Q&A Discuss: But it's boring stuff...

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Thread created automatically to discuss a question in the Q&A Forum.

But it's boring stuff...

[ChrisH]

We have learned the hard way. One of the attendees for the local kickoff is the mentor in charge of building field elements. He has with him a digital camera and gets the prints as fast as we can get them copied.

Last year due to the pre-released parts list we had a couple of goals by Wed. after Kick-Off. It might have been faster, but we wanted the team building the goals to be in on the brainstorming session too.

Using field elements that are representative of the actual elements is essential to understanding the game and the limitations of your design. If you find out your limitations fast enough, you might even have time to do something about them.

BTW last year we (FIRST) really distorted the national plumbing market in our search for pipe flanges. Our field mentor is a maintenance supervisor. When we couldn't get the flanges we needed for our second goal, he contacted the biggest distributor on the West Coast. They asked him what was up. Apparently they couldn't figure out why all of a sudden they were out of parts they don't typically sell very many of. We (FIRST) had basically cleaned out every flange west of the Rockies.

Be assured there will be SOMETHING hard to get for this year's competition. I don't think it is intentional on anybody's part. It is just what happens when suddenly there is a demand for 38,000 of something you typically sell 3,000 of. I just wish I knew what it will be, then I could stockpile that item. Talk about a fundraising opportunity j/k

[Jon K.]

It is helpful to have someone with plumbing connections on your team. Especially when for the past few years pvc has been instrumental in the construction of the goals. In the case of my team it is my father so he is able to go around asking some of the supply companies to help out a little and stuff like that. But when supply companies run out than you know you have a problem.