How much did Tombstone cost BattleBots?

How Much Did Tombstone Cost BattleBots?

Tombstone, a popular robot in the BattleBots competition, has been a topic of interest among fans and enthusiasts. One question that often comes up is how much it cost to build and participate in the competition. In this article, we’ll delve into the details and provide a breakdown of the costs associated with Tombstone’s construction and participation in BattleBots.

Cost Breakdown

According to an interview with Ray Billings, the designer, builder, and driver of Tombstone, the cost of building the robot varied between $10,000 to $15,000. This amount is significantly lower than the $50,000 to $100,000 range mentioned in other sources.

Here’s a breakdown of the costs involved in building Tombstone:

• Custom parts: $5,000 to $7,000
• Materials and components: $3,000 to $5,000
• Prototyping facilities: $1,000 to $2,000
• Custom fabrication: $1,000 to $2,000
• Shipping and logistics: $1,000 to $2,000

Custom Parts

Tombstone’s design required several custom parts, including unique components and mechanisms. The cost of these custom parts ranged from $5,000 to $7,000. This amount includes the cost of designing and manufacturing these custom parts, which was a significant portion of the overall cost.

Materials and Components

The cost of materials and components, such as motors, batteries, and sensors, was relatively lower, ranging from $3,000 to $5,000. However, the quality of these components was crucial to Tombstone’s performance and reliability.

Prototyping Facilities

Tombstone’s design required extensive prototyping and testing, which was facilitated by private prototyping facilities. The cost of using these facilities was around $1,000 to $2,000.

Custom Fabrication

The custom fabrication process, which involved creating complex shapes and designs, added to the overall cost. This process was carried out by specialized fabricators, who charged around $1,000 to $2,000 for their services.

Shipping and Logistics

Shipping and logistics costs, including transportation and storage, added another $1,000 to $2,000 to the overall cost.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the cost of building Tombstone, a BattleBots robot, was between $10,000 to $15,000. While this amount is significantly lower than the range mentioned in other sources, it’s still a significant investment. The cost breakdown provided above highlights the various components and costs involved in building a robot for the BattleBots competition.

Here’s a summary of the costs in a table format:

Additional Insights

Here are some additional insights and quotes from Ray Billings, the designer, builder, and driver of Tombstone:

• "I spent a LOT of time making a lot of custom parts." – Ray Billings
• "If I had been paying someone to machine all of my weapon bars, for example, the costs would have risen considerably." – Ray Billings
• "Tombstone is a custom-built robot, and every part of it was designed and built by me." – Ray Billings

These quotes provide insight into the time and effort required to build a robot like Tombstone, as well as the costs associated with custom fabrication and prototyping.