Robowars

Upcoming this week, Thursday, is the Robowars competition at which the 2 bots from the Jefferson County Open School where I've been advising will appear. The kids have one entry in the 120 lb class, and one in the 220 lb class.

120 lbs of pointy menace. The nose is elevated here to make working on the insides easier.

220 lbs of rolling death (we hope) with the Cthulhu fangs and spinning weapon awaiting installation.

Like a lot of projects these two were barely even mobile when they had to be loaded up and driven to CA for the competition. Hopefully the final assembly won't have too many bugs crop up. As it is the 120 lb machine when it was taken out for its first test drive, blew one of its motor controllers with no spares immediately available. I was told that one was ordered for next day delivery to the hotel where it will be installed.

At this point I'd guess the cause of the failure was grinding grit on the controller connectors. Seems the kids have to build these things in the wood shop and the 4-1/2" hand grinder is the tool of choice for all their metal cutting so there's plenty of grit on everything.

NOT a clean room.

Here's the 220 lb bots weapon installed:

That wheel is about 9 inches in dia, 1.5" thick, and gets spun up to 8000 rpm. The inserts are tool steel. Watch your fingers.

The show will be broadcast on one of the cable channels. Sorry, I don't know which one.