We are looking to redesign our shipping crate(s) for next year to make a lighter, but strong crate.
Just wondering what everyone else makes theirs out of, and if you know, how much does it weigh???
Thanks in advance!
plywood with an inner structure of 2x4s …it is very heavy and we are also looking to re-design, we have been thinking of something multi function made out of extrusion and dimond plate alum
our crate has always been plywood-- it works- we just modify ours to make our robot fit every year and be able to ship stuff so we don’t have to bring as much stuff when traveling on the bus-- it is heavy-- i don’t remember on the top of my head what our weight was this year along with the bot
I think our wooden crate is more polished than the three robots it’s contained… the wood shop in our school built us a crate our first year which we’ve modified every year since. Verrrrrrrrrrry heavy.
Our crate is made using a selection from the 80/20 catalog, we use the extrusion they have and some lightweight side panels that slide right into the 80/20. It has lasted 2 years now and looks pretty slick. We also have a plastic pallet that saves on weight.
That sounds interesting, could you give us some pics or more details? What are the side panels made of? How much does it weigh?
Ours is plywood on a 2x4 frame and 3/4" decking for the floor. It is heavy, but also durable.
Last year (2003) we made it so we could remove the doors. We have shelves built in the back, and ship and keep tools there. when there is space,
we keep it in the pit and keep tools and parts in it during the weekend.
We also made the top out of clear lexan - sort of a sunroof thing. It lets some light in to help when you are looking for tools or trying to pack.
I actually do have a picture of this crate that I took in Atlanta this year when I was looking for cool crate designs. I will upload it to the gallery in a minute and post a link.
edit: and I also want to know how much it weighs while empty to the closest 5 pounds if possible… Thanks 
edit2: TEAM 269’s CRATE
Ours was straight 2x4s and plywood, with little arrows and “up” written on them by us folks on the final night. (We also signed the inside–mine’s in there!) It’s heavy as anything, but it’s strong. (It’s another Coach Drag creation. He and his shop class seem to share that overbuilt mentality. I like it.)
plywood. Duct tape covered top. And the front was a garage door. So it took us about 30 seconds to unpack