Help required please

**motty** · 28th February 2007, 15:55

I am looking to build my first robot and have been offered a mobility scooter(4mph)for Â£50. Is this going to be worth having as it is very slow or could I change the motors and use what would be a Â£50 controller. If I could change the motors what would be the max that the controller could handle?

**killercarrot** · 28th February 2007, 16:05

the scooter will probably only have one motor, and traditionally youd need 2, one for each driven wheel.
your best bet is to get aliong to a live event, and look at what people have actually done.. then go home and buy a couple of drill motors and knock up a featherweight weekend special, so you get some hands on building experience without breaking you back or wallet...
once you know the principles.. the quickest route in these days seems to be to buy one of the hundreds of old robots littering the countryside.

**craig_anto** · 28th February 2007, 16:15

theres a few cheap bosches for sale on ebay link is in the for sale bit, there gonna be better than the mobility scooter

**ady** · 28th February 2007, 16:17

you can buy a ready built heavyweight pretty cheap nowadays, for me personally i found it better to buy something built and learn from their. you can always adapt it or use the parts.

**motty** · 28th February 2007, 16:47

Where would be the best place to buy an old heavyweight from? You can tell I really am new to all of this.

**typhoon_driver** · 28th February 2007, 17:09

advertise that you are after one in the wanted section. If anyone has anything that they are looking to shift then they will get in contact with you.

I would advise that you start with a featherweight thought. A heavyweight weighs in at 100kg, and usually is around the 1m by 1m ish size range (no comments about how small tanto is Craig!

) Get yourself along to a live event and take a look at the robots that are currently on the live event circuit. Believe me you will learn a heck of a lot.

**blazerbotics** · 28th February 2007, 18:12

Where abouts you from Tim? I would look into feathers first.

**swanaldo** · 28th February 2007, 18:22

live event is the answer. come along, introduce yourself to a roboteer and explain you want to build. i am sure who ever you ask they will more than oblige to give you plenty of advice and mabee a little tour of the pits so you can see whats involved.