Your Shipping Crate

[jonathan lall]

Does your crate have a function besides being a crate? It doubles as a work table; flip it on its side, and you're set. It looks good too, so it's a huge poster.

What do you like or dislike about your crate? It's a little flimsy, chips, and is sometimes difficult to reassemble, all due to its plywood construction.

What do you look for or want in a crate material? Lightness is the most important thing, because we all know the difference between a 399 lb. crate and a 401 lb. one. Of course we also want it to be durable and rigid enough to work off of.

Do you use the crate in the pits? Work table, remember? Are you listening to me?

How old is the crate you are currently using? It's been used only this season.

When in the six weeks do you start thinking about the crate? About three weeks in, a few people not on the team put together a little group to make it.

What did you do with the old one? Good question. It's in pieces right now and I think we reused the wood for odd things like mechanical prototypes.

How much other stuff do you pack with the robot? Max, two batteries, controls, and our disassembled cart. We will not go overweight.

How overweight was the crate this year? You aren't listeing to me! This interview's over.

[Tristan Lall]

Originally Posted by jonathan lall

Does your crate have a function besides being a crate? It doubles as a work table; flip it on its side, and you're set. It looks good too, so it's a huge poster.

What do you like or dislike about your crate? It's a little flimsy, chips, and is sometimes difficult to reassemble, all due to its plywood construction.

What do you look for or want in a crate material? Lightness is the most important thing, because we all know the difference between a 399 lb. crate and a 401 lb. one. Of course we also want it to be durable and rigid enough to work off of.

Do you use the crate in the pits? Work table, remember? Are you listening to me?

How old is the crate you are currently using? It's been used only this season.

When in the six weeks do you start thinking about the crate? About three weeks in, a few people not on the team put together a little group to make it.

What did you do with the old one? Good question. It's in pieces right now and I think we reused the wood for odd things like mechanical prototypes.

How much other stuff do you pack with the robot? Max, two batteries, controls, and our disassembled cart. We will not go overweight.

How overweight was the crate this year? You aren't listeing to me! This interview's over.

Not so fast. The old crate (< 2004) doubled as a work table when standing upright (the base was removed to form a cart). The 2004 crate was far too big for that (owing to the first robot in years that actually occupied most of the allotted size restrictions). We used the side panel to extend our workspace by placing it flat on top of a table, but the crate itself was put away in storage.

The new crate also had the capacity to store several more batteries and miscellany, but due to weight issues, we only sent it with a bare minimum.

[Franchesca]

1) Absolutely not!! I didn't even see my crate at regionals or the Championships until we were packing up the robot!

2) Like - I helped build it ! It is very strong ... and that's about it. Dislike - it has not personality about it ... this is what I mean: I see many teams that have painted their crate in a very creative way ... I just wish we had done that to ours ... is kind of bland!

3) Someting that is very durable, kind of like the one we have now ... we used wood that was pre-treated to resist rain and not rot away because of it or other things that can happen to wood when it is stored away in a place for a long time!

4) Absolutely not ... we barely had space for anything in our pit anyway ... no space ... no space !!!

5) It was built for this season ... and since its our first season well then its not very old at all, now is it?

6) I'd say we started building it about two (or maybe a little more) weeks before shipping date! Although, Mr. Vasden (one of our mentors & in charge of building the crate) started working on the plans before that -- i think!!

7) We broke it in pieces and started a fire!! Nah, like I said its our first year therefore -- 1st official team crate!!

8) Umm, that I know off ... the only thing we packed in it at any given time was the batteries ... although I may be wrong and we may have packed something else in there!!

9) Errr ... I don't think so ... i'm pretty sure we didn't but then again I might be wrong too!

**If anyone in my team reads this and sees any mistakes feel free to correct me**

[Matt_Kaplan1902]

Does your crate have a function besides being a crate? Folded out to worktable and storage for tools.

What do you like or dislike about your crate? It was way overweight

What do you look for or want in a crate material? Were thinking of plexiglass next year.

Do you use the crate in the pits? We did in Florida but not at Midwest or Atlanta.

How old is the crate you are currently using? 1 year.

When in the six weeks do you start thinking about the crate? Before the build season starts.

What did you do with the old one? Used it to ship the robot because the new one was to heavy.

How much other stuff do you pack with the robot? We packed some things for SOAP and a tote or two of random parts and tools.

How overweight was the crate this year? It was over 500 lbs. without anything in it. (That's what we get for building it out of 3/4 inch plywood).

[Solace]

due to this year's robot profile, we were able to fit the robot, 10 batteries, 4 of the crates from the kit of parts, and 2 toolboxes. granted, if we pack it that full it weighs 500+ pounds, but it is better than having to drive all the spare parts and tools down to atlanta.

[suneel112]

461's crate is pretty old and ghetto, and we couldn't fit much into it. It has been around for three plus years (I have only been on the team three years, and we used it during all three seasons). It has been repainted once (it was once gray with a green "461" on it, now it is red, white, and blue, for the USA). It has a break in it (only noticeable from the inside). Luckily, Purdue University gave us a van so we could ship down several batteries, 5 or so boxes with our motors, spare parts, kit stuff, and spirit stuff, and a toolboxes (very important!).

[RogerR]

Originally Posted by Franchesca

<<content>>

alright, a few additions to what nadia said...

Does your crate have a function besides being a crate? well, the crate is very, um, robust...it could probably double as a safe.
What do you like or dislike about your crate? well, like most of the stuff my team built, it came out a little heavier than planned, but, like i stated above, its very robust.
What do you look for or want in a crate material? something that'll withstand the rigors of shipping
Do you use the crate in the pits? what nadia said...
How old is the crate you are currently using? same as above
When in the six weeks do you start thinking about the crate? same as above
What did you do with the old one? same as above
How much other stuff do you pack with the robot? same as above
How overweight was the crate this year? actually, it was overweight. i can't remember how much, but i believe we got charged around $80 for our extra weight