No glue... :(

[hayakuneko]

Hi,

I heard that we aren't allowed to use glue for anything on the robot. Just randomly I thought, what about PVC cement? Does PVC Cement fall under FIRST's description of "glue"? Thanks to whoever is able to answer my question...

- Josh
"... who says we're using pvc?" >_>

[EricH]

Originally Posted by hayakuneko

I heard that we aren't allowed to use glue for anything on the robot. Just randomly I thought, what about PVC cement? Does PVC Cement fall under FIRST's description of "glue"? Thanks to whoever is able to answer my question...

Who told you that, and did they quote a rule from the current manual? Adhesives are allowed (and glue is certainly an adhesive), provided that they: 1) are not used as traction devices (<R32>, last sentence); 2) follow <R33> rules on tape (labelling and insulating purposes only); and 3) are accounted for costwise if they are over $1. (Oh, and incidentally, you are using PVC. <R13> has details.) If you are still unsure--Q&A it.

[hayakuneko]

thanks a bunch.. it seems i need new, more reliable sources of information...

[chinckley]

I was also under the understanding that glue was allowed, with the above cautions and also that it does not get on the carpet/floor.

[Jon K.]

Well if glue wasn't allowed I think there would be quite a few teams unhappy as they use plywood base robots... Ex. 173, 195 and I know there are others.

[Anime-niac_2.9]

Originally Posted by Jon K.

Well if glue wasn't allowed I think there would be quite a few teams unhappy as they use plywood base robots.

i have a bad experience with plywood. it is a good thing that the likelyhood of those robots forming sparks while moving is very small. oherwise...yeah, you know what I mean.

[Chriszuma]

Well with the kind of electricity we're dealing with, it wouldn't be sparks that could be a fire hazard, but shorted out electronics. More than once a motor has belched flames in a competition, in that case you'd better pray you used fire-retardant plywood.

[Anime-niac_2.9]

fireproof plywood?

[EricH]

Originally Posted by Chriszuma

Well with the kind of electricity we're dealing with, it wouldn't be sparks that could be a fire hazard, but shorted out electronics. More than once a motor has belched flames in a competition, in that case you'd better pray you used fire-retardant plywood.

Haven't seen that, but I remember two instances where it almost happened. First one--1999 at SVR. One of the robots started smoking (white, luckily--or not) during a match. Second one--Last year at LA. A rookie team had a robot that dumped tetras under the goals. Something happened, I'm not sure what. The robot got stuck in a goal and began spitting a shower of sparks about a foot high every time it tried to move.

[Cory]

Originally Posted by EricH

Haven't seen that, but I remember two instances where it almost happened. First one--1999 at SVR. One of the robots started smoking (white, luckily--or not) during a match. Second one--Last year at LA. A rookie team had a robot that dumped tetras under the goals. Something happened, I'm not sure what. The robot got stuck in a goal and began spitting a shower of sparks about a foot high every time it tried to move.

Team 691 caught fire at SoCal a couple years ago, IIRC.

Even more ironic due to their name (Hartburn)

[Anime-niac_2.9]

That doesn't seem that bad. A senior on my team lit himself on fire...twice.

[Tom Bottiglieri]

Originally Posted by Jon K.

Well if glue wasn't allowed I think there would be quite a few teams unhappy as they use plywood base robots... Ex. 173, 195 and I know there are others.

Oh man, that Gorilla Glue does wonders.

[keagara]

i never heard of no glue

[Anime-niac_2.9]

no glue is not a name, but means the absence of(no) glue

[Rick TYler]

Originally Posted by keagara

i never heard of no glue

It's what holds the B-2 Spirit and F-22 Raptor together...