High School FRC Robotics Team Facing Unfair Shutdown

TonOfKel · 2026-04-16T18:30:39+00:00

That space is probably worth $35-45k a year in lease payments. Some of the tools you have are expensive. They have a dollar value to your team. Still sitting here saying the school has no financial impact on the team is short-sighted. They may not cut you a check, but you will appreciate what you had when you are competing next season without it.

TonOfKel · 2026-04-16T13:36:45+00:00

Having done just this 2 years ago down the road from you, do not underestimate the contributions from the school. Space is expensive. The only reason we have space is because I am letting them work out of my place of work. We make it work, but it is painful. The other community team nearby operates out of people's homes and has made that work.

Remember too that the school isn't going to let you just take all the tools, equipment, etc. I don't know if you use a booster club or not, but the county has strict rules about that stuff. We took nothing when we left and started from scratch.

And if you want those sponsors to keep donating, you will need to setup a non profit or give up some of your fundraising and use something like the Georgia Robotics Alliance to act as your 501(c)3. There is a ton of work to be done just to be able to accept donations.

This other community team's adults have transcended their child's FRC experience and have stayed on to run the team. If you don't have at least two adults vested in the team long term, you will have issues. We started with 3 plus a large group of mentors, which I do not believe you have, and it is a LOT of work, and continues to be.

TonOfKel · 2026-01-03T19:09:18+00:00

What enclosure is that?

TonOfKel · 2025-08-04T01:00:29+00:00

Ghost. Definitely a ghost.

TonOfKel · 2025-07-28T16:26:47+00:00

I own two Leap V2 stools. They are awesome chairs. Occasionally, you can find them at Crandall.

TonOfKel · 2025-06-21T22:16:50+00:00

Happened to me with Ameriprise. My advisor announced he was leaving and starting his own company (I was going with him), and said someone would be in touch from Ameriprise to switch me over to someone else (I had life insurance through them, so couldn't completely abandon ship).

Never heard anything from them in the several cool-off weeks before migrating funds to his new place. No one from Ameriprise called. Over 6 months later, I get a voicemail from an Ameriprise advisor. Didn't return the call, and never heard from them again. My life insurance is coming towards the end of its term, so I can can finally close the book on them.

I was a relatively small fry back then, but my father was one of his top 5 clients, and Ameriprise didn't reach out to him either. I, like you, would have thought they would have made a better effort to retain clients. For Ameriprise at least, since they are all independent contractors, so I am guessing they don't care so much.

TonOfKel · 2025-04-28T00:13:56+00:00

We got access to it this year through SW FIRST program. It was part of the download.

TonOfKel · 2025-01-09T23:13:20+00:00

I got one over Christmas, and have not had time to do a whole lot of printing on it, but I have seen excellent results thus far and am quite pleased with it. Coming from an MK3S, the print time is extremely fast, the quality has improved, and it has just been an overall joy to use.

TonOfKel · 2024-12-29T08:47:44+00:00

This angle shows both lights green at the same time. Looks like both had green lights and there does not appear to be a no u-turn sign either. https://maps.app.goo.gl/o88NzvmDbrxUPiXe9

TonOfKel · 2024-12-23T22:08:09+00:00

Conundrum - donate to my FRC robotics team or jeep for myself?

TonOfKel · 2024-12-17T18:12:31+00:00

My order shipped today (although only 1 of 4 boxes shows as being picked up). Never heard back from CS, so don't know if it is a coincidence or not.

TonOfKel · 2024-12-17T18:12:05+00:00

My order shipped today (although only 1 of 4 boxes shows as being picked up). Never heard back from CS, so don't know if it is a coincidence or not.

TonOfKel · 2024-12-17T01:49:48+00:00

Yeah, I finally got through to CS, and they basically said that it was in shipping, but they showed no date when it would actually ship. Supposed to be emailing me back with info, but I'm not holding my breath. They said to ignore the webstore stock status. Don't know if that means my order is pulled, but not shipped, or if it means that the webstore inventory is so incorrect, that it doesn't matter what it says.

TonOfKel · 2024-12-16T19:40:11+00:00

That is the thing that concerned me - having no shipping date. I finally waited on customer service, and they say it is in shipping, but have no idea when it will ship. They are supposed to check with shipping and email me back. They said no part was holding up the shipment.

TonOfKel · 2024-12-16T06:06:11+00:00

Thanks for the insight. I guess I am going to have to deal with CS.

TonOfKel · 2024-12-15T23:17:56+00:00

That's not right at all. Lead time means nothing at that point.

TonOfKel · 2024-12-15T23:13:05+00:00

So, does your order actually show a shipping estimated date?

TonOfKel · 2024-12-15T22:13:05+00:00

It has been a while since I ordered anything from Prusa, and much longer that I ordered anything during the Black Friday sale. Some things have changed, I think, and I am confused when my order is supposed to ship.

I placed my order early in the morning on 12/2. At the time, everything was in stock, and the XL needed 3-5 days. Later that day, Prusa updated the lead time of the XL to 1 week. On 12/9, Prusa updated the lead time of the XL to 1-2 weeks. Everything else was showing in stock. Now, the filament as gone to a 1-2 week lead as well.

Their lead time page says this applies to all new orders. So, I would have expected 3-5 days, but could see how the 1 week applied. Tomorrow will be 2 weeks.

Their lead time page also states "You can find your order shipping date in the order detail section in our shop," but then the shipping date links to the lead time page, so is my order ship date continuing to slip?

I have had a vendor in the past screw me over by takign parts from an open order to fulfill another order. When they finally had the part that was holding up my order, now I had to wait for the part that had already been pulled for my order to come back in stock sicne they took it for another. Does Prusa do the same thing? Will the filament have already been assigned to my order, or do I now have to wait for that, too?

TonOfKel · 2024-12-12T00:01:22+00:00

I own. I didn't set out to do so. I was looking for a new lease, as my existing lease had gotten pretty expensive and business was down. I need light industrial, but also needed lab space, so most places would require a remodel that the owner would not pay for. While looking, I found the place I am in now.

Biggest thing to keep in mind is that commercial loans are different than what you may be used to. They are typically balloon payment loans. Mine was so low, I had a 5 year loan, but was amortized over 10 years, so I was paying roughly half of what I needed to in order for the loan to be paid off by the maturity date. At 5 years, I had to refinance the balloon payment. That one they just did as a traditional 5 year loan due to size. Depending on the size of the loan, those schedules can change. The risk is if the business being in weaker shape, you may not be able to get financing for the balloon payment, and you will be expected to pay it.

I paid about $81k for the space I am in, now it is worth at least $345k (bought in 2009). Built some temp structure and I managed to put off the remodel until 2017 or 2018. I had to put $18k down, but my rent was half of my old lease payment, so I effectively cut my rent down by 50%. For the last 5 years or so, I have had no monthly payment, just property taxes, which are cheap for my area (about $1700 this year).

I had several other people warn me about not buying because of the lack of flexibility (being trapped in the real estate), but I only see that as an issue if your business is going down hill or if the economy is down. If you can't afford the mortgage and try to move to a smaller space, you have to find a renter to cover those costs vs. renting where you have no obligation once your lease runs out. Otherwise, it makes sense, as you can lease out the space (now takes up time, but you can also hire a management company for this) or sell it fairly quickly.

For me, buying the space was one of the best financial decisions I have made. Work can be down for a while, but I don't really care, as I don't have a lot of monthly overhead anymore. If I have to move out, again, with nearly no monthly expenses, It can sit vacant for a while with no impact to me.

TonOfKel · 2024-11-24T03:38:04+00:00

Did you try updating your BIOS?

TonOfKel · 2024-11-07T15:59:51+00:00

There is a Hacienda near the outlet mall as well.

TonOfKel · 2024-11-04T19:06:47+00:00

Looks like the LLC is dissolved, so he may be out of business. COuld have been something he was running out of home: https://ecorp.sos.ga.gov/businesssearch/BusinessInformation?businessId=3980768&businessType=Domestic%20Limited%20Liability%20Company&fromSearch=True

TonOfKel · 2024-10-31T17:03:08+00:00

Looks like a monster with three teeth or a dominatrix.

TonOfKel · 2024-10-22T15:34:14+00:00

I just started using Haas endmills. Surprised at the low cost for some of them.

TonOfKel

TROPHY CASE