Porta-Pit (TM)

[Ronald_raygun]

I've seen a few teams at the UTC Regionals with these portable pits.

We've been designing our own and thus far we have the following features planned:

• Super-secret sponsor advertising medium and associated hardware.
• Tube construction
• One wall dedicated for tools and any other misc. parts (zip-ties)
• EL wire..just for show
• Large sign on the top with our Team logo and number
• Driver's booth and programming bench.
• Coat hangers (Can get pretty cold up here)
• Power strips mounted to the tubes.

Were there any features that were missed?

Does anyone have a picture of their pit?

[Kyle Love]

Do you have any pics of it? (CAD)

[Ronald_raygun]

Originally Posted by Kyle45

Do you have any pics of it? (CAD)

Here's a quick sketch if what it probably will look like.




The dimensions are 8'x7'

That little boxed-in area will hold the sponsor marketing medium and all associated equipment. I'm thinking of putting our programmer there as well.

[Jessica Boucher]

Speaking of pits at UTC...

I was at Mohegan Sun last week and one of the escalators was shut down for repair. What made me do a double-take was that it was surrounded by the yellow Otis boards that surround their pit at UTC.

Ok, back on topic.....As for the sketch, I really like it.

[KarenH]

I will title this post, "Why I Took so Few Pictures of Our Robot at the Championship," although it's really about pictures of the pits.

Our team leader asked me to go around taking pictures of some of the more elaborate pit setups in Atlanta, so he could try to coax one of our team dads into building our team a nice one. So I spent a lot of time Thursday taking low-res digital pix of pits, and Friday I spent scouting. No time for photographing our robot!

The pit pix are mostly Newton Division. I took most of them when the robot was out, so people can see the entire pit setup. For this reason, I didn't get pictures of all of the nice pits.

There are too many pictures to post here, so if anyone would like to see some of my pit pix, ask me what you'd like to see, and I'll try to get it to you. If I did it right, 503's picture should show up with this post.

45 (2 shots, one including a little of 53)
111
230
236
357 (low-res movie also)
415
462 (under construction)
503 (love them frogs!)
710
754 (really cool!!!)
972
1002
1511
1259

[Ronald_raygun]

OK, thanks a lot Karen, if you don't mind could you kindly e-mail them to me? (in a PM)

[Ronald_raygun]

Here is a slightly improved porta-pit. The only real change is that there is a small tool cabinet/battery charger/bed.

I also developed it so that it is modular, and easily disassembled. It also gives plenty of room for sponsor's ads.


The pit area has a base of 8'x8' and is as high as 12' which should make it easier for people to notice.

If it ever gets built there will be power strips mounted inside the crate, and on the frame.





This picture shows how this all gets together. These connectors are made of wood, and supposedly they shold be strong enough to hold the frame together. If necessary, they can be substituted for something else.




So, any possible improvements?

[Meyerman]

room to sit! and what where are you gunna put the table to work on yer bot, and are you gunna have enough room to work on the bot and not be crammed in the pit

[Ronald_raygun]

Sitting space? On the tool cabinet, it's only 3' up anyway.

The cart can always be used as a work bench to put the bot. It all depends on the budget.

I expect for there to be < 5 people in the pit which is plenty.

1 programmer, the mentor, and rotating specialists (electrical, mechanical, etc. )