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Originally Posted by SilverStar
Since FIRST says you can't machine parts off site, then you CAN't machine parts off site. It doesn't matter whether DEKA did it or some small local machine shop.
We would have liked to machine a hook for our robot - but we didn't. We did what we could with the resources that we had.
If you can bend rules "a little," what are rules for? Who can draw the line? FIRST can, and they did - and that's why they prohibit teams from using a machine shop off-site at a regional.
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Now mind you, I'm not usually a big fan of rules. But in the case of FIRST, where the playing field is so uneven in terms of finances and equipment availability, I think the rules need to be in place.
Speaking as a member of a team working with nearly zero machining capability, ten students on the entire team (usually only five or so actually work), and a pit space that's a 6 x 12 closet in the corner of my school's assembly room, I understand what it means to have little resources. I think it's great that a team has the available resources like DEKA at their disposal, but at the same time, that resource is not evenly available to each team at the regional, so it's rather unfair to allow one team that advantage. What about out-of-state teams, who may have amazing sponsors, but no access due to distance? The playing field may not always be level, but I feel we shouldn't go machine ladders for those already on platforms to tower ever higher.