How Lethal Was Blendo REALLY?

Summary by Krater

Adam Savage looks back at Blendo, the remote-controlled robot he and Jamie Hyneman built for Robot Wars, discussing its design, engineering challenges, and competitive history.

From the video

Answers: What was it like to build and compete with Blendo in Robot Wars?

• Robot Wars
• Blendo robot design
• spinning disk combat robots
• V-groove bearings
• robot combat history

What it concludes

• Blendo was an upside-down heavy walk screwed to a spinning steel frame on V-groove bearings powered by a 5-horsepower Briggs and Stratton engine.
• Jamie Hyneman used an angle grinder on a turntable at 40 to 50 RPM to achieve a very round V-groove in the steel disc.
• Blendo had four matches in two years and was disqualified both years because its spinning steel frame sent opponent debris flying into the audience.
• Blendo was extremely successful as a combat robot and its spinning design became a widely followed, successful format.