Tool list .rookie team

[Jon Stratis]

Two recommendations:

List your team number in your profile! There's a spot to list it specifically, and that not only lists it under your name when you post, but creates a link to the thebluealliance.com page for your team. This lets us look up where your team is located and which events you're attending, which can really come in handy when you're asking for advice!

Second, talk to teams around you. Sometimes teams get new equipment and have old equipment they no longer need - that's how my team got our sheet metal break and shear! And sometimes teams are open and inviting, and will allow you supervised access to their shop during their meetings so you can use tools you don't have (and get advise as you build!). From another thread, you said your team number was 6480. Team 2052 isn't too far from you, and I'm sure they would be willing to help out during the season if you need it. My team is a little bit farther away (probably 35 minute drive on a Saturday), but we can probably have you over for a Saturday if you need it.

[GreyingJay]

When we started last year we were challenged with both starting with no inventory and, being a community team, not having a shop to draw from. We were able to get by with borrowing a lot of equipment from mentors, such as:

- rolling tool cabinet
- drill press
- miter saw
- portable table saw
- compressor
- shop vac
- wire cutters/crimpers
- pliers
- cordless drill/impact driver
- wrenches
- general carpentry tools: hammers, measuring tapes, squares, etc.

Ask around your team mentors and parents and their circles, I'm sure you know some handypersons who could lend some tools.

We've been slowly replacing the mentor-borrowed tools with team-owned tools as funds allow. We've just purchased a drill press, miter saw, and cordless drill/impact set, for example.

Among the first tools the team purchased or had donated, were:
- safety glasses
- socket sets (two smaller sets instead of one megaset, so more people can work at the same time)
- allen keys
- PWM cable crimpers
- pneumatic riveter
- set of drill bits (fractional, numbered and lettered)
- parts organizers for all the little bits and pieces (Harbor Freight has good ones that often go on sale)

We were worried about tools when we first started, but we were reassured that a team can get by with nothing more than hand tools and a drill press. We can now say - it's true!