We’re only a 3 year team and our workroom is getting somewhat crowded. It was never big to begin with, but now we have to store 2 old robots (that the team refuses to use for spare parts, too much love was put into them) and we don’t know where. When IT comes back from Nationals, we’ll have 3. If this keeps going for two or three years we won’t have a workroom anymore.
Help! What do you guys do with old robots? Any suggestions for us?
Team 357, also a third year team, has 2 old robots plus this years uses the robots to train the rookies to the team…we use it for drive training and operator training and also programming training…we can also use it to show off to our school board when they want to see what their robotics team is doing…we use them also to attract new members…
So there are many things u can do with them…its all a matter of who wants to teach…
oOo u know what else they’re good for…post-season/pre-season competitions:D 
We keep our old robots handy… well… we keep TOBOR 3 and 4. 2 is in pieces and the rest… I dunno where…
All the Brazilian Buddies stay in our room.
BB1 isn’t working, but we are planning to set it the way it was.
BB2 is fine, and was used once to show the middle school kids what the robot does.
BB3 is in Florida for vacations. Soon he will be playing in the nationals, and when he comes back I hope the school uses him and the others to ask for sponsoring.
In Zeeland we have been giving our robots to people in the community with special needs. Two years ago we took the drive from one machine and made power for a stand up wheel chair for a girl in our school with MS. This year we will be giving or machine to the Ottawa County Mental Health Department so they can use it for some of their clients.
You have to ask around and find a good fit but many people could use the power of your robot and your talents to make their life better.
Steve Yasick
Zeeland High
Team 85
We use our robots for display, demonstration, practice and driver tryouts. Right now, one robot is in New Hampshire, and one is in a trophy case at one of our schools trying to get more students interested. Most robots have made it into local parades, demonstrated for grade schools, community leaders and school boards. One was driven before a joint session of congress by members of the armed services committee, senators and congressmen and one has seen service in demonstration before both the mayor of Chicago and the governor of Illinois.
Good thing they are still small enough to fit into the back of a van.
Good Luck All
We stripped all the components off our old robot, then mounted it on casters. Then we took a steel body that we had made up for this years competition but couldn’t use 'cause it was too heavy, and built a robotics go-kart using assorted parts from last year. Finally, we mounted a folding chair on it, tied last year’s 8ft latex tube from the back of the go-kart to the front of the old robot, which we then stand on and conduct chariot races down the halls.
“Big MOE” has been stripped down. That is our bot from 2001.\
no oe would dare even mention stripping down “Lil’ Moe.” In fact, we have bought new threads since last year
*Originally posted by Perseus *
*“Big MOE” has been stripped down. That is our bot from 2001.*
Our 2000 bot, “MOE” or “Big MOE”, has not necessarily been “stripped down”. Rather it has become our prototype bot that as recently as last Sunday has been used to test new grippers and brakes we made after Drexel.
Our 2001 bot, Lil’ MOE is treated as a museum piece, especially since he was signed by Dean and Woody. Also, He is the #1 ambassador for our team, since we take him to all our community events. Last Saturday, He was at an expo in the Exton Mall. This Thursday, & Friday he will be at Tech Summit. Even with most of the team in Florida next week, Lil’ MOE be at DuPont’s Take Your Daughters To Work Day. We keep Lil’ MOE very well maintained so he can continue on his busy schedule. If anyone ever tries to disassemble Lil’ MOE, a large contingent of alumni led by Super Jake will thwart their attempt.
Yea, like Jeremy said before, TOBOR III and TOBOR IV are still operable and sitting in the tech center at Appleton East HS (where we build our robots). TOBOR II is there, but does not run and the original TOBOR is in pieces … I know one former student from that year has a piece of TOBOR I in his closet! Who knows where the rest of the robot is. Oh and the robot pre-TOBOR no one knows anything about so … couldn’t tell you what fate befell that one - no one even knows it’s name! :rolleyes:
Our robots, out of neccesity have been stripped for parts with the exception of last year’s robot ( which we use for demos). A big part of it however, is until the innovation first controllers you had to send the robot controller back to first after the season was over, so having the bots operating didnt make that much sense. Most of our bots are sitting in a vault in the school (yes robotics has its own vault, go figure) gathering dust.
Team 48 has been around for five years now with our XTREME MACHINE 5 already in FL. Two years ago robot now has a permenate home at The National Packard Mussem, Last years robot was to teach the rookies in our FIRST class, and our National Champion robot is in our shop on a high ledge where it belongs. That was a great moment!!
On a side note…“super” jake would sleep with Lil’ Moe if given the oppertunity. He cares for that robot as if it were his own child. He’s a great guy and for everyone who keeps asking about my name…
It was given to me by my team members as a joke because for the last two years I’ve always been see with Jake!! So if there was anyone else wondering there you go!!
MichelleI think our robots go into storage somewhere, i’m not too sure.
Old bots have two purposes…
Demostrations.
Giving me something to do in my engineering class. 
Team 71 has a whole robot parade in the old band room we have, and we put them to use for driving practice, and we put on demonstrations at other schools in our city to help promote FIRST. When we aren’t using them, thyey just chill in the band room as coat hangers. (hehehe)
*Originally posted by M.O.E. Hoe *
**On a side note…“super” jake would sleep with Lil’ Moe if given the oppertunity. He cares for that robot as if it were his own child. **
Did Jake ever tell you the “Lil’ MOE Prom Night Story”, Michelle? It is one of the funniest stories I can remember from last year. I’m sure the mentors on my team would rather I not tell it on a public forum (For all those people with their minds in the gutter right now: It does NOT involve sleeping with Lil’ MOE).
We are only a first-year team, but I know we were thinking of making a platform that will hang from the ceiling from steel cables. Previous years robots would rest up there
we keep our old robots toward the front of our shop where everyone can see them as they walk in.
We get together at the end of the year and have a big bonfire. Marshmellows, hot dogs, the whole deal. Just watch out when that battery goes!
Actually, I’m just kidding. We do the same thing as everyone else and keep the old robots in our shop for demonstrations and recruiting.
On my old team(349) we would cannabalize our robots. On 469 we used the 2001 bot for demonstrations and recruiting, the 2000 bot is scattered amoung alumni’s houses.