How to build good bumpers

[GeeTwo]

Originally Posted by marshall

These things:

http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-qu...e-pins/=zg9mm4

They are SOOO worth the investment. I really hope any new bumper rules allow us to continue using them.

How do you use these to attach bumpers? Do you orient them vertically (which is basically like what I suggested but with a pin rather than a bolt), horizontally parallel to the bumper, or horizontally through/into the wood of the bumper? Do you use the receptacles, retaining caps, or just holes in your chassis to catch the sear balls?

Originally Posted by MrRoboSteve

I'd rip 5" x 96" lengths of plywood in our shop, as it's much easier on the big table saw than at a competition.

Unfortunately, those would constitute manufactured parts, at least the past few years. It would be lovely to be able to bring a nice supply of these and (similarly manufactured) 15.5" wide strips of red and blue cloth to provide for teams whose bumpers are not up to spec (or nonexistent). Cutting a 1x6" down to 5" in a pit sounds a lot more feasible than cutting a 5" strip from a sheet of plywood.