Over the coming weeks and months, you can monitor the progress of Panda Monium as it develops into a fully operative, fighting machine.These diary pages will provide a potted history of what we have achieved so far. Don't expect us to tell you or show you everything, however. If we have something important, it may not be to our advantage to admit it until we get to showtime!!
May 1998:
We begin our first design work proper, having received the full set of documents and contracts from Mentorn. The initial design (see Pictures) is one that we have been discussing for about a month, but not until now have we realised it as scaled drawings. The shape seems pretty good but the weaponary is still under discussion.
May 22th 1998:
First official meeting to discuss time frames, workshop details and practical stuff. We have begun to find sources for the radio control gear and have made some basic decisions on things such as how many controllers (1), what type of motors (wheelchair or similar), body materials(polypropelene, subject to availability). We agree a plan of action for each of us, allowing for the fact that Chris will be in America for a week.
May 31st 1998:
Have discovered a great scrap yard for parts. Picked up an old petrol lawn mower for 5 UKP and a strange chair on wheels for 5 UKP also. The chair is steel framed and has wheels similar to a shopping trolley. I will incorporate these wheels into the design. Other parts of these things may come in useful too. There were a few potential weapons here!
June 1st 1998:
  First workshop meeting in Chris' garage. This will be our second home for the coming weeks. Between us we have just about every tool ever invented, so there should be no hold ups. We've also got the films for the video diary and I've bought a Polaroid camera to take snaps. The first is included here and it shows Chris with the stuff I've bought from the scrap yard. I had to take the chair apart and the lawnmower has had it's handle removed so that I could get it into the car okay.
We've also built a scale model of the Panda chassis using chop-sticks.This made us realise that there was an inherent weakness in part of the design.