How important is a machine shop?

[archiver]

Posted by Dodd Stacy at 05/18/2001 7:37 PM EST


Engineer on team #95, Lebanon Robotics Team, from Lebanon High School and CRREL/CREARE.


In Reply to: Re: How important is a machine shop? "very"
Posted by nick237 on 05/16/2001 3:09 PM EST:



: Bill. The need for a tool shop and access to machine equipment is paramount in the building proccess of a robot. Part of F.I.R.S.T. is learning all aspects of the robotics competition, Having some one else build your robot is not a learning experience.
: Not all schools in the F.I.R.S.T. program are able to have the equipment needed to build but there is some thing you can do. We the Sie H20 Bots, Team 237 were in the same situation as you are.
: We had no support from the metal shop teacher, in fact he went out of his way to harm the team.
: So what do you do........
: Well what we did was knock on doors. we went to every factory and company in the area, we introduced our selves and gave them some info on F.I.R.S.T. We gave them a video of some of our games and then explained we were in need of upgraded equipmen.
: We asked them if they had any equipment that they were not using or were up grading. as we are a school we would be a Tax deduction for a higher amount than theywould get if they sold the equipment.
: Soon we had 3 Lathes, 3 Brigeports, 3 Band saws, a multitude of hand tools and then a Tig Mig welder. It was a struggle and a lot of hard work but all these things were given freely to the team.
: As we were still having trouble with the school and the metal teacher so we went off and looked around some of the factories and found an empty space, we asked the owner if he could donate an area to us for building, now we have not only a full machine shop with all the tools and equipment but a room for driving and testing, a design and electronics room and a kitchen area with a lounge. All this is free including the electricity.
: The only thing we get from the school is an insurance policy to cover liability. Oh and a Phone.
: It took a year to do this and now were settled in we find out the metal teacher is retiring "Whoo Hoo", GOOD RIDENCE.
: Bill it can be done, Just go out and ask....
: Nick237

Nick,

The pitch that "obsolete" machine tools can be donated and written off for a tax benefit equal to selling them should be an inspiration to all teams struggling with the resource issue. We experienced similar lack of interest, bordering on hostility, from the school shop staff.

We have been most fortunate in having a non-school workplace made available to us with a lathe, drill press, and wood and metal band and cutoff saws. Not to mention the wonderful help from welders, technicians, and machinists at our sponsoring outfits. But for the struggling teams, the suggestions to go out and hustle donations of equipment for business/tax writeoff is spot on. THANK YOU, NICK. (where are the other 236?)

Dodd