a) Talk to people. I'm not an engineer, machinist, educator, or philosopher, but talking with folks who are will yield you a lot of insight.
b) It goes back to a), but: Get on CD. Find as many relevant pieces of the manual (or old threads) to your question, and ask your question. (There are no stupid questions, just people who have clearly not read the manual.)
c) You have to have someone prototyping a manipulator from the start (as in
not the end) of build season, or as soon as you have a general concept. Don't leave that to the end of build.
d) The drill transmissions will fall apart without warning. (Hey, my rookie year was 2004. I'm entitled.
)
e) Practice, practice, practice. (Just not around the new computers the school just bought and put on rather rickety tables.)
f)
Never. Do. Window. Motor. Drive.