On Carson, I saw a rookie team on my pit tour (don't recall the team number or name) with a lift frame made from an aluminum ladder. Light, strong, square, low effort. Genius!
This year (Recycle Rush) we used:
- foam insulating tape as a gripper for our tote flipper.
- While we pulled it off before competition, we converted a tape measure into a string potentiometer to determine our lift's height. In a brief fit of elegance, we used a backwards volume control knob as a hub for the potentiometer.
- By drilling a single hole in each, we turned some thumb screws into combination lift chain mounts and tensioners.
- We spring-loaded twenty 10-32x3" machine screws in some c-channel to make a "contour gauge" style tote/RC pickup that could pick up one tote from the long end, or two from the short end.
- We designed (but did not build) a lift brake from a KOP wheel, a pipe strap, some carpeting, and a pneumatic cylinder.
A few of the other items we have used or prototyped with include:
- strap hinges as pneumatic cylinder mounts
- a T-hinge and a turnbuckle as a belt tensioner.
- Lego League motors, shaft, and wheels as a frisbee intake control.
- Pool noodles for lots of strange things, including Oscar the Grouch's eyebrow and lower lip
- the cap from a can of Bengal Roach Spray (Guaranteed to Work!) as a ball lifter
- Bungee cords as springs and for management of moving wires
- More automotive electrical components and accessories than I could list
- A rubbermaid tote to keep the rain off the controls of our t-shirt cannon