Starter/Beginner Robot

Looking for some advise/direction at getting into the world of fighting robotics.

Since first seeing robot wars as a kid I have wanted to get in to it all myself and now finally have the ability/time to take something on. I have a fairly decent theoretical understanding of how it all works from school/university but as i'm sure you'll agree theory and in practise and 2 completely different things.

Was wondering if you knew of/had any robots out there for sale that I could have a practise with and eventually begin to enter into some competitions. Nothing too expensive as I don't want to ruin anything or throw money away needlessly if I make a mess of it, but something that preferably works that I would be able to experiment on.

That may sound a bit vague, but hopefully you know what i'm on about.

what weight class are you looking for?

No specific weight class really, just something to start off with and preferably not something too complicated for me, at the moment, to get my head round. Any suggestions would of course be welcome.

I have never been to any of the events before, only ever watched robot wars on the tv so heavy's are the only real battles ive ever seen and therefore originally inspired me. Camera-phone videos from youtube of other weight classes don't give quite the same effect as the full tv experience although I am very open to suggestion/persuasion.

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That's about the cheapest you will find a decent running featherweight for

I assumed that one had been sold? Also, having some sort of weaponry on the robot would be advantageous, just so I can see it working, as seeing it in practice I think would help me, although it is a definite option if it is still going.

a good place to start is antweights, my first antweight cost me about £40!

get yourself along to an event and see machines there. Stand beside the pit and ask questions. People may be busy if they have a battle coming up etc but if they are free anyone will be happy to show the full workings of their bot and explain all the different bits and pieces that go together to make one.

I can understand where you are coming from as I like to see things in person to work out how they work (that's why i hate uni as everything is paper based) but instead of just buying a machine get to an event. Chances are there will be one nearby.

Sounds like a good idea, Gary. Hopefully there are events in Glasgow at some point? Though I think I would like to have something to go home to after talking to guys at the shows and try it for myself. Otherwise I think I would go mad from wanting to giving it a go myself. Really, I'm definitely going to get into it, but just want to get a wee starter bot to begin with.

Jonny, Antweights are definitely an option, though I haven't seen much of them. For £40 you cant really lose a lot on it. How did you go about making one so cheap?

Possibly it would be easier to see how it everything works in a larger bot though? Was hoping there would be some retired bots out there I would be able to get hold of for not a massive amount of money. Do you reckon that would do or would it be out dated?

Thanks for the input guys, its much appreciated, as is your continued advice.

O jeez, you're up in Glasgow? Fantastic! Where abouts? You at university?

Sadly there aren't many events ever held up in Scotland due to the main roboteering community being down in England. It does usually mean a good few hundred miles to a comp and back (last one took me 1001 miles :) ) however if you are up this way then I can show you my own machines and speak through things in person.

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Originally Posted by typhoon_driver

(last one took me 1001 miles :) )

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Now i've got the proclaimers in my head. Thanks.

That would be awesome. Ideal really, as fun as a 1000 mile (or 500 then 500 more) trip sounds I could do without it at the moment if possible. I just graduated this year, you at the university yeah? Im out just past the west end in west dunbartonshire, though working away from home til monday evening.

Lol that one was a bit extreme but you'd be amazed at how quickly the miles go by. I'm at strathclyde uni in my final year. I live out in the east end, got a flat in dennistoun. My workshop is through in Edinburgh though. I'll be back through there in around 2 weeks time so I'll be able to bring back a featherweight. We can sort out a meeting up closer to the time if that's cool? Get a few beers in and get you building some bots :rofl:

Hey Tony,

Were you Glasgow Uni? Or Strathclyde/Caley? Studying what?
I just finished at Glasgow Uni in June (although not graduating till December) and I'm in Peru for five weeks at the moment but I'd also be happy to meet up and show you my machines (Gary now owns one of my old robots) at some point. Featherweights are the biggest size of machine I've got but Gary's got some bits of bigger machines that will give you an idea of things.

Anyway, nice to see some more local interest :)

Hello guys,

Gary, Jamie, Legends. Would be great to catch up with you all at some point. Sounds like it'd be an ideal way to get in to the sport.

Gary, sounds good to me mate. Send us a message closer to the time whenever suits you and that would be magic.

I was at UWS (formally Paisley) doing Music Tech, then moved of University of Toronto to finish my degree. I've had an interest for a long while, but I never saw much activity which has stopped me from going after anything really. Been watching these forums for a month or so now and didnt see anything so nearly gave up, but thought I may as well try a wee post or 2 to see what was happening. The post was actually partially encouraged by reading your post about Drumroll actually, originally hoping someone would have something similar. Though you guys help is better, yet originally unexpected lol.

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yet originally unexpected

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Well you just learned your first lesson in the spobby (sport/hobby), everyone is willing to help you out. You can head into the arena, trash each others machines and 5 minutes later be lending each other parts worth hundreds to get the machines back together for your next fights 8)

argh i wish i was still up north :angry: miss it so much...
good luck BTW, hope it all goes well for ya

Aye it seems people are pretty decent to each other considering the nature of the sport. Trash each other and then help each other fix themselves up again. Kind of got that impression from the TV too but not quite the same as being in there. I remember Bigger Brother getting trashed by Hypnodisc then Hypnodisc helping repair it afterwards. Strange, yet good, sort of activity.

hey if ur still interested in ants i can give you a parts list (me who found the parts and helped jonny)

Its looking like ants and feathers are the way i'm gonna go, as it seems to be most popular and affordable within the community. Maybe start with an ant, then meet up with the guys who were looking to give me a hand with it all and get into feathers.

So yeah, would be excellent if you could mate.

No bother. Let me know when you want to stop playing with toys and want to start playing with proper robots Ooooooooo!!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Lol nice, poor antweight guys haha. Just thought i'd build a wee ant before we got to the business of the real things whenever you're about. Don't want to look like a complete beginner :P .

ggggrr at least all our arenas can hold some propa nasty spinners :D

It does seem strange that only 2 events a year in feathers can hold spinners. But I dunno, maybe if Gary started building ants he could kick the shit out of those arenas too, that is what he's most famous for right? :p

It's purely because it isn't economical to have spinner safe arenas for most event organisers. A featherweight safe spinner arena requires 10mm thick polycarbonate walls. Not cheap stuff! Antweights are easier to contain purely due to the weights involved.

I've never really been interested in antweights but I can understand why there are a fair number of people that like to build them.

I never really fancied them either, seem very restricting and all together a bit too small. But thought it'd be a start anyway. But Harry went on to slagging feathers instead of the parts list. Antweighters pft.... lol

(this should be in the antweight part of this thing)

ants are to small for my liking (and too fiddily)
so I will stick to feathers!!!!!!!!

If there is 2 events for spinners why do they just use the same area?
Because I will cost less but u may need someone to store is or have a spare


Theo

I think its different companies who run the events so different arena.

Yer bit robo challenge runs all the featherweight event, well apart from the robot live heavys and feathers but robo challenge could keep 2 spinner areas can't they



Theo

Ahh right, didn't know that. Not sure then?

just to set the record straight

Roaming Robots and Robots Live run separate events but both cater for Heavy weight ans feathers but No spinners of either weight

Robochallenge run Feather events only and can run spinners in them

the reason for there being so few fw spinner events and arenas is cost. You need thicker poly carb which costs more and then costs more to transport takes long to put up as well.

hope this clears it up

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Originally Posted by psycho_fling

You need thicker poly carb which costs more and then costs more to transport takes long to put up as well.

hope this clears it up

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It won't cost lots of money because u allready have to areas but a bit to fix it
and to put up just get there earlier :D




Theo

I'm not expert on robotics, but I was a roadie for 3 years, and know how much something that looks fairly simple to put up can cost. The time of the amount of people you need for fairly simple setups is the expensive bit. Not just a case of getting there a bit earlier either really.

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Originally Posted by Thunder arrow

just get there earlier :D

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Eeeerm yeah!!! Just get there earlier, problem solved.................................(except for the additional cost to hire the hall, pay the staff etc etc.............................simples!! :rofl: )

ok an example for you using data from the plastic shop

5mm poly carb around = £160

same size as 5mm but now 9.5mm thick poly carb around = £360

so scale that up to an arena size and you have a massive price difference

so unless you want to foot the bill........?????

To get back to the main point, featherweights seem to be the way i'm gonna go. Ants seem to be a bit tame, looks like feathers are where you can really be creative and actually do something, that is, other than weigh your robot overtime you add a piece of wire to it.

Hope you all agree with this conclusion?

Some will and some won't. You have to decide what you want to build.

both weight classes have there pluses and minuses ,

I meant every time not overtime btw, spell checker keeps changing every-time to overtime if i put is as one word, strange. You're right mate, pretty sure its gonna be feathers now, looks more fun.

Gary, I just found you on Facebook through one of my mates profiles, small world lol.