Hello all,

I'm Mike and I've been on the site for around 4 years, reading through threads from all the great and experienced bot builders who have shared their knowledge over the years about designing and building bots that just keep on ticking, and survive full on robot combat, taking huge punishment from the many destructive machines out there and somehow just keep on rolling! Amazing designs, no doubt.

Whatever I build doesn't need to be quite that durable, as I doubt I'll ever enter a proper competitive robot combat event, (but I certainly won't rule out the possibility entirely going forward). I have for years wanted to build a small Featherweight machine that would likely be capable of surviving even a minute or so with the toughest robots around though.

Anyway, I've had more spare time over the past few weeks, so I took advantage of it and pulled out the beginnings of the bot I'd started a few years ago, but had to constantly keep shelving as other things came in at much higher priority. It's turned out rough, ugly but (almost) fully functional, as in the design I'd planned at least!

It's basically a 4WD box with a front hinged wedge/lifter as an active weapon. And as this was always just a base to try to get everything working and looking as I imagined (as simple as possible) it's constructed out of Sainsburys chopping boards, readily available and well, just a test bed of a bot! Worked out OK'ish as I made a few....adjustments here and there (it shows) and didn't break the bank if I wasted a board or 2 along the way.

I'd bought a few of the original 12v Argos drills to hack, simple wooden base to start, a couple of Botzbitz 30amp ESC's (Thank you Ellis of ranglebox.com) and the chunky original batteries just to temporarily get it moving. A cheap Turnigy computerised TX and RX, and amazed how easy it all was to wire up (that was my main worry when I started). I also learned soldering thanks to choosing XT60 connectors, turned out OK after screwing up the first couple of connectors.

Progressed to the new but now discontinued? 12v Argos drills for motors and the far superior to original batteries still there to power it all. And I can't forget the very useful power lights. Custom drill mounts from RoboteerNat (Thank you Nat), secure 2 part drill motors! I used cheap (45amp) HobbyKing RC car ESC's to power 2 drills each side, and another for the drill powered weapon, not the best but hell, they are not under stress and I can't fault them thus far. The bot zips along at a fair old pace!

I'm sorry this has been a bit long winded, and thank you for taking the time to read! I'll attach pics, go easy! TEST BOT, just basics to make sure it all worked for me!

If there is anything I've missed or if one of you fine roboteers notice any mistakes and can get me on the right track about any obvious noob building mistakes, (You will notice quite a few)! including any other (rightful) criticisms, or even to bollock me for anything, please add. It's you guys with the experience and knowledge here, I'm just on the bottom rung of the robot building ladder and only now finding time to get some progress in on bot building I've been intending to do the last 4 years!

Thanks everyone!Drive and wiring 1-mod1.jpgPower light and temp fuse links-mod1.jpgside 1-mod1.jpgBasic weapon mechanism-mod1.jpgFront wedge-mod1.jpg