DUCT TAPE

[mikemascot]

is duct tape legal for a shooter?

[Carolyn_Grace]

That is a fantastic question.

CD may be able to answer this question for you, but it’s important to remember that what anyone says on CD may or may not be true. Your question is also pretty vague. Used on a shooter for what?

Allow me to direct you to a great resource that can help answer many questions regarding what is and isn’t allowed when creating your 2013 FRC robot:

This will answer the majority of your questions.

[rwkling1]

well, what i have learned over the years, is that you can use tape to make things more sticky. in example: if you want to grab a ball, you can add tape to make whatever it’s grabbing with more sticky, but to actually use duct tape to hold something together, then no, i don’t believe so

[DonRotolo]

but to actually use duct tape to hold something together, then no, i don’t believe so

Can you please quote a rule that indicates this? If not, then keep in mind that bad information is worse than no information.

[EricH]

in example: if you want to grab a ball, you can add tape to make whatever it’s grabbing with more sticky, but to actually use duct tape to hold something together, then no, i don’t believe so

I think you might have the actual rules misunderstood or reversed.

Duct tape is nowhere declared illegal (though it was illegal for many years). As a matter of fact, I can find no declaration that any type of tape is illegal for any purpose (though using any tape other than electrical tape to insulate a connection is rather risky in terms of safety…)

However, contaminating a field element, which is what leaving sticky residue on a game piece could be considered, is generally considered field damage. (Lubricant contamination is specifically banned, IIRC.)

To answer the OP directly, you’ll have to be a LOT more specific. You could try to use a roll of duct tape as a shooter wheel. You could try to use duct tape to hold the shooter together. You could try to use duct tape to affect the grip of the shooter wheel. I’m sure there are other potential uses. But unless you’re asking something specific, we’ll have a hard time helping.

[mikemascot]

we were thinking of using it on the shooter wheel to hold it together
thanks for all the help if someone does know the answer please help

[EricH]

we were thinking of using it on the shooter wheel to hold it together
thanks for all the help if someone does know the answer please help

First, it’s legal as far as the tape is concerned. Tape is legal to use on the robot, including duct tape.

Second, it’s a potential safety hazard, and therefore possibly NOT legal. Think about it: you have a wheel spinning at some fairly high RPM, and you’re holding it together with duct tape. Something happens and the tape doesn’t stick anymore (adhesive vs. shear stress, let’s say–pretty common for something like this). You now have a projectile. Ouch.

If you were to use tape to hold the shooter wheel together, I would anticipate every inspector in the area would be very, very, very concerned. You would have to prove that your use was, in fact, safe.

[mikemascot]

First, it’s legal as far as the tape is concerned. Tape is legal to use on the robot, including duct tape.

Second, it’s a potential safety hazard, and therefore possibly NOT legal. Think about it: you have a wheel spinning at some fairly high RPM, and you’re holding it together with duct tape. Something happens and the tape doesn’t stick anymore (adhesive vs. shear stress, let’s say–pretty common for something like this). You now have a projectile. Ouch.

If you were to use tape to hold the shooter wheel together, I would anticipate every inspector in the area would be very, very, very concerned. You would have to prove that your use was, in fact, safe.

thanks we will try to find something else:D

[dubiousSwain]

URL=“http://frc-manual.usfirst.org/”]This will answer the majority of your questions.

I use that website a lot. It’s quite helpful.