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Flame weapons
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Rotwang
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Joined: 15 Jun 2004
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Location: Vic


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Well, they did make good taxies on back to the future. Smile

Post Sat Dec 10, 2005 7:17 pm 
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cerberus3112



Joined: 05 Dec 2005
Posts: 497
Location: Mt Druitt,Sydney,NSW


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you can get plasma torches where the earth lead is on the tip so when pressed on to a metal it melts it but it costs about $1000+ was the cheapest Evil or Very Mad
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Post Sun Dec 11, 2005 2:04 am 
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Rotwang
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I have a dim memory of Brett messing about with a coil out of an old CRT monitor and making little plasma arks years ago, I think people have used them to light their flame weapons but this seems to be an overly complicated way of lighting accelerant that wonts to burn anyway. Confused

It’s probably just an excuse to jam everyone else’s radio with a dirty big high voltage spark. Smile

Post Sun Dec 11, 2005 6:40 am 
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Spockie-Tech
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Its a pity we cant come up with some other control system than radio.

There are losts of cool things we could do with electrical weapons, plasma, tesla coils, van degraf generators, spark eroder cutters and so on.

Perhaps we should design a valve-powered IBC and use infra-red control..

Or genetically engineer an autonomous biological processor array and mount it inside. Oh oh, thats starting to sounds a bit too like a Dalek for my liking actually.

I have some interesting ideas for some future variations on the "beat the snot out of the other guy until they stop working" game that might encourage a wider range of participants, but I'll work on them next year after I get this RoboWars as a wrap.
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Post Sun Dec 11, 2005 12:09 pm 
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cerberus3112



Joined: 05 Dec 2005
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quote:
Originally posted by Spockie-Tech:
Or genetically engineer an autonomous biological processor array and mount it inside. Oh oh, thats starting to sounds a bit too like a Dalek for my liking actually.

I have some interesting ideas for some future variations on the "beat the snot out of the other guy until they stop working" game that might encourage a wider range of participants, but I'll work on them next year after I get this RoboWars as a wrap.

extermanate extermanate extermanate extermanate LOL
hey what about a mind controlled robot
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Post Sun Dec 11, 2005 1:14 pm 
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Big AL
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Joined: 16 Oct 2004
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Location: roleystone perth. WA


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well apart from putting ur brain inside of the robot (which has a F$#KTENTH chance of me doing it) i don't see how u could do it. unless ur telepathic Rolling Eyes

Our current system using radio is very handy mayby using somesort of voltage "spike smoother" we might be able to use electrical weapons in our robots.
(let me do some hunting around and see if i can't dig something up)
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Post Sun Dec 11, 2005 1:53 pm 
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Daniel
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Joined: 30 Aug 2005
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Ok, I'm going to try to steer this topic into the real world.

What is the fuel limt that we'll allow in a feather weight?

I have been doing my experiments with 170gram (6 oz in the out dated measuring system) Butane/Propane cartriges. I can get more of these, but making a different capacity tank would really complicate my safety devices as I would need to redo all the valves and fittings attached to the tank, as well as build and certify a new tank.
The cartiges are simpler as they can be safely stored (as long as I'm not setup near a Welchy type builder Wink ) and can be installed into the robot with no problem and due to the valve they can be removed just as safely.

I also have in the system a manual cut off valve, pin valve, blow back mesh, liquid boil off section, solenoid rated for use with propane, a properly designed nozzel and I'm still nervous about testing this thing. So far I on'y have a 20cm flame but as soon as I get the two extra brass fittings and the new peizo igniter I hope to get more of a fire ball.


Can we also make it you have to be over 18 years to build one of these. I rather scared about a kid trying to copy me and blowing him/herself up.

Post Mon Jan 23, 2006 1:42 pm 
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Spockie-Tech
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Technically speaking, We should not accept underage drivers of *any* type of robot without permission from their parent/guardian.

So there is no possibility of a minor competing with a flame thrower unless an adult allows them to.

*Safety Rant* - Wink

The problem is that there are still plenty of inexperienced adults who could hurt themselves.. Even if the law is more likely to hold them more responsible for their own actions than a minor, we dont want to see them hurt at all.

Fortunately, since we are a fairly small community at present, Its not too hard to get an idea of who is technically competent to build what.

Some of us are great machinists, others have a good understanding of metallurgy, pressurised gas systems, mechanical mechanisms, electronic controls and so on. None of us is an expert at everything, but since we're all friendly (outside the Arena), we can look at each others work and offer feedback in our area of expertese.

An new inexperienced builder undertaking an ambitious and dangerous project can expect to have their work scrutinised much more carefully than an "old-hand" who knows the value of failsafes and what a combat robot has to deal with. Builders meetings are great for this sort of thing.

As the sport grows, the rules have to get tighter and more clearly defined and more rigourously enforced.. Hopefully by that stage we will be able to generate some income for the sport so we can pay professionals to handle tech inspections and the like.

Until then, its up to each and every one of us to keep an eye on what the NooB's of any age are up to and let them know if we think they're being stupid or careless and how they can do it safely.
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Post Mon Jan 23, 2006 2:17 pm 
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Rotwang
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Joined: 15 Jun 2004
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1.1.1. 13.6.2. Fire Fuel types allowed are propane or butane. The maximum quantity allowed is 4oz


I think 6oz is ok but the rules appear to say 4oz.
Confused

Post Mon Jan 23, 2006 2:21 pm 
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Spockie-Tech
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Back on Topic now:

Regarding Fuel Limits, I currently dont know Confused I dont have any experience with what is considered a dangerous amount of fuel.

My Butane refill cylinder here is 200grams or about 7 ounces, so I presume that must be considered a reasonably safe quantity of fuel for your average dummy to keep in their kitchen and do stupid things with.. Do you think you can run a Feather FlameThrower reasonably on that ?
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Post Mon Jan 23, 2006 2:33 pm 
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Daniel
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Joined: 30 Aug 2005
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So 4oz = 118ml ?

That doesn't sound right. How did Alcholic Stepfather get such a large flame without running out of gas? Maybe I should finish what I have and time the burn time and calculate the rate at which I burn off the fuel. I can then calculate that amount of fuel for a 3 minute fight. Maybe 6oz is too much. But I havn't seen any smaller cyclinder then that. Time to go shopping.

Actually the rules are all in red so even the tank size would be up the the EO, right?

Post Mon Jan 23, 2006 2:57 pm 
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Knightrous
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Joined: 15 Jun 2004
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@Gary: Maybe you could contact Kev from Team Chronos and talk to him about the safety aspects of flame weapons, fuels and precautions that go with them. He is in the fire department after all Razz

@Daniel: 100ml of butane is a fair amount of fuel. I have fooloishly played with deodorant cans and lighters as flame throwers before (DON'T DO IT AT HOME!) and I know that in good conditions, you can have a 2-3 ft flame and keep it burning for quite a while. Video of my stupidity here: http://aaron.botclips.net/videos/FlameCan.wmv

I think the idea of having some flamethrower bots will be cool, but I would like to see the flames keep in the nice orange color of safety Razz
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Post Mon Jan 23, 2006 4:24 pm 
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kkeerroo
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If a robot goes up in a fireball does it realy matter how much gas is onboard?
(Imagines polycarb panels blowing out of the arena)
Yeah, I suppose it does.
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Post Mon Jan 23, 2006 4:29 pm 
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Daniel
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Aaron just put his name at the top of the "builders who should be banned from building flame throwers" list.

I think I've found referance to 100ml butane gas cartridges on a camping website. You can't buy these things on the net, so now I know they exist I can go hunting.

Post Mon Jan 23, 2006 4:46 pm 
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DumHed
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Joined: 29 Jun 2004
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if you want super small, try the soda bulb style butane cartridges used in some pocket blow torches.

You'll need the torch as well to get the mounting setup, but it could work well as would be very safe due to the small size (12mL from memory)
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Post Mon Jan 23, 2006 4:48 pm 
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