Workshop space

[alexvasile]

Hi again, as it turns out, my school (just like any other schools in America) doesn't allow sharp and dangerous object like saws and drills in the school, therefore I cannot set up a workshop where my team could work. What I managed to do is get permission to do it outside of school, but the problem is where? I was thinking we could either go to someones house(team members), someone that has a garage, so we could set up the workshop, but then again that is not going so well, since there aren't any offerings as of yet. My other option is to rent a space, but that's expensive and I don't think we could do that so easily. What do you guys think? Oh and if you have any suggestions for other places please tell me.

Thanks,
Alex

[EricH]

Talk to local businesses and colleges. Businesses may have an empty area (or might have a machine shop). Community colleges can help whith fabrication if they have a shop. Look at local malls to see if they have any empty spaces that they would be willing to allow you to use. My team worked in an empty power plant machine shop from 2002-2006 (and still has the space, though we chose to work elsewhere for a year or two). Renting a space should be a last resort (unless you can get the space donated, in which case it whould be high on your list).

[Dan Petrovic]

Our main sponsor had extra space that the team used from 2002-2005. Then we moved into the school.

But if you have a sponsor that has space, then yeah. Go for it.

[Pavan Dave]

IF you ARE going to do it in a garage or at somebody's home, PLEASE talk to Dan or Mike from 1902. They have done it in the past at Dan's house [at least they did Magnum year] and I think you should ask someone what it is really like before your house becomes a Robotics Frat-like House.

Pavan.

[alexvasile]

Originally Posted by Pavan

IF you ARE going to do it in a garage or at somebody's home, PLEASE talk to Dan or Mike from 1902. They have done it in the past at Dan's house [at least they did Magnum year] and I think you should ask someone what it is really like before your house becomes a Robotics Frat-like House.

Pavan.

I will take that in consideration.

And thanks for the replies guys.

[artdutra04]

Originally Posted by Pavan

IF you ARE going to do it in a garage or at somebody's home, PLEASE talk to Dan or Mike from 1902. They have done it in the past at Dan's house [at least they did Magnum year] and I think you should ask someone what it is really like before your house becomes a Robotics Frat-like House.

All you'd need at that point is to make all your team shirts have the unofficial FIRST Frat* letters of Delta Omicron Xi on them, and then wear them everyday.

ΔΟΞ


* It's the closest you can get to the FIRST logo using GRΣΣK letters.

[Smaug]

also as your district or school to see if they have any recommendations or if they will allow you to use those tools on a specific place

[Dan Richardson]

Originally Posted by Pavan

IF you ARE going to do it in a garage or at somebody's home, PLEASE talk to Dan or Mike from 1902. They have done it in the past at Dan's house [at least they did Magnum year] and I think you should ask someone what it is really like before your house becomes a Robotics Frat-like House.

Pavan.

Yah, having it at your house is a, well, interesting experience. I know I've talked to people a million times that say " Your so lucky you get to walk out into your garage and work on the bot. " It actually can be more of a hassle than a help, sure it may "help" in the sense that you can allow your team to work whatever hours needed, but there were only a few days towards the end of week 4-5 that I rarely got to go to bed before 3 and wake up after 8. When its your house, your liable, so you always have to make sure no ones doing anything stupid.

Regardless of all that, it was still a fun experience to have it there and start 1902 in the garage. Unfortunately They sold my house and I had to move. Wendy doesn't have a garage so currently 1902 is also homeless.

I know there are many other home run teams, and I'm sure they all have varying levels of success but make sure for the home owners health, limit the access hours!

[alexvasile]

OK guys, I'll see what I can do.

[Wayne Doenges]

Team 1501 built there first robot in a church basement. It was a wood shop.
We had a drill press, a band saw, a sander and a table saw. We created Sidewinder II there.

[Billfred]

1293's current digs are a plastics warehouse that one of the mentors owns. It doesn't have anything that's explicitly conducive to robotics (all the tools and such were either hauled over from Irmo High or added since), but the added size works out better.

[TriggerHappySK]

Check out you sponsers
ask for a place to work
or find a member on ur team who has
a workshop in their basement/garage/shed
and do meetings there

thats all i can come up with for now

Good Luck

[alexvasile]

Thanks guys!

[vivek16]

talk to your local robotics companies. most will be glad to give you extra space they have in their warehouses. also they are a great resource. I know our workshop people are amazing. ( PRI robotics if you ever need arms for assembly lines or something...)

[MrForbes]

Originally Posted by vivek16

talk to your local robotics companies.

I wonder how many teams are fortunate enough to be in a city with local robotics companies?

We're fortunate to have help from the local Army post, which happens to be in the Intelligence business and has some robotics work, although it's mostly to do with UAVs (aircraft).

Off season robotics stuff has been happening in my garage this year...it's not too bad a couple days a week, for 3 to 6 hours a day, but when crunch time comes the days do get long.