Workshop/Tools/Parts

[asid61]

Definitely bandsaw, drill press, socket wrench, and 2 hand drills + batteries for starter. Then 2 fractional drill bit sets (you really need both). Allen wrenches (AKA hex wrenches), at least 2 imperial and 1 metric set, preferably 3 and 2 instead.
A few fine or general-purpose metal files for deburring. Maybe a set of needle files for getting into hex bores. A deburring tool with the little hook-chaped blade is great for circular deburring, as well as countersinks (82*, not 90*).
A medium size bench vise and low-profile mini vise are helpful.
You definitely need a rolling toolbox. One with ball bearing drawers will last an age compared to regular ones. Tackle-box-like boxes are fantastic for organizing screws and small parts. Start organizing immediately or you will regret it.
A shelving unit, also rolling if you don't have a permanent space for it, will come in handy later. So will a few 2015-style totes for storing large items or projects as long as you make sure to keep them uncluttered. Magnetic tool/parts dishes also help with cluttering.
If you want to use #25 chain, the Dark Soul chain tool is great to avoid paying for masterlinks.

The first major tool I would buy would be a mill, but the associated accessories like collets, drill bits, endmills, and vises can run a pretty penny, at least $1000 to get set up well imo. But a mill with DRO is one of the most useful tools a team can have imo after they have the basics.

Stock up on things like aluminum stock tubing, preferably versatubes for the ease-of-use, and hex shaft.

EDIT: Holy cow Spectrum's list is amazingly perfect, definitely take a look at that above.

[AllenGregoryIV]

Originally Posted by asid61

EDIT: Holy cow Spectrum's list is amazingly perfect, definitely take a look at that above.

Thanks it's on my todo list to update this summer. We have a few new favorite tools that aren't one there. A good pair of Aviation Snips and a small cordless reciprocating saw are two things I wouldn't want to work without anymore.

[thrystan]

Originally Posted by asid61

You definitely need a rolling toolbox. One with ball bearing drawers will last an age compared to regular ones. Tackle-box-like boxes are fantastic for organizing screws and small parts. Start organizing immediately or you will regret it.
A shelving unit, also rolling if you don't have a permanent space for it, will come in handy later. So will a few 2015-style totes for storing large items or projects as long as you make sure to keep them uncluttered. Magnetic tool/parts dishes also help with cluttering.

Definitely the rolling tool box. The red "Pro" cabinets from Harbor Freight are probably one of the best things they carry. One or two like this http://www.harborfreight.com/tool-st...net-68784.html are very nice since you can put a workbench top on them. It seems to me that they would make a nice addition to both your shop and something you could probably fit in your pit. The only caveat is to check the cabinet at the store, when you get one that isn't damaged they are great, but I recently bought their 26" cabinet and I had to go through 3 of the top boxes before I found one that wasn't significantly damaged.

For small parts storage, these http://www.harborfreight.com/tool-st...ase-93928.html, http://www.harborfreight.com/8-bin-p...ase-93927.html are very nice for the price. When closed they do a very good job of not getting parts mixed up between bins and you can take one of the bins with you when you need a bunch of 1/4 20 bolts, or whatever. Also look online for ideas for making rolling cabinets to hold a bunch of the cases. Adam Savage has a Tested video about the storage cabinets he made for his Sortimo cases.

Of course being Harbor Freight items make sure you look for coupons before you buy anything.

[GreyingJay]

I'll also add that, as much as we all want a dream shop, what you need to do robotics is nowhere near what you want. We just got through our first build season, and we worked in an area where we had to set up and tear down at every meeting. We did have a 26" rolling toolbox and a copious amount of shelving for bins of parts and equipment, but our only real shop tools were an 8" drill press and a 10" compound miter saw. We also had a few cordless drills, a jigsaw, an angle grinder, a Dremel, a compressor and a rivet gun, and a variety of hand tools.

[TheModMaster8]

The most important things to have in order of value
1. Bandsaw
2. X-Carve® ( can cut aluminum, BUT you need to get the correct formulas
before doing it, this was designed for wood but it can cut metal so don't treat
it as a metal cnc mill)
3. Mill or jig bore
4. drill press
5. chop saw with metal blade
6. belt/disk sander are nice but files work the same.
7. CNC plasma cutter (this is the one machine i have not used so that's why it's at the bottom, and i would highly suggest getting another view on it)

After you have got the more cost friendly machines, i would suggest this \/\/
if you have around $7000-8000 dollars the next year. I would totally invest in a Tormach PCNC 770 Series 3 or PCNC 1100. You can go look at NYCNC on youtube, he's a machinist that uses this machine and shows you how to use it. it's worth taking a look at https://www.youtube.com/user/saunixcomp

[asid61]

Originally Posted by TheModMaster8

The most important things to have in order of value
1. Bandsaw
2. X-Carve® ( can cut aluminum, BUT you need to get the correct formulas
before doing it, this was designed for wood but it can cut metal so don't treat
it as a metal cnc mill)
3. Mill or jig bore
4. drill press
5. chop saw with metal blade
6. belt/disk sander are nice but files work the same.
7. CNC plasma cutter (this is the one machine i have not used so that's why it's at the bottom, and i would highly suggest getting another view on it)

After you have got the more cost friendly machines, i would suggest this \/\/
if you have around $7000-8000 dollars the next year. I would totally invest in a Tormach PCNC 770 Series 3 or PCNC 1100. You can go look at NYCNC on youtube, he's a machinist that uses this machine and shows you how to use it. it's worth taking a look at https://www.youtube.com/user/saunixcomp

Why would you recommend getting a mill and CNC router before a drill press?

[roboruler]

Originally Posted by alexusaywla

Hi, my team has $5000 to spend on parts, tools, and machinery for next season so what should we purchase?

I think most people have overlooked, the fact that this $5000 budget isn't just for tools but it is also for parts.

It sounds like this year you mainly used parts from the KOP, going forward you might like to look at some of the COT’s offerings available from ANDYMARK and VEXpro. There are plenty of parts that can be used nearly every season and some which are a bit more specialised.

If your looking for things like gearboxes to operate robot mechanisms, the Versa-planetary range from VEXpro is good. Unlike other planetary gearboxes on the FRC COTs market they are completely customisable allowing a huge range of reduction options. They can also utilise a large range of motors allowing you access to the most powerful motors allowed in FRC. They are of higher quality, and there are a number of different output shafts available although ½ hex is probably best for what you are doing.

http://www.vexrobotics.com/vexpro/mo...planetary.html

The purchase of a set Versa-planetaries, and motors like bag’s and 775pros will be a good investment and something that you’ll be able to use for many seasons providing you take good care of them. Buy a few base-kits and various reduction stages in the off-season and you’ll be able to have a bit of practise assembling them and perhaps use them in an off-season project.

I would put aside at least $1500 for robot part related purchases during next season.

[Lireal]

I would just like to say that the automatic wire stripper we got this year was the best $10 we spent all season(at least for the electrical team ). It is just a small thing, but it made wiring the robot so much easier.

[TheModMaster8]

Originally Posted by asid61

Why would you recommend getting a mill and CNC router before a drill press?

when it comes down to it. you can use a hand drill. Out of all the 5 years iI have built robots, I've only used a drill press a handful of times (less then 20). I prefer a mill over drill press as it's far more accurate it may take longer but the end results are far better, and if it needed to be quick, I used a hand drill, once you get good at it, their isn't that much of a need for it IMO.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by TheModMaster8

when it comes down to it. you can use a hand drill. Out of all the 5 years iI have built robots, I've only used a drill press a handful of times (less then 20). I prefer a mill over drill press as it's far more accurate it may take longer but the end results are far better, and if it needed to be quick, I used a hand drill, once you get good at it, their isn't that much of a need for it IMO.

OK, now here's a question...

You have limited budget for tools, and nobody knows how to use a mill.

Does the mill still come before the drill press?



(Hint: the answer isn't "yes". BTW, my team is still working on getting a mill up and running--we've got 4 drill presses, and they see heavy use.)

A drill press is useful for drilling lots of holes, and most particularly for precision thru-holes. Can a mill do that, sure (and I'll concede that it can probably do some aspects better). But if you ain't got the budget for a mill and all its tooling, get a drill press, a couple of punches, and a really good pair of calipers. Oh, and a vise for the drill press, if you've got anything left over. Should be a lot cheaper, and do the hole-drilling job just find. Don't try milling with it, though.

[TheModMaster8]

Originally Posted by EricH

OK, now here's a question...

You have limited budget for tools, and nobody knows how to use a mill.

Does the mill still come before the drill press?



(Hint: the answer isn't "yes". BTW, my team is still working on getting a mill up and running--we've got 4 drill presses, and they see heavy use.)

A drill press is useful for drilling lots of holes, and most particularly for precision thru-holes. Can a mill do that, sure (and I'll concede that it can probably do some aspects better). But if you ain't got the budget for a mill and all its tooling, get a drill press, a couple of punches, and a really good pair of calipers. Oh, and a vise for the drill press, if you've got anything left over. Should be a lot cheaper, and do the hole-drilling job just find. Don't try milling with it, though.

When I was on my older team I got to lead a group of my fellow students to rebuild a lathe and a jig bore, which can be used as a mill.
These machines were honestly, really cheap. For this lathe we paid $700 ( and fixed it up for about another $150 most of it was spent on the paint, oil, and a ACME tap) and the same amount for the jig/mill. http://imgur.com/a/BZheX (I could not find the mill unfortunately)

Here's the website we got it from, this company can be negotiated with to lower the price, https://hgrinc.com

lastly, I'm not saying that a drill press isn't important to have, what I am saying though; is that having a mill can do what a drill press can and more. So instead of spending more on both machines, get the mill first, or just by a small bench top drill press at harbor Freight for about $200 Again this is just my view on the matter

[ctt956]

Originally Posted by yerko42

Here is a massive list from Mcmaster carr I put together for a rookie team in the area.

I'm struggling to find a good solution to a metal cutting band saw. Anyone have any thoughts on a good all around saw? we've used a 10in miter box with an aluminum blade but it's blown a few pieces out and generally seems sketchy. Maybe one of those portable band saws with a table attachment? is the small throat an issue?

Very extensive list! As for the band saws, I've used a Delta vertical band saw for cutting metal. Not sure of the model, but it performed well, though it currently has some issue where it's not reaching the set speed, and can be stalled with anything. I've also used this Harbor Freight saw, which can be vertical or horizontal. It's good for cutting metal, and will go through thick 80/20 fairly quickly. While I didn't use it myself, I saw no problems with a JET vertical bandsaw. Ryobi has a decent vertical, but I've only used it to cut wood(which it does very well!) It's similar to this one, but the older blue color. The cordless portable ones are surprisingly useful, but the small throat is definitely an issue if you need to cut something long/big/wide. I would advise getting a large bandsaw first, unless you only need to do small stuff. It's great for shortening screws!

Originally Posted by TheModMaster8

6. belt/disk sander are nice but files work the same.

Yes, but belt sanders are big time savers. If you have a long piece of metal with a lot of big burrs/sharp points on one side or you need to flatten or round a corner, that would take a while filing by hand...It's like trying to cut a think steel bar with a hacksaw. Hand files are good for smaller jobs and/or precise work, though.

Some power tools/machines I would recommend, in no order:

Chop saw - Good for quickly cutting almost anything from HDPE and PVC to aluminum and probably steel, though a bandsaw is probably better for cutting metal, as the noise produced by a chop saw on metal is bothersome after about 10 seconds. And a bandsaw is far less likely to turn your workpiece into a bullet.

Reciprocating saw(Sawzall) - Like chop saws and bandsaws, they can cut a lot of things, but they're much more maneuverable. Especially good for cutting long workpieces that won't fit in a saw. However, the vibrations can cause the blade to jump out of the cut, but once you get the cut started, it goes right through. If one or more ends of a workpiece need to be held in place, use a vise. DO NOT hold it with your hands, especially not against a table/bench/any surface while it is being cut with a recip saw unless you have on VERY thick gloves.

Angle grinder - Useful for deburring steel or iron, rounding corners, cutting, making flat areas on motor shafts, removing protruding screw threads, anything else there's a grinder wheel for. Probably one of the most satisfying tools in existence, if not THE most satisfying.

Dremel - Is there anything Dremels can't do?

Cordless drills are always in use - make sure you have enough batteries! Just avoid nicads. And don't forget screwdriver bits.

Air compressor - Use it for cleaning, inflating tires, drilling, grinding, stapling, nailing, riveting, cutting, whatever there's an air tool for...

Maybe a jig saw if you do any intricate cutting and a circular saw if you use a lot of wood. Table saws are good if you need precision for woodcutting. I haven't cut anything on a table saw that couldn't have been cut with a circular or reciprocating saw, but it did save time and the cuts were more accurate than they would have been otherwise.

I think that's all I can think of for now...

TL;DR: I've used a lot of bandsaws, belt sanders save time, chop saws, Sawzalls, and Dremels are great, angle grinder = Most. Satisfying. Tool. EVER.

[sanddrag]

In my experience a Dremel or similar rotary tool has never been a preferred tool in any circumstance. I have not encountered a situation where it gave a favorable outcome over a more proper tool. I'm kind of wondering why I still have one taking up drawer space honestly.

[asid61]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

In my experience a Dremel or similar rotary tool has never been a preferred tool in any circumstance. I have not encountered a situation where it gave a favorable outcome over a more proper tool. I'm kind of wondering why I still have one taking up drawer space honestly.

When I have to cut the end off a screw, the main thing I go to is a dremel because of the small form factor and ability to get into tight spaces. They are versatile enough that we take them to the comps with us instead of angle grinders and the like.

[Techwiz]

Originally Posted by asid61

Stock up on things like aluminum stock tubing, preferably versatubes for the ease-of-use, and hex shaft.

I want to echo this. Buying aluminum from the hardware store is very expensive. It is much less expensive to buy in larger quantities online.

We buy from OnlineMetals.

Consider buying:
1"x1" angle
2"x2" angle
1"x2" tube
1"x1" tube

Depending on the game sometimes you need stronger the .125" thick and sometimes you need light weight .060" thick. We buy a mixture.