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Thread: Wooden Robots a No No ? -No!

  1. #1
    I have just seen the 3rd episode of Robot Wars series 8 and overdoser is revealed as a
    wooden robot-mdf if you please and was apparently built in a week.

    If you cant weld or are on a budget its got to be an option, my second robot Death Warmed Up
    was 50% wood 50% fibreglass on the bodywork, of course spinners were rare in those days.

    I think overdoser's mistake was to use mdf just screwed together-not the most durable solution.
    If I were given the spec to build one out of wood to take on spinners and full pressure flippers
    heres my solution and shopping list.
    High quality 16mm plywood
    8mm steel angled brackets
    6mm polycarbonate off cuts
    30mm long bolts
    set of hardwood chair legs
    Method-Any shaped robot is ok but a box shaped robot is the most vunerable-too much
    surface area, so angled round or wedge shape is better.
    So the steel brackets are bolted wherever theres a join in the wood and the chair legs
    are placed internally,cover the whole robot in polycarbonate off cuts or other durable
    material ie late steel and bolt it through the plywood.
    If you are using hardox, titanium or carbon fibre-better stick with that

  2. #2
    They actually had the right idea in one respect with the MDF. As Jonathan mentioned, they chose it for its flame resistant properties; it is hard to set on fire, just tends to smoulder and blacken.

    But yeah the attachment method didn't seem the strongest; that's the same with anything though. Having 20mm Hardox armour is great but if it's only held on by two M4 bolts, then it ain't much use
    Though considering it was their first robot and built in five days, they had a hell of a go. Really nice to see a low-budget machine; hopefully they have the bug now and we see them again, and hopefully they've inspired other have-a-go builders working from sheds who don't have access or tools to work with the fancier materials.

  3. #3
    With the right means of connecting the sheets, high end plywood is a viable option in my thinking.

    In that respect I follow a few Youtubers into woodworking. Matthias for one.

    After all, wood is mother natures own carbon fiber.

    Combine the wood idea with the principles of spaced armor and we could be surprised what it can endure.

    But I'm set for metalworking ,and can weld about any weldable material, so no wooden machine from me.

  4. #4
    St_Brewer
    Guest
    I actually remember in previous series of robot wars there was an international team that went against hypnodisc and it was made from wood. I remember that hypnodisc went in strong but a splinter ended up in the bearing and fried the motor. So I guess in that situation it worked well.

    Wood is cheap and easy to work with, lending the same properties of carbon fibre but just sitting heavier on the ground (think about how boats are built).

    I also imagine that using a composite set up with an MDF outer skin and some sort of cork inner layer and you would have reasonable force absorption from flippers and hammers at the lightweights however this would be almost nullified at the heavy weight when forces are amplified.

    These are just my ramblings anyway.

  5. #5

  6. #6
    I'm in agreement, if designed properly a wooden robot is entirely viable.

    Marine ply would be my choice due to the laminations, probably 3/4in or 1in thick. Given the same is now used to build houses by Wiki House I'm certain it could work. And as everyone points out, fairly cheap to replace and easy to work with!

  7. #7

  8. #8
    You know Al Kindle's original Blacksmith was a wooden axebot. Granted it competed in the 30 pound sportsman class so there were no spinners but it held up pretty well.


  9. #9
    St_Brewer
    Guest
    I think the use of marine grade is neither here nor there in this application. All plywood is laminated but marine ply has special adhesives to allow it to survive in water. This may make it stronger but the key is the laminations. I do agree with everyone that its how these structures are put together that matters.

  10. #10

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