Re: pic: 294 Crate top Stairway to Heaven
 

wow, thats very cool, i didnt know that ppl actually paint their crates...

we spray painted an arrow on it, to show which side was up. then some1 turned it into a face. not nearly as...professional...as that...haha

Re: pic: 294 Crate top Stairway to Heaven
 

You know I am seeing all these VERY nicely painted crates but what are you guys gonna do when they get knocked around in shipping and the ur amazing paint job is all messed up. that is gonna s*ck. Also when u get to the competition are u just gon unload it and then put it in storage. My team thought about that and then they assigned me (my luck) to design a crate that will be able to be kept in the pit and be integrated in. And after much deliberation we have a unfolding work bench and storage crate. If you are interested in it we ill be at UCF and Chicago as well as Nationals. Once i get some half legable blueprints i will post them here so all u teams can make ur own for next year. Only thing is, dont make it out of 3/4" ply wood. With my design it weights 416lbs empty and as per the FIRST shipping rules the crate must weight less than 400lbs for them to ship it. So we are workin out some other idea of gettin it to competition. So i was wonderin , have ne other teams come up with something of this sort?

-Andrew Hammer-

Re: pic: 294 Crate top Stairway to Heaven
 

There are some really nicely painted crates out there. Our crate is painted black with our team name and number on it in red. It was painted about 4 or 5 years ago and does have a few spots where the paint is gone around the corners, but overall still looks pretty good.

The nicest crate I saw wasn't painted...it was diamond plate...with 388 cut out of it on all sides (for Team 388, who won VCU)...they put American flags behind the cut-outs and it looked really sweet.

Re: pic: 294 Crate top Stairway to Heaven
 

the best crate i have seen to date was about 2 or 3 years ago at nationals i have no idea what team it was but they had a crate made of Square ALuminun Stock for all the corner and edges and such and they have Plexi-Glass as the walls it was so sweet.

Re: pic: 294 Crate top Stairway to Heaven
 

We actually make a new crate every year. The paint doesn't actually get damaged much at all in shipping believe it or not. We take last years crate and normally use it for something else, but save a piece for the wall. With home depot being across the street, we always make a new crate, and our team has a great time painting it (and putting our handprints on it!)

Re: pic: 294 Crate top Stairway to Heaven
 

It didn't happen. We painted it last year, and it made a nice part of our facility since last year for our weekly open house that was featured on AOL Digital City as #3 pick for Kids and Family in LA...


We haven't yet chosen to put the effort you did in designing a pit crate as you have. Is it your intention to dismiss others' efforts unless they are doing what you choose to do? *shrug* our efforts have been in a lot of different areas, including we've managed to have a nicely painted crate.

Kudos to you for a pit design, and your willingness to share it with others.

Re: pic: 294 Crate top Stairway to Heaven
 

Seeings how everybody else is posting pictures of their crate, I figured I will as well....

Re: pic: 294 Crate top Stairway to Heaven
 

LOL, ROF, ok, your cool, trogdor is awesome!!!!!

Re: pic: 294 Crate top Stairway to Heaven
 

If i were to give an award for most creative/coolest crate... team 360 from tacoma wa. would win

At the portland regional I was so amazed when i saw their crate.... it had door hinges and folded out to reveal a work bench, but what amazed me the most was that they wired up their crate to have a bunch of outlets (very very desparately needed) and two halogen lamps! Yikes those guys must have had a whole team work on their crate!

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adventrx327 , are u goin to UCF , Chicago or Nats? if not i will get u some picks but u might wanna re think your award. If you are at ne of those competitions come over to the 108 pit and take a peek at out crate it will blow u away.(that is if it makes it to the competitions) We have lights and power stips which need to be installed. Also we are planning for next year to add pneumatics to the crate that are controlled with a car alarm kinda clicker it will be sweet. the crate will open up all by it self at the click of one button.

-Andrew Hammer-
Team 108 -Mechanical Team -Crate Designer Extraordinare - 2003 UCF Champs w/ 212 , 168

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How much do all your crates weigh?? We want to design a breakthrough lightweight designed strong crate for next year, and want to know what kind of material everyone used one their crate, and how much it weighs.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance all!

Re: pic: 294 Crate top Stairway to Heaven
 

We have a new crate this year, created by Mark. There was some slight damage due to shipping but the shrink wrap seemed to help. He waterproofed it on the INSIDE, put in electricity, put in a locking door, painted incredible flames on the side. Before the ship date, it held a discarded easy chair. In NJ we discovered it was stored right on the other side of our pit. He rigged up a hammock inside and was able to take power naps. I nicknamed it "the clubhouse." I do have pics but he would kill me.

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We wanted to do something different so we have our crate lift it's outside walls. We added a basement for storeage of spare parts and tools. We have a winch, pulleys and cables running the lifting.

Re: pic: 294 Crate top Stairway to Heaven
 

Very cool!
*note to Brandon* Can we have a crate gallery?


Brandon's adding a crate gallery, so when it's up, everyone add your pics.

Re: pic: 294 Crate top Stairway to Heaven
 

That is a very sweet crate...great job on it!