Bumper Color
 

I have been supplied a website to order bumper material from. But I have a question- What colors fit the rules the best? We were thinking Barn Red and Mariner Blue. As a rookie, I would like some opinions.

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

Re: Bumper Color
 

I agree with your color choices.

Re: Bumper Color
 

Thank you! :]

Re: Bumper Color
 

Just placed an order for 4 yards of each color, so it better be right! :p

Now then, what color should the numbers be ...

Re: Bumper Color
 

We have been discussing that with out mentor team- we're leaning towards white. I had considered red on blue and blue on red but we figured that that wouldn't be visible enough. So hopefully white will work :)

Re: Bumper Color
 

Mama,
We are all in the same boat on colors. We have never had a robot rule legislating bumper colors. As long as you can be identified as red or blue you should be OK. Don't forget that your team numbers have to be on the bumpers on four sides as well.

Re: Bumper Color
 

How do most teams go about attaching their team numbers and still making it look nice? We tried paint the last two years with little success...

Re: Bumper Color
 

Use an opposite color fabric and stitch it to the bumper material

Re: Bumper Color
 

True. But Al, not all of us have a tradition of tie dyed bumpers for elimination matches. What will Wildstang do?

Re: Bumper Color
 

We are praying and making sacrifices to the gods in hopes of divine intervention.

Re: Bumper Color
 

Tied dyed numbers.

Re: Bumper Color
 

Maybe really BIG ONES, get it?

Re: Bumper Color
 

We get them screen printed at the same time as our t-shirts.

Re: Bumper Color
 

<R15> Teams shall display their team number on the BUMPERS in four
locations at approximately
90-degree intervals around the perimeter of the ROBOT. The numerals must be at least 4
inches high, at least in ¾-inch stroke width and in a contrasting color from its
background. Team Numbers must be clearly visible from a distance of not less than 100
feet, so that judges, referees, and announcers can easily identify competing ROBOTS.:D :D :D

Re: Bumper Color
 

No one could miss that pun, Al.

I thought the customized bumper colors for teams were awesome. 111's tie dye, 1511's camo, and our own 418 purple tie dye are just a few that come to mind. I'll bet it will be a lot easier to follow the alliances in the matches, though.

P.S. Doesn't Mariner Blue sound watery? :)

Re: Bumper Color
 

Just hope that they don't misinterpret and send Bovine Intervention onto the other alliance...

(Yes, I know that's a bad pun...)

Re: Bumper Color
 

You mean like these???

Dana is right, it would violate <R15>

Re: Bumper Color
 

Nah, doesn't violate <R15> - that says "at least" 4 inches.

But it would violate <R07> because the BIG ONES would become part of the BUMPER, and then the BUMPER would be outside the BUMPER ZONE.

Re: Bumper Color
 

The BIG ONES always elevate the gameplay and keep everyone is suspense.

Re: Bumper Color
 

Yep, those are the ONEs. You can't imagine how hard it is to keep them straight.

Re: Bumper Color
 

We have ours screen printed on.

Cass

Re: Bumper Color
 

Oink Oink BOOM!:ahh:

Re: Bumper Color
 

Ummm, don't you mean "Holy Cow!!!"?


At least Wildstang has it easy to realign the numbers if their robot flips over!

Re: Bumper Color
 

I think you mean "Oink! Oink! MOO-O-O-O-BB!" :D

Re: Bumper Color
 

On the topic of numbering bumpers... (Only because I'm not good with puns)

816 has embroidered their bumpers for the last two years and they hold up very well. We have access to a Computer Controlled Embroidery Machine that makes quick work of our bumper markings at our school - you can probably find a local company that'd be willing to do them for minimal cost. Usually places that deal in custom sports gear have the capability to do this.

If anyone would like to see what I'm talking about, just look at pictures of either 816's 2008 or 2009 robots.

Re: Bumper Color
 

Al, You could always try to do tyed-sye fabric with different shades of blue and white for the blue bumpers, and same for the red. :D And maybe do white numbers outlined in black. (Just a suggetion.)

I'm windering though, if some teams may go through another company for expense-saving and it would be a different shade? Or is it actually required for this one site?

Re: Bumper Color
 

There are at least 2 mail-order companies with Cordura, and they have slightly different colors. There is no official sponsor/supplier of fabric.

As long as your red isn't pink or purple, and as long as your blue isn't light sky-blue or so dark navy as to look black, you should meet the "reasonable" color match criteria. At least in my reasonable opinion.

Re: Bumper Color
 

That's what I mean, what if the blue alliance comes on the field with like, a sky blue, another cornflower blue, and then a navy blue?

Re: Bumper Color
 

I think it'll be pretty obvious that the Blue Alliance will not be Red.

Re: Bumper Color
 

Yes well, I am Captain Obvious. But would it matter then?

Re: Bumper Color
 

Well there goes our strategy!

Re: Bumper Color
 

hi

i am from team 3132 (AUS)

i was wondering what are people using to keep the bumper connected all together.

and how many layers of fabric are we allowed to use for the colours..

Re: Bumper Color
 

It practically says all you need to know right in the manual, the part about bumpers (don't have the time to pull it up and find the exact one).
Plywood backing, aluminum angle (optional, but really helpful) for the edges of the fabric, screws/nails to hold that.

Unless you're talking about attaching the bumper to the robot. In which case we're doing bolts and wing nuts.

You really only need to use one layer of fabric for the bumper fabric. I don't remember any case where a bumper has had any problems (puncturing, tearing, anything) with the fabric. I don't think there's a rule stipulating how many layers you can use, but one is enough.

Re: Bumper Color
 

Section 8, <R07>. Read it thoroughly; it impacts your frame design too.

As for how many layers of fabric you can use: if you're using more than one, and you don't have bumper covers, you have too many. It's quite common for bumpers to go a full season and never need patching, especially now that all robots have to have them.

Remember, for the colors, you can either have a second identical set of bumpers, or you can have a set of covers that you put over the bumpers.

Re: Bumper Color
 

Rihan,
The bumper sections do not need to be attached to each other as long as they are attached firmly to the robot frame. A big part of the bumper check is that there be no hard parts in the corners where the bumpers meet. The diagrams in the bumper section of the manual are very specific about what is allowed and what is not.

Re: Bumper Color
 

Hi Al,
I feel your pain about the bumpers. We were one of the first to use the bumber area for team numbers and team sponsor's logo. It's a great area for the sponor's and robot names. Oh well I will just have to "GO WITH THE FLO".

Re: Bumper Color
 

I was thinking like... 2 yards of each color? Which at Seattle Fabrics would be 72" x 60" wide. Would that not be enough to cover everything?

Re: Bumper Team Numbers
 

I see folks are doing screen printing of team numbers on bumpers. Has anyone found a vendor of pre-cut numbers in the 4" height and 3/4" stroke width requirements?:)

Re: Bumper Color
 

Which blue is everyone going with, that is closest to the FIRST Logo? My supplier shows a Royal Blue, and a Mariner Blue. They look the same on my monitor.

Re: Bumper Color
 

How much is left over after making the bumpers?