pool noodles
 

Where does one find them in Michigan in the winter?

Re: pool noodles
 

Amazon.com ?

Re: pool noodles
 

In your shop, because you bought them in the fall. :rolleyes: :p

Sorry, that's next year. For those that didn't know to plan ahead, your friends down in Kokomo, Indiana have your back. http://www.andymark.com/Bumpers-s/253.htm Scroll down a bit. (And, while you're at it, browse around the rest of the site. Just don't blow your entire robot budget there.)

Now, I do have to give you guys fair warning. We don't know for sure that we actually will need pool noodles this year, given that we didn't get any blog posts about making sure you have your supply. But, with the bumper rules as they have been for the last few years, I think your concern is reasonable. And, as noted, one source is in Indiana.

Re: pool noodles
 

Here is a 20 pack on Amazon.
You may also try other places, but this about the going price for bulk/quantity purchases. You may be able to find a pool/spa store that has some leftover in the back room.

[Edit] Ether beat me to it... and EricH, thanks for providing a link to AndyMark. I would have guessed/known that they sold the noodles.

In all seriousness, set an alarm or calendar reminder for the middle of August to get them in the summer months or as the stores are prepping to switch seasons. [/Edit]

Re: pool noodles
 

If you are going to Grand Rapids for kick off I can bring you some. There may be another team more local to you who buys them when they see them like I do in September. If they are a dollar or less I grab a few, we probably have thirty in our storage room.

Re: pool noodles
 

You will find them in local pool supply stores.

Re: pool noodles
 

Along these lines, does anyone have a good source for buying SOLID pool noodles online? The stiffer, the better. I've got way more than enough hollow squishy ones.

Re: pool noodles
 

Search for solid pool noodles on Amazon....they have them...

Re: pool noodles
 

If you get the the store at just the right time, when they're clearing out the pool supplies for fall, you can talk to the manager and offer $1 a noodle for the case(s) and no foolin', that works.

Did get all pink noodles, but that's no big deal. Can't see 'em on the 'bot anyway.

As for 'solid' noodles, can you foam 'great-stuff' into the center? I think maybe you want your bottom noodle to be solid and the upper noodle hollow, so you'll get a wedge-effect that gets the other robots' weight onto your machine so you get the traction. Would that work?

Re: pool noodles
 

Pool noodle = Polyethylene Foam

Here is a site that sells cylinders of polyethylene foam: http://www.foambymail.com/PE2C/polye...cylinders.html
(Disclaimer: I have not ordered from this site).

At $8 for one 70 inch length they are significantly more expensive than pool noodles.

I used to do packaging engineering for Northrop. There will be a foam supplier somewhere nearby who does custom shipping containers and custom foam. Find one locally and call them and see if they can get you polyethylene cylinders in larger quantity for a discount. If you mention what it's for I bet they will give you a discount or wholesale price.

-matto-

Re: pool noodles
 

The Wikipedia article for pool noodles mentions FRC in the section "Other Uses".

Re: pool noodles
 

A student used pool noodles for a boat project in June. I "salvaged" them and put them in our robotics room once the project was done.

Re: pool noodles
 

Rip them from your old robot? On a serious note, it'll be difficult to find them at a local store by now. Should've prepared ahead of time. I'd try Amazon. Maybe ebay.

Re: pool noodles
 

We bought ours during build season last year. We just called around to a few pool supply stores and bought a large quantity (30 maybe) for rather cheap (don't remember specific price, but it was a lot cheaper than amazon). They usually have them all year round.

Re: pool noodles
 

The rules in previous years around bumpers are pretty prescriptive:

Think carefully about using substitutes, particularly ones that don't look like pool noodles or have substantially different physical properties. You may end up needing to "sell" them to the inspectors at the competition.

I hate working on bumpers at competitions.