Pool Noodles and 1000 Denier Cordura Plus

[Rick TYler]

Originally Posted by Gertlex

Can anyone verify that these pool noodles (linked above) are exactly 2.5 inches in diameter?

Someone should ask this on the official Q&A forum.

I doubt FIRST would care about minor variations. There is no MILSPEC standard for pool noodles.

(I just wanted to note that "There is no MILSPEC standard for pool noodles" would make a fine addition to the FIRST spotlight library...)

[chinckley]

Originally Posted by Rick TYler

Someone should ask this on the official Q&A forum.

I doubt FIRST would care about minor variations. There is no MILSPEC standard for pool noodles.

(I just wanted to note that "There is no MILSPEC standard for pool noodles" would make a fine addition to the FIRST spotlight library...)

================================================== ====
It has been asked in the Q&A

http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread...t=pool+noodles

2 3/4" noodles are okay as long as the plywood remains 5"

2.5" Pool noodles are available per Q&A from
http://www.nationaldiscountpoolsupplies.com

Carolyn

[Elgin Clock]

Did anyone have any luck finding the fabric locally?? I'm not having much faith in finding this since I called up a fabric supply shop, and was told only the manager may know what it is and have a clue if they carry it. lol

Anyways, anyone find it at any chain stores?

[Team ERV]

am i wrong to assume that it was ok to use other fabrics?

since cordura was only "recommended"

[DonRotolo]

Originally Posted by Team ERV

am i wrong to assume that it was ok to use other fabrics?

since cordura was only "recommended"

No guarantees, but I have seen other teams with non-Cordura bumper coverings. Just get a fabric that is relatively strong, which tends to be heavy in weight, kind of like denim or canvas. Ask the local fabric store for the heaviest material they have, preferably nylon, and it should be OK. I mean, what'll it take to rip the stuff??

The Cordura we have is like the stuff they use to make backpacks, almost the thickness of a pair of blue jeans, but nylon, of course. I bet you could tow a car with it, kind of overkill.

Good Luck,
Don

[dubious elise]

Be prepared to either replace the fabric or sew your bumpers back together. This tear was just one of many that I tied back together with dental floss over the course of the WI regional (Boilermaker was nowhere near this rough).

[Wayne Doenges]

We tried rip-stop. Didn't work
We than used Cordura that we changed over at the BMR. Still ripped but not where the rip-stop did.
Our pool noodles started out as 3.5" across. They had 8 lobes around the circumference that we had to cut off. One of our engineers used a fillet knife to removed the lobes. When they were done I call them 'fillet of noodles'

[Vikesrock]

Originally Posted by dubious elise

Be prepared to either replace the fabric or sew your bumpers back together. This tear was just one of many that I tied back together with dental floss over the course of the WI regional (Boilermaker was nowhere near this rough).

What where your bumpers made of? We were one of the teams doing a lot of roughing up and ours never tore. We used the 1000 Denier Cordura from Seattle Fabrics.

[sanddrag]

Originally Posted by Don Rotolo

almost the thickness of a pair of blue jeans

Hrrm. That's not a half bad idea. Use some blue jeans for bumper covering.

[Lawry Goldstein]

I quick note on bumper coverings:

Two years ago we used a black nylon that was very thin; it took no damage during the Midwest regional. We had our name on them with stickers which were replaced at least one per day and were still getting destroyed, so these were taking at least a few hits, even if we fell over most matches.

Last year we used pleather, and it got destroyed by a wooden insert that was in the shape of our name (Warbots), however it survived as you might expect pleather to.

In generally, as long as you get any nylon product it will be very strong and nylon is also generally very smooth, so other robots being required to have bumpers in a similar area, on 2/3rds of their robot, and not being allowed to play defense shouldn't be a problem at all. Just keep your plywood to spec and don't include any weird, sharp objects in the middle.

On weight, if you’re looking only to fit in the 15 pound bumper limit, don't be too worried. Two years ago we had 3/4 sides covered (one wide was partially open) and we used 1.5 in square tube with 1/8th thick sidewalls for mounting, it all still came in underweight. If you’re looking to come in underweight just look for a decently light/strong nylon fabric and use it with nothing weird inside the bumpers themselves.