Advice/recommendations about new equipment for our machine shop

[BeardyMentor]

A lathe is going to be the most useful thing by a long margin. If it is possible for you, try finding out if any local colleges have a surplus auctions or shops. I have seen colleges sell off machine tools that are in perfect working order for pennies on the dollar. Out side of that, look for a Hardinge or Southbend on Craigslist. Cleaning and rehabilitating a used lathe is a great off season project and a good way to familiarize students and mentors with the parts and workings of your new tool. If neither of these is an option Grizzly and JET have some affordable options that are just fine for an FRC team. For something in your price range, make sure you budget 20-50% of your purchase price for tooling and support equipment.

A lathe and a High quality drill press will take you a really long way. A small mill would also be a nice thing. A laser cutter less than $50,000 is going to be a bit disappointing for an FRC team. They will have small working areas, and very limited materials and thicknesses they can cut.