Re: How to build a maze

To: David Otten <otten@mit.edu>, micromouse@dcs.rhbnc.ac.uk
Subject: Re: How to build a maze
From: John Wright <j.wright@ieee.org>
Date: Thu, 15 Jun 2000 23:29:12 -0700
In-Reply-To: <2.2.32.20000608140029.006ec528@po10.mit.edu>

David,

I think they sell something called MARINE PLYWOOD (for use on boats?) that
is 10'x5' . 
I have seen plywood longer than 8' in the US< but it is obviously more
expensive. 

Wouldn't it be easier to have four squares instead of two halfs?  The quads
would be much easier to transport.

John


At 10:00 AM 6/8/00 -0400, David Otten wrote:
>I have the name and address at home of a friend in Singapore who had walls
>and posts tooled in plastic and ships them around the world.  I have all
>the particulars at home but I won't be home until Sunday night (US time) so
>I can get it for you then.  The walls are a little longer than I wish
>which means that the holes have to be drilled more accurately than I wish
>but they are consistent.  This type of maze was used several years ago
>at a UK competition.  I have trouble with the walls reflectivity (the walls
>don't have has much of a mat finish as I would like) but I consider that MY 
>problem.  In any case since they are relatively inexpensive, it would be 
>possible to give samples to people and it is possible for others to purchase
>them if they want to build a small piece.  This of course does not address
>the problem of the base.  I did recently find that in Russia it is possible
>to get a piece of plywood that is about 10' x 5' which would allow half
>the maze to be built on one piece.  I always thought two pieces with a 
>piano hinge down the middle would give the best alignment and if all the
>posts come out, it is not impossible to transport.  I can also give you
>the address of a fellow in Canada who built a maze with the plastic posts
>and made some jigs to help drill the base.  He even took some pictures to
>help explain what he did to me.
>
>
>
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* John L. Wright, Jr. 
* Product Apps. Engr. Dept. Mgr. 
* Cypress Semiconductor
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References:
- How to build a maze
  - From: David Otten <otten@MIT.EDU>