Bucky the Robot

"I was inspired by chattering teeth"

- Tom Lloyds to Haynes Manuals

Bucky the Robot, often shortened to Bucky, was a heavyweight robot which competed in Series 10 of Robot Wars. It was built by Team Tomco, who were accompanied always by Bucky the Mascot, a large red mascot with a large mouth and moving eyebrows. The robot's name is derived from 'buck teeth', and is printed on the side of the robot as #BuckytheRobot.

Design
"Chomp on down!"

- Robot Wars: The Official Handbook

Bucky the Robot's design and weapon is based upon chattering teeth, and the weapon is a large guillotine-type weapon with two large teeth, which snaps down on other robots, classed to be a crusher by Robot Wars: The Official Handbook, and a 'biter bot' on the Robot Wars website. The teeth can damage robots directly, or hold them in place for Bucky the Robot to push opponents. The jaw also served as a self-righting mechanism if the robot is directly on its back, although Bucky the Robot cannot self-right from all sides. A 'wind-up key' protrudes out of the side of the robot, enforcing the theme.

"I like the instant action of a flipper, but I didn't want to do something that someone else has already done, so I thought I could go with the complete opposite of a flipper and try to have something that's got that quick action, but downwards, and use that as a clamping, biting... along them lines, I made a giant mechanical set of teeth!"

- Tom Lloyds to Haynes Manuals

Bucky the Robot's overall design was a very steep wedge, driven by two yellow wheels at the rear, creating top speeds of 18mph through its MPC T-64 gear motors running at 34V. However, its back end is unprotected, with certain components being completely exposed, and the rest of the armour consisted only of 10mm plastic and 10mm polycarbonate, on a steel chassis. "At times the mouth is literally wide open to attacks"

- Robot Wars website

Series 10
Bucky the Robot competed in Heat 3 of Series 10.

Results

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Outside Robot Wars
In the same year that Team Tomco built their first robot, Bucky the Robot, the team were invited to compete in the Chinese TV show King of Bots. They competed with Griffin, a compact-but-tall robot with a snapping beak weapon, and a birdlike design. Team Tomco continued their trend of featuring a comedy mascot in a suit, with the fourth team member dressed as a griffin.

Trivia

 * Team Tomco are one of only two teams to feature a person in costume as a mascot, the other team being the builders of The Grim Reaper.