[TC11] The Reaper- COMPLETE!

[offroadcreations]

Quote

The main weapon of this 'bot is called the War Scythe. 
Motors:

Drive: 1 L-Motor
Steering: 1 Servo Motor
Moving Bucket: 1 XL-Motor
War Scythe: 2 L-Motors

The bucket moves up and down to fit inside of the 45x45x45 max size. It has steering and driving like a normal car to keep it simple and less likely to break. The bucket traps the opponent and pins it to the wall, while the scythe smashes it to bits while it is imprisoned.  

Evolution:

 

Updated with final model^^

Hey everyone, here's my TC11 Entry Topic... The Reaper

I started my work on my contest entry the day it began. I built a chassis using red rims and the wheels from 42039. It had a giant hammer (made in LDD).  https://www.bricksafe.com/files/Offroadcreations/wrath-of-mjolnir/bad-ideas..../Wrath of Mjolnir.lxf 
It was called the "Wrath of Mjolnir." (Mjolnir is the name of the Norse God Thor's hammer.)

 

The chassis was much too big, so I scrapped the entire chassis built IRL. I started thinking of Ideas in my mind, the first being a half-track of sorts. 107mm Tractor tires in the front, and tracks in the back. After thinking more, I decided it would be better to just make it simple, with 4 wheels, and I built up the bodywork. I decided that the hammer was way too big, so I made 2 smaller ones. After thinking even longer and looking at other bot hammers I thought they were still too large, so I opted for a non-brick-built one instead. I remembered I had this piece, and knew it would be perfect. I also bought a bucket, because it looked good and I knew it would be prefect for trapping opponents inside.

Here is what I have now, and the name was changed to The Reaper, because the piece looks like part of a scythe.

The scythe is not attached yet. Also, after seeing @agrof's topic, I realized the bucket was too big for the maximum size. But I've figured out a way to move it upward into the box limitation and swivel it back down for battle mode. I still have much to do, like,

• Attach the scythe
• put the PF back in (it is in something else right now)
• make the bucket move
• fix the colors
• complete the bodywork

So, it is definitely a WIP, but I hope to do it right and do well in this competition. Please tell me your thoughts!

Edited April 12, 2017 by Offroadcreat1ons

[agrof]

It looks sleek as a concept, my advice is to build a chassis with motors first, and test the skid steering. I assume this will weight about 2,5-3 kgs(?), so put some books on it accordingly. I see this as most critical, big wheels with big surface + big weight might kill the maneuverability. If You find a way to solve this, the rest is peanuts. 

[PKW]

1 hour ago, agrof said:

It looks sleek as a concept, my advice is to build a chassis with motors first, and test the skid steering. I assume this will weight about 2,5-3 kgs(?), so put some books on it accordingly. I see this as most critical, big wheels with big surface + big weight might kill the maneuverability. If You find a way to solve this, the rest is peanuts. 

Also rectangular footprint with length bigger than wide is another skid steer killer

 

But this thing has car steering? Because I see some strange levers on the from wheels, good luck with this wheeled bulldozer!

[offroadcreations]

It has normal steering, but I've tested it and it can go pretty fast.

Thank you!

[PKW]

killerhurtz has a car -like steering and was fast too ;)
 

 

[offroadcreations]

@PKW That video shows just how I want it to work, but have mine better. Thanks!

Today's Progress:

• Bucket moves barely (if at all) into 45x45x45 limitation
• Colors are fixed

Edited March 16, 2017 by Offroadcreat1ons

[agrof]

Looks even better, but if you are that close to the limitation, you must proove well that it really fits (f.e.: picture beside a wall, which gives clear indication at least for one side).

Will You use wheel hubs, or just the single axles? If axles only, than your wheels are not very secured from falling off, and also not very stable for these size.

I would reposition the XL motor as well, the u-joints just make that drivetrain unnecessarily weaker. Try with direct drive, so lifting power will be multiplied for sure, whith which you can even roll opponents over. 

Edited March 16, 2017 by agrof

[PKW]

Agreed with agrof I would avoid u joints and I suggest not to use small bevel gear, I stead use a 5:1 reduction with some levers  that will may have some lifting power too, unless you just want to fold the bucket on the top of the bot so I would suggest only a 3:1 geared motor and not that waste of space and weight with an XL

In the real battle bots gravity operated function aren't forbidden so you could also unbalance the scoop and then swing back and forth once to make it rotate in position EDIT no, by the rules unmotorized folding is forbidden

Color scheme us great!

Edited March 16, 2017 by PKW

[teos]

5 hours ago, agrof said:

I would reposition the XL motor as well, the u-joints just make that drivetrain unnecessarily weaker. Try with direct drive, so lifting power will be multiplied for sure, whith which you can even roll opponents over. 

Would you explain why the u-joints would make it weaker?  I'm trying to learn as much as I can by watching videos of peoples mocs and reading posts about how things work (or don't).

[nerdsforprez]

On 3/14/2017 at 9:57 PM, Offroadcreat1ons said:

Hey everyone, here's my TC11 Entry Topic... The Reaper

I started my work on my contest entry the day it began. I built a chassis using red rims and the wheels from 42039. It had a giant hammer (made in LDD).  https://www.bricksafe.com/files/Offroadcreations/wrath-of-mjolnir/bad-ideas..../Wrath of Mjolnir.lxf 
It was called the "Wrath of Mjolnir." (Mjolnir is the name of the Norse God Thor's hammer.)

 

Agree with others......love the color scheme and the Claas tires r perfect.  I would add a triangular brace to the arm that holds Thor's hammer though.....as it is now the 15L black lift arm  and 9L lift arm at a 90 degree angle will be flimsy....

[agrof]

3 hours ago, teos said:

Would you explain why the u-joints would make it weaker?  I'm trying to learn as much as I can by watching videos of peoples mocs and reading posts about how things work (or don't).

Without giving you proper mechanical explanation, shortly:

• Compared to single direct axle drive, u-joint connection points have less material and connection surfaces to provide forces. Look at this animation, the green part. It already "feels" weak, right?

          

• The angled drivetrain creates drive loss, as forces are diveded in let's say X and Y directions, and also due additional friction (more moving components and connections).
• Due to the structure of the u-joint, it has a non-linear movement (vibrates), which is also an additinal loss.

More detailed: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_joint

[offroadcreations]

I was planning on taking out the u-joints, and this further reinforced that. 

[offroadcreations]

OK, so I have finished a working prototype, and made a video showing the functions. Keep in mind this is not complete, and this video is just to show how it will work when it is fully done. 

 

[aminnich]

How much weight can the bucket flip? It looks a bit flimsy 

Edited March 18, 2017 by aminnich

[offroadcreations]

Not much, but I'm going to make it sturdier, and the main reason it goes up and down is to get it into the 45x45x45 limit.  

[agrof]

Cool, I like the speed of the cake functions!  

[PKW]

It is alive!! Any plan on a rubber-band powered axe?

 

[offroadcreations]

@PKWInteresting, I will look into trying this...

Not much progress the past 2 days, but I have 3 questions to make this better:

Do you like the back curved like this?

How does the side look like this?

And last, how can I made the bucket sturdier? It breaks the XL Motor bracing very easily. I can fix that, but how can I brace the bucket itself?

Responces would be greatly appriciated.

 

[PKW]

On 21/3/2017 at 4:36 AM, Offroadcreat1ons said:

@PKWInteresting, I will look into trying this...

And last, how can I made the bucket sturdier? It breaks the XL Motor bracing very easily. I can fix that, but how can I brace the bucket itself?

Responces would be greatly appriciated.

 

-good it was fun to build that killerhurtz and automate the firing trough sbrick, I can provide you lxf if you want to take a look ;) good luck

 

-as said try using a M motor with only normal gear, even a double 1.6:1 gearing will be fine to move that scoop, if you don't want to have the motr near the scoop you can add a liftarm as lever

[offroadcreations]

Thanks!

18 hours ago, PKW said:

I can provide you lxf if you want to take a look ;)

Yes please, I would appriciate that, to see if it would work.

[offroadcreations]

Well, the model is nearing completion, @PKW I'm sorry to say I couldn't figure out the mechanism you showed me, but thank you for your hard work anyways. 

Please tell me what you think I should change more. 

I added another L-Motor for the scythe.

[Aventador2004]

Very scary looking and it could hurt a bot badly

[agrof]

I like it, nice detailing with the red connectors! Maybe the 5x3 liftarms should be also red, to make it even more "bloody". 

I am not sure about the red "exhausts" (??), LBG was nice, and so the visual focus goes on the scythe. 

Edited March 28, 2017 by agrof

[offroadcreations]

Well, it's almost done, all I need is to finalize the colors and make the video. I have made a diagram explaining why I used a bucket.

I have made a comparison between the red and LBG decorations on the sides.

So, should I have the side "things" red or LBG, and should I have the back stripe red or white?

I for sure will be keeping the part of the blade red. Also, should I put anything more over the front wheels? The space seems a bit empty to me.....

Edit: I added a little more over the wheels just now.

Edited April 7, 2017 by Offroadcreat1ons

[offroadcreations]

Great news! It is complete!

Here are the final changes:

Red accents changed to LBG
"Eurobricks Contest," "BATTLE BOT," AND "THE REAPER"  stickers
Small panels between the L-Motors

Pics of final changes:

Tell me what you think of it!