"sandwich" claw

[Rick TYler]

Originally Posted by Max Lobovsky

Using composites like fiberglass effectively takes some specific skill. If you don't have anyone experienced in it, and especially if you expect to use it on this years robot (its week 5), it's probably a bad idea to get started now. The difference between fiberglass and aluminum, for example, is not huge, but the amount of weight incorrect choice of sizes and thicknesses and gussets etc can add will be much more significant. At this point, you should probably stick to something you are a bit more familiar with.

Upon sober reflection, I'm with Max. How about forgetting composites for this year and just making your claw out of steel or aluminum? I think there are real advantages to composites for some parts of the robot, but I wasn't thinking it through. I have a certain down-and-dirty understanding of amateur composites from two years of home-boat building. If you are starting from scratch and don't have any epoxy/glass/etc expertise on your team you'd be better off to save it for next year.

Sorry for (maybe) steering you wrong. I answered the question you asked without thinking about whether or not you might have been asking the wrong question -- or at least asking a really adventurous question. (Hey, I'm the guy who wanted to base our whole game strategy on a material that no on else on our team understands.)

It would have been a great Week One question, I think. You can learn more about Divinycell here.

Good luck!

- Rick

[skillinp]

Originally Posted by Rick TYler

Upon sober reflection, I'm with Max. How about forgetting composites for this year and just making your claw out of steel or aluminum? I think there are real advantages to composites for some parts of the robot, but I wasn't thinking it through. I have a certain down-and-dirty understanding of amateur composites from two years of home-boat building. If you are starting from scratch and don't have any epoxy/glass/etc expertise on your team you'd be better off to save it for next year.

Sorry for (maybe) steering you wrong. I answered the question you asked without thinking about whether or not you might have been asking the wrong question -- or at least asking a really adventurous question. (Hey, I'm the guy who wanted to base our whole game strategy on a material that no on else on our team understands.)

It would have been a great Week One question, I think. You can learn more about Divinycell here.

Good luck!

- Rick

well, we finished it this week. i guess we have decided that we would build a composite of some sort w/alluminum sides
thanks for your help (and we do, by the way, have people experienced with this composite dealie).