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Originally posted by andy
Hey I just got back from the first (unannounced) meeting w/ my team. I kinda have mixed feelings. well let me set the stage:
I got there at around noon and some kids had been there since 9
there were pieces of the kit EVERY WHERE !!! VERY BAD!!! We are missing all sorts of stuff.
Well we got some extras like we got 9 30 A breakers but no 40 A breakers among other things BUT we are missing HUGE amounts of our pneumatics and the sensors! don't even get me started... We were very paniced for a little while bec. we couldn't find one of the drill motors!! And than I got worse one of the freshman got there early and COMPLETELY dissassembled the drill motor transmission!!! There were gears every where!!! Scary.
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Ok - no one got any 40 amp breakers, yet. FIRST ran into some deadline problem and couldn't' get them out to anyone in time. You will have them, don't worry!
A lot of teams are missing pneumatics stuff. You can contact FIRST about these missing parts. You should have gotten the sensors in the mail, with the programs FIRST mailed. If you haven't gotten these things by now, wait a few days and then contact FIRST.
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Well I left the electrical guys (3) taking an inventory and I took the mechanical guys (3 myself included) to go on a treasure hunt for tools. We found two CNC lathes (small though/ one ran programs on a microcassete) And one monster wood? lathe. Three drill presses three bandsaws one CNC metal mill 4 grinders a buffer two sanders three jigsaws two bending brakes!!!
(that list was longer than I intended)
But it wosent like the tools were just there we actually had to drag the tools out of a VERY small room. These tools were all nearly twice my age old and probably hadn't been used for a very long time.
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If you're short on tools, go to area businesses and ask for donations! A lot of businesses will be willing to donate some spare tools or machines. If you are in need of "simple tools" (screwdrivers, hacksaws, wrenches, wire crimpers, wire strippers, etc.) ask team members to bring them to your meetings. It might not be the most convenient thing in the world, but at least you will have tools!
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the best part was we found about $750 worth of Aluminum which we plan to sell or trade to a machine shop in exchange for their servicecs (welding aluminum keying shafts etc.)
So far so good.
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Have you asked any machine shops if they would be willing to help you for free? Is there a tech school nearby? Maybe they would be willing to help!
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our problem is we are a magnet school and most of the team lives far away from the school. We have about 40-50 interested members but only about 6 that can make it to the meetings. We haven't started on the design.
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Our team consists of members from three area high school, pretty close together. The team's theory is - everyone gets to go to regionals. Twenty people will get to go to nationals. If you miss more than one consecutive week, you can still participate on the team but you will not be attending any competitions. Maybe that would give the students a little more motivation to come to the meetings!
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Though the worst part is probably several freshman have a SERIOUS ego problem ...
well what I am trying to say is we need team leadership and organisation and we need a way to get those members who live far away a way to go to practice. I am kinda frusterated right now (if you can't tell)
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For those members with an ego problem:
Nothing will get done, if people cannot compromise or see another team member's point of view.
You are no better than anyone else on the team. The team is only as strong as it's weakest member. Instead of bashing others or thinking higher of them, is there a way you can help them learn? Rather than laugh at them when they make a mistake, teach them the right way to go. Help them understand. Only then can you become a stronger team.
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And don't even get me started on our funding issues!
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If you are in need of fundraising ideas, check out the Fundraising forum on Chief Delphi! It's full of great ideas!
If there is anything more I can do to help, please feel free to contact me.
- Katie