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Does the platform for the final action have to be freestanding? I'm building a scissor lift and wondering if it has to be freestanding.

tbraford02 wrote:Does the platform for the final action have to be freestanding? I'm building a scissor lift and wondering if it has to be freestanding.

No, you can have an undercarriage that is connected to some sort of rail, or have a vertical square tunnel through which the platform travels (as long as it is shorter than the height of the fully extended platform.

TheSquaad wrote:

Flavorflav wrote:

TheSquaad wrote:
I’d say no. By definition a platform with a hole is not a smooth uniform surface.

It doesn't say "uniform" in the rules. It just says

a single surface that is hard, non-tacky, and smooth with no lip on any of its edges

A single surface with a hole in it is still a single surface, IMO.

In my interpretation, smooth means that there are no deviations in the texture of the surface across the entire area of the square. A hole doesn’t exactly have the same texture as any material.

I got my answer back from soinc.org but it wasn't posted:

No, the platform may not have a hole through the center of it.

The original question is included for your records; there is no need to
respond unless you feel there is an error.
=========================================================
ORIGINAL MESSAGE:

Can the block that rises up for the final action have a hole through the
center of it. The hole does not interfere with the battery. The battery is
still free to fall off. the edges.

Mission Possible

(section: 4 / part: c / paragraph: / sub-paragraph: / line: 3)

beaverkid wrote:

TheSquaad wrote:

Flavorflav wrote: It doesn't say "uniform" in the rules. It just says

A single surface with a hole in it is still a single surface, IMO.

In my interpretation, smooth means that there are no deviations in the texture of the surface across the entire area of the square. A hole doesn’t exactly have the same texture as any material.

I got my answer back from soinc.org but it wasn't posted:

No, the platform may not have a hole through the center of it.

The original question is included for your records; there is no need to
respond unless you feel there is an error.
=========================================================
ORIGINAL MESSAGE:

Can the block that rises up for the final action have a hole through the
center of it. The hole does not interfere with the battery. The battery is
still free to fall off. the edges.

Mission Possible

(section: 4 / part: c / paragraph: / sub-paragraph: / line: 3)

Hmm. It's not official until it is posted, and we just had our third tournament at which a hole in the platform was allowed (by me, I suppose I should add). I did rule out a platform which was composed of three pieces of balsa laid side-by-side on the ground that it was not a single surface, but I didn't see a hole as a clear enough violation to rule it out.

The rules state that the end task is completed when the platform's movement stops. If the motor moving the platform remains on, but the platform is stopped by some brake mechanism, has the platform stopped? The platform would probably still shift/vibrate a little, but not move significantly upwards.
Thanks!

bruhsoundeffect#2 wrote:The rules state that the end task is completed when the platform's movement stops. If the motor moving the platform remains on, but the platform is stopped by some brake mechanism, has the platform stopped? The platform would probably still shift/vibrate a little, but not move significantly upwards.
Thanks!

My motor stays on, but my platform stops...

bruhsoundeffect#2 wrote:The rules state that the end task is completed when the platform's movement stops. If the motor moving the platform remains on, but the platform is stopped by some brake mechanism, has the platform stopped? The platform would probably still shift/vibrate a little, but not move significantly upwards.
Thanks!

If the platform is vibrating, it has technically not stopped moving, and a picky Es may call you out on it. Play it safe and make it stop completely.

TheSquaad wrote:

bruhsoundeffect#2 wrote:The rules state that the end task is completed when the platform's movement stops. If the motor moving the platform remains on, but the platform is stopped by some brake mechanism, has the platform stopped? The platform would probably still shift/vibrate a little, but not move significantly upwards.
Thanks!

If the platform is vibrating, it has technically not stopped moving, and a picky Es may call you out on it. Play it safe and make it stop completely.

You could try using a really weak motor/battery that appears to stop when the platform 'stops' but is still a complete circuit.

ScottMaurer19 wrote:

bruhsoundeffect#2 wrote:The rules state that the end task is completed when the platform's movement stops. If the motor moving the platform remains on, but the platform is stopped by some brake mechanism, has the platform stopped? The platform would probably still shift/vibrate a little, but not move significantly upwards.
Thanks!

My motor stays on, but my platform stops...

Leave it to Scott to always come up with the strangest ideas that work (and work well) but no one else in the world thinks of...

PM2017 wrote:

ScottMaurer19 wrote:

bruhsoundeffect#2 wrote:The rules state that the end task is completed when the platform's movement stops. If the motor moving the platform remains on, but the platform is stopped by some brake mechanism, has the platform stopped? The platform would probably still shift/vibrate a little, but not move significantly upwards.
Thanks!

My motor stays on, but my platform stops...

Leave it to Scott to always come up with the strangest ideas that work (and work well) but no one else in the world thinks of...

It's not that hard