My team was wondering how many other teams put together a VRC Gateway field (with metal perimeter) already.
Have you had any problems with the holes in the perimeter being too low for the bottom goal bracket to screw in properly?
//Andrew
i havent built one yet but we are getting one next week ill let you know how it goes and if you have a pic of the problem it will help
Well… we fixed the problem already, so I don’t really want to restore the problem. :rolleyes: However, I will describe the problem and what we did in case it helps anyone else:
Problem:
The foam tiles partially covered up the screw holes in the bottom of the field perimeter. The black “rings” that make the bottom of the goals screw into these screw holes.
Here’s my attempt at an illustration:
[ATTACH]4378[/ATTACH]
(Grey rectangle at the bottom is a foam tile. See the little half screw holes instead of full circles?)
Solution:
We propped up the outside perimeter with the little bits of foam we cut off the edge tiles.
I thought this problem might occur when I first looked at the field specs. The fact that it says to cut the edges off the field, but that also the bottom of the walls should be on the plane with the tiles (for goals) seems to be kind of inconsistent. Perhaps we should get an official ruling from VEX as to which is the “official” method for setting up a field and how they will be set up at worlds.
I’m not sure if Rick Tyler’s word is “official,” but if not I consider it pretty close. 
Also today I heard we got our VEX Gateway Field & Game Objects order in, so we’ll be building that sometime in the (somewhat) near future, I’m sure.
~Jordan
So then I suppose the next question is, if VEX will be cutting off the edges of fields for worlds, how do they intend to get around the issue stated in this thread?
I can imagine there will be plenty of people who have already cut the edges off their field and would like to know how to make it fit properly, or people who just want to keep their fields as close as possible to how they will be at worlds.
I think the biggest problem with this is that if you lift the field perimeter to the height at which it needs to be for the goals, you can no longer keep the bottom corner brackets on the corner pieces of the wall or they will be on the field.
last week Maria and i build a gateway field to show off my teams robot and encountered the notorious problem. we just put the field on a pair of pliers where the gates are but that was for a just for an exhibition no real competition was on it (we still beat everyone at the camp :p) but we had an idea to cut the holes in the foam for the gate brackets and goals but we really don’t want to ruin the foam tiles. I’m sure the vex engineers are working on a solution, id like to suggest including a plastic (or metal) strip about as thick as the foam to attach to the bottom of the metal field perimeter to raise it to the correct height
On the field we have assembled here in the VEX lab, this wasn’t much of a problem. We installed the foam tiles & perimeter like normal. Lifted up the walls to attach the goals, then set the wall down. Things flexed a bit but everything found its way into place.
-John
The VEX field perimeter segments are 11.5 inches tall - exactly the height of the lower goals, and the spacing of the black rings of the taller goals. (The brackets and bolts add another 0.5 inches for a total height of 12 inches that we are all used to.)
Here is my proposed solution: Do not use any “edge” or “corner” tiles at all. Set the field up so that the perimeter sits on the connecting nubs on the outer tiles. The connecting brackets and bolts easily compress these parts of the tiles and the field and goals are all at the correct levels. If you have no extra “center” tiles, then I’m sure you can get one tile or other appropriate material and provide support for the field perimeter.
John - I would like to know if the official fields have cut tiles that sit inside of the perimeter, or use uncut tiles so that the field perimeter sits on top of the tile.
-Mr. Van
Coach, Robodox
Official fields will use cut tiles.
-John
To be clear:
This is intentional. We want to “pre-load” the goals such that they are sunk into the foam.
We want users to cut the tabs off the tiles, then lift up the field border slightly when installing the goals such that when it is set down the goals are pressing into the foam a bit.
All the fields at the VEX World Championship will be assembled in this manner. The field tiles will have cut tabs.
-John
Thanks John!
The “sinking in” thing makes sense. We will adjust accordingly.
- Mr. Van
Coach, Robodox
Ah! I think I understand the problem…
The field assembly diagrams have the lower black goal rings with the flat part of the ring down (opposite to the upper ring). We have assembled our field according to these diagrams. The lower ring has the flat surface down, against the tile. There is little or no “sinking in” possible because of this large flat surface.
Should the lower goal rings be oriented the same way as the upper rings (with the flat part up showing the finished “VEX” logo)? This would allow for the “sinking” that John is talking about. If so, the diagrams should be corrected.
Thanks again!
- Mr. Van
Coach, Robodox
’
Nope… the goal rings should be assembled with the flat surface down. They don’t sink in much, and the field perimeter is lifted off the ground a little bit. This is the correct assembly.
-John
We just got our field in.
My coach is going to set it up this week!
We get to practice on it next tuesday!
Can’t wait 