Robotic Help Plz!!!!

[purplemoose]

This is very frusturating my dad said he'd help me build this prototype robot so we mite be able to make it to battlebots or another competition but i have no help i'm looking for supplies and planning rite now will any1 help me plz if u know anything PLZ with a cherry on top HEEEELLLPPPP!!!

[Link Antilles]

Techtv has a little article on Robot building....

http://www.techtv.com/robotwars/story/0,24330,3424506,00.html

I hope that helps ya' out!

[purplemoose]

uhh i feel stupid thats the exact channel i watch it on bangs head on desk thx tho

[purplemoose]

but i also nee a little bit of cheap supplies that doesnt require a credit card

vacum motor
buz saw
batteries

yea that stuff vacum motor i cant tell u y itd let out my secret he he(hint hint hover)

[LorentzForce]

Vaccum motor? You mean just a motor from the vaccum appliance? It wouldn't be hard to make a hovercraft, but it'd require a lot of balancing. Else, it'll fall to the side. That is, if you made a big rubber-like tubing underneath so it can go anywhere, instead of only flat surfaces.

For buzz saw you'd want to modify a circular saw. Easy, but mind the protection on existing circular saws. They are hard to get rid of.

For batteries nothing beats good old lead acid batteries used in cars. Be prepared to get a decent motor though. The vaccume motor should be fine, as long as gears are done right.

To make a petrol-powered robot (for moving about) modify a lawnmower. Buy one for cheap.

To make a really good tazer-like weapon, strip apart a microwave oven and steal their transformer. Or you can make a fly-back transformer yourself. Both are dangerous, relative to other kinds of weapons.

To make a good controler, I'd modify a spare PS joystick, or N64 one.

Anything else, just ask.

[Mithrandir]

Yeah... I'd recommend a good "used stuff" store, you know like goodwill or a flee market. That's where you can get old appliances. Even if the don't work, it usually only takes an air compressor and a little oil to fix them.

Good Luck!

[Technomancer]

It would also be worth your time to go down to the public library, where you should be able to find a number of books on both robotics and electronics pitched towards a hobbyist audience. Radio Shack used to publish some books along these lines as well, which were available in their stores (very cheap too).

Also, in addition to flea markets and thrift stores, you might also want to see if there are any electronics supply stores in your area (other than Radio Shack, they rip you off). You'll probably need some more specialized components anyways, so it'll be worth your time.

[Retten]

Well if you want really cheap supplies go to a junk yard
The buzz saw sounds like a good idea but make sure its strong and that its drive chain is well protected otherwise one well placed hit and your without a weapon.
Be careful with the vacuum motor they break easy
For the batteries just go to a car shop they should have some you might even ask for a dead one also that way you can test weight, take measurements, and put it in the bot to see how you should build around it with out the risk of messing up you new one or getting shocked. One last note batteries make an ok power source but you will probably need more than one to really get you bot moving try looking at other power sources and see if there any cheaper more effective options.

Good site! http://www.teamdavinci.com/index2.htm Tips! http://www.teamdavinci.com/tips.htm
Cool Flash Movie http://www.rc2.ucf.edu/battlebot/intro.htm