really quick and nimble machine though. (Looks dead slick in your avatar btw) Props to you for getting it back in the ring so quickly. Looking forward to version 3!
Just to echo what Dominic said, epic effort to have the Badger ready to go again for fight 4! Also looking forward to what you do with version 3.
Hey Michael, just wanted to say that you did a great job with the robot all things considered. It was unfortunate that you were the one that took all that damage especially since you have been so helpful to so many others not just at events but also on the forum (thanks for lending us that bind plug BTW). Also we've been going over the damage on Neophyte & noticed that your lance dented our base plate.
I would like to comment on the video, you can really get a feel for
what happend in the featherweight multi melee-very well filmed
and nice and stable.
20 + robots in the arena at once though-just confusing!:roll: I found
it hard to follow any particular robot so I'm not sure how the Adults
in the Audience could at a distance.
I think 6 feathers and 4 heavies should be the max for good competition.
Also still using that nearly dark lighting format-difficult to see -whats
wrong with super troopers?:)
Quick hijack but THIS esc will do you great for your drive. Hope to see you at GranthamQuote:
Originally Posted by James Williams
Hey there I already ordered one earlier since so many people recommended them. Hopefully we can actually pass tech check next time. Thanks a LOT for all the help you guys gave us. You must have spent more time on our robot than your own on the 1st day. We really do appreciate it. Hope you guys managed to get your wheel issues sorted. Sorry we couldn't have done more to help but the old man wanted to get some rest as he's on a 5am shift this week.
hehe it was no problem, did you see what happen in match 4 ?Quote:
Originally Posted by James Williams
Just rewatched it & spotted you. You did great!! As Colin said though, it is difficult to keep track of people in those massive rumbles (as I found out the hard way). Thanks for uploading the fights Michael & sorry for spamming all over your build diary.
Thanks for all the kind comments! I'll have the design of The Honey Badger 3 finalised by the end of the week. I've started properly assessing the damage on The Honey Badger 2 - needs a fair bit of TLC I think but it is all salvageable. I'll keep it around as a reserve robot - just got to find somewhere to keep it now :P
Hahaa, it was a bit unfortunate wasn't it? As for the bind plug, no worries :DQuote:
It was unfortunate that you were the one that took all that damage especially since you have been so helpful to so many others not just at events but also on the forum (thanks for lending us that bind plug BTW).
I knew it!! I came over after the fight whilst Neophyte was being worked on and I couldn't see anything obvious but I was sure from the video that I had. Apologies for that. :PQuote:
Also we've been going over the damage on Neophyte & noticed that your lance dented our base plate.
It is rather but then again, I've been in that arena with just 3 featherweights and that looks really empty. I'd say 10 was a nice number. The queue just to get into the arena was pretty mind boggling as well. :DQuote:
20 + robots in the arena at once though-just confusing!:roll: I found it hard to follow any particular robot so I'm not sure how the Adults in the Audience could at a distance.
Aha just realised the robot that you ramped off and ended upside down in the seccond melee was mine (Theta with the green LEDs). Unlucky that you sustained so much damage in the 3rd fight but it was great that you managed to get the honey badger working and into the final show!
Oh awesome, I didn't know that was Theta. I'll remember that for future events! ;) Thing is, if Blunt Force Trauma hadn't knocked into me as I was ramping off of you, the wings would have saved me from being flipped.
Thats unfortunate but atleast Blunt Force Trauma's disk wasnt spinning at the time or that couldve been a big hit ;)
I'll take what I can get at the moment, The Honey Badger is looking very sorry for itself. Full damage report coming tonight.
I was in the audience for fight 3, and I couldn't tell what the heck was going on.Quote:
Originally Posted by team death
Stuff hitting stuff. Pretty lights. Stuff flying around. Bits all over the place. Bulldozer!
It seems like coming out of those fights with anything left at all is a victory. :P