This has been such a problem for so many teams for so many years. I wish FIRST would realize that most of us just can’t keep this setup 24/7. Design it in pieces, or on wheels, or smaller or something.
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After 2013, I don’t think we’ve ever built even the simple field elements to the level the drawings show.
We’re already in the process of reusing parts of our 2020/2021 elements to make 2022 parts. Trying to not buy wood if possible. Save that $$$ for robot parts.
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SMH, it just keeps getting better. Throw a small wooden (or strong cardboard) pyramid under the center (maybe some velcro on the bottom to help it not move on carpet), and you’ve got a more functional low goal than the official team versions.
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Traffic cone?
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I can’t tell if you’re joking or not… But in a pinch, that would honestly work probably 
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Not at all. Already weighted, designed to take a bit of abuse, and will do mostly the right thing. Is it identical? No. But it’s easy. And you can even buy it at Home Depot too.
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Woah do you have a parts/cut list on this? Would love to go fab one for my team
We’re planning on trying 1.25" pvc pipe.
A 10’ section cost $12 and 3’ sections we’re hoping is enough to hold 100 lbs.
We’ll let people know by Saturday if it works out.
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Follow-up photo from my original post showing our “even simpler” high goal hub.
4x 2x4’s and some scrap pieces from our hangar build, and it’s plenty stable
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Not exactly on topic but…here’s our idea for building off our robot crate. You could put the pvc/hoop on top of the crate and have some vertical faces to place height markers for checking lower rung, 4’4”, and 5’2”.
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I have empirical evidence that shows U-Haul moving boxes spray-glue laminated to three layers thick make for an incredibly stout building material that’s still friendly to a box cutter. Might make each face trapezoidal to avoid having a point up top that will either get crushed or somehow damage a ball.
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Perhaps the GDC(s) should be given a “rulebook” that lists things such constraints on the design of the field elements and the choice of game pieces. It would not be a bad thing if the rulebook required the GDC had to source the parts and build the team versions of the field and move them all some distance like 50 - 100 ft and through a doorway. This should not prevent the GDC from coming up with interesting field elements. It would raise the floor for a lot of teams, not having to spend unreasonable resources to build and work with the field elements.
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I wish I could give this all my upvotes for the season
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One of our team members was inspired by the teepee and came up with this:
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Do you have a list of materials to make this? Would be extremely helpful, thanks!
looks like 16 Tees, 4 Ells, 6 10’ sticks of PVC, and 15 feet of Pex and a coupler. Pick a size, this one is probably 1.25 PVC +/- 0.25
Personally I bought 3/4" PVC as the 1/2" Pex fits through it with room to spare, is strong enough to do the job and of course cheaper. I bought 2 20’ pieces of Pex to do the upper and lower goal rings. For coupling we’ll use a short piece of wood dowel and a wrap of tape.
With the 20 pack of Ts my total before tax at my FLBS (favorite local box store) was $62.57 before the governor got their cut.
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2 - 2x6 10ft
2 - 2x4 10ft
7 - 2x4 8ft
1 - 1.25" pvc 10 ft
2.5" deck screws
$110-120
The 2x6s are easy to see across the top. In this configuration with minimal cutting the holes do not run parallel to the board which is fine. The closest hole saw we had on hand to 1.66" OD of the bar was 2.125". Measurements in the drawings are to the top of the rung so we had to do some compensation on the height of our holes to hit the same spot.
1 8ft 2x4 on the back and bottom, 1/2 on the front, and another 8ft crossmember for support. Easily held multiple people.
Not shown are the two 10ft pieces that will be used to cross brace the two sections.
PVC was cut into 3 equal lengths and pinned in place. We laid to 2x4s flat on the ground and had a ~135lb student stand in the middle with one foot. Even from the bounce of stepping on/off, they never flexed more than an inch.
For pic reference, I’m 6’-1" prob 6’-2" with the poof hair.
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