Amsterdam

Any middleweights up for it?

Provisionally, were game. Mario will be pleased as I still owe him money.

Probably, we will use the latest version of Broadsword as time is an issue (as always).

I have already registered. I hope all middleweight owners are reading the postings about Amsterdam and making plans to be there. Three days, a total of 8 sessions, July 22 to 24th. Ten spaces for middleweights (48 for heavies, 20 for feathers) - lets not let any of them go to waste.

Youd better take a bin bag for the Sandwich, then. Were going.

Were planning on going over, hopefully ill be able to take blazer as were only taking one heavy over so i can borrow some stuff out of the others!

You can probably share a roll of black bin bags with John, then.

nah, dont need them, Blazer might be full pressure for then.

Blazer, Broadsword, Steel Sandwich. Any others?

I have a question for any roboteers going to amsterdam.

would you consider taking 2 heavyweights with you (assuming you have a van or something similar) for a small fee? this would be to help your travel costs, but also to make it easier for me and another team to travel over seperatly.

If anyone is willing/able to ship over 2 big robots, please e-mail me and we can discuss costs etc.

Thanks
JB

Just the three of us for the Middleweights? Anyone else?

Broadsword III needs lengthening to hold the Robots R Us speedos (Mario can look smug at this point and tell me that he told me so last year) so I am thinking about replacing the ply base with some 1/4 steel checkerplate that I found in the street. Broadsword III weighs in at 40 kg but I estimate that that much steel weighs in at around 10 kg. If I have to cut out panels and skin with ali checkerplate then so be it. The benefits of a very sturdy mount for the motors and sword plus protection against whatever the Sandwich attacks with from underneath makes it a good option.

hmm where have i heard that before! thats exactly why we sold the Robots R Us as we realised we couldnt fit them in the new Merlin, so had get a bloody Vantec. Might build a new Blazer for then (got a nice 63mm bore FP ram that will fit nicely with some buffer tanks). It all depends what we have in terms of transport, as we only need the car to carry 1 heavy and 2 feathers, if we start bringing more it means taking the trailer (extra cost on ferry and will slow us down).

Julian, you got any upto date pics of Broadsword?

A picture of bits? III has only run motors as a testbed (whilst blowing up a board). The rebuild will be IV even though the differences are slight. The main thing is that the last of the wood will go.

If they ever make 36v Victors then that would be the biz!

http://www.robotcombat.com/marketplace_ifi_esc.htmlhttp://www.robotcombat.com/marketplace_ifi_esc.html

Look about half way down at the Victor-HV 36V Speed Controller

Thats impressive. The 48v version actually does handle 48v (ie 4 gel batteries). £215 for the pair is a pretty impressive price.

There are still only 3 middleweigths entered. Where are the others?

Typhoon and the small 259 are retired. So is Phoenix (formerly Malc), I suspect.

The problem is that Typhoon and 259 have killed most of the others already.

You have Alan who is new to middles, and myself and John who are quite mad.

A three way middleweight tussle will be interesting. Power (Broadsword) vs Armour (Steel Sandwich) vs Weapon (Blazer). The main characteristic of each is what you would normally expect in a heavyweight.

I got a web site up at long last.

http://www.richardsuk.f9.co.ukwww.richardsuk.f9.co.uk

Rather simple but it does the job.

Alan and John, how are things progressing? Are we all set for the middleweight battle? Ive been making slow but steady progress. I will put a new picture to go up on the site in the next day or so as the top is now finished.

still depends on whats happening with travel for me. as if we only take Merlin and the feathers we can just bring the car, and we dont want to take the trailer that far, especially as it would be nearly empty. If i can sort out getting it there, i will bring Blazer (in some form or another). If i can get the travel sorted in advance then hopefully will get a new one built as theres drive problems with the other (keeps snapping keys and one of the foam in the tyre has collapsed, but i do have a spare pair of bosch 750s lying around, hmmm....starts to wonder :) ).

new site - http://www.blazerbotics.co.ukwww.blazerbotics.co.uk

Bosch 750s? You must be pretty tight on weight as it is. I still rate my CIMs at 36v as the big boys. The trouble at 50 kg is getting grip on the floor. Johns Steel Sandwich has tiny little motors but it never seems to be a problem. Whats this arena made of, plywood or MDF? Im going for spikes but I dont know about how well they would grip on MDF.

Cant anyone give Blazer a lift for you? Its not that big.

Whats John up to? It will be his usual top up the batteries and go. Theres a lot to be said for a robust machine.

If its MDF Id forget spikes unless you want to simulate an ice ring. We couldnt get them to sink into MDF on a heavy so with half the weight it will be very difficult.

Thats what I thought. Tests on ply looked very good. I remember how the floor used to be at Nottingham for the middleweights after everyone else had used the arena. Rubber, oil, washing up liquid, grease and God knows what spread everywhere.

Im pretty sure it will be MDF, but best to ask john. weight in Blazer actually isnt much of a problem, at RAF Cosford last year it weighed 40kg. It only had it display armour on but the thicker stuff doesnt weigh much more. Blazers drive weighs about 11kg, i could make a Bosch drive for 15kg. Thinking about making the new Blazer as small as possible (probably would mean no weapon) just so we can have a fight.

Two CIMs plus gearboxes are about 15 kg as well. I wish that I had spent the extra money and got the narrower track gearboxes. Then if I ever do a heavy, I could have internal wheels.

I have also put feelers out for sponsorship. I could do with some extra money so I dont have to sell one of the children.

You seem as bad as me for leaving building to the last minute. For me I am well ahead of my usual. Theres also a new build piccie up on the web site.

Wheres John?

IT LIVES!

Driven about the cul de sac under power and control. There are no rear skids or castors and no sword blade at the front so there was plenty of porpoising under power.

I had my doubts about the wheels as they are a little wobbly under power on the bench but they seem fine to drive on tarmac. The wheel nuts work loose so I will have to double them up.

There seems to be a control problem under hard acceleration which may mean that the Robots R Us controllers need balancing.

The previous Broadswords used to trundle around but with 36v this is a very different beast. Keeping direction is a problem which may require a gyro.

http://www.richardsuk.f9.co.ukwww.richardsuk.f9.co.uk

looking like im not going to be able to bring blazer over, not got enough time to do it (what a stupid time to get a job!). Merlin needs a run over and make the new armour add-ons, new Alpha needs to be done as its all falling apart (even bits have fell off the Vantec!). so dont think i will have time to get the current blazer running.

sounds like you need a gyro julian, paul sells some cheap ones (about £30) but make sure you put a remote bypass switch on it, as it will go crazy if flipped. weve had one for a couple of years that we got for merlin but never fitted it (ran it in Alpha for UKRG), might try it in Merlin for the RIAT event.

http://www.blazerbotics.co.ukwww.blazerbotics.co.uk

Actually a bit of tinkering has sorted it all out. As IV is part of a long line of evolution, its no surprise that it should be actually quite a stable platform.

If you are not going (with Blazer), then where is John? Am I going to turn up without an opponent?

I took Broadsword for two demonstrations today for the local Brownies and Cub Scouts, further reinforcing my local reputation as the North Herts Davros.

Without sword blade, a castor was put at the front matching the one at the back. It was a good test on a wooden floor with rubber tyres. There was a certain amount of wheelspin as you would expect on a very smooth and slightly dusty floor but nothing to worry about. Its quick, really quick!

http://www.richardsuk.f9.co.ukwww.richardsuk.f9.co.uk

Anyone up for middleweight battles in the UK? Ive asked about Wickstead Park.

Julian, i might be able to bring Blazer to Wickstead. Were there anyway with the heavys and feathers, so might be able to get it back together in some form or another, i need to sort something better out for the drive as its abit unreliable (keeps snapping keyways).

You have a bit of time to get it into good enough shape to avoid a kicking from antweights!

Middleweight battles arent the same without John and the Sandwich, though.

I need to get the new Alpha done and Knightmares drive sorted for Wicksteed, so ill see what time i have left.

I might be able to get a middle ready for Wicksteed, if theres going to be somebody to fight.

Bring it on!

Check this list, We have one entered, not finsihed yet but my brother is confident that it will be done on time.

Well need to get Steel Sandwich to enter, it wouldnt be the same without John.