Wooden Robot Class

**mattsdragons** · 13th July 2012, 14:53

If this class actually takes off, might it be an idea too construct an arena for it so they actually have a chance at fighting more than once a year?

**Ellis** · 13th July 2012, 14:55

And drill weapons will finally, after all these years, be effective!

**typhoon_driver** · 13th July 2012, 16:09

There would be little point in a wooden robot only arena as it would technically have to take the same abuse as a grade 2F arena

**Hoppy** · 13th July 2012, 17:02

Frequency of events is probably a big sticking point to people taking-up the hobby. I have been messing about for a few years building and altering a combat type robot just for the fun of building. Apart from going to a couple of arena events with my kids a few years ago, have never entered a bot. I'm tempted to have a go at building a wooden bot but a couple of events a year does not really warrant the effort, especially as I would ideally need to upgrade my old 40MHz kit and invest in some decent batteries!

Hoppy

**ewan** · 13th July 2012, 18:08

I wouldn't expect you'd need more than 5ish millimetres of polycarbonate to stop a <1kg saw blade, even going 4000rpm- the issue with the XFM & old feather arenas was usually about sealing all the cracks around the polycarbonate and having a net roof rather than sheet based roof, solve those issues and you don't really need a Class 2 arena. Of course limitations on the size and speed of the spinning mass would have to be defined but I don't expect that to be a problem in this class as high-KE based weapons are pretty much ruled out on a structural basis.

**mattsdragons** · 13th July 2012, 18:18

So there is potential for an arena in this class?

**ewan** · 13th July 2012, 18:29

Only if
a) someone has the money, time and space to make one
and b) an extra arena class were added to the FRA guidelines or the event was done on separate insurance to the FRA's

I think clearly a) is the bigger issue

**typhoon_driver** · 13th July 2012, 18:42

Gents, there is zero chance of another arena for this class. It WOULD have to be a grade 2F arena if spinning weapons are to be used. End of story

Spinning weaponry of any sort is not permitted in a Class 3 arena

A quote from the rules

**ewan** · 13th July 2012, 18:48

an extra arena class were added to the FRA guidelines or the event was done on separate insurance to the FRA's

Disagree completely Gary, the only reason Class 2 is so stringent at the moment is because it's a 'catch-all' class covering the biggest of feather spinners. Change the build rules, change the arena rules.