This one really shows what competition prep feels like when parts are late and time is running out.
Combat robot
Ongoing build
Bucktooth Senior
Bucktooth Senior was one of those builds where the whole thing felt like a race against the clock. It started with getting accepted, then turned into supplier delays, broken workshop gear, a rushed finish, and later another round of drivetrain work.
Build at a glance
What shaped Bucktooth Senior
The main turning points and the parts that gave the build its own character.
The build came together fast, with a lot of problem-solving just to stay in the game.
It did not stop after that first push either, I came back later and started reworking the drivetrain again.
Timeline
Story of Bucktooth Senior
The longer version of the build, milestone by milestone — each one with the notes, photos, and video from that stage.
September 16, 2019
01
First win: it got accepted
Getting Bucktooth Senior accepted was the moment it became real. From there the project had a deadline, and everything started revolving around getting a working robot built in time.
September 29, 2019
02
The build finally started to come together
These photos were the first point where I could really see the robot taking shape. Up until then it was mostly planning, waiting on parts, and trying to stay ahead of the schedule.
October 8 to October 17, 2019
03
Then the usual chaos kicked in
This stretch was rough. Hardox parts were still stuck at the laser cutters, my lathe belt failed, and I ended up printing a temporary TPU belt just to keep making progress. It was a proper scramble.
October 18, 2019
04
An all-night finish before flying out
This is the part I remember most clearly: staying up all night to get the bot finished, grabbing a bit of sleep, then heading off later that day. It was messy, rushed, and very real.
October 23, 2021
05
I came back to it with a new drivetrain
Bucktooth Senior did not stay frozen in that first event build. Later on I was back into it with a new drivetrain, trying to make it survive longer and push the robot further.
Workshop service
Need a part made rather than a project story?
The project archive shows how the workshop builds. If you are here because you need something printed, repaired, or prototyped, the service page is the right next stop.