Wooden Robot Class

[PJ-27]

The USA has a 'Sportsman' class (I think that's what it's called) where it has limitations on certains specs (RPMs, brushless tech, materials) so maybe that would be worth looking into.

For the record BitzaWood is all MDF, the only metal is the blades, the shaft on which they spin, the weapon motor mounting plate and a piece under the Li-Po. Even the spacer on the weapon pulley is wood!
It's constructed with wood screws and now that I think about it the front panel is some sort of veneer (hhhhmmm) not MDF.
No brushless tech, and all off the shelf parts (mostly eBay!)

[Hoppy]

typhoon_ driver wrote - In that case I will just go and make a wooden box for 540. It has no substructure and everything is bolted to a 5mm ti plate.

Sounds good and may allow other builders to use an existing base-plate as a start for a wooden bot.

Hoppy

[ewan]

See what you mean Gary, I had been doing a few sums in my head about drill gearbox masses etc which led me to the 30%, exclude mechanical parts and just do a frame percentage then 10% might cut it.
Perhaps drive limited to 36mm can motors (up to speed 600)? Just thinking of how to disallow 540 now to be honest =p

[typhoon_driver]

Ewan that is my point exactly. I don't want to enter 540 with a wooden cover but with the rule set recently proposed I could and it would be the same as any other robot fight then but I would have a huge advantage over say bitzawood.

This is why I keep saying, keep it simple, with only wood. I like bitza wood and i think that it sums up what the class should be about.

[Hoppy]

I think all wooden is out in front, so how do we move forward?

Hoppy

[Ellis]

Personally don't see any issue at all with all wood. Johnny 2x4 and Block of Wood have both taken hits from the meanest spinners in the game without much hassle for rebuilding. A decent plywood baseplate won't have the flexibility of an HDPE equivalent but it'll be plenty strong enough. I used a piece of 1cm thick cheap ply for mounting a 33cc engine once, and it took it without a problem (until the project was stolen at least).

There is no structural loss to keeping the whole machine wooden. I don't see the point in allowing other materials when the result would be a featherweight with wooden sides. Why would anyone bother? In reality, how much harder is it to cut 10mm HDPE over 40mm thick wood of any sort? I'd say if anything it might be easier.

As far as I am concerned, this is a wooden robot class, and it should be all wood. Plus, people are thinking of ease of repair, how much REAL damage is a wooden box knocking into another wooden box going to do?

[PJ-27]

I believe there is an argument for metal chassis and bolt on wood to fulfill the 'Easy re-build' requirement.
But to be honest it shouldn't be a massive issue, plus I think wood can fail to a massive degree and still maintain some shape and use, which just looks awesome!

I believe the possibility of having a metal box in the heart of the robot to house expensive things is a possibilty, but no more metal beyond this.
To be honest you can make the walls of your bot so thick with wood (due to ti being so light) that I wouldn't worry.

BitzaWood is all wood and the electronics are well out of harms way. Currently weighs 8.6kgs, so my plan is to take the current all wood bot as my 'chassis' and then have bolt on ablative wooden armour, that I can easily be replaced after each round.

No metal, fulfills the easy re-build option, and everything's safe.

[razerdave]

No metal beyond the electronics box with the exception of the weapon and screws (hot glued robots, that would be a laugh )

[Ellis]

No metal beyond the electronics box with the exception of the weapon and screws (hot glued robots, that would be a laugh )

Hot glue allowed Tormenta to do 5 battles after its meeting with NST! Brilliant stuff, haha.

[Eventorizon]

To be honest you can make the walls of your bot so thick with wood (due to it being so light) that I wouldn't worry.

I know I have said it before but 36mm of MDF on 3 sides of our wooden machine and an 18mm MDF base. It will take a long time to cut through that since we are not going to be getting a constant cutting action. If people do get through then you have the Robochallenge wheels, much tougher! I agree with no brushless tech.

If we go for no metal at all besides a protective electronics box then me and Bitzawood would be out cos we are both using screw-in threaded inserts. they don't add any strength to the wood so they should be allowed IMO.

Bolts, Nuts, Screws, Inserts should all be fine. And rather than using say angle Ali to bolt to just bolt into a square piece of wood. That will re-enforce your corners nicely!