Blendo

Blendo
Participation Information
US 1994-1997 Events	1995, 1997
Team Information
Team	M5 Industries
Team Members	Jamie Hyneman Adam Savage
Sponsors	(Colossal) Pictures (1995) M5 Industries, Inc. (1997)
From	San Francisco, California
Robot Statistics
Weight	140lbs (1995)
Power	5hp Briggs & Stratton engine
Weapons	Bladed shell spinner
Statistics correct as of its most recent show/competition appearance, or if not applicable, qualification attempt.

"This whole thing is an exercise in simplicity and brutality... it's just totally nasty, but there's nothing fancy about it."

— Jamie Hyneman, speaking about Blendo's design at the 1997 US Robot Wars competition

Blendo was a heavyweight robot which competed in the 1995 and 1997 US Robot Wars competitions. Built by M5 Industries - lead by future MythBusters personalities Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage - it was notable for being one of the first full-body spinners, along with having the most destructive weapon of any kind in the pre-television era.

In each of its appearances, Blendo won both its first and second battles in the Heavyweight Face-Off competitions. However, its spinner presented major safety issues in the main combat arena, resulting in the robot being withdrawn both times after throwing shrapnel from opponents out of the arena boundaries. Blendo's capabilities would be recognized, however, as it would be declared the co-champion of the 1995 and 1997 Heavyweight Face-Off; and the 1997 Heavyweight Melee events, in exchange for the forfeits. In both years, Blendo would also receive the 'Best Engineering' award, jointly winning the 1995 award with Thor.

Design

Blendo in 1997 from the side

The internals of Blendo

Designed by Jamie Hyneman, Blendo was a dome-shaped robot whose shell was made from an industrial mild steel cooking wok. The shell itself functioned both as the robot's armor and primary weapon, mounted horizontally on a plasma-cut steel flywheel which revolved on a set of V-grooved bearings. A 5hp lawnmower engine - stated by Adam Savage to be of a Briggs & Stratton type - powered the entire weapon through a centrifugal clutch. Blendo's weapon was capable of a rotational speed of around 400rpm, and at maximum power had a tip speed of approximately 60mph (alternatively quoted by Hyneman as 500rpm and 80mph respectively). Two hardened steel blades, each 3/8-inch thick, were bolted to the outer flywheel, each capable of inflicting significant damage.

Three rubber wheels provided Blendo's mobility, with electromagnetic clutches being used to connect at least two of them to the main driveshaft. The powered wheels utilized the same 5hp engine as the spinning shell, along with tank steering. An unusual and often highly dangerous feature was the incorporation of a central threaded spindle for the engine, which needed to be rotated from the top using a second thread. The latter was housed in a power drill carried by Jamie Hyneman, who had to manually insert the drill into Blendo in order to start the whole robot up.

Blendo maintained a largely similar appearance between its US Robot Wars runs, with the 1997 iteration featuring an improved drive system, a completely rebuilt transmission and newer, larger cutting blades. The latter included variants with both side-facing and upright teeth, to cut, bludgeon and throw nearby opponents aside. While the whole robot was initially unpainted in its official 1995 photo, the flywheel rim was painted yellow prior to competing in its inaugural event. Pink and green accents were later added to the top of Blendo's weapon for 1997.

According to Gearheads: The Turbulent Rise of Robotic Sports, Blendo originally weighed a total of 140lbs, and took a few months to complete at a cost of around $500. The latter figure excluded components already obtainable from Colossal Pictures, which Hyneman worked for at the time as a special effects model maker and animatronic engineer. An archived capture of the M5 Industries website suggests that the whole of Blendo's weapon mechanism weighed no less than 120lbs.

Etymology

"Colossal Pictures invented a style of aesthetic execution in which they would throw everything including the kitchen sink at a project, and they called it Blendo. You recognise the name because it's the name of Jamie's first robot. Blendo was named after Colossal Pictures' aesthetic process of throwing everything including the kitchen sink at an aesthetic problem!"

— Adam Savage explaining Blendo's name

In a June 2024 livestream, Adam Savage explained that the name for Blendo was inspired by the aethestic design process at Colossal Pictures.

The Team

In latter years, Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage both competed as representatives of M5 Industries, a visual effects company co-founded by the former in 1997. Hyneman himself was inspired to compete in Robot Wars after watching footage of the 1994 competition. as aired in an episode of the Discovery TV series Next Step.

By the time of Blendo's initial conception and build, Hyneman worked as a model maker and animatronic engineer for Colossal Pictures, with notable credits including RoboCop (1987) and Arachnophobia (1990). Colossal Pictures were represented by name throughout the robot's 1995 campaign, with team members wearing black t-shirts bearing the company's logo, along with black berets and military-esque 'fatigues'. The team also adopted a quiet and secretive persona, which would be carried over when Blendo competed under the M5 Industries team name.

Robot History

1995 US Championship

Blendo made its Robot Wars debut at the 1995 US competition, competing in the Heavyweight Face-Off tournament. In the opening round, it faced fellow newcomer Namreko 2000.

Due to its design quirks, Jamie Hyneman was allowed to power up Blendo's engine - and its weapon - before the match officially started. Once the battle got underway, both competitors were initially tentative; Blendo veered close to one of the mousetraps while circling around in the center, attempting to dodge the Ball of Doom. As Blendo got close to Namreko 2000, however, it took a direct hit from the swinging hazard, denting and scratching the shell. Blendo, unaffected by this, began hitting the base of Namreko 2000, bending the latter's lower spike in the process.

Further blows were inflicted to Namreko 2000, sending sparks and pieces of metal flying, while also incapacitating the chainsaw on Mike Okerman's entry. Blendo continued to pound Namreko 2000's base and buckle its lower spike. Eventually, its attacks were enough to sever the cable for Namreko 2000's battery, immobilizing it completely. Blendo won its first-ever battle by knockout, though the impacts had caused its cutting blades to start loosening. In response to early safety concerns, the Colossal Pictures team were strongly advised to strengthen the blades' bolts by a Robot Wars safety inspector ahead of their next fight.

In the second round, Blendo faced returning 1994 competitor Scott LaValley and his new heavyweight DooMore. As before, its spinner was allowed to be activated prior to the match starting.

Blendo spins under DooMore

Blendo started more assertively, creeping across the center of the arena to meet and hit the front castor of DooMore. In response, DooMore struck and dented its shell with its own pneumatic ram, the tip of which Blendo damaged during its second succession of hits. During a tentative few moments, Blendo got underneath DooMore as the two competitors again came to blows. Hanging back in the arena perimeter, it waited for DooMore to approach again before again clipping the latter's now-extended ram.

Blendo rips into DooMore, tearing off the side spikes

Once DooMore resorted to sit-and-spin tactics, Blendo drove in again, buffeting and bending many of DooMore's outer spikes. An attack to the back of DooMore prompted the latter to drive into the watching Cambot, which the spinning Blendo pushed DooMore into during its pursuit. Blendo again waited in the corner for DooMore to initiate another aggressive drive. Once more, its spinning shell made contact with DooMore's body spikes. In trying to follow DooMore, however, Blendo turned left into the nearby arena flipper. Sparks and a piece of metal flew on contact; audience member footage suggests that part of the debris hit the surrounding six-foot Plexiglass wall.

Blendo kept lingering in the corner regardless, just as DooMore rushed in and drove over the top of it once again. The M5 Industries machine began attacking DooMore's exposed internals, particularly its duct-taped batteries, while also ripping off its front-right spikes. The batteries were 'eviscerated' as a result, causing DooMore to begin smoking and eventually become immobilized in the arena center. Blendo, still in the corner, again emerged as the winner. However, its last attacks caused shrapnel - including DooMore's spikes - to fly over the arena wall and into the audience stands. According to Gearheads: The Turbulent Rise of Robotic Sports, one piece was reported to have 'nicked' an unidentified photographer, while another narrowly missed Tracey Miller, a publicist for event partner Profile Records, who was six months pregnant at the time.

In light of the shrapnel incidents, Blendo was forced to withdraw from the 1995 competition, ending its competitive run at this early stage. Instead, it was offered co-champion status in the 1995 Heavyweight Face-Off - an honor shared with The Master - and the full $1,000 prize money for winning the championship, which the team accepted. Blendo would also jointly receive the 1995 'Best Engineered' award, alongside Schilling Robotic Systems' Thor.

"Blendo is low-tech, but we're proud of that... [w]e invested less money and effort than anyone in our weight class, and we made a more dangerous robot. I think that means we're smarter."

— Jamie Hyneman, poking fun at Blendo's more technologically-advanced opposition following its 1995 withdrawal

1997 US Championship

Following an absence from the 1996 competition, Blendo returned for the 1997 edition with improvements to its weaponry and drive. As before, it competed exclusively in the Heavyweight Face-Off, being drawn against Hercules in the first round. Hercules' builder, Jim Smentowski, had specially modified his robot to be armed with a hammer and a 'spatula' lifter to counter and potentially neutralize Blendo's spinner, which again was powered up before the match officially started.

Blendo spins into Hercules

In the opening moments, Blendo's weapon spun ominously as Hercules tried to attack its shell with its hammer attachment. Moments later, it clipped Hercules' wedge shape, sparks flying as the impact tore one of the latter's stainless steel panels off. The panel was flung into one of the surrounding Plexiglass wall sections, denting and, more seriously, leaving a '4 inch gash' within it. Adam Savage recollected in 2023 that Hercules' panel reached the audience stands and landed close to a lawyer associated with the 1997 event's production, though fortunately without causing injury.

A shard of metal sticking out from the arena side wall after the fight

Both competitors drove away from each other for a few moments. Blendo slowly approached Hercules, itself spinning and waving its lifter, then sent it spinning into the wall with a blow to its side. As well as tearing into Hercules' more vulnerable aluminum panel, the impact caused major chassis and internal damage, including shorted motor wires and a destroyed Vantec speed controller. Blendo immobilized Hercules as a result, and was declared the winner to rapturous applause. However, as in the 1995 event, its first attack prompted major safety concerns among the Robot Wars organizers.

Blendo, nevertheless, progressed to face Punjar in the second round. Similarly to its previous match, it was allowed to spin its shell up before the official start.

Blendo sends Punjar flying upon the first impact

Once the Face-Off properly commenced, Blendo crept 'menacingly' towards the middle of the arena, with Punjar tentatively approaching from the left side. After a momentary pause, it was rammed by Ramiro Mallari's entry, but the collision only resulted in Blendo sending Punjar into a violent spin. The impact also briefly lifted Punjar upwards and caused Blendo itself to recoil into the right-most 'curb', leaving a 'huge gash' behind. Blendo's attack not only immobilized Punjar, but also 'wrecked' its chassis and 'destroyed' its speed controller, similarly to Hercules.

While Blendo again emerged as the match winner by knockout, the Judges deemed it too dangerous to continue fighting at that point. For the second time in as many appearances, it was withdrawn entirely from the competition at the request of the Robot Wars organizers. In a ceremony conducted by host Joel Hodgson, a 'special award' - quoted by the Team Spike website to be the 'Best Engineering' award - was presented to the M5 Industries team in recognition of Blendo's design and capabilities. Additionally, Blendo was awarded co-champion status in both the 1997 Heavyweight Face-Off and Melee championships, an honor ultimately shared with defending 1996 Heavyweight Face-Off champion BioHazard.

"...there were other winners that won in combat, but we also got a first-prize trophy in both of the years that we competed, in lieu of competition. Which, frankly, is the best possible outcome! There's no reason to ever compete with Blendo ever again. You've already reached the zenith. Blendo was spectacular! A real... a really great engineering lesson."

— Adam Savage on Blendo's brief, but impactful Robot Wars career, 2023

Results

Wins/Losses

• Wins: 4
• Losses: 0

Series Record

Events	Blendo Event Record
1994	Did not enter
1995	Heavyweight Co-Champion (Face-Off)
1996	Did not enter
1997	Heavyweight Co-Champion (Face-Off & Melee)

Outside Robot Wars

BattleBots

Blendo (BattleBots Season 2.0, 2000)

Following the demise of the original US Robot Wars events, Blendo would later compete in early BattleBots events, spanning from the 1999 Las Vegas competition to the first three televised Comedy Central seasons. Externally, it initially maintained its 1997 form, with differences including new spinner teeth and additional sponsorship decals. Taking advantage of increased weight limits available in BattleBots, Blendo's weight was also increased to 200lbs during this period.

"And those BattleBots days were amazing, because we showed up, trying to be cool, and we all wore black, and you know, we didn't talk a lot. But, we still made friends that we still have today..."

— Adam Savage, briefly recollecting his time as a BattleBots competitor in 2023

On each of its first three campaigns, Blendo received a first-round bye, but was defeated in the next round by Punjar in 1999 - a rematch of their 1997 Robot Wars Face-Off - BioHazard in Season 1.0 and GoldDigger in Season 2.0 respectively. It would also suffer recurring defeats in heavyweight Rumbles held after the main tournaments of those events.

BattleBots Season 3.0 (2001) incarnation, featuring a redesigned titanium shell

For Season 3.0, the original spinning shell was replaced with a brand-new titanium equivalent, with the outer teeth also being redesigned for increased damage output against more modern opponents. Blendo was also seeded for the first time, allowing it to bypass the preliminary rounds and start its run in the Round of 64. However, it would end up being eliminated at that stage by Bacchus, which marked Blendo's final appearance in combat.

In 2016, team member Adam Savage briefly returned to BattleBots as a guest judge for the second ABC season.

M5 Industries

Co-founded by Jamie Hyneman in 1997, M5 Industries is a San Francisco-based company formerly specializing in visual effects for film, television and advertisements.

Between 2003 and 2015, the company's workshops would be used for the filming of the Discovery Channel series MythBusters, co-presented by Hyneman and Adam Savage. The series sees Hyneman, Savage and their M5 colleagues test the validity of various 'myths' and popular beliefs, using scientific methods and experiments. Fellow co-presenters from the show's original run included Grant Imahara, builder of successful BattleBots middleweight Deadblow. A clip of Blendo fighting DooMore at Robot Wars 1995 features in intro montages for the original 2003 pilots, showcasing Hyneman and Savage's then 30-year experience in special effects, modelmaking and 'toy prototyping'.

Following the end of the original MythBusters run, M5 Industries shifted focus towards research and development projects, still under the leadership of Jamie Hyneman. One of their most publicized experimental projects is the Sentry, a 'firefighting tank' repurposed from an M548 cargo carrier.

Trivia

• In 2003, Blendo became an inaugural member of The Combat Robot Hall of Fame, its pioneering shell spinner design and notoriety in US Robot Wars competitions being key to its selection.

See Also

• Blendo (BattleBots)
• Jamie Hyneman (BattleBots)
• Adam Savage (BattleBots)

External Links

• Blendo on the M5 Industries website (archived)
• Blendo on the M5 Industries website (archived April 27 1999)
• Blendo on the BattleBots Wiki