Beetle weights anyone?

Does anyone have any links to info on beetlewights?

Seems like a weight clasee that should be economical enough to build for?

I think that it would a good entry level class that might spur some interest in Florida.

It would be nice to see 30 or 40 robots at the Youth fair, etc.

Yawn...
fun to put together, easy to put together, inexpensive together
but boring to drive and watch...

not something florida will get interested in anytime soon.
atleast i doubt it.

Sean Rubin wrote:

Yawn...
fun to put together, easy to put together, inexpensive together
but boring to drive and watch...

not something florida will get interested in anytime soon.
atleast i doubt it.

A couple of wedges or rammers can be boring in any weight class.

Have you seen this? Beetle fun

The point is that you can try a radical design in this class and tweek it. If it works out, scale it up. If not, then scrap it with not too much $$$ loss.

Also, wouldn't it have been more fun to have 30 or more robots at a Florida event like youth fair?

jmo

btw: Is your bot ready for SF?

The small bots can be alot of fun, Alex has actually built some of the top antweights in the country (Mr. Bigglesworth).
They are very popular up here in the north east because there are several different competitions. The titanium knight team from bergen county actually has tons of small bots they compete in NERC with, thus getting into your point about scaleing.
Some of these little bots can really pack a punch but that doesnt not neccesarily mean the design would be very effective in a larger class. BCA mostly has undercutters and two wheel drive beaters but they have never really implemented them into larger bots. Most of the beaters implement the Knightrous design which has not worked nearly as well in the 15lb class as the 120, which they've even admitted to me about
I actually think both Knightrous have been retired now.

The northeast and west coast seem to have so many more combat robots.

The youth fair competition in Miami had a ton of vex bots, but only maybe 15 or so combat bots.

As I am sure you know, students starting out need to learn how to wrench, repair and maintain as well as design, build, etc, not to mention learn how to drive the bot smartly

Mistakes will be made, bots will be destroyed, holes will be stripped, batteries will be fried, etc.

Stuff just happens as it is a destructive sport.

If the anti is lowered somewhat, we could maybe generate more interest.

While I have no problem with vex or first, I believe that most of US prefer weapons of mass destruction.

The idea of scaling proven models, is a possible next step and it just adds another dimension to the process as a possible option.

We actually had 48 bots compete at our local competition!
What you said is exactly right.
BotsIQ attracts a different crowd as to FIRST, botball or VEX
They all have there own challenges and goals

Cody Harris wrote:

We actually had 48 bots compete at our local competition!
What you said is exactly right.
BotsIQ attracts a different crowd as to FIRST, botball or VEX
They all have there own challenges and goals

I used to be involved in destructive testing in several industries.

We used to blow everything up lol

It's amazing how much punishment some things can take.

I view robot comabt in a similar light. Designs and components cna really be put to the test.

Another point is how our society has evolved. So much violence on the tube and so many more young people needing to take out their frustrations on something.

In the combat arena, nobody gets hurt, but when the dust settles, many feel like they were in a fight.

but it's a fight where you were friends before, and are still friends afterwards. I have a ton of extra small components left over from the first version of the dethinator, and I really want to put my resourcefulness to the test and see if I can build a one or three pounder from all the parts... it just looks like so much fun because it's small and looks pretty simple.

However, after working on dethinator for several months now, I finally went back to work on copperhead, and the change was such a breath of fresh air! I was saying "it's so nice to be working on a REAL bot again." I guess every weight class has its challenges and advantages. Ideally, I think all of us want some variety. It's boring to spend your whole high school or college bot career building a zillion bots in the same weight class. It's more fun to experiment and enter other classes. Which is where jmo's post is really relevant. It is hard to have the guts to experiment with a 120 because so much time, money, and effort goes into it. But with a smaller 1, 3, even 15 lb bot, the motors are cheaper, the material is cheaper, the electronics are cheaper... It's a much less risky venture.

Once we get back from san fran, I think there'll be a veritable army of little danbots swarming around my feet...

rjw wrote:

btw: Is your bot ready for SF?

It is drivable and ready to fight...but I don't have armor or a plow yet. I have been spending all of my time this year making decisions and not doing...but started cutting my armor out the other day. I will be making it out of spring steel.

Sean Rubin wrote:

rjw wrote:

btw: Is your bot ready for SF?

It is drivable and ready to fight...but I don't have armor or a plow yet. I have been spending all of my time this year making decisions and not doing...but started cutting my armor out the other day. I will be making it out of spring steel.

Get it in gear...time is running out

No one answered me before, are you shipping all of your bots?

Our 120 we are. But we are going to try to bring the 15 lb-ers wiht us on the plane.

ok thats what i was gonna suggest lol.
you might want put drums/sharp items in checked bags tho