Flag Robotics' new [completely recycled] beetleweight!

So I've been watching the beetleweights builds on the forum progress, and I've decided to join in with it all! Problem is, I've got practically no money to build a brand new machine, so instead I'm going to use all the leftover and scrap parts from HardWired and HardWired Evolution (which I just call I because it's easier).

I'm thinking of using drill motors for drive, since that's really all I've got bar these http://www.technobotsonline.com/model-motor-size-c.html which aren't really powerful enough even for antweights I don't think. Aside from that, I'm probably going to be using 3mm aluminium for a chassis, and some other armour on top of that if it doesn't end up being too heavy... Will probably get to work on this tomorrow, so I'll post some pictures up then.

Edit: Oh, and another thing I forgot to mention, I am looking around to see if I've got any lighter drive solutions since I'm debating going for a full-bodied spinner. We got some new pans and related cooking items in, and so the old ones are being recycled.

Drill drives with wheels come in at about 400g each, they will probably be too heavy.

Well, I'd have thought that but Gonzales pulled it off quite nicely, I'm sure I won't be able to make anything quite as well designed as that with my current tools, but I can probably make something usable out of it. Will almost definitely have to get good at driving it though, since I don't own a gyro and therefore can't use one in this build...

Even so, 800g isn't too bad, if I can keep everything else low weight - there'll not be too much in there.

I used just the motors in Gonzales, no drill gearboxes. The motor pinion drives directly to the drill gearbox' ring gear which is inside the wheel: https://scontent-b-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/...40162718_o.jpg
https://scontent-a-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/...86162640_o.jpg
https://scontent-a-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/...58373736_o.jpg

To do this and have any major weight left over for a viable spinning weapon would be pretty close to impossible. 550 motors (drill motors) are wildly overpowered for beetles, 2 will send a feather to 12mph no problem, let alone a beetle. Gonzales is practically uncontrollable, with a top speed of 30mph!

A nice, decently powerful size motor and gearbox combo for relatively little is this kind: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-x-12V-DC...item4d02562621 (they're the standard and are nice, I have 4)

Ahh, doesn't look too bad a system, aside from the speed of them... Is that on 3S? That was the kind of system I was planning to use, albeit with a slightly different (larger) pinion, though if it's 30mph without, I think I'd be better off leaving it as is! Would very much like the idea of 4WD but I think that's just that little bit too optimistic in a design like this...

I'm planning to get a set of those other motors too in the future, but I quite like the idea of making a scrap-bot to just take to events and drive without having to worry about too much, especially if (when) it gets ripped to shreds because it's made out of balsa wood and bits of dishwasher. Definitely got a 'serious' beetle on the drawing board, which I'm thinking is going to be a crusher. How I'll do that, I have no idea, but it's still in pre-design!

It's on 3s, yeah. I wouldn't recommend a larger pinion or larger wheels, as it is the motors get very very hot. Also, Gonzales runs a Scorpion XL which has excellent control, magnets, and I have a gyro, which helps with containing the speed tremendously. Without these it is damn near impossible to control.

I don't want to put you off experimentation but, as a beetleweight drive system, this is fun, though incredibly impractical for anything other than a rambot. I made it because I felt a bit of "challenge accepted" after Shane said there is an active weapon rule for Bigconkers events, unless the pushbot in question is nuts. :P

Also, making the wheels and getting the motor pinion to align correctly with them was pretty difficult. I made a write up of making the wheels here to give you an idea of what went into those alone: http://www.teamexpat.co.uk/?p=112

By no means saying that is the only or simplest way, but without a lathe it's along the lines of what's involved.

Hmm, I may attempt to gear it down somehow then without using too much weight up, or failing that I'll have a look round to try and find some other motors that'd be more suitable around the house... I've got some, but they've got plastic gears so they might not be ideal!

Does look pretty complicated, but I guess that's where the challenge is! Got plenty of spare material, so it's not too big a deal if I mess it up a bit the first few attempts...

I just re-read my earlier post and it sounds really negative. I didn't mean it too sorry.

I just meant you should look at 25mm dia gearmotors at around 30:1 or 50:1 depending on what you need.

You can get a pair of these on ebay for a tenner, or if I haven't used mine in the next month or so you are welcome to them for free, I can't see me building a beetle as I can't get to the events down south.

Don't worry, I didn't read it in that way!
Yeah, it's still something I'm looking into, want to make a proper competitive beetle eventually, perhaps two - one's just going to be a mini HardWired II as a practice build and then I'll do something completely new, like that crusher if I can get enough crush out of something and a solid enough chassis. Not going to be a huge budget though, if I can help it! Having a crusher of enough size to weight ratio to be usable, however, is a different matter... Would love to use hydraulics, but that's right up there in terms of realism with having it powered by small nuclear reactors.

Thanks too! I'd be more than happy to swap you some parts of equivalent value if you do want rid at all - got to be fair and all :)

Yeah budget is what it's about in terms of raw materials. You're never gonna build a Titanium framed, Banebot's 775 driven hydraulic crusher without a grand or so to put behind it. If you're budget is only small like mine it's either build something drill powered or get creative lol.

Definitely not! I have got a cheap solution planned, the motor/gearbox I'd use has a 463kg/cm max efficiency torque at 12v, and I'd then have that going to a 4:1 bevel gear setup, or it'd be geared up to some threaded rod and would become a sort of micro linear actuator. Apparently the whole system could be run at 24v which would provide a slightly worrying amount of torque, whether that would translate well to this application I don't know, nor if I'd be able to house it successfully, but I rather hope I could!

Decided to revive this project a little whilst I build up the funding for HardWired II's upgrades.

After much consideration I'm going to use the old material from HardWired II's base and lid to make a new machine, a mini version of HWII. It's not original in the slightest, but I quite like the idea of having a tiny version of my existing robot, or should I say tinier version of my existing robot...

Whilst not 'completely' recycled, I'll probably end up buying a set of those 1000RPM ebay motors, or perhaps some faster ones for small wheels like I'll have. I'll play about with materials to make a grippy but durable set of wheels, if I can.

Photos as it happens! Going to get started on it soonish, hopefully!

I like those wheels with the gear rings in.

Gonzales' wheels were pretty cool, and it's great as a single-stage and saving a bit of space too. It actually has given me a (ludicrously stupid) idea, but that'll probably need a little bit of work.
I think Skyfall had wheels as well with ring gears inside them, it's a neat idea, but seems a little more complex, getting it to work...

I think a beetleweight version of HW with Gonzales type drive would be awesome, i wonder if you can get 1mm hardox just to complete the look, that would be cool. Skyfall i believe did have ring gears in the wheels but it was basically an entire gearbox inside the wheel giving a (i think) 7:1 reduction, great for space but according to Mario VERY heavy.

I'm sure hardox is outlawed in beetles, correct me if I'm wrong. It may just be ruling out armour-bots though.

I'm trying to build something that's very small and very fast, just like the featherweight one is but that might prove difficult given the size of motors in these things anyway!

I do think they banned Hardox as armour in beetles too... doesn't say anything about 5mm stainless though!

I'm not sure if you'd get away with 5mm stainless i'm sorry to say, the piece i had at the champs was 2.5mm A4 size and that weighs over half a kilo. I think even 2 - 2.5mm would be plenty to keep the spinners out.

ive gone for a bolted together chassis of 3mm grade 6 aluminium so far its met no working spinners but has fallen down the stairs a couple of times with no damage lol

Skyfall had S900s in a 7:1 gearbox with a ring gear inside a 120mm wheel, really compact but about 1.8kg each.

Got all the stuff together ready for this, though it's no longer a 'completely recycled' beetleweight - bought a pair of drives from Sam which are absolutely huge however they're surprisingly torquey from the tests I've run, so I'm building them into a machine with a large scoop at the front, and I've got a small stainless steel vertical bar (cut from HardWired's lid) driven by an old drill motor, relatively heavy but the bar's only light so it should even out. Other than that, I have no idea what I'm going to use to build it - just going to get started on it tomorrow and see where the build takes it!

Quite possibly one of the worst ideas you could have, but it'll be fun. Not meant to be the most serious of beetles, that one's coming up shortly - horizontal Last Rites-ey spinner type thing!

Those drives are a little on the large side but i guarantee you won't be out pushed. I like your " i'm going to start building and see what happens" approach to building.

Hopefully not! Just got to get the right wheel size and I'm good to go. Yeah, I quite like that, I've done it before with designing stuff, just see where it goes and work round it really, should be a laugh to see what it ends up like!

This isn't my 'serious' beetle, so it's more than likely it'll just be something to drive about and not be that competitive, but I'm going to make it look cool if I can!

So, slight update on Abandon, my serious beetle - plan is at present to run a 180mm diameter bar, about 400g at 6000 rpm using an old motor from Harry's Eggbeater. 6-10mm aluminium chassis perhaps, depending what weight allows, just need something to keep it together. Should be a scary machine, when it's built but unfortunately won't make it to the AWS, nor will I... Turns out I have completely run out of funds and can't actually afford to get there, not would I be able to get there with an actual machine which wouldn't be the best of ideas. Eta for this one is now at the end of the year, unless I get a job or something, which is looking pretty unlikely so far... Still needs motors, ESC, material for the chassis and for me to actually buy the Bar, motor and ESC.

On a side note, the scrap robot is looking pretty decent, won't be finished for a while yet still (needs ESCs) but it's a lot closer to completion than Abandon. Still needs a pair of wheels on it, but it's just a generic pusher at the minute, will get some kind of weaponry eventually but should drive relatively well... Will get some photos of that when I've done a bit more later!

That's a shame about Abandon i was looking forward to seeing it at AWS after you telling me about it, having said that i'm sure there will be another chance to wheel the beetles out at some point before the end of the year.

It is a shame, but hopefully there'll be something else somewhere! Besides, gives me plenty of time to refine it, I'm not sure what sort of design I'm going with yet, it's stuck at the 'last rites Beetle' stage, but I'm not sure whether that's a good idea given the speed, size and weight of the bar. To make it stable, it'll have to be bigger than HardWired 2 was hahaha

Aha who needs stable when you have UNLIMITED POWAHHHH!, seriously though just try and make the wheel base as wide as possible and you should be fine, besides i thought the whole point of a stupidly overpowered beetle is that it throws itself around in as uncontrolled manner as possible?.