highly recommend starting with a kit robot.
You’ll learn more than you’d expect from your
first event, and most of the kits are pretty
competitive for their cost.
Most kits come with everything you need to
compete, other than an RC transmitter and
a lithium polymer battery charger. These two
components, sold separately, can be shared
between many robots and are things that you’ll
keep using when you move forward and start
building your own bots.
I’ve now designed and built 11 combat robots
and fought over 100 fights. I’ve had a chance to
fight against just about every kit on the market,
and the few I haven’t fought, I’ve watched fight
at several events. Here’s my advice on getting
started with antweight (1lb) kitbots.
BEST FIRST KIT: THE VIPER
While you might be excited to get a kit robot with
a big spinning weapon, I caution you against a
kinetic weapon for your first robot. These bots
are not toys, and can easily release more energy
than a handgun. When testing the spinners
without proper safety precautions and a test box,
it’s really easy to end up in the emergency room.
I recommend starting with a wedge or lifter kit
robot and once you get some experience, moving
to something more dangerous.
The first kit that anyone venturing into
combat robotics should get is the Viper from
FingerTech Robotics (fingertechrobotics.com)
(see “The Roboteers” on page 50). This antweight
bot features a bent sheet metal frame, two
drive motors attached to foam wheels, and a
polycarbonate wedge. It truly is the simplest kit
around, meant for someone who hasn’t touched a
fighting robot. There are really good instructions
at their website, and the $156 price point makes
it the cheapest kit on my list by a long shot. While
you might think a simple kit like the Viper can’t
win matches, they’re actually very hard to kill.
Upgrading the front wedge from polycarbonate
to steel or titanium allows them to take heavy
spinner hits, and wheel guards can easily be
added to protect their drivetrain. Overall a great
investment and the best starter kit on the market.
Once you’ve finished your first competitions
with the Viper kit, you don’t have to throw it away
to move on to something new. FingerTech offers
three upgrade options for the Viper:
• The lifter module is the cheapest of the three,
adding a servo-operated lifting arm made
of polycarbonate and steel. This attachment
gives you an active weapon that is not
dangerous, and can be tested outside of a test
box. It gives your Viper the ability to flip other
bots over to cause knockout wins!
• The overhead horizontal spinner module is by
far the most common of the Viper weapon kits,
as it sports a massive weapon and can create
exciting fights.
Be careful
fighting it
against vertical
spinners, as big
hits can detach
the blade or
motor.
• Finally, the vertical spinner module comes
with a clamping drum with AR400 steel teeth.
This weapon hits hard and is the most durable
of the three modules. Be careful testing it
on your own:
the spinner
is dangerous
and requires
proper safety
precautions (see
page 54).
FingerTech-Robotics, Adoboe Stock - eakgaraj
41
make.co
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