Rookie Prototyping Materials

[SamM]

What suggestions are there for materials to have on hand for prototyping the first week of build season? This is my first year involved with a team that doesn't have a large stock pile of materials and parts from previous seasons.

Some things that I've come up with:
Plywood and lexan
Aluminum sheet, angle, and box tubing
Nuts and bolts of various sizes
80/20 (Good for structural standoffs)
Surgical Tubing
Wheels of various sizes and hubs
Motors from 2015

What else are we missing? Anything on this list that you don't think we really need?

[Mark McLeod]

I've always liked pvc piping and 2x4's.

Usually, we need lumber/wood screws to build goals and other field components as well.

Something to drive motorized prototypes, such as an old drill handle or a servo driver.

[Chak]

A hand drill, something to make 1-1/8 holes (hole saw?), bearings, hex shaft, wheels with hex bore, and you can have something rolling really quickly.

[Ty Tremblay]

Behind the Lines - Effective Prototyping Techniques

[BBray_T1296]

Originally Posted by SamM

Nuts and bolts of various sizes

Do yourself a favor and only use only one or two hardware sizes. We historically have used #10-32 and 1/4"-20 hardware (though only rarely the latter, it really is overkill)

If by various sizes you mean lengths, then yeah that is fine.
We mostly commonly use 1.5" for bolting panels to 1" extrusion, 2.5" for bolting two extrusions together, and .75" for bolting two or three panels together

[marshall]

Originally Posted by BBray_T1296

Do yourself a favor and only use only one or two hardware sizes. We historically have used #10-32 and 1/4"-20 hardware (though only rarely the latter, it really is overkill)

10-32 and 1/4-20 are definitely the way to go for fasteners.

[Sperkowsky]

We have standardized our team to using 1/4 20 nuts and bolts and 3/16 rivets.

Also add flat stock to your list it's very useful.

[cgmv123]

1/2" hex shaft and a 1/2" nut driver for spinning things with a drill.

[Chief Hedgehog]

Get this darn thing - 1.125" Step Bit
I wish we would have had it when we first started.

[Foster]

Originally Posted by Chief Hedgehog

Get this darn thing - 1.125" Step Bit
I wish we would have had it when we first started.

Help me love this tool, I've had nothing but bad experiences. How do you mark the bit so roboteers drill only to that size hole? In a drill press this should be easier assuming that the roboteer uses the drill press and understands how to correctly set the stop. But roboteers traditionally love the battery hand drill.

Originally Posted by BBray_T1296

Do yourself a favor and only use only one or two hardware sizes. We historically have used #10-32 and 1/4"-20 hardware (though only rarely the latter, it really is overkill)

If by various sizes you mean lengths, then yeah that is fine.
We mostly commonly use 1.5" for bolting panels to 1" extrusion, 2.5" for bolting two extrusions together, and .75" for bolting two or three panels together

I was part of a team purge that got rid of all the Phillips, Robertson, Torx, straight blade, etc heads, wood, self tapping, etc. and replaced them with cap head bolts (and added some extra sets of T-handles) Restocked with a few diameters and multiple lengths. Seemed to work out well, only down side was when doing prototyping with wood parts needing to drill holes for fasteners. But hours saved not looking for matching screws or needing to use a Phillips on one screw and straight tip on the screw next to it was huge.

[artdutra04]

Originally Posted by Foster

Help me love this tool, I've had nothing but bad experiences. How do you mark the bit so roboteers drill only to that size hole? In a drill press this should be easier assuming that the roboteer uses the drill press and understands how to correctly set the stop. But roboteers traditionally love the battery hand drill.

Put painters tape or masking tape around the next size bigger, then just don't drill into the tape.

[rfolea]

Originally Posted by Chief Hedgehog

Get this darn thing - 1.125" Step Bit
I wish we would have had it when we first started.

Or use your automationdirect.com coupon on TIMS to get one for FREE. Step Bits

[Jimmy Nichols]

Check out the Prototyping workshop we gave a couple years ago. There are some others that are helpful also.

[Chief Hedgehog]

Originally Posted by rfolea

Or use your automationdirect.com coupon on TIMS to get one for FREE. Step Bits

Oh my goodness - thanks for that heads up! I didn't even see it.

Thanks!

[Weinberger]

Don't forget the prized prototyping material; the pizza box + duct tape.
We've used the cardboard lid of a pizza box to initially prototype a variety of items (both on the robot and for the playing field) because they're handy (accessible) and cheap (re-using)!
Good luck!