Re: Two Story Pit Area?
 

This is a "fun" thread to brainstorm about tweo-story pits ala professional trade shows, but alas it is NOT allowed by FIRST. Pits should be limited to 10' in height. Also, if you've never been to Atlanta GWCC, your pit should be open-topped to let-in as much of the ambient lighting as possible; otherwise makes it tough to work on robot!

Even if it was allowed, it is hugely cost-prohibited and the venue (The Georgia Dome and World Congress Center) imposes their own safety regulations:
http://www.gwcc.com/exhibitors/docum...Guidelines.pdf

Better start getting your funding, plans, permits, etc for the Taj Mahal ready for the 2008 season!

Re: Two Story Pit Area?
 

You are correct, the safety risks of building up in the pits is just too great. The only was to go for more space is to dig a basement.

Re: Two Story Pit Area?
 

four words for you: "camera on a pole" :D

Re: Two Story Pit Area?
 

will people please stop posting stuff about guidelines and stuff about why we can't do it, you guys are totally killing the buzz. Just go with the flow.

And for the 5 Stories
1: Robot Repair and heavy stuff
2: Bags and Pins and other give aways
3: Lounge with TV and PS2 or XBox 360
4: Kots or some other beds to sleep in
5: "Gentalmen's" club

Re: Two Story Pit Area?
 

I had always dreamed of a 2 story pit, I believe a team did it this year out of painters scaffolding.

Re: Two Story Pit Area?
 

Hey,
the Wold Congress Center in Atlanta actually has 30' high ceilings, so why not go for a THREE_story tall pit?

let's see now, the elevator tags will read:
---first floor, robot repair shop complete with polished concrete floor
---2nd floor; co-ed crash mosh pit (Ok, maybe a velvet curtain)
---3rd floor; robo-lounge complete with revolving disco dance floor
---rooftop-mounted 360 degree spy surveillance cameras with pan, tilt and zoom to check-out everyone else's pit. Do your scouting from the relaxation of a Naugahide recliner in the robo-lounge....

yeah, I like that idea! Cool.


Oh yeah, I forgot that you have to submit plans six months in advance, and have to use their union labor to assemble the pit.....But, maybe with enough AutoCAD work over the next season......hmmmmm.

Re: Two Story Pit Area?
 

lets not forget that team cooperation is a good thing.
your 5 story pit should be designed for easy access to the neighbors pit structure. thus we should develop standards for pit access.
also, to reduce elevator traffic, we would need sky bridges from the 3rd story of your pit to the pit across the aisle.
properly designed, the judges need not walk on the floor of the arena, they just travel across the 3rd floor access ways.

jerry w

Re: Two Story Pit Area?
 

I remember that, they were right next to us I beleive, and it was strange to come out of our tent and see 2 guys sitting up there with binoculars, I might even have a pic somewhere

Re: Two Story Pit Area?
 

While FIRST will never allow it, it can be fun to dream...



This thing is called a Tower Blind and hunters use it to blend in with surroundings and get some nice pre-fab shelter from which to pick helpless animals off with. Tower Blinds are made to be quite portable and are usually pretty small, (I'd say roughly within that 10*10ish area) so that they are easily transported to hunting sites. I haven't done a whole lot of research but I think they run upwards of $800 to $4,000.

Practically this is about the easiest way to actually get your idea safely into a pit... Oh, and I think scouting should get dibs on that second floor...

Re: Two Story Pit Area?
 

Does anyone have pictures of this? I'd be really interested to see something like this.

Also, do you think that anyone would have a problem with a camera on a 15 foot high pole? I don't know why, but it'd be pretty cool to have at your pit. You could see what's happening pretty much everywhere.
Hey... FIRST competition pit traffic reports.

And that hunting thing doesn't seem to be blending in very well. Then again, it's probably made to be placed in trees.

Re: Two Story Pit Area?
 

The point with the hunting blind isn't the blending in, it's a preassembled, multi -level, easy to dissasemble, relatively within the the pit dimensions, pretty cheap, structure.

I didn't pick the best picture, but there are many different brands/varieties, but most fit the above criteria. If you seriously wanted to do something, this is one of the easier ways of going about it.

Re: Two Story Pit Area?
 

I found the pic I have, http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/24597
If you look close you can see someone up there

Re: Two Story Pit Area?
 

Let me think about it for one second.
OK, I am done thinking about it.

How about "NO!".

We are flexible, but not that flexible.

Re: Two Story Pit Area?
 

Hmmm. Come to think of it, one of the main reasons people are thinking a two story pit would be cool is because of the comfy space.

So perhaps FIRST could just put this into their site agenda and avoid the saftey hazard of teams trying?

Think the Autodesk Couch area at nats, but at every regional, and bigger there's just enough room if they move some of the arena chairs around...

I mean regionals are getting to the size where getting comfy seats should become a priority. If they put said comfy sofa area in the stands behind the pits, they'd avoid spectator squaters, meaning a cool hangout place to stratigize and stuff. But where would they get the couches? I can just see the agenda now, "be sure that your team brings a sofa to relax with".

But seriously, scouts and such work their butts off, is a nice place to relax for a few minutes too much to ask?

Re: Two Story Pit Area?
 

Instead of multi-story pits. How about a raised pit? or split-level pit? Surely there isn't a FIRST rule stating that the pits must be on the ground right?

It would make getting the robot up there a little difficult but given the thoughts being tossed around, I'm sure someone can figure it out.







If you take a look at the picture, that cutout is for the robot cart and lifting mechanism. the space between the pit and floor will have no body parts, but instead, they will have buckets full of tools, parts, etc. The front of the pit (and side if you are lucky enough to get a corner) will have cabinets for storage purposes.