Snapshot Plastic Ant Build Along

Ready to build the Snapshot Gen2 plastic antweight kit?  Video and written assembly guide inside.  Get started in combat robots today!

Below you will find a full video assembly guide as well as written instructions to guide you thru your combat robotics journey.  

Purchase the kit here: Plastic Poison Robot Kit. 

Video Guide - Turbulence

Step 1) Wheels. 

• Insert square nuts (Item 4) into wheels.  Press them all the way in.  Pressing them on a flat surface helps.
• Insert 8-32 x 3/16” set screws (item 4) into wheels.  Just start it, you will tighten later.  (5/64 Hex Wrench)
• Stretch tire over the wheel.  Push it all the way over from one side, then work it into place.
• Press the wheel on until the motor shaft is flush with the other side of the wheel.  That leaves a small gap on the motor side and centers the wheel in its space in the chassis.  
• Slide 5/64” hex wrench past the tire and into set screw in the wheel.  
• The drive motor uses a “D Shaft”.  Tighten set screw onto the flat part of the motor shaft. 
  

 

 

 Step 2) Body Standoffs & Charge Jack  

• Insert (4) hex standoffs (item 2) into the body.  Do them one at a time so you can hold the standoff in place with your free hand.   Attach from bottom with (4) 6-32 x ¼” screws (item 3).  
• Install Charge Jack
  • Unplug and remove jacknut from charge jack (small circle item in pic below)
  • Insert charge jack into chassis.  Hand tighten with jacknut.
  • Tighten until snug with needlenose pliers.  Do not overtighten.
  • Place male part of charge jack aside until later
  • **Pro Tip: The charge jack is your power switch.  When it’s plugged in the bot is off.  When removed, the bot is on.

 Step 3) Weapon Assembly

• Attach 2822 weapon motor to upright with (4) M3 x 8mm screws (item 6) using 3/32” hex wrench.  
• Before tightening run the wires thru the hole in the upright. 
• Attach weapon drum with (3) M2 x 10mm countersunk screws (item 7) using 0.050” hex wrench
  • **Note, there are 6 holes in the weapon so you don’t have to worry about aligning the 3 holes when sliding the weapon onto the motor. 
• Press HK0408 bearing (item 9) into the left weapon upright. 
  

 

Step 4) Install Weapon Assembly into Chassis

• Place weapon assembly into the chassis, it will kind of click into place.  Run the motor wires thru the slot in the frame as you place it.
• Attach from bottom using (4) #4 x 3/8” self threading screws (item 8) using a small Phillips head screwdriver

Step 5) Drive Mounts & Motor Install

• Pull the drive ESC wires thru the black drive mounts and attach as shown in the pics below.  
  **Left/Right motor wiring are specified in the image. 
• To insure the wires will not come off the motors in combat the opening on the rear of the mount is a specific size/orientation.  Push the wires thru carefully so they slide thru smooth.  They will slide back into the rear cylinder while sliding the motor in.
• After connecting wires and sliding motors into their housing place cap on rear, routing wires out the slot towards the bottom. 
• Install into chassis using (4) M2x8mm Self Taps (item 5)
  

Step 6) Wiring

• Connect the PBB 20A weapon esc to the weapon motor.  It does not matter which wire goes where.  If the weapon spins the wrong way after assembly, simply swap any two of the wires and it will change directions.
• Place the red power wires from the charge jack, yellow XT30 pigtail and weapon ESC into one lever clamp (item 1).  
• Do the same for the black ground wires into the other lever clamp. 
• Connect yellow XT30 pigtail to drive ESC
• **Make sure the male plug of the charge jack is plugged in.
• Connect the battery to the charge jack with the red JST connector and place
   it in the compartment on the left in front of the drive motor.
• Connect the ESCs to the receiver as shown to the right.  
  • Yellow single wire in channel 1 (corresponding pin to where the white wire is from the other two plugs. 
  • 3 wire from drive ESC to channel 2
  • Weapon esc into channel 3
• Place receiver in compartment above right drive motor
• Weapon ESC tucks into the cubby in front of the receiver
• Lever clamps and drive ESC file in behind the weapon
• Everything else tucks in to prepare for the lid. 
  

Step 7) Lid & Forks

• Attach lid using (4) 6-32 x 1/4” screws (item 3) using the 5/64” hex wrench. 
• Attach forks.  They SNAP into place.  That’s how it got the name Snapshot 😊
  

Safety Notes

• This is a spinner and even though it’s a 3d printed blade it spins fast enough to do damage.  Make sure to use a weapon safety (we sell a safety clamp) and do not spin it up unless in a safe enclosure. 
• Lipo batteries can be volatile.  Always charge in a lipo bag.  We sell one large enough to hold the entire robot if you want to use the charge jack port instead of removing the battery. 

Startup Instructions: 
Make sure your weapon throttle is turned all the way down before powering the robot.  With the throttle all the way down, pull out the plug from your charge jack,  it will initialize properly and you’ll hear a fun little series of beeps.

You’re All Set!!  Go Have Fun!!!

 

FS-I4 Mixing Instructions: For reference only, they’re already mixed when they ship.  
*First switch up, all other switches down.