References

One of the most time consuming activities in this hobby is the research. Research is needed to learn how to design the bots, how to build them and even trying to figure out where to compete them. This page is dedicated to listing all of the web resources (and book reviews) that we have found useful.

Parts Suppliers

The Robot Marketplace I have found no better source for parts for anyweight robots that this. Nearly all of the parts that went into Robo Knight came via Jim & Erica Smentowski's Robot Marketplace. Not only are the prices the cheapest I've found anywhere, but they have it all! It is entirely possible for you to buils a highly competitive bot with parts that came only from this place. I think the only way to get things cheaper is through the junkyard or ebay.

Sozbots A good place to get a well priced electronic speed controller (ESC). While I've chosen to use the Scorpion HX ESC, the Sozbots controller seems to be a very popular controller.

Spark Fun Electronics While I have yet to buy anything from these guys (I am sure that won't last for long), they seem to have a lot of really interesting stuff, especially for those interested in building autonomous bots (something that is very interesting to me).

McMaster-Carr If you need raw materials for armor or fastening hardware this is your place. Not only that but thier web sire makes it really easy to drill down to the actual part and size you want/need.

Clubs

PennBots Robot club of PA. Can't say enough good things about this club. First they were our first competition, but the really seem kid friendly. This is not jsut another group of aging teens, but organizers who are willing to and know how to get the kids involved. If they were closer to home we'd be members, but a two and a half hour drive each way for montly meetings is a little much to ask of the younger members of our team.

NERC the NorthEast Robotics Club seems to be a very influencial club nationwide and espcially so in the Central PA / Philadephia area. It was at one of NERC's events that I and my son decided that this looked like an interesting hobby to get into. The NERC club also runs a forum hosted by Delphi Forms that I've found to be useful if not interesting at times.