Pool Noodles and 1000 Denier Cordura Plus

[Mike Norton]

I have been looking for a web site to buy pool noodles and have not found one that sells 2 1/2" diameter with a 3/4" hole

I did a search and did not find that anywhere on Chiefdelphi.


If someone could post this thank you.

If anybody is looking for 1000 Denier Cordura Plus you can go to

http://www.ahh.biz/products/1000%20%20denier%20cordura%20plus%20fabric%20FCP10 0.htm


you can pick from different colors
cost is $13.95 per yard

[Bob Steele]

I tried this cordura site www.ahh.biz/products) but they informed me (after they took my money) that their computer was "down" and they could not print a Fed Ex shipping label. Also their "owner" was out for the next week ... so I would not be receiving a refund of my money for up to 2 weeks... I would suggest using another source that was much more pleasant to use ...

Rockywoods Outdoor Fabrics phone 970-663-6163
www.rockywoods.com

many colors and 12.99 a yard

I am still looking for a website that sells 2.5 inch noodles with the hole..
I have found several with 2.75 inch noodles...
Walmarts, etc. in Indiana don't have them yet (summer item)

Good luck to all!!


I have been looking for a web site to buy pool noodles and have not found one that sells 2 1/2" diameter with a 3/4" hole

I did a search and did not find that anywhere on Chiefdelphi.


If someone could post this thank you.

If anybody is looking for 1000 Denier Cordura Plus you can go to

http://www.ahh.biz/products/1000%20%20denier%20cordura%20plus%20fabric%20FCP10 0.htm


you can pick from different colors
cost is $13.95 per yard

[Rick TYler]

1000 Denier Cordura in 20 colors at Seattle Fabrics: http://www.seattlefabrics.com/1000d%20Colors.htm.

Pool noodles, 2.5" hollow at http://www.nationaldiscountpoolsupplies.com/poollounchai.html

[richwong]

1000 Denier Cordura in 20 colors at Seattle Fabrics: http://www.seattlefabrics.com/1000d%20Colors.htm.

Pool noodles, 2.5" hollow at http://www.nationaldiscountpoolsupplies/poollounchai.html.


Here's a pool noodle link that works: http://www.nationaldiscountpoolsupplies.com/poollounchai.html

Scroll down half-way and look for "Hollow Pool Water Noodles."

[Carol]

Our team got the proper Cordura from EBay - I don't know the price but it was very reasonable.

And guess what color we found.....

[Peter Matteson]

And guess what color we found.....

Guess I'm going to need sunglasses in Philly... again.

[Gertlex]

1000 Denier Cordura in 20 colors at Seattle Fabrics: http://www.seattlefabrics.com/1000d%20Colors.htm.

Pool noodles, 2.5" hollow at http://www.nationaldiscountpoolsupplies.com/poollounchai.html

Can anyone verify that these pool noodles (linked above) are exactly 2.5 inches in diameter?

My team gathered our own pool noodles for use. With the exception of one 8 sided noodle, all 12 or so noodles are 2.625 to 2.75 inches in diameter. This ended up being a problem for two reasons:
-FIRST probably wants them exactly 2.5" (I can't find info otherwise anywhere)
-I assumed they were 2.5", so I cut the denier fabric to fit 2.5" nicely. We have extra fabric, thankfully, but the cutting (and sewing the edges) isn't much fun.

My team is probably going to purchase new noodles online (they're not available locally in winter), but to be sure, we're checking beforehand.

[Rick TYler]

Can anyone verify that these pool noodles (linked above) are exactly 2.5 inches in diameter?

Someone should ask this on the official Q&A forum.

I doubt FIRST would care about minor variations. There is no MILSPEC standard for pool noodles.

(I just wanted to note that "There is no MILSPEC standard for pool noodles" would make a fine addition to the FIRST spotlight library...)

[chinckley]

:) Someone should ask this on the official Q&A forum.

I doubt FIRST would care about minor variations. There is no MILSPEC standard for pool noodles.

(I just wanted to note that "There is no MILSPEC standard for pool noodles" would make a fine addition to the FIRST spotlight library...)

================================================== ====
It has been asked in the Q&A

http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread.php?t=496&highlight=pool+noodles

2 3/4" noodles are okay as long as the plywood remains 5"

2.5" Pool noodles are available per Q&A from
http://www.nationaldiscountpoolsupplies.com

Carolyn :)

[Elgin Clock]

Did anyone have any luck finding the fabric locally?? I'm not having much faith in finding this since I called up a fabric supply shop, and was told only the manager may know what it is and have a clue if they carry it. lol

Anyways, anyone find it at any chain stores?

[Team ERV]

am i wrong to assume that it was ok to use other fabrics?

since cordura was only "recommended"

[DonRotolo]

am i wrong to assume that it was ok to use other fabrics?

since cordura was only "recommended"
No guarantees, but I have seen other teams with non-Cordura bumper coverings. Just get a fabric that is relatively strong, which tends to be heavy in weight, kind of like denim or canvas. Ask the local fabric store for the heaviest material they have, preferably nylon, and it should be OK. I mean, what'll it take to rip the stuff??

The Cordura we have is like the stuff they use to make backpacks, almost the thickness of a pair of blue jeans, but nylon, of course. I bet you could tow a car with it, kind of overkill.

Good Luck,
Don

[dubious elise]

Be prepared to either replace the fabric or sew your bumpers back together. This tear was just one of many that I tied back together with dental floss over the course of the WI regional (Boilermaker was nowhere near this rough).

http://img92.imageshack.us/img92/6580/dsc002260cd.th.jpg (http://img92.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc002260cd.jpg)

[Wayne Doenges]

We tried rip-stop. Didn't work :(
We than used Cordura that we changed over at the BMR. Still ripped but not where the rip-stop did.
Our pool noodles started out as 3.5" across. They had 8 lobes around the circumference that we had to cut off. One of our engineers used a fillet knife to removed the lobes. When they were done I call them 'fillet of noodles' :D

[sanddrag]

almost the thickness of a pair of blue jeansHrrm. That's not a half bad idea. Use some blue jeans for bumper covering.

[Gary Dillard]

Notice the response to this post in 2008 Q&A. (http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread.php?t=8156) (Note that the previous part of this thread was posted in 2006 but I didn't find any recent discussion)

The bumper material swatch in the kit of parts (by the checklist, I don't have the swatch in front of me) shows "Seattle Fabrics, Inc.", but their website just lists 1000 denier Cordura®, not Cordura Plus® as indicated on the checklist (and as shown in Figure 8-1, although rule R08 only says "1000 denier Cordura Plus® strongly recommended). I know they have been generally lenient about bumper material in past years, I just wondered if putting a swatch in the kit meant they would enforce it more closely to the letter. It appears that is not the case - I doubt the cami pants in question were made of Cordura Plus®

[Dick Linn]

If you can't find pool noodles, call the source: http://www.tundrafoam.com/water_toys/water_toys_index.html

[MrForbes]

We usually find pool noodles at our local Walmart about this time of year. weird, huh?

[Dick Linn]

We usually find pool noodles at our local Walmart about this time of year. weird, huh?

I was just about to launch into a tirade about FIRST and the requirement for pool noodles in the middle of winter. Since you are from AZ, I guess that is one of the few places that might have a use for them this time of year. :D (I know, AZ has a very diverse climate, from SW to NE.)

(The link I posted before says that the original pool noodles originated in Canada, like they have a long pool season to use them. I wondered about other things made in unlikely places...so I checked my fleece jacket. Made in Vietnam! Now I want to check out my furnace and see if its made in Florida, or my air conditioner in Alaska. This deserves a separate thread...) :ahh:

[Gertlex]

Pants are in.
http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread.php?t=8156

[Vikesrock]

Be prepared to either replace the fabric or sew your bumpers back together. This tear was just one of many that I tied back together with dental floss over the course of the WI regional (Boilermaker was nowhere near this rough).

http://img92.imageshack.us/img92/6580/dsc002260cd.th.jpg (http://img92.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc002260cd.jpg)

What where your bumpers made of? We were one of the teams doing a lot of roughing up and ours never tore. We used the 1000 Denier Cordura from Seattle Fabrics.

[GaryVoshol]

We usually find pool noodles at our local Walmart about this time of year. weird, huh?

They were not available at the Walmart in Michigan - we checked. For any SE Mich teams still looking, we found ours at Pools-n-Spas A-Go-Go on 12 Mile in Berkley. 5 for $10.

[Lawry Goldstein]

I quick note on bumper coverings:

Two years ago we used a black nylon that was very thin; it took no damage during the Midwest regional. We had our name on them with stickers which were replaced at least one per day and were still getting destroyed, so these were taking at least a few hits, even if we fell over most matches.

Last year we used pleather, and it got destroyed by a wooden insert that was in the shape of our name (Warbots), however it survived as you might expect pleather to.

In generally, as long as you get any nylon product it will be very strong and nylon is also generally very smooth, so other robots being required to have bumpers in a similar area, on 2/3rds of their robot, and not being allowed to play defense shouldn't be a problem at all. Just keep your plywood to spec and don't include any weird, sharp objects in the middle.

On weight, if you’re looking only to fit in the 15 pound bumper limit, don't be too worried. Two years ago we had 3/4 sides covered (one wide was partially open) and we used 1.5 in square tube with 1/8th thick sidewalls for mounting, it all still came in underweight. If you’re looking to come in underweight just look for a decently light/strong nylon fabric and use it with nothing weird inside the bumpers themselves.

[Gary Dillard]

I was just about to launch into a tirade about FIRST and the requirement for pool noodles in the middle of winter.

I guess I hadn't really thought about that problem since it's such a common item down here. As long as FIRST doesn't require using snow chains on the robot we'll be OK.

btw, we had a cold front come through yesterday. Dropped down to almost 60 degrees last night and it's supposed to be in the 50's later this week. I better get out my thermals.

[Jeff Pahl]

I guess I hadn't really thought about that problem since it's such a common item down here. As long as FIRST doesn't require using snow chains on the robot we'll be OK.



You can't find pool noodles in Atlanta until about mid-March. Since they now require that you ship the bumpers in the crate, that's a little too late. You also can't find snow chains in Atlanta, I've tried :)

I've ordered them from this place in the past http://pooltoy.com/waternoodle.html before I started stocking up at the end of the summer.

[ShortBang]

The past two years, our team has decided not to use the cordura, and just went to the local junkyard, and cut out the airbag material. Its just as strong, and alot cheaper. but we do get stuck on colors, seeing as nobody makes flashy airbags...

[Dick Linn]

I think northern teams should be able to use long-johns stuffed with wool socks for the bumpers. Or we alternate, and require pool noodles one year, and snow chains or studded tires the next.