What machines are you using? (CNC, lathes, mills, 3-in-1 machines?)

[indieFan]

I never meant to say that your students should not build the robot. I was lucky enough to work with a team that had a machine shop at the school, and a parent who is a professor of machining at two community colleges. The students on our team learned how to use the lathe, the bandsaw, the mill, the grinder, etc.

When I said that you might be able to get them to come help out, I meant they might be willing to come guide the kids in safely using the equipment in the most efficient manner. How many of your students know what a chip breaker is? I'm sure any machinist worth anything will know that term. After all, a chip breaker is a more efficient way to remove large amounts of material on a lathe rather than using a standard single point tool. I wish I had known that *last* year when I was doing just this task!

Congrats on getting the district to be so supportive and impressed.

indieFan

[MrB]

hehehe, see you learn something new every day, never even heard of a chip breaker before :-)

Well as of right now, we also have a couple of parents who train the kids on the the machines. Both are former machinists, but your right, getting more help is never a bad idea. I'm not even sure if the comminity colleges have machine shops :-)

The more people you can get involved the better it is, and less work for each person :-).

Thanks.