Something Nasty in the woodshed

21-6-02- Something Nasty in the woodshed


Well here's the results of our grinder fest... we removed about 15kgs of unsightly fat,(steel and lexan), and then welded back in about 3kgs of extra bracing, wheelie bars and support struts. this should mean that the flipper now has something to flip against instead of merely lifting the front end. You can also see the delightful conditions which I usually work in... ie a 4 ft wide leanto. The snails are very fond of this carrot!

Here's the revised face of KC2, the flipper is basically U and Box section 2.5 mm steel that I blagged from some engine stands that were being lobbed from the college workshops. The surface is covered in a dual layer of 3mm lexan, which won't stop the axes, but does give a nice shiney canvas for my artistry. The new interface has been relocated. Pete Hollaway phoned to say he'd looked at the site and noticed that I had the interface in a box with the speed controllers. Apparently this makes a nice Faraday Cage, cause all manner of japes. I go on the line to RS who sold me a new ally box, then told me they couldn't deliver as it was the last on ein the Country, and someone in Reading had picked it up first..BAH! So I contacted Paul at Technobots, who said he had a stash of boxes, but then RS phoned back with an alternative. The moral of the story is to go straight to Technobots who won't mess you about Talking of Technobots I've now installed my new stubby extinguisher, which meets the standards in the RW regs, and has a certifcate of conformity. The two switches on top of the box are running the flipper at the minute, as the prototype interface board can only put out 1amp, the production units should handle 6 amps... ouch!... more about this as and when.

Finally, the last shall become first. Yes what was the front of KC2 is now the rump... I left the eyes as they looked a bit cape fear, and I'd run out of lexan... talk about scrapheap challenge. Overall armour is dual 3mm lexan with 6mm ally chequer plate, over vital (expensive components), 3x3mm lexan over other bits and whatever was lying around in the lean to for the rest,
Next most important job is to weigh the beastie, so I know if I can add some more struts to guard my poor wheels.

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