killercarrot

13/2/01- Still waiting for the gears.... so no wheels yet Revised Specifications for Killer Carrot 1 Chassis Mig welded 35x15mm 2mm box ERW steel, forming a 400x400x200  cross-braced perimeter frame. Motors 2 x 24v surplus hi torque (weedy) motors from display electronics. (Don't buy these, save your cash and buy something decent from Roger Plant) Speed Controllers 2 x 4QD NCC35-24 through a DCI, pots linked to 2 Futaba S3003 servos. Radio gear Futaba Skysport  T6YFK, 6 Channel Tx, 40MHz fm, FP-R138DF 8 channel dual conversion receiver, with 1 RF-1 failsafe. Weight Middleweight, under 50kg Drive train Motorcycle sprockets and chains 8.2:1 reduction on new 10" pneumatic tyres, giving around 8.5mph top speed Batteries 2  Micro kiel 18AH 12v's Weapons 40mm pneumatic ram giving around 60kg's of lift via a pivoted arm, rear mounted spikes for ramming. Armour 3mm BASF RESART polycarbonate Special features Can run upside down. So here we h...

12/2/01-Big Ram Still haven't done anything much. I've spent time debating the shape of the new 'bot. Traditionally KC has been an invertable wedge. this however prevents us using an oxygen regulator as it would probably ice up if inverted. I've still got a strong urge to fit the air chisel , and the extra 20kg's added in the new rules mean I might just succeed. Mark is keen to use a suction gripper, to stick on to the opponent then pummel it. Whatever, we've got the drives, we've got the speed controllers, we've got most of the pneumatics and we've got the lexan and steel. We've even got some new thicker cable, 6mm2 which hopefully won't get so warm, and some capacitors to prevent interference (Thanks Paul!) Simply need to put it all together. As soon as KC1 is up and running we'll get on with KC2.  KC1 will also give us a chance to get used to driving , as I've probably only clocked up about half an hour of robot driving all told,...

9/2/01- Hmmmm.... I have found that if I feel obliged to get on with something that I don't want to do, i.e. getting down to some illustration work, then I will much more readily get on with lots of other tasks,  hence the recent burst of energy with KC1. I have got the rams, valves, regulator, (currently being adapted at work), have welded up extra struts to the chassis, knocked up a lift arm and covered the little fellow in lexan. I've mounted the ball transfer units and even managed to negotiate with M&P over the chains and sprockets (still haven't arrived though). I have mounted all the electronics and made up much neater brackets for the pot/servo connection. The current aim is to get a single ram operating a lift arm, and maybe set up a surrender flag with the other.   I had fun working out how the solenoid valve operates, and connected it to the battery the wrong way causing  a huge explosion and much melted wire, Graham Leacock sorted me out and I removed ...