[Natchez]

Please allow me to preface this by saying that I have thoroughly researched the robot rules, updates, jive, and CD. The latest information from FIRST on this subject is, "RULES FOR FABRICATION AFTER SHIPPING YOUR ROBOT - Look for it next week in a Team Update" posted in Update 17. Now, I’d like to solicit your thoughts on the following.

Here are the facts ... please keep me straight if I have any rules incorrect.

Rules Fact 1: NO "new" parts can be manufactured by the team after 5:00 of the ship date
Rules Fact 2: Teams can manufacture identical spare parts at any time ... this includes after the ship date
Rules Fact 3: Teams can purchase materials and parts after 5:00 of the ship date
Rules Fact 4: No single part can cost more than $400
Rules Fact 5: Total cost of "additional components" can not exceed $3,500
Rules Fact 6: The cost of a component manufactured by someone not associated with the team is cost of materials plus labor

Team Fact 1: Robot contained about $1,000 worth of "additional components" as it went into the crate
Team Fact 2: Gear ratio on the robot is undesirable ... high gear is too high
Team Fact 3: Robot weighs 132 lbs

Question: Do you think, within the rules (letter of the rules and spirit of the rules), we can "purchase" a set of sprockets/gears that have been lightened and charge the cost of sprockets/gears plus the labor to lighten them against the $2,500 balance that we have for "additional components"?

It seems that by the "letter of the rules" that we can purchase these sprockets/gears and put them on our robot when we get to regionals. If we were a team of lawyers, the problem would be solved.

BUT, in this case, we are debating whether purchasing an off-the-shelf part that has been modified is within the "spirit of the rules."

Currently, our thoughts are to bring the off-the-shelf sprockets/gears to the regional and modify them (lighten them & broach keyways) in the pits.

What do you think?

Thanks,
Lucien & Team 118