06/29/02 - MVI Story & Growing POP Pics:

Let me start off by saying, that the robot: MAGNUM VI is a TEAM RV bot, but Kenneth Peek is the builder/owner.

Kenneth and I met at the May 2001 BattleBots event. He was the Machinist/Driver for Team Redneck Robots, of Alabama Slammer fame. It didn't take long to figure out we had a lot in common, so we really hit it off. We stayed in constant contact after the event, and he even made some parts for the second revision of Village Idiot before the November 2001 competition!

On a family trip (My wife Angie, and our two girls: Kaylee and Alyssa) down to Alabama to visit Kenneth and his wife Charis, Kenneth and I agreed that it would be cool to eventually build a robot together. I just don't think that either of us thought it would be this soon!

So it should come as no surprise that when I had the initial doodles on notebook paper for MVI, that the first person I called to talk about the idea was Kenneth. I was thrilled that he wanted to build the robot together! As time went by, it became increasingly apparent that it would not be very practical for us to actually build the robot "together". So there was an unspoken agreement, that Kenneth would build and own MAGNUM VI with whatever help I could give, and I would stick to building/owning Village Idiot with whatever help HE could give (Kenneth has been a HUGE help with the revision 3 build of Village Idiot!).

The plans for the robot have evolved into something more original than the first drawings. At it's very core, the robot will still have rotary impact discs as it's weapon, but Kenneth's ideas for the robot have dramatically changed how the robot will look and function (for the BETTER, of course!). Every time I talk to Kenneth, I seem to learn something new. He is a brilliant Machinist and Engineer, and I consider myself BLESSED to have him on the team with this robot! An interesting factoid about Kenneth: There are parts on the International Space Station that Kenneth MADE on his machine in Huntsville, AL! Angie and I both consider ourselves lucky to have met Kenneth and Charis. At the time I am typing this, we are looking forward to meeting their new baby boy Abram next week!

With that being said, the build diary for MAGNUM VI is going to be a difficult one for a few reasons:

• Kenneth Peek is the actual builder.
• Kenneth doesn't want me to brag on his mad skills too much (this might be the most difficult of all! ;).
• I'm building a robot and documenting it too! ;)

The point is, don't look for the same level of detail in the build reports for the big robot, as you have seen with Village Idiot. That's not to say you will not see a LOT of the robot here, it's just that it would be very difficult all things considered for BOTH of us to document the build process as thoroughly as I have in the past. Kenneth and I both feel that "TOP SECRET" is lame though. We both agree that in the past, we were no more excited seeing a bot we didn't know anything about at a competition, than a bot that we had followed the build process online. Build reports ROCK! So rest assured, that as the robot is built you will see the progress, just not with a microscope... ;)

The saw Kenneth is using in MVI is the Husqvarna 3120XP. Check their website for the vitals: http://www.usa.husqvarna.com/Folder_263/node533.asp?id=29

Click Thumbnail For Bigger Pic:

1) Yep, that IS a HUGE saw! Apparently, a 36" bar was the SHORTEST bar you could purchase this saw with!	2) A 120cc Chainsaw would make short work of your dining table >:)	3) Awesome Abe on the Husky!	4) Told you Charis rocks! What other wife would smile after their husband just paid over $1200 on a chainsaw for a robot!
5) Here's the big saw on a shop table with one of the original VI 12" saw blades I gave to Kenneth, and a 5" Colson for reference.	6) A peek at the growing pile of 6061 Aluminum that will go into MVI.	7) Kenneth emails me as soon as he gets a new part with a pic, and I do the same for him. Man it's COOL getting bot stuff in the mail! :) Here are the NPC-1200's MVI will use for drive.	8) Here's the tore down engine.
9) Check the dimensions. Pretty impressive for a 120cc engine!	10) Bearing Off, with shaft measurement of .5 Inches (1/2")	11) Kenneth's saw is SO much beefier than mine! Check the hella-rigid air filter adaptor.	12) Sorry, Abram is SO adorable, and this pic is SO awesome, I just had to show it again :)