Yep, perfect prototyping tool. We found these to be super useful.
Pro-tip: If you don't have an old drill laying around, don't worry - Harbor Freight has you covered.
http://www.harborfreight.com/power-t...kit-69652.html
You'll spend $24.99 if you're the reckless type who shops HF without a coupon. You'll come home with:
1. An 18V cordless drill you can take apart and re-purpose as described by the Bees.
2. An 18V battery and charger.
3. A big stable aimable flashlight that turns out to be more useful than expected and happily uses that 18V battery and charger.
4. An ~RS550-ish electric motor, gearbox, clutch and hex-shaft interface perfectly useful for off-season stuff. (we used a complete assembly as a conveyor drive in our 2016 OCCRA robot and it worked flawlessly)
I consider this one of our greatest Harbor Freight victories. I wish you similar success.