Re: Robot Cart Suggestions
 

We use a modified computer table thingie. It actually was in the room that was converted to our shop, and when we were packing stuff for Atlanta we looked at it thinking "wow .. that would make a nice cart". We screwed some 2x4s to the top (to lift the wheels off the cart so it can be driven in the pits for testing) and called it done. You can disassemble it completely, which makes it nice for a tool crate, and it also weighs next to nothing. The 2x4s create a 3" gap between the bot and the top of the cart, for tools and stuff, and the control box fits perfectly on the bottom shelf. This year, we stuck some vinyl decals on it.



Ironically, its the perfect height for getting under doors at competition :cool:

Thanks to 973 for taking the picture :D

Re: Robot Cart Suggestions
 

Get some plywood, cut it to desired size. Get folding table legs, attach. Get 4" casters, attach. Get Handle (rope is sufficient), attach. you now have a cart, that is low to the ground for moving, and has table legs for in the pit, that folds out from underneath. Simple, relatively cheap, effective.

Embellish with carpet, drawers, paint.

Re: Robot Cart Suggestions
 

A Standard Furniture dolly works wonders. We used the KOP Frame and Wheels and it fits right in between them. Its perfect and is not very big.

Re: Robot Cart Suggestions
 

Just a few things:

Weight, you don't want to pay extra for shipping, and most people are lazy if they have to lift the cart

Size, so you can stuff it into a corner when you're not using it

Extra stuff, when in finals, zip ties and wrenches are needed to be at hand. I like to have a crate of somesort for this

Ground clearance, get over wires on the ground

The teams with lights and amps on their cart are cool looking, but it often gets caught in a corner and they aren't allowed to play music (depending on the competion)

Re: Robot Cart Suggestions
 

this year, the kitbot frame with some wood and things to hold it in place. custom built ;)

Re: Robot Cart Suggestions
 

Team 1492 found a lawn cart at Home Depot which had steerable wheels, BIG fat tires and a removeable tub for the lawn supplies. Removing the red tub left a strudy, steerable, stable platform to build a wooden rack to hold the bot. It cost $99. The best cart deal I have heard of!!

Re: Robot Cart Suggestions
 

Although I do like Robostang's design, my preference is Truck Town's (though, technically, it's not a cart as much as something that tows one). ;)

Re: Robot Cart Suggestions
 

Our robot this year is it's own cart (it's tall enough and has two unpowered wheels in the back, so it can be tipped and moved around). In prior years we used a handtruck.

Re: Robot Cart Suggestions
 

Our team made a trade many years ago (forgot with whom) and the part that we got out of it was a custom carrier. It is a frame of powder coated aluminum, with two hadles. Their latching design allows them to be flipped down, turning the carrier into a table for pit working. The way we test our wheels is by "blocking the robot," which is 4 pieces of wood placed under the robot.



Here's a pic of the carrier, just so you can see what it's like.

Re: Robot Cart Suggestions
 

After watching/helping catch many robots that had started rolling off their carts while going over the wire-protector at the field entrance, I would recommend that the cart supports the bot by it's frame instead of resting on it's wheels, or use some angle-iron around the cart edges to prevent loosing your bot off the top of the cart.

Also, never forget about the doorways, we had a robot cart one year that was wider than the average doorway... but not for long. Picking it up at every doorway got tiring REALLY quickly.

Re: Robot Cart Suggestions
 

We use a cart our principal got at Costco. It was under $50 I think. It has a folding handle and large (10") pneumatic tires, with the front two swiveling. It is a little tippy but it is really good for going over those cable-ways on the floor or through grass/mud/dirt/etc.

Re: Robot Cart Suggestions
 

Yea, get bigs wheels and mabey even some motorized wheels. Here is our cart,
-2 Cims driving it
-4 speakers and 2 subs
-dvd player and 7in screen
-overkill we know but its fun to have

Re: Robot Cart Suggestions
 

For two years our team just used a boring old simple dolly. When we heard that 25 was making a motorized cart, we also had to (they never finished theirs, btw).

We took a motorized scooter (one with a seat) and added a large box to the back. The top had hinges so things could be stored inside, and the robot rested on top. One member of our team is responsible for driving it around. It even worked out for traveling! The whole scooter itself breaks down and fits inside the box. We shipped it with our robot to Atlanta in the crate.

Re: Robot Cart Suggestions
 

We came up with the idea of looking to see if there was anything we could buy off the shelf so we wouldn't have to go through the hassle of trying to build an awesome cart between competitions. We found hydraulic lift carts. With just a pump of the foot or a squeeze of the hand, the cart will easily go up and down. However, the picture below doesn't show the handle that allows the table to be lowered or the brakes on the back wheels.

Re: Robot Cart Suggestions
 

We use a simple cart, made of aluminum and casters. Very simple, very nice.

To pimp it out a bit, I always like:
- removable handles (so you can work on robot on the cart)
- Storage for batteries and a few other necessary items
- A turn table so you can pivot the robot while working on it

We like the ol' KISS principal on our robot, and the cart is no different. Cheap, Easy, Reliable, Simple, Quick - everything you need. :)

(But ground effect lighting, mass storage, stereos, cray supercomputers, and hovercarts are all really cool too!)