What to use for ballast

[pdx]

Our team needs to add some ballast to our robot, and we're trying to decide if we can use some donated sash weights from old windows. Does that count as a COTS part? What about weights from old barbells? What does your team use for ballast?

Thanks!

[Peyton Yeung]

Whatever you do, don't use bird shot as ballast.

#crossroads2014

[ratdude747]

Originally Posted by Peyton Yeung

Whatever you do, don't use bird shot as ballast.

#crossroads2014

In loose thin pooly attached plastic baggies that is.

I hear bench press weights work well.

[safiq10]

We haven't to add extra weight on our root in FRC but our one of our BEST teams needed to add extra weight, they added 10 lbs of pennies. We might just add 10lbs of pennies if we need it.

[evanperryg]

In 2013, we zip-tied a .5"x18" steel bar to the back of our robot. Basically any easily-mounted steel object will do just fine.

[rich2202]

Originally Posted by safiq10

t, they added 10 lbs of pennies. We might just add 10lbs of pennies if we need it.

On the BOM do you list the pennies as a whole, or are they exempt because each one is under $1?

[TikiTech]

Originally Posted by pdx

Our team needs to add some ballast to our robot, and we're trying to decide if we can use some donated sash weights from old windows. Does that count as a COTS part? What about weights from old barbells? What does your team use for ballast?

Thanks!

Ballast?? How nice it would be to have to add.. In our 5 years we have only had to add weight once.. And we used steal bar since it was easiest to weld on attachment mounts.

I am interested in what others have to say about this..

Good luck!

Aloha.

[Tyler2517]

A table top vice clamped to your frame works nice.....

[Grey Mann]

Weld all your scrap metal together and duct tape it to your robot. That works right..?

[MrTechCenter]

Extra batteries, oh wait.....

[Mr.Paulson]

Our team melted old tire weights we got from an auto repair shop and filled 1x2 aluminum tubing with it. An 8" piece ended up around 4 pounds when done. Worked well for us and is easily mounted into the chassis plus it fits with the theme of the game...right? Reuse and recycle.

[jvriezen]

Originally Posted by Grey Mann

Weld all your scrap metal together and duct tape it to your robot. That works right..?

Please don't 'joke' about this. Duct taping 'ballast' to your robot will not make your inspector or FTA happy.

[jspatz1]

We use 1" x 3" steel bar cut to the precice length needed. Adjustable to any weight, fits in tight spaces, and easily drilled and tapped for mounting. No one knew, but there was 11.5 lbs. of such bar hidden inside the rear of the chassis of our 2013 robot, to manage CG for level hanging.

[Alan Anderson]

Originally Posted by jspatz1

No one knew, but there was 11.5 lbs. of such bar hidden inside the rear of the chassis of our 2013 robot,...

Anyone who read your Bill Of Materials should have been aware of its existence. Unless by "hidden" you mean "secret", in which case you were were not in compliance with the rules.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Daniel, Of course not!
An "One 18 lb counter weight we used is a plastic encased lead / sulfuric acid mix" conjured an image in my mind of a larger battery than the robot battery. This is due to FRC legal batteries are between 11 and 13 lbs depending on type and wire.