A headfirst dive into Beetleweights.

So... after a long... overdue conversation with myself, I decided to just put Ratatoskr on the backburner for now... but now I've got new ideas, and I reckon it's probably best if I start even smaller... and look around for a beetleweight kitbot. Just to get started off.

I've been having a look around, and at the moment, the two that've caught my eye are the Fingertech Viper kit, which is mainly used for antweights but could be upgraded to beetleweights... or so I've heard, or the D2 kit.

If anyone's got any other suggestions for kits, then I'll happily have a look into them.

So, after a bit of rummaging around on the web, I've finally settled upon the SSP kit from Just 'Cuz Robotics, which, after much deliberation, I decided to get the wedge attachment to go with it, so I could potentially go against horizontal spinners as well. I will update, maybe with some pictures, once I get the robot itself.

So, the kit is here. Which is good. Though now I need to source some xt30u's, some thinner wires, and some heatshrink, which I'll head to Rotherham for... for the first time in 20 years. Should be interesting to say the least.

I'll also have to figure out how to swap the contact switch that the JustCuz MOBO 2.2 has on it, which is all already soldered up so I didn't have to go through screwing up and wrecking a good piece of kit (thank goodness Seth put that option on there), and swap it over to a Link... though I'd probably ask someone at a beetleweight event to help me out with that, if possible.

Indeed it is possible to ask for help at an event. Just ask ;)

Noting you are in Sheffield, the nearest event is SCeetles and then Scouse Showdown in Liverpool (I judge at that event) both of which have events on reasonable soon but they are close (and Scouse shows as having closed signups) - am I right in thinking you've never attended a event as a roboteer before?

Haha, yeah, you would be correct in that assumption, and although I've been to shows before to watch carnage ensue (John Findlay's shows to be precise), this would be the first every time I would've competed full stop.

Having said this, I'm having trouble with mixing/the Budget ESC that Seth shipped with it. It's a lovely bit of kit, but I do have to ask... would it be feasible for me to swap around the channels? As at the moment, left is forward, forward is right, etc etc.

Swapping the RC plugs at the receiver should solve that

I figured as much. I'll give it a whirl once tomorrow rolls on.

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Noting you are in Sheffield, the nearest event is SCeetles and then Scouse Showdown in Liverpool

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I'm offended, Lucy! Forgetting about us up in York ;)

We host both Beetleweight and Featherweight events up at Robodojo on alternating months, 20 mins-ish drive outside of York station. We're a club rather than a dedicated event, so our events are chilled out and beginner friendly. You'd get chance to discuss, get help from and generally learn from our other members as well as practice.

Regardless, whichever event you go to, everyone is willing to help! :)

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I'm offended, Lucy! Forgetting about us up in York ;)

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Gasp! My apologies! :O Dojo has a good vibe going, it is worth going to if you can make it (I usually can't for one reason or another :( )

> We're a club rather than a dedicated event, so our events are chilled out and beginner friendly.

Similar sort of thing with BotFest, though we don't run BW events ourselves given the swathe of BW events around the UK. We are a event rather than a club so we run once or twice a year with a laid back vibe. Speaking of... I had better announce BotFest 6 and 7!

So, I managed to get the radio signal stuff sorted, do a little test drive around the kitchen floor (with some kitchen roll taped around the forks and lifter so that it didn't scratch the ever-loving hell out of the floor itself, and lifted/flipped over something relative to it's own weight, which is a good thing. There's a couple of gremlins in there in terms of acceleration starting one motor off first before the other but I can overcome that with a little bit of driving practice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUG3bJn-s8E

Just needs a lick of paint now.

And I've entered into SCeetles... let's hope that my nerves by then'd calm down lol.

So... after about a week of crashing from adrenaline (curse you autism and chronic pain and fatigue syndrome...), I went and made this...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj_dA6s9R1k

I forgot this thing existed, I do apologise.

So, since SCeetles 3 (which I doubt will ever be posted), I've been plotting and planning something new: a shell spinner. In particular, a shuffling, friction drive shell spinner.

So far, I've gotten to this point: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wuma0Pl4XZE

At the moment of recording, I've managed to get some more hardware for actually moving the shell itself;

2x15 Budget ESC
BBB Beetle Dual Brushed ESC (As a backup)
Dartbox Dragon Brushed Geared Motor x2 (plus 2 for backup)
Pariah 70A Brushless ESC (With a backup)
JCR-4975 1000kV Brushless Motor (plus 1 for backup)

And a general idea of how I wish to mount this to the main chassis too:
https://forum.bristolbotbuilders.com...c5adfbcc58.png
But as of right now... I have 3 questions in mind...
1) I want to move up to 4s, but I don't know how big of a battery I should go for, considering that it needs to run for 2 minutes without blowing up the ESCs or for the motors not moving at all... What batteries should I go for, and from where?
2) What connectors should I go for for the brushless motors? Should I go for bullet connectors or are there more reliable connectors that don't disconnect after a big hit?
3) If I go for a 10mm hardened steel tube for the shaft (so I put a switch up there so that it complies to rules and the like), where would I go for them, and in that same vein, where would I go for shaft collars and bearings too, and from where?

Any and all help would be highly appreciated.