"Essential Tools"
 

Hi I am a member of team 2554 and as pre-rookies we want to know what some "essential tools" for FIRST are. By this I mean tools that are most likely to be used during the building process. All help is appreciated...

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

hex driver
alen wrench
chop saw
electric screwdriver
hand screwdriver
file
hammer

I think thats the BARE minimum.

edit: laptop. yeah as a programmer to not put this in I should be taken out the back and "decompiled".

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

That's a set of allen wrenches, set of sockets, multiple screwdrivers in various sizes...Sometimes, you need more than one of an item. The electric screwdriver (AKA cordless drill) is a must-have item, preferably with more than one and extra batteries. Throw in a hacksaw and vise for good measure. Oh, and a crescent (adjustable) wrench, for those odd-sized bolts/missing sockets.

Laptop should be on the list (or any computer), as long as it can run your programming program at a decent speed.
Drill bits, for putting holes in material using the drill.
SAFETY GLASSES. Stay safe in the shop and have one per team member plus a few extra. Make sure people wear them. You don't want to have someone lose an eye, especially in your first year.

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

Here's all you REALLY need (IMO):

Hammer
Zip Ties
Pliers
Power Drill (with various bits)
Hack Saw
Band Saw
Wrench Set
Allen Wrench Set
Wire Cutters
Wire Crimper
Hammer
A good working spirit

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

BAND SAW, at home, not on the road

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

Thanks a lot guys you've been great help so far! Sorry but I also forgot to add:

How much do you think a first year team would have to spend on supplies?

We are thinking of getting some materials on Black Friday

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

this may be a minor detail, but for a allen wrench, should we get the inches one of the metric one?
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...0053&langId=-1

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

What type of supplies? Tools? Or materials to build the robot?

For tools: Not knowing how much the power tools generally cost, I'd say about $100-$200 for hand tools. Possibly more.

Oh, and I forgot one tool: a tap set, but only if you are planning to make your own threaded holes without using self-tapping screws.

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

Both, unless you are planning to set and stick to a standard on your team. Even then, there is a chance that you will need the other set.

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

Really, you don't need very much.
(In order of Importance)

Safety Equipment (Always a must have. This includes a first aid kit and goggles.)
Wrench Set (You'll probably only need the 1/4, 3/8s, 7/16s, 1/2, and 9/16 wrenches)
Screw Driver Set
Drill (With assorted bits and spare battery)
Hacksaw
Electrical Crimper/Stripper/Cutter (It is better to have individual tools for each, but the all in one does work)
Pliers (Both standard and Needle-nose)
Allen Keys (Depends on what hardware you use, you may find these unnecessary)
Chain Breaker (Surprised nobody said this yet)
Hammer
Computer (If you have to, you could use the default code, but writing your own program is defiantly a good idea.)
Vise
Clamps (Vise grips are great)
Tap Set (Optional, but makes life easier)


I didn't mention any hardware, but stuff like assorted nuts and bolts are good to have around. Zip ties are invaluable as well as electrical tape (for insulating only). Also don't forget things like wire and crimps.

Out of all of that I could probably get by with just the first 6 items. It would take a while to get things done and working would be much harder than it needs to be, but it is doable.

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

exactly, i mean recently 5/32 is a magic number in FIRST but you never know when you need to disassemble a motor or something and need metric tools because it was assembled in another country.

i would definately go with a:
hammer
chop saw
good gloves (having flying metal embed itself in your arm is fun and all but gets old fast)
hex key set
taps
safety glasses
face shield
cordless drill (at least 2 batteries)
hack saw
screw driver
drill bits (drivers)
drill bits (for making holes)
computer for running programs
zip ties
electrical tape
wire cutters
crimpers
wire strippers
soldering iron
solder
duct tape

thats all i can think of for now

and always be open minded, and always think outside of the box
(thats the best tool you can have)

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

Both would be nice but for now tools is our primary focus, thank you!

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

I surprised no one has mentioned this so far: if you cut metal stock to make parts for your robot, you will need a selection of files to remove the sharp edges. If you cut large holes in metal stock (to save weight or to provide access to things on the other side) then you will probably also need a deburring tool, for the same reason.

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

We stopped bring metric with us years ago. All the hardware we use is SAE. If you are going to buy just one set, make sure you buy the hardware to go with it. e.g. Don't buy an SAE key set then and metric hex head bolts.

I don't believe there is anything in the KOP, at least from last year, that was metric, so SAE should be a safe choice.

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

A soldering iron, wire crimpers and strippers are very important to have for electrical work (not to mention their important uses for the juvenile humor that comes out after midnight). Although not necessary, a miter saw comes in very handy as does a drill press. A big bolt cutter and a deburring tool can be very useful too. A pop rivet gun and rivets can come in quite handy too. A Dremel can also come in handy, but most of its functions have already been covered by other tools mentioned in this thread. Oh, and get some hole saw bits, you'll need them for swiss cheesing the robot the day prior to ship ;).

I'd definitely get both. Even if you don't intend to use metric, FIRST may supply something that uses metric.

As for raw materials, you cannot go wrong with a bit of 1"x1" 1/8" wall thickness square 6061 aluminum tube, some 10AWG copper wire, white lithium grease, and various nuts and bolts. I'd be wary of stocking up on materials though--you never know what may become against the rules next year. (I'd say the chance of FIRST banning aluminum tubes, wire, grease, or bolts is pretty small though)

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

would a soldering iron be absolutely necessary? can u give me an example of a time when u've used a soldering iron when building the robot
would u crimp or solder when attaching wires to a vector

thanks

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

Usually those wires are crimped to connectors, which attach to the Victor. However, there are times when soldering is necessary, such as when working on sensors that don't have their own PWM cable. You need to attach the cable somehow, and I don't think there are any crimps that small.

Also, see what team members have available for team use for a season. This can cut down on immediate cost for tools, allowing you to steadily build up your stock as funds become available.

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

No, it is not absolutely necessary unless you have sensors; generally, a sensor will only have lugs or eyelets to solder a wire to. For Victors, I would recommend crimping; with the size of some of those connectors/wires your average soldering iron may have trouble heating it up causing a cold solder joint -> very bad. One of our team members actually has a 200W soldering iron, but we still don't solder Victor wires, crimps are much quicker and (assuming they are done well) are equivalently reliable.

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

These are the tools that I always carry in my pockets; at school, in competition. They never leave me and no one else can use them (unless I am watching):

-Regular pliers (non slip-joint) with wire clippers and heavy wire cutting notches on the side.
-6 inch long crescent wrench.
-6-in-1 double ended screwdriver
-10 foot metal tape measure
-Folding Allen key set, inches.

The pliers are also used as a hammer and clamp, the screwdriver without bits is also a 5/16" and 1/4" nutdriver, the Allen key set is a set of pin punches. MAny other uses as well.

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

A Soldering Iron is pretty much an essential. From shrinking heat-shrink tubing to permanently fixing on connectors in high stress areas to etching your team number into a plastic toolbox (jp), it is really a very useful tool.

You can pick up a soldering iron for as little as 5 bucks (I've gotten them for a dollar or free from school events (IEEE)), and it can make the last minute save for many things.

Jacob

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

For the electrical world:

Solderless terminal crimping pliers - but spend the extra money to buy a ratcheting crimper (about $40), that way every crimp will be perfect.

Cutting pliers (able to cut up to #6 wire, which is about the thickness of a pencil) aka 'diagonal pliers'

Good needle-nose pliers

Good stripping tool. Ideally the "automatic" strippers, which have a spring-loaded system to grip and cut the insulation, not the cheap kind that looks like pliers, nor the 'self-adjusting' kind.

Cheap soldering iron plus solder - $10 at Radio Shack, 25 watts. And please, always wash your hands with soap and water after touching solder!

For the rest:

Safety Goggles - at least one pair for every person. Get the good ones, like the $6 ones at Harbor Freight that have the cord to hold them around your neck. CHEAP goggles are AWFUL to wear and use, and nobody will WANT to use them. Decent goggles are not even noticed, fit over glasses, and you can forget that you have them on - everyone will be willing to use these.

Hearing protection - even cheap foam ear plugs. Don't damage your hearing just yet, wait for college at least... A few double-cord dust masks (the kind with 2 rubber bands, not just one) for every time anyone is making dust. Believe me, if you think tobacco is bad for your lungs, try lexan. Several pairs of cotton work gloves.

Plus hacksaws (and blades), files (flat, round, half-round), drill bits (up to 1/2", plus a few uni-bits), an electric drill, tape measures & rulers, sharpie markers, a center punch, a scratch awl, masking tape, wrenches (as mentioned previously), a ball-peen hammer, a rubber or plastic mallet, a bench vice (as large as you can afford), ratchet or C-clamps in several sizes, a chain breaker for #35 chain, a razor knife, a hot-melt glue gun and glue sticks, screwdrivers in seveal sizes (flat, philips), decent protractor...

That's a good partial list.

Note that there is NO Duct Tape on the list, there's a reason for that.

Don

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

Darn! I can't believe I forgot that, most of my team thinks I'd build the entire robot out of hot glue if I could! On a similar note, you should probably get some Loctite for vibration proofing bolted connections, and epoxy (clay and liquid kind) for quick fixes at competition or just general adhering needs.

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

Beware! Banebots stuff is all metric!

Just a little FYI. The english will fit, but strip it.

Jacob

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

I am surprised nobody has mentioned this yet but the single most useful tool to have during the robotics season is a Leatherman (or an equivalent multi-tool from another company). I suggest that at least a few of your members carry multi-tools with them at all times because, even though they are not the most effective tools for the individual components they have, the ability to carry all of those items with you is priceless.

If students possessing knives on school property is an issue for you like it is with us i suggest the Leatherman Knifeless Fuse http://www.leatherman.com/products/t...se/default.asp which team mates of mine and I carry.


Hope this helps
Simon Strauss
1155

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

So is the andymark stuff... we had a nightmare the other night finding metric tools for our dual shifter

I don't know if anyone else has mentioned this, but another thing you will need at a ready supply are hex wrenches and bondhuses. Our robot has a standard of 7/16 everything, and that was always the only hex wrench missing. So stock up on like 50 of your team standard to avoid tool hunting when your robot breaks 5 minutes before your final match (=

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

One other thing that I find myself relying upon more and more: a rivet tool. You can get one for $15 or $20, usually with rivets. For holding certain parts of the robot together, you can't beat it.

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

Essential Hand Tools:
-Wrenches (7/16, 1/2, 9/16 mostly)
-Socket Set - The 1/4" size ratchet set w/ 7/16 & 1/2 sockets are the most used. If you ever need a 1/2" ratchet on a FIRST robot you probably need to rethink something.
-Screwdrivers - All sizes and types. Two or three of the more common types.
-Pliers (needlenose mostly for us over regular type but get both or a cheap set)
-Hex Key (Allen) Wrenches - We use the T handle type mostly in the shop and take the little foldup sets to comp.
-Ball Peen Hammer - use sparingly
-Wire Cutters
-Wire Strippers
-Crimp Tools for all those wire terminals you will learn to hate.
-Metal Files
-Deburring Tool A.K.A "Whirly-gig" - Be careful it will jump out of that hole when you look up and there goes the end of your finger!

Don't forget things to measure other things with:
-Tape Measure
-Ruler
-Digital Calipers are pretty handy

Clamps, lots of clamps, you can NEVER have too many clamps! We find good old C-clamps (4", 5", & 6") and those ViseGrip type clamps to be the most useful.

We also find rivet guns (both small (1/8" & 3/16) and large (1/4")) to be quite useful.

A few center punches. Once you start using one you will never know how you got along without one. Harbor Freight is your friend here. You can get them for a couple of bucks each. Get several because you won't be able find the one and only one you have under the mess on your work table about the beginning of February. A set of transfer punches are pretty handy as well. In fact Harbor Freight is a good place to get a lot of the above hand tools cheap.

There are special tools you will want for working with roller chain. A "chain breaker" will "break" a link in the chain to make two pieces. A "chain pincher" is pretty helpful to stretch the chain together like a third hand so that it is much easier to put the master link in.

You will probably be building at least a some part of the game field to practice on. Don't forget typical woodworking tools:
-Handsaw
-Claw Hammer
-Square
-Level
-A PVC cutter is usually helpful for something every year.

While you are building that practice field cut some short wood blocks about 6" to 8" long cut from a scrap 4"x4". Keep them near your robot build table. You will figure out what they are for the first time you want to test your new drivetrain on the table. Usually 4 of them will do the trick.

The basic power tools you should try to get if at all possible:
-Cordless Drill (w/ charger, extra battery(s), and a big box of drill bits)
-Drill Press (w/ another big box of drill bits)
-BandSaw (w/ several extra blades on hand for cutting aluminum)
-Miter Saw (yep, it will cut aluminum but be careful)
-Circular Saw

-Power tools that every team would love to have but few do:
-Milling Machine (CNC or manual)
-Metal Lathe
-Welder setup for aluminum

Power Tools that you might could use but can do without:
-Table Saw
-Air Compressor (Useful for blowing all the bits out of your robot before you power it up.)

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

Whoa there, guys, information overload! In addition to the often-repeated tools (which are probably the ones needed), this is a first-year team. I can't keep straight whether a tool has or hasn't been mentioned (though I know I missed the measuring tools--didn't think of those as tools). I think DeepWater has about as complete a list as you can find, categorized by type. Maybe we should let them sift through the info and decide what to get now and what to wait on until it is needed.

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

Yes, buying a welder is very expensive and you'll need a lot of practice - so its probably not a great idea to buy one.

But I HIGHLY encourage you to seek out a welding sponsor for your team.

Finding a welding sponsor is really easy. I know that in 2006 I just asked our local auto-repair shop if they could weld our robot and they were happy to do it free of charge. Welding can vastly speed up the build process and increase the quality of your robot. If you get your frame welded you can save weight on all the fasteners, and you don't have to worry about the structure of your robot coming loose.

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

Funny how no one else mentioned it, but you will also need a space and an organization system to put it all. Trust me and our team's previously-disaster area Closet, after a few years stuff really begins to build up and clutter and dust begin to reign freely. Sorting years' worth of lost and abandoned drill bits from five or more sets is really not fun, especially when you and a couple of friends are the only ones without a major robot project on your hands :cough: freshman year :cough:

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

Alright, so I'm late and the lists are really long already, but there's two good tools that I haven't sen yet:
Heat gun, useful not only for shrinking heat-shrink tube, but also for softening and bending lexan, PVC, etc.

Electrician's Scissors. Vital for your electrical team. They cut darn near anything from wire to cable ties to small diameter steel cable. Plus with a little practice you can strip wire with them too.

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

Just to help you out a bit I just uploaded a list of tools we purchased to "start" our garage last year. Our rookie year everything we used was borrowed the team had nothing. Last year we got a sponsor to buy most of the tools on the list. The prices will be a rough guide for you, the names of the actual tools are the more important thing.

CLICK HERE!

Any questions just ask or pm me

/edit ohh yeah the year prior we did purchase a drill press, which was left off the list. I believe that a drill press can be very important, you'd be amazed with some ingenuity ( and possibly a lexan blast shield ) what you can achieve with even a cheap harbor freight one!

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

Try to find a local team, and go check out their tool area. No way a list on CD is going to sum up what you need; Even the best of us here are going to forget to mention important tools.

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i know last year we had to do some soldering when attaching the TTL board to the camera

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Tin snips come in real handy for quickly cutting a piece of sheet metal for a panel without using a machine.

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

The definition (or at least mine) of an essential tool includes ALL tools one would use to make something out of raw material. Now, the definition of raw material includes: students, parents, the team in general and 6061T6 aluminum.

A good mentor that has been trained in team dynamics, one willing to do one or two workshops in team building can go along way to help mold the team into something that works well together.

A strong parent organization, booster club or a bunch of NEMs (non engineering mentors) willing to take care of all the other stuff, non robot related stuff, is an absolutely invaluable tool. (travel, food, making shirts, writing awards etc...)

Having team support in the local community is an invavluable tool. The city editor of the local newspaper on your side is good.

One or two or three school board memebrs that are vocal supporters of the team. Mentioning them at school board meetings, line items in budgets are always good things.

Internet access is a valuable tool, IF used correctly during meetings and after. CD, NEMO, FIRST are essential tools for gathering information. Don't forget the websites of any vendors you may be doing business with.

In short, tools are not just the things that are in your hands shaping the metal. The mentors, teachers, parents and engineers all around you are the most important tool you can use. And they are there for you to use. Just do not ABUSE them.

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

We are re-buying our tools this year, since we lost so many, and this is our list. I think it compiles just about all the critical tools. I'll put an asterisk (*) next to tools that are handy, but not necessary.
-Hammer
-Hacksaw
-Power Drill (with bits/spare battery)
-Allen Key Set (either standardized, or English)
-Adjustable wrench
-Open-ended wrench set (standardized or English)
-Ratcheting socket set*
-Rubber Mallet*
-Soldering iron
-Sawzall* (with spare battery)
-Screwdriver set (flathead and phillips head)
-Dremel* (with reinforced cutting heads)
-Pliers (needle nose)
-Vicegrips*
-Safety gear (Goggles for all team members, Firstaid kit, gloves are optional)
-File set
-A rolling, lockable tool chest*
I'd recommend approaching your local Sears, since they sell kits that contain most of the above for relatively cheap prices (the large (but not largest) sets usually weigh in at about $500), and the manager would probably give you a discount if you brought up what it was for.

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

Here is a couple of organizational tips:

1. keep an inventory of tools obtained - listed in categories/location.
Keep this current/updated.

2. make and keep a wish list of tools/equipment wanted/needed. This is handy for the parent that feels generous, the potential sponsor that walks up to a fundraiser or community outreach event, the aunt or uncle who have been hearing about this robotics team and would like to contribute something. It is also helpful for the team booster club to have handy when working on the budget. Purchasing/maintaining tools/equipment should be included in the budget both short term and long term.

3. Create a position for a tool manager on the team. This person is responsible for making sure the tools get put back where they belong and for travel preparation/competition. This is the go-to tool person when something is needed. During competition, we've learned that the tool manager can fill another position such as safety captain as well - being useful and efficient.

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Also have a variety of electric stuff, wire nuts, wire ties (that was aready mentioned)

o yes and ALOT of Mountain Dew:yikes:

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

I'm not surprised you needed to use solder for that, since the TTL converter board is not designed to be attached to the camera.:confused:

The sensors in the Kit of Parts for the past couple of years (accelerometers, gear tooth sensors, etc.) have no connectors, just plated-through holes on the printed circuit board. Soldering is required to attach wires to them. Almost every potentiometer one might want to use for position feedback has terminals that wires must be soldered to.

Building the on-board backup battery charger circuit also needs soldering skills.

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I'm kinda surprised that no one has mentioned this: A VEX kit.

Learning to program on a 130+ pound robot can get really interesting. The VEX platform allows students to make mistakes while learning and not endanger people or property.

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

well it may have not been attaching to the camera but it was something that NEEDED to work

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Or anything else with a great deal of caffeine. Coffee, tea, a random game of dodgeball, a quiet ice cube down the back of their shirt...

Safety glasses! Have some sort of organization system for them, too. I built a temporary polycarb box from some random scrap we had lying around. Bent it with a welding torch, a wood-bending thing in the woodshop and a friend. A large, sturdy metal ruler with a few more friends also works. Distinctive, simple. It worked quite well, but now the safety glasses reside in a shelf on our Toolbox. The toolbox has castors (we put them on) and has a locking box in one of the shelves.

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In my experience, having a set place for safety glasses greatly increases the likelihood that people will seek it out and put them on. In my days on 1293, it was a bin right by the storage room door; in their new digs, it's a five-gallon bucket spray-painted orange. On 1618, it's a shoebox with SAFETY GLASSES written on it in large letters. It's a little ugly, and it's a little beat up after the run to Brunswick Eruption, but even the 2458 kids picked up on it right out of the gate.

I'm also pushing for a Safety Glasses Jar in the vein of the classic swear jar, as a punishment to students who go back into our work area without glasses on. A quarter for each time they're caught wearing forehead protectors will not only teach them right fast to get their glasses on before going into the shop area, but also help offset the cost of the team's Goldfish addiction. Two birds, one stone.

(Don't get me wrong, I'm not big on swearing...but I think protecting their eyesight is more important.)

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

I wouldn't really call it a tool, but a tether is definitely something that is good to have on hand. With that a disable box is very vital also(person with a fast finger would be good). It's no good having a robot if you can't control it in the pits or practice.:ahh:

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Don't forget a multimeter!

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In theory the list could go on and on but for a good tool source with low prices I would got to Harbor Freight. Thwy have just about ever tool you could want and they have coupons like 3 times a month.

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In the electrical world it is best when you have the right tool for the job. Every team should consider an automatic stripper that allows for stripping #10 or smaller wire without cutting the strands.
Mcmaster 7292K42 $24.99
Automatic ratcheting crimpers are also an easy way to crimp solderless connectors...
McMaster 69555K62 $46.61 but worth it. Other manufacturers have similar tools withour replacment dies for far less.
Large diameter wire cutters like 3563A73 $22.38 are useful for cutting #10 and #6 but are not must have tools.
If you are going to use the smaller Power Pole line of connectors, the crimp tool for those is a must have. We crimp and solder all connection just to be sure.
Several different soldering irons are then needed. 25 watt for most jobs and 50 watt with larger tips for soldering the larger wires. No team should be without heat shrink tubing so a heat gun is also a must have item.
Please make sure you have at least one set of flush cutting wire cutters to insure that the cutoff ends of wire ties do not have a sharp end that can cut and scratch.

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

Great advice Al. For those of you not wanting to spend the big bucks at McMaster-Carr then once again Harbor Freight to the rescue:

Similar Automatic Wire Stripper $5.99 but I have bought them on sale for as little as $2.99. Note that it doesn't strip the smaller guage wires like 22, 24. We prefer this type for small gauge wire which you can get on sale for $.99 just about all the time. Get several and set them up for each of the small gauges (22, 24, etc.) and lable them as such.

Similar Insulated Terminal Ratcheting Crimper $14.99 on sale for $9.99.

We have all of the above tools from Harbor Freight and they work great!

As for the small Anderson Powerpole crimpers we have the one from West Mountain Radio but Powerwerx sells the same thing (I think) for a few dollars less. You can get replacement jaws for them at West Mountain Radio for all types of connectors. Our experiance with the West Mountain Radio crimper for the smaller Anderson Powerpoles has been mixed. It works perfectly on the 15A and 30A but the 45A seem to jam up everytime especially with 10 GA wire. Does anyone else have this problem? Any secret to making it work properly?

As for the large Anderson Powerpoles like we use on the battery connectors we haven't found a suitable cheap crimp/swag tool so we usually solder the wire in with a porpane torch. How do other teams tackle this issue?

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

i would have to say an aluminum magnet if you can find one :)

but for real it may not be the cheapest but get craftsman tools
lifetime warranty
and a good tool box don't forget that

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

I will second that. Additionally, have a checklist ready for that toolbox, so you know what should be in there before departing for a demo or competition. There is no feeling quite like shearing a couple of rivets on your tower to find out that your riveter is 680 miles away.

To that end, get a good printer. You will be printing plenty of things over the season. (Bonus points if it is a printer you can bring with you to competition, but bring extra ink and paper; teams will invariably ask if you can print off a few things for them.)

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

now what exactly is heat shrink wrap used for? I know its used for wrapping the crate but is it used for electrical stuff at all?

thanks much, vivek

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

I think you're referring to two separate items as one.

Shrink wrap is like saran wrap and as you said, you can use it to wrap your crate.

Heat Shrink is plastic tubing that comes in various diameters and colors that you generally put over soldered connections, where you join two wires together,etc. Basically anywhere where you don't want uninsulated wires.

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

Hammer
Even bigger hammer
Saws-all with extra blades
Grinder with extra wheels
Pry bar
Screw drivers (aka small pry bars)
Vice grips
Channel locks
1/4" to 3/8" drive socket sets
Open/closed end wrench set
Adjustable wrenchs
T handle allen wrench set
Cordless drill and bits (extra batteries)
A dozen rolls of duct tape
Lots of zip-ties
Goodie or BC powders


And the most important.... FIRST AID KIT! :eek:

Ohhh and a 110 cup coffee maker! :D

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

ah, ok. Cool.

thanks, Vivek

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Everyone has pretty much covered what you will need but it is important to spend the money and make sure that certain tools you get are of good quality.
Make sure you don't skimp on...

Vice grips- you will do things with these that they were never meant to do and they will only survive if you have good ones

Crimpers and wire strippers- good ones are just easier to work with because cheap ones will just give you trouble.

Rotary tool- get a Dremel brand or something just as good because again, you will use it constantly and good ones last longer and are easier to deal with.

good luck

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

I absolutely love you guys as well as this forum. All of the replies so far have helped us so much. On behalf of team 2554 (The WarHawks) I would like to thank you very much. Good luck during build season. Hopefully once our rookie year is over we will be able to help continue the awesome service that these forums provide.

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

I agree about the ratcheting lug crimpers! You don't need loose connections. A pair of good strippers will prevent nicking the wire.

As for files, our best one for deburring aluminum is a really cheap, fairly coarse 6" file we got at Northern Tool for $1. For some reason, it never loads up with chips, unlike slightly finer, high-quality made-in-USA files. Who could guess :D

I don't know if Lowe's still has them, but if you can get the 30-piece Task Force metric/inch hex key set in the gray case, they are reasonable quality for the low $ (at least were). Of course, Unbrako, Allen and Bondhus may be better, but these were fine.

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

Make sure your computer can boot in less than 10 minutes, and that it has a battery life longer than 30 minutes (problem with our team for a while now, darn 7 year old laptop!) you really don't want to run out of power while needing to code something right before a match.

THANKS FROM 2977!! :D
 

thanks so much!
i am from team #2977 and we appreciate it sooo much!
:D

Re: "Essential Tools"
 

IF you use 8020 (which has both a good side and a down side)

Buy EVERY and I mean EVERY 5/32 hex wrench you can find and a 9/16 open end and socket wrenches...

Food
Power Cords
Table Saw
Drill Press

most of all

M
U
S
I
C

a 3D printer doesn't hurt either...