So to start us off, the most relevant rule is obviously this section of R09:
Quote:
|
During the six week period following Kickoff: You may fabricate spare parts for replacement purposes of items on your robot as long as they are exact replacements for parts on the robot you shipped to the event. They must be brought to the event in a completely disassembled state as individual components (no bolt-on assemblies).
|
That being said, I think the spare hook would be legal. I'd have to say that welding is still under the category of fabrication as opposed to assembly, since it can't be reasonably undone. Atleast not without a dremel or grinder. So a welded object is incapable of being disassembled anymore than it already is. As a secondary definition, welding is also making definite chemical and physical changes to the part that are distinctly lacking in, say, screwing in a bolt.