Day 39

Still no plows. :[ Thank god for the mentors that pick me up! Wires, wires, wires! Started wiring today! Competition intake is togeather!

Day 38

Roads still not plowed, I walked a good portion of the way to the shop again. We put together the intake and run some more parts on the CNC machine. After that we went to my bosses shop and started powder coating the competition parts! I'm so glad we can do this in house now. It gives us the ability to go back and forth powder coat what we need, and not have to worry about harming a long time sponsor like Mr. Powdercoat. It's nice to have him for the big stuff, but it really is nice to be able to do the small stuff in house!

Day 37

My voyage began at 11:32, no sight of plows from miles, the long walk to Maloney. Everything is still closed, and school is saying it will be closed for most of the week already. My hopes are that we'll still be able to get into the school everyday, but we'll see what they say. I walked the majority of the way to the school and had one of our mentors pick me up once I hit a plowed main street. It was pretty crazy seeing all of the snow. Mounds 12 feet tall, endless unplowed roads. It'll be a while before the roads are all cleared.

Once I got to the shop we did some braces on the CNC machine, Matt's really getting the hang on it. Only a senior in high school and is better on the machine that some of the guys I know at work. Here's the only picture I took today.

Day 36

Oh man, the weatherman wasn't kidding when he said two feet. I am going stir crazy. I woke up this morning to two feet of snow still covering the roads. The town is shut down, every road is closed. Maybe it's time to really get some sleep, have to take advantage of it when you can get it!

Day 35

It has begun, school was canceled due to the impending storm, which meeeeeeeeans, no meeting for GUS. Back at it tomorrow if the roads are cleared!

Day 34

The evil weather men are predicting like 2 feet of snow Friday into Saturday. Erg, cross your fingers. Today was quite productive, the CNC mill is cutting more parts, and we're making steady progress assembling the robot! I feel like it's time for a rant though. Nothing erks me more than students who show up, and claim they are willing to put their all into this team, then just stand there and do nothing. We have a couple students, who even with mentors guiding their every move, can't seem to do anything. Why, WHY?! They do not understand they are losing a GOLDEN opportunity. They are just wasting away their days, being lazy, not listening, not caring. Well it's their loss. The whole team has tried to motivate them, and it's just not working. Some people just don't get it. You get out of this program what you put in. Anywho, sorry about that, here's the pictures from today!

I wish I could marry this machine

It's so tiny!

I smell space issues.

Hanging prototype

Day 33

I'm getting scared. We've been in binds before, and behind schedule, but if this design doesn't work, it's as good as starting over. Thankfully we're going to iterate and improve the design as much as possible. I am getting excited. If this all works out, it'll be pretty insane. Today we cut the shooter mount out on the CNC mill, cut treads in the colson wheels, and played with some sticky material for the hanger! Steady progress is being made, but we need another week, and no snow! Cross your fingers!

Shooter top plate!

Mr. Dutra bravely cutting treads in the Colsons!

CNC hard at work!

Wide receiver gloves? More like pyramid griping gloves! 

Sexy planetary on a BAG!