Interesting material usage?

[Jared]

We used kong dog toys as part of our intake rollers, which worked surprisingly well. The top is almost a perfect press fit for a half inch hex shaft.

[teslalab2]

we had a fair bit of parts on our robot that were machined out of nylon, like sprockets, and such, last year we had a bearing/motor mount made out of nylon. we also use plenty of aeroplane tape, all of our electronics are held down with it .

[ToddF]

What is aeroplane tape?

[Tinmint1]

Our 2014 robot used a cocacola bottle to hit our limit switch which had been positioned to low.

[TheHolyHades1]

Originally Posted by ToddF

What is aeroplane tape?

I believe it's referencing this type of tape:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_tape

[LenaBug]

1868 had a ramp for the human player station that we built out of cardboard from one of the pool noodle boxes and packing foam this year.

[JesseK]

Originally Posted by Jared

We used kong dog toys as part of our intake rollers, which worked surprisingly well. The top is almost a perfect press fit for a half inch hex shaft.

This made me do a double take when I saw it in queue.

I'll have to keep this in mind for future angled game pieces.

[GeeTwo]

On Carson, I saw a rookie team on my pit tour (don't recall the team number or name) with a lift frame made from an aluminum ladder. Light, strong, square, low effort. Genius!
This year (Recycle Rush) we used:

• foam insulating tape as a gripper for our tote flipper.
• While we pulled it off before competition, we converted a tape measure into a string potentiometer to determine our lift's height. In a brief fit of elegance, we used a backwards volume control knob as a hub for the potentiometer.
• By drilling a single hole in each, we turned some thumb screws into combination lift chain mounts and tensioners.
• We spring-loaded twenty 10-32x3" machine screws in some c-channel to make a "contour gauge" style tote/RC pickup that could pick up one tote from the long end, or two from the short end.
• We designed (but did not build) a lift brake from a KOP wheel, a pipe strap, some carpeting, and a pneumatic cylinder.

A few of the other items we have used or prototyped with include:

• strap hinges as pneumatic cylinder mounts
• a T-hinge and a turnbuckle as a belt tensioner.
• Lego League motors, shaft, and wheels as a frisbee intake control.
• Pool noodles for lots of strange things, including Oscar the Grouch's eyebrow and lower lip
• the cap from a can of Bengal Roach Spray (Guaranteed to Work!) as a ball lifter
• Bungee cords as springs and for management of moving wires
• More automotive electrical components and accessories than I could list
• A rubbermaid tote to keep the rain off the controls of our t-shirt cannon

[Rebecca Pelzer]

Originally Posted by LenaBug

1868 had a ramp for the human player station that we built out of cardboard from one of the pool noodle boxes and packing foam this year.

Oh god, was it the one with the foam underneath to strengthen it? Because that thing left bits of foam everywhere!

I was part of the reset crew for Carver and had to keep going back across the field because there were little white spheres stuck to things that had gone totally un-seen until *right before* matches.

[Alan Anderson]

Originally Posted by GeeTwo

On Carson, I saw a rookie team on my pit tour (don't recall the team number or name) with a lift frame made from an aluminum ladder. Light, strong, square, low effort. Genius!

Easy and effective, yes. But it wasn't on their BOM. I had to explain to them how to list things at "market cost" even if they were donated.

[Gregor]

Originally Posted by Alan Anderson

Easy and effective, yes. But it wasn't on their BOM. I had to explain to them how to list things at "market cost" even if they were donated.

At least you asked to see their BoM...

Our inspector said "nah, don't worry about it" while i had BoM in hand.

[Rachel Lim]

Originally Posted by Rebecca Pelzer

Oh god, was it the one with the foam underneath to strengthen it? Because that thing left bits of foam everywhere!

I was part of the reset crew for Carver and had to keep going back across the field because there were little white spheres stuck to things that had gone totally un-seen until *right before* matches.

See, I had good reasons to suggest covering it in tape... *cough*Elizabeth*cough*Elena*cough*

Sorry for the mess. Hopefully we won't be using styrofoam again, but if we do, we'll make sure it's all properly covered. I'm not sure if we'll see you again, so this is our apology to all Carver field reset volunteers who had to deal with our ramp:

[TheHolyHades1]

I saw a rookie team use these chains with attachments at Champs:

http://www.peerchain.com/product-cat...ultural-chain/

[Mr. Tatorscout]

Originally Posted by Gdeaver

In some parts of the world bamboo is a structural material. Anybody ever use it on a bot?

Team Tators used Bamboo from my garden in the CalGames 2013 offseason as a frisbee blocker cheesecake for our partners. Covered it with pool noodles and folded it over with a net inside. Provided the perfect combination of inexpensive rigidity and flexibility. Loved the look on the slot feeders faces when they saw us installing it!

[BrendanB]

3467s can grabbing arms were made from shower curtain rods.