259-B a beetleweight

I've decided to start a beetleweight, nothing too clever to begin with, just a 4WD based off the Trilobyte design format. I began with the dimensions and then swapped them around a little bit to suit metric dimensions to make iti build out a little easier. I've got a 3D mockup built at the moment. I'm using chinese 1000rpm 25D gearmotors, botbitz ESC when they arrive and fingertech hubs and foam wheels. I've used the mockup to size the bolts and components and currently making up a stack of bolt strips in ally.Attachment 8473

Funny that, I just started a beetleweight version of 101!

Welcome back Mike!
You two could possibly battle it out at the next RoboNerd, gutted I missed the last one

It might even be ready by then! The botbitz ESC got to the UK really quick, but then customs sat on them for about 10 days and RM decided to faux deliver them. Should have my hands on them by friday for some driving practice. I like my old style twin stick driving rather than the mixing in the TX on one stick, but the mixer I used are still around £30 , so going to try an arduino so at least I can test out a MEMS gyro option. Chassis all done now and a Graphene 3s @ 500maH to see how it fares.

Nearly finished, drives around nice, went for the single stick mixing method in the end. Working out an efficient way to fit the 01 steel dozer blade, then will get it hardened. Although weight is getting close to the max so might have to use a Ti blade instead. Also got to fit a safety light, using one of these matek's and a fuse. I guess a mini blade fues will suffice but space is tight so also need to work out a holder for it, or do people just solder them in? I'm going to reprint the electronics/battery/esc tray as well as its got motor overhang supports built in and I forgot to add the heatshrink onto the motors. As there is no spinner on this one, i might have to rename it to DOOF.
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I guess a mini blade fues will suffice but space is tight so also need to work out a holder for it, or do people just solder them in?

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To save weight in my Beetleweight, I soldered a fuse into the wiring and insulated the ends.

Nice and clean look, especially the wiring looks good.
What are the dimensions of your robot.

thanks. wiring isnt finalised yet until i get the motors heat shrunk and fitted with some flexi supports to support the ends. The printed electronic tray has guides built in for the routing of the wiring. It's around 8" square and about 2" tall, the dozer blade is hopefully 10" wide, but might have to trim it down to reduce weight. I've bought one of those little mini belt sanders as well and going to try that to round off the side plates so that the back wheels can always touch the ground.

Looks really good currently building something similar myself :) hopefully see it at an event.

Oooof, just did a full weigh in minus the heat shrink that has to go on the motors and a couple of cable ties, and tis 1g spare. Fortunately I've got a lighter electronic tray to go in, and some trimming of the side panels at the rear. Failing that i'll have to shave 15mm off each side of the dozer blade prior to heat treating it. Only got Mapp gas , so going to have to make a little mini forge to heat/quench and then temper it in the oven.
For now though I'm just going to drive it around boffing things. :)
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Is the frame made up from POM?

It's 8mm HPDE at the moment at least, trying to keep as thick as poss. Its aluminium top and bottom.

remade the electronics tray with a fuse and a few grams lighter and the battery in a flexible holder that should keep it in place. Fitting flexi blocks on top and bottom of motors as well to keep them in place.
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That is a very satisfying internal layout! Great work.

Finally finished (apart from the heat treating the tool steel) and its ready to run :)
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Very neat looking, rather liking the carry case with it. :D When might we see it run?

Hoping to be getting to Robonerd for starters , but got some brushless on order for MK2

Such a nice build hope to see it at an event some day.

experimenting now with making some wheels. So far I've got some hubs and fashioned a mould and using black rubber shore 60 as tyre. Not too bad, but want to work more on the hub. Its ABS at present, then will be looking at some featherweight versions.Attachment 9137

Time for a rebuild ! Lost the brushless somewhere along the way, so going to try the owobotics ones this time. 6mm shafts on those, so all new wheels needed again I guess. Any off the shelf hubs and wheels that work?

You can easly use softer rubber, like shore 40A.