Basic Tools for FTC and FRC

[nicholsjj]

$50.00 is very low compared to team registration fees so I'm going to cheat a bit and add a $50 grandmother donation. I'm looking more at the FTC/VRC type builds as the listed AM tool kit is a really nice example for FRC. I agree that getting 5 sets of Allen wrenchs is very important (we go through about a set a year). $5. I believe that we use our Jigsaw( $30) and cordless drill( $40) more than any tools during the year. Add in a tape measure (~$5), engineering notebook ($10), and sharpies ($10) and I believe I have to skip lunch for a week to afford drill bits and jigsaw blades.

[treffk]

Originally Posted by nicholsjj

$50.00 is very low compared to team registration fees so I'm going to cheat a bit and add a $50 grandmother donation. I'm looking more at the FTC/VRC type builds as the listed AM tool kit is a really nice example for FRC. I agree that getting 5 sets of Allen wrenchs is very important (we go through about a set a year). $5. I believe that we use our Jigsaw( $30) and cordless drill( $40) more than any tools during the year. Add in a tape measure (~$5), engineering notebook ($10), and sharpies ($10) and I believe I have to skip lunch for a week to afford drill bits and jigsaw blades.

You are right $50 is pretty low but I have known teams to come to an FRC competition with their robot still in boxes with very few tools as they couldn't get any outside support besides one non-technical mentor. I chose the $50 amount based on the fact Home Depot and Wal-Mart can give gift cards of up to this value without contacting corporate.

[Mark McLeod]

Andrew alluded to the tools that will be needed with the new 2015 Control system, so as the Beta system now stands:

PDP (Power Distribution Panel)-

• 2mm metric allen key to remove the cover over the input power feeds.
• 5mm metric allen key to attach the input power feeds
• Wire strippers
• 16-18 AWG wire for the CAN/PCM/VRM/roboRIO feeds
• The 6 AWG connectors must be the right size (to fit inside the protective cover) and you must have a correct crimper (CTRE recommended this swedge tool: http://www.cableyard.com/LENCO-Swedg-On-Tool_p_29.htm) to attach them, or purchase premade ones from places like AndyMark.

roboRIO-

• Fine tipped screwdriver (not usually found in a bulk screwdriver set) to use with the 4 screws in the power connector (same one as the old cRIO 4-slot uses).

PCM (Pneumatics Control Module)-

• Tweezers to change the jumper from 12v to 24v solenoids

The VRM (Voltage Regulator Module) just needs wire strippers.

[Ian Curtis]

Anything you could pay full price for at a hardware store can be sourced much cheaper from a local garage (with permission!) or Craigslist. I know spending school money through Craigslist can be impossible, but if you have access to cash, it is really easy to save big on quality stuff.