Most underrated/undervalued tools

[Scott Kozutsky]

This thread has very quickly gone from underrated tool to favorite tool (I'd even call a lot of these tools overrated). The best answer I've seen is the vacuum cleaner. (basically) Every team needs one and no team ever realizes just how much value they add.

[Alyssa]

Freshman with a broom.

[Gregor]

Originally Posted by Everett33

Flush cutting side cutters. Nothing worse than dragging your arm or hand over a sharp zip-tie.

Little nail clippers work wonders here.

[nirmatt_1690]

Vise.

[Ben Martin]

We have a Team 1676 mini screwdriver set that was a giveaway at a competition that we use almost daily.

[Gogoyogert]

For out team the most underrated tool was BY FAR a printer. I know it sounds crazy but without out a printer we probably wouldn't have been able to finish our robot. For the first 4 weeks of build season, we would have to ask the CAD team the dimensions of stuff we had to fabricate. That was obviously a terrible and inefficient system. Once we got a printer, the CAD team could print out drawings and we could be much faster and more accurate.

Other than that, probably a ratchet alan set.

[Wren Hensgen]

Originally Posted by Knufire

Dark Soul Chain Tool...

Seconded. I've used this so much in FTC as well as FRC. Being able to break it anywhere is awesome, and you don't have to worry about losing bits of master link! The only down side is that it's harder to get into the chain when the chain is in place.

Originally Posted by Dan Petrovic

Are you sick of crooked cuts in your pneumatic tubing leading to pesky leaks?

There are so many connections! It could take hours to find that last one!

<Gray video>
"There has to be a better way!"
</Gray video>

Well, look no further! Introducing the TC-12 pneumatic tubing cutter! It cuts all of your pneumatic tubing clean and square so you never have to worry about pneumatic leaks again!

I work for a fluid power distributor as a FIRST alum. There are about four of these guys in every work space, and they are a miracle. Teams need to remember that square cut tubes are the solution to most leaks. If there's a local distributor, reach out. They're less than $.60 cost, they'd probably be willing to give you a dozen.

To go along with pneumatics, an adjustable wrench. Never use this for the actual fitting, but if you can't get a tube to come loose from the quick-connect, snug the wrench on the tube, and press it against the collet, and the tube will pop free.

PS-Forgot T handle hex wrenches for pneumatic work. Many hydraulic fittings have internal hexes(For example, the SMC cylinders on the vex shifters), and they let you take fittings out when you have no room for a wrench.

[ASD20]

Originally Posted by Alyssa

Freshman with a broom.

or a file

[DinerKid]

A Leatherman or other multi-tool. Especially if you are willing to abuse it a bit, it can always be used as a hammer, many flat-head screwdrivers on them are pretty sharp and can be used for scraping at things, and as much as the folks at Leatherman don't want to hear it, the knife works well for prying in tight spaces.

Gotta love a no questions asked warranty.

~DK

[Chris is me]

A whiteboard and dry erase markers.

Any team can be made better by buying a few more whiteboards.

[RoboChair]

Originally Posted by Lireal

Left handed *metric* crescent wrench

Left Handed metric *nut rounder*

[tjf]

It's got to be a good pair of wirecutters. When it's crunch time and you have 30 zip-ties to fix, it's the only way to go...

[AdamHeard]

I think Wil Payne is very underrated and undervalued....

[bkahl]

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

I think Wil Payne is very underrated and undervalued....

+1


On a serious note, I found a GOOD set of COLORED T-Handle Allen Wrenches to be great in those quick fix binds. Colors are easier to find than fractions in small fonts, and a quick yell for a color makes it easy for ANYONE to be able to find.

[marshall]

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

I think Wil Payne is very underrated and undervalued....

I can't go to a competition without Matt or Nate personally. Far more indispensable than Wil.