So, today I got bored. After building an embedded computer inside a power supply case, I decided to build a radio-controlled car. It's kind of a unique car. The frame and the motors and the rear wheels came from an old child's electric riding toy (that looked like a small truck). I have had the parts for some time, but threw out the truck body shell, and I got the itch to start driving something around.

I may use it to mount my embedded computer on as a test platform for RC4, rather than my 280-pound battle bot. I built this thing in about four or five hours, and it's pretty cool. I just need to secure the battery and mount the R/C receiver and batteries (and oil a squeeky motor) and I'll be out having some fun in the parking lot.

I was irritated, because I bought two motor controllers from a guy on the BattleBots team I was on over a year ago, and I just now got around to testing them. One worked and one didn't. And the one that didn't had a post broken off (where the cooling fan mounts), with some residual sticky stuff on it - apparently someone tried to glue it with the wrong kind of glue. And the screws on the back where the labels used to say "void if broken" (referring to the seal over the screws) have obviously once been removed, so I suspect there may have been a known problem with this controller before it was sold to me.

Gee, thanks.

So, I had to scavange one motor controller from my battle bot. I am also missing the signal cables for one set of my controllers and I have NO IDEA where they could possibly be. I seem to have a vague recollection (though I am unsure if I am creating the memory) of lending them to another guy on the team. But I posted a message on the bot list and got no response, so I guess I'm on my own. I'll either have to make a new set or buy a new set.

Anyway, here is a picture of the new toy:


I'm looking forward to taking it out for a spin tomorrow! I'll get a better picture of it, too. Perhaps even some video! I don't know how fast it is, but I think it is faster than my battle bot (and my battle bot is not very fast). But at least now I will have something to use for driving practice. Woo hoo!

:-)