Author Topic: Baltimore Washington Clubs  (Read 1603 times)

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Offline new2robotsTopic starter

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Baltimore Washington Clubs
« on: June 24, 2011, 06:09:21 PM »
My son has recently expressed an interest in Battle Bots.

He keeps bringing me schematics and wiring diagrams he has designed asking if I think it will work.

(not having much technical or engineering experience I cant even guide him  (let alone understand some of the books he has checked out recently.)

I want to encourage his interests.....seems the last post for anything in the Washington DC metro area was in 2007 on this forum.  So  I am merely wondering if there are "clubs" (live ones not online chat rooms)  that could be age appropriate for a 12 year old beginner.

I did google the topic and found basic kits for Hundreds of dollars...   Was thinking of something a little less costly  but about the lego and vec systems.

Any thoughts?
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Offline waltr

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Re: Baltimore Washington Clubs
« Reply #1 on: June 24, 2011, 06:27:21 PM »
The $50 robot project found in the Robot Tutorials in this web page's title is a good start. Your son sounds like he could build this Bot.

Sorry I don't know of any DC area clubs.
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Offline Admin

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Re: Baltimore Washington Clubs
« Reply #2 on: June 24, 2011, 07:15:21 PM »
There is plenty of information on robotics in Baltimore and DC on this forum.  :P

There was even a battlebots competition in Baltimore about a month ago. ;D

You can generally expect to spend about $50 minimum on a robot, and another $50+ on tools and such. If you think your boy will not lose interest, invest in quality tools that will last many years (it'll cost more in the short term, but save money as they won't break in the long term). Robotics is inherently expensive, but engineering degrees result in high pay checks later in life - so consider it an investment :P

The $50 Robot, as waltr said, is a good beginner project designed to teach not only how to make a robot, but to also learn all of the fundamental skills needed to go beyond simple kits. It might be a little over his head, and a bit dangerous with the soldering iron, but with parental supervision it'd make a nice father/son project over several weekends.

And if he/you ever gets stuck, have him post his problem here and someone can help. I would say about 10% of the people in this forum are his age, while 1/3rd are under the age of 20. Age really doesn't matter if he is serious about robots . . . and searches google before asking questions :P
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