I know I probly didnt write my last post very well but I never ment to all anyone chicken,all I ment was that I understand if ppl dont all ways like fighting spinners, I know I was pretty worried when in my first fight in november it was against demon.
also when I said new class I just ment it as so it would have a title and ppl understand that spinners arnt used in it not as in a totally seperate thing thats all.

one last thing with the arena upgrades if there would be a design that was finshed with complete sizes,materials list eg bots what sizes of box section and so on.for any size arena I would be happy to look at it find out a price and also look at building it.now im not trying to rush anyone and I understand the funding issues,just putting it out there.

we don't actually need to rebuild the arena. Reading some posts it feels like we have lost the entire feather arena. The only parts we have lost is the wooden floor and roof beams. If we set up the walls on a floor we are allowed to scratch we can run an event just fine as long as nothing can get tossed over the walls. Once we build some decent roof trusses we can allow spinners to run again. Steve was also talking about a raised floor but I talked him into making this a Stage 2 upgrade. The main issue with the roof trusses is being able to use them on a 3x3 arena and a 4x4 arena. I finally got Inventor back so maybe I'll try drawing something

It was proven at the last event that the arena roof isn't capable of containing spinners.
_________________
https://www.halfdonethings.com/

Yes. We all know that. No one said it was going to be the same. Mile &Jules already mentioned a duel layer wire/roofing polycarb and Steve mention 6mm polycarb (which is a bit heavier and expensive). Remeber to think light and cheap, possibly using what materials we already have for near future until the number of gigs increase.

We were thinking a cheap + light roof material could be thin plywood sandwiching polystyrene foam.

If you add a layer of some kind of tough fabric it should contain spinners and be self supporting over a fair span.
_________________
Mechanical engineers build weapons, civil engineers build targets

I'm able to source heavy duty shade cloth from work for reasonable prices. Probably not up to the fancy protection levels of 6mm polycarb with a trust span roof, but it's certainly cheap and effective, especially if it was made as a double layer..

1.83m wide, 90% shade rating for $5.35 per meter
3.66m wide, 90% shade rating for $12.54 per meter

Might make your Exilim cry without any arena lighting though.
_________________
https://www.halfdonethings.com/

I wasn't at the event, but from what I heard the panel flexed out of the way rather than shattering or 'failing' as such. My thoughts would be that although thin polycarbonate may not be strong enough to resist a similar impact, some heavy netting 'above' it will catch any possible breaches. Shadecloth isn't a bad idea, but fairly dense. As with polycarb, you want something that will absorb the impact over a long period, if a net flexes up 1.5M but stops a chunk of robot, it'd be a win in my books...
_________________
( •_•)

( •_•)>⌐■-■

(⌐■_■)

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH

@ Angus. While that was said. I am 90% sure that was not the case. As if it had gone out the edge its trajectory would have been completely different. And I looked at the hole afterwards. TBH I am not 100% sure that an extra layer of shade cloth would have stopped it.

I don't think we can get away with trying to be cheap with peoples safety one incident is all it will take to shut us down permanently.

I think we could just put sheets of 12mm ply if we wanted something cheap but it destroys the lighting inside the arena. I really think that a roof upgrade and adding 6mm polycarb to most of the roof is necessary.

At the moment I have a few concerns with running a spinner event again in the current arena. The roof of course and the possibility of penetration of the 3mm around the base.

Saying it will be fine is all good and well until there is an issue and if I am the one organising I will be the one who has to deal with it if shit hits the fan. And if someone gets hurt from a known issue than its 10 times worse than something which could not be foreseen. The roof at the last event may have been a bit of an oversight but I think we really need to do something about it properly before the next event.

I wouldn't worry too much about cash. If we know what we need than I think we can get it. I think arena wise we just need a bit more of a planned roadmap for upgrades.
_________________
Steven Martin
Twisted Constructions
http://www.botbitz.com

You want upgrades? I told you about the origional stage 1 & 2 upgrade. I didn't show you stage 5 yet.
I'll draw up some stuff this week and submit it for a bit of an internet squad check in the arena thread

By tough fabric I was meaning something like ballistic nylon.
(even with 12mm ply something on the back to stop spalling might be an idea)

Have you looked at adding lighting rather than relying on natural lighting as much?
Might be cheaper in the end, a few (or more) 4ft fluros + some 3mm to protect them might be cheaper than 6mm over the whole thing and give you some more flexibility with regard venue and timing. (or a buttload of those LED strips from HK)
_________________
Mechanical engineers build weapons, civil engineers build targets

Anyway back on topic. Agenda for tomorrow night.

- ESC hacking tutorial/demo (I will be focusing on the TZ85A and Plush30) Mainly the software side.
- Arena upgrade path (Polycarb roof vs Covered plus lighting debate)
- Showing off ants.
- 21st Event discussion

I will be round from ~5:30 - 7:30
_________________
Steven Martin
Twisted Constructions
http://www.botbitz.com

Can you also video it when your teaching people how to hack it so people not attending can also watch it online?
_________________
Viggy!
1st Robot in progress!

Not easily though that is a work in progress.

Steve
_________________
Steven Martin
Twisted Constructions
http://www.botbitz.com

We can bring a video camera just in case!
M&J
_________________
Miles Blow - Julie Pitts
www.mulesfilm.com.au
www.wombokforest.com.au

-Pickasso- Vivid Sportsman champion 2015

I would record straight from screen.
_________________
Steven Martin
Twisted Constructions
http://www.botbitz.com