View Full Version : Kids edition of "Junkyard Wars"
Clark Gilbert
30-06-2001, 21:12
I've been watching the "Techno Competition Week" on TLC for the past few days...and during the commercials i've seen this commercial where the "head" girl announcer for Junkyard Wars is talking to the kids out there and she said if we want a kids version of Junkyard Wars all we have to do is go to www.discovery.com and click on "TLC" and tell them we want it... She said if enough kids email the network it may come true....
So if you find yourself with nothing to do or if you really would like to see it, head on over to www.discovery.com and tell them.
Just an Idea :D :) :cool:
David Kelly
30-06-2001, 21:32
I emailed them at this address: junkyard-wars@rdfmedia.com I told them that there would be a high interest in the FIRST Community. Would be cool to see some FIRST teams on there.
Clark Gilbert
30-06-2001, 21:39
I think that is the email everyone should use...since they dont really have a place on the Junkyard Wars site for some place....even though i've seen the commercials....
:D :cool: :)
Looks like now I have an excuse for learning how to weld!
Wonder what the age range would be...
-Andy
EddieMcD
01-07-2001, 01:19
IMO: I think middle school kids are too young for that, but it'd be great for high schoolers. It'd be something to work at over the summer, and something even Dean Kamen himself might like.
captainfirst
04-07-2001, 16:08
Junkyard Wars is a great show and there should be more of it. But I think everyone should consider what a younger version of the show would be like. Contestants on the show typically have years and years of engineering experience. They have knowledge that you can only gain by working in the field. To make the challenges possible, they would have to be easier. Also they would need more time. If the teams were allowed to have more people, the costs for the teams to travel back and forth for competition would be high and since sponsors cannot display their logos on the participants, they would probably be less inclined to donate. Junkyard Wars is exciting because in just 10 hours the teams manage to build incredible machines. I don't think it could be done by anyone w/o a ton of experience.
Many high school teams come up with great robots, but they have the help of many experts. If its going to take a few experts to help the kids, and therefore the experts are doing most to all of the work.... why are the kids there?
Anyway, just a thought, I might still watch it with kids if it was still challenging.
David Kelly
04-07-2001, 17:14
Originally posted by captainfirst
Junkyard Wars is a great show and there should be more of it. But I think everyone should consider what a younger version of the show would be like. Contestants on the show typically have years and years of engineering experience. They have knowledge that you can only gain by working in the field. To make the challenges possible, they would have to be easier. Also they would need more time. If the teams were allowed to have more people, the costs for the teams to travel back and forth for competition would be high and since sponsors cannot display their logos on the participants, they would probably be less inclined to donate. Junkyard Wars is exciting because in just 10 hours the teams manage to build incredible machines. I don't think it could be done by anyone w/o a ton of experience.
Many high school teams come up with great robots, but they have the help of many experts. If its going to take a few experts to help the kids, and therefore the experts are doing most to all of the work.... why are the kids there?
Anyway, just a thought, I might still watch it with kids if it was still challenging.
Junkyard wars for Kids doesn't necessarly be as elaborate as the adult one. And I really don't think it would be centered towards it. It wouldn't be smart on their part. The kids would be given a task that TLC would know that would be accomplished (WITHOUT ADULT HELP). I think it would be surprising what kids could come up with. I don't know what would be used to make the machines or what the challenges would be baised off of, but i'm sure that they would make it as exciting at the adult version.
Disclaimer: don't take any of this post personally.:)
Kyle Fenton
06-07-2001, 12:09
If there is to be a teen version of junkyard wars it would have to be simple, simple. Maybe the flying planes, the rocket episode, and maybe the coffee grinder episode. I can see that done by teens.
But I don't think it would become a big hit, because everyone loves the complicated stuff, like a dragster or something.
The teens on that show
*could possible sotter, but not weld metal.
* probably wouldn't be able to get going a gas motor. (Like stripping it from a car and applying to a chaise.)
* probably get hurt trying to find stuff in the junkyard
* wouldn't be able to calculate the advance math for some of those projects, unless they were in calculus or trig.
Plus they wouldn't meet any other requirements
http://www.junkyard-wars.com/appforms.htm
Hey, FIRST is a heluva lot like Junkyard wars. I mean, think about it, you've got your goal, and you have to search through the two boxes and some parts places to build something unlike anything at all that came out of the box. I mean, the creativeness needed is astounding for both things. Especially if your whole budget is about $500.
EddieMcD
09-07-2001, 13:40
Yes, but a lot of kids don't weld, and that is necessary on JYW.
Welder? Oh you mean that big thing that spits flames, and that other thing that makes the pritty blue sparks and make my eyes hurt. :)
Carolyn Duncan
17-07-2001, 13:33
Instead of TLC having to work out a way to make a kid's version of JYW maybe they should just invest in FIRST. Could be a way to solve our space and publicity woes.
C~ya,
Carolyn
EddieMcD
17-07-2001, 14:02
And give us a TV spot.
Carolyn Duncan
17-07-2001, 15:37
That would fall under the publicity umbrella.
C~ya,
Carolyn
EddieMcD
17-07-2001, 16:26
Hmm... we could use a TV spot ever since ESPN gave up on us.
yeah that would be nice to have the compition on tv
Carolyn Duncan
17-07-2001, 20:45
But the money that comes from being on T.V. is better. The fact that we'd be on T.V. is one thing but the recognition is better. Who needs ESPN anyway? They didn't have time for us so we don't wanna have to look around their cameras.
C~ya,
Carolyn
EddieMcD
18-07-2001, 10:50
Actually, ESPN gave us a lot of our recognition and contributed to our growth for what? 5 years. It could've been a contracted deal that ran out.
Carolyn Duncan
18-07-2001, 12:10
We should get picked back up then. BB is so big ESPN needs something to compete with. We're much bigger now so it would be good for ESPN to pick us back up.
Originally posted by Carolyn Duncan
We should get picked back up then. BB is so big ESPN needs something to compete with. We're much bigger now so it would be good for ESPN to pick us back up.
Your right, lets call them up and tell them whats-what :)
I agree though... something to compete with BB... less violent, sure, but just as cool.
EddieMcD
19-07-2001, 15:51
Also: we've got a bigger growth ratio, bigger size whatsoever, longer running...
Carolyn Duncan
19-07-2001, 22:29
The best situation for ESPN is tapping into the market of teens. They get to us with the Xgames now they could have FIRST. Not to mention we need them for a bigger venue. It would be a win win situation.
Nate Smith
20-07-2001, 02:44
Originally posted by Carolyn Duncan
We should get picked back up then. BB is so big ESPN needs something to compete with. We're much bigger now so it would be good for ESPN to pick us back up.
It seems like when I first heard about ESPN not covering us any more(which kinda bummed me out, the '98 show had me on it near the end :D ), I saw something from somebody on here saying it was FIRST's call not to have ESPN cover it any more? I remember reading that somewhere...
Carolyn Duncan
21-07-2001, 19:59
but would that make sense? I thought FIRST was looking for coverage and publicity? I'm confused. (it doesn't take much.)
David Kelly
21-07-2001, 23:37
Originally posted by Carolyn Duncan
but would that make sense? I thought FIRST was looking for coverage and publicity? I'm confused. (it doesn't take much.)
didn't someone say that they "X"ed out all of the sponsors? (my memory is lacking right now) FIRST prolly didn't like it. and the nats weren't shown until months later and it only lasted like and hour. they prolly want something that is more like real sports. like have a TV contract that will follow all of the comps.
Carolyn Duncan
22-07-2001, 21:54
Originally posted by David Kelly
didn't someone say that they "X"ed out all of the sponsors?
Why would they do that during our event and not Xgames? There are sooooo.many sponsors for Xgames that some people are head to toe bilboards.
I doubt many of you have no clue what you would be getting yourself into at junk yard wars. never mind the fact that only a tenth of the people in this forum know what a mig is or how to use it. there are many other skills needed. you may see a half hour of building but what you dont see is the hours of math and machining that goes on. unless you are competent in a machine shop and know how to rebuild a carb on a four cylinder you would be lost. my though would be that in order to have a fair competetion it would have to be more or an arts and crafts deal.
tyler forbes
151
Originally posted by TF8
I doubt many of you have no clue what you would be getting yourself into at junk yard wars. never mind the fact that only a tenth of the people in this forum know what a mig is or how to use it. there are many other skills needed. you may see a half hour of building but what you dont see is the hours of math and machining that goes on. unless you are competent in a machine shop and know how to rebuild a carb on a four cylinder you would be lost. my though would be that in order to have a fair competetion it would have to be more or an arts and crafts deal.
tyler forbes
151
You may be surprised. For starters i know someone who took the engine off a chainsaw, made a bracket to mount it to his bike, built a clutch from scratch, put it all togeather, then relized the chainsaw engine didnt work :)
My team almost made it's own pnumatic cylinders, though we decided against to because we could buy them the right size anyways (and its probably very much so against the rules, we never checked).
You may underestimate the machinists on FIRST teams
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