Storing the VEX Kit

[KarenH]

Now that the robo-maniacs in my too-full house have acquired their very own VEX kit, I have one "vexing" question:

How shall we store it?

Using the original packaging is, of course, unworkable.

Using the original box, minus the Styrofoam, sounds possible, but where would we store an assembled robot?

We're thinking of getting some kind of large plastic box, big enough to hold a "square bot" lying on its side, plus a smaller organizer box that would fit inside the bigger box.

Any suggestions? Good places to buy such boxes?

[Jay H 237]

This is where the Rubbermaid type containers come in handy. While a select few have dividers your best bet is to see what they have in different gallon/quart sizes so the one will fit in the other. You may be able to fit several small ones inside a larger one and still have room for the robot.

I've purchased many of these different containers over the years for storage of car parts, model trains and even X-mas decorations. Walmart, K-mart, Target, Costco, BJ's and several other stores generally have these on sale often.

[Schmoebot]

Originally Posted by KarenH

Now that the robo-maniacs in my too-full house have acquired their very own VEX kit, I have one "vexing" question:

How shall we store it?

We're thinking of getting some kind of large plastic box, big enough to hold a "square bot" lying on its side, plus a smaller organizer box that would fit inside the bigger box.

Any suggestions? Good places to buy such boxes?

Karen,

I picked up a large plastic tool box at Big Lots for $5. Everything fit nicely inside, with the exception of the controller. Then I saw the tool box used by Wendy Wooten of High Tech High (FRC team 22). She found one at Walmart for $8 - $9, the controller and the robot both fit inside, and the small parts containers on top are removeable, so the box does not tip over when you open it during use! I recommend Walmart.

[KarenH]

Originally Posted by Schmoebot

Karen,

Wendy Wooten of High Tech High (FRC team 22)... found one at Walmart for $8 - $9, the controller and the robot both fit inside, and the small parts containers on top are removeable, so the box does not tip over when you open it during use! I recommend Walmart.

Thanks for the tip! Now that we have a Walmart near us, we can go see if they have what we need.

I learned yesterday about the tipping over part. You do have lovely toolboxes, and we'll be getting them back to you shortly, minus most of the glitter...

Aaahh--errr--pray that your team never gets assigned next to a hair styling booth at the fair. Our booth neighbors had a gizmo for wafting glitter onto customers' hair. We were downwind. The glitter wafted downwind.

But if you do get such an assignment, here's a way to break the intense static bond between the most stubborn glitter flecks and the plastic of the tool box: Use a Post-It note, and "dab" it onto the little buggers. They will stick to the note instead of the plastic. Shining a flashlight on the surface helps you see if you got all of the glitter.

Vacuuming doesn't get it all. Water doesn't get it all. Brushing it off only makes it worse.

At least the VEX robots are tough enough to withstand such environmental hazards.

[Ken Delaney 357]

On the poster that comes with Vex starter kit a Vex Carrying Case is listed in the equipment section. I would be interested in seeing what that looks like. I myself have gone in the direction of the plastic tubs and storage trays. I use one of the tubs from Stack Attack. If you cut a piece of 1/4 inch plywood to fit inside the tub it can act as shelf by sitting on the molded indentations of the tub.

[Kyle Love]

Team 45 uses a Plano Tackle box for their extra parts. Some of the bigger stuff we keep in the original box.

[KarenH]

Originally Posted by Ken Delaney 357

On the poster that comes with Vex starter kit a Vex Carrying Case is listed in the equipment section. I would be interested in seeing what that looks like.

I'd be interested in seeing it, too, but I couldn't find it on the VEX web site. It wasn't on their Accessories page, at any rate.

But then again, I couldn't find the Search feature for the web site.

[JVN]

Originally Posted by KarenH

I'd be interested in seeing it, too, but I couldn't find it on the VEX web site. It wasn't on their Accessories page, at any rate.

But then again, I couldn't find the Search feature for the web site.

IF it was released as a product, you would see it on radioshack.com by searching "vex". It has not been released, but was highlighted as a potential product. Maybe we'll see it in the future.

John

[KarenH]

Thank you all for your input! For the record, Chris and I went to Wal-Mart and purchased:

--A Rubbermaid "Duratote" 83L bin

--Two Plano model 3750 tackle boxes. They are flat, about 13 inches long--long enough to hold the long bars, but not the long angle bars. They have lots of adjustable compartments.

The tackle boxes and everything else fit in the Rubbermaid bin. While we were in the store, I wondered if the bin was too big. Room for expansion is good, but space for storing bins is limited.

Sure enough, the bin will not go into our Saturn's trunk upright. Of course we found this out AFTER we'd paid for the bin. Then again, we weren't planning to take the VEX kit anywhere in the car with us--or were we?