Reccomendations On What To Buy

[CyberWolf_22]

My robotics team is going to join VEX next year and would like to get a jump start on playing with the kits. We have some money that has to be spent by the end of the year so we are going to use that to pay for the kits. But what I was wondering was what are some recommendations on what to add to the standard kit. I know we have to buy the battery pack but what other accessories do you think we should by that will help the most with getting ready for next year's competition. We are also thinking about buying several of the same kits so that we can put on a small competition with in our school.

[White Wolf]

Originally Posted by CyberWolf_22

My robotics team is going to join VEX next year and would like to get a jump start on playing with the kits.

FVT-42 The Hitchhikers

We have been very reluctant to cut metal. Unfortunately, we haven't seen extra metal available from RadioShack. We used pieces from the EdUbot kit for prototyping to defer any cutting. Thus I think "metal" is going to be a commodity that will require ongoing renewal to refresh the kits to full potency.

Screws and hex keys have plaugued us, since we have been stripping the smaller diametered keys an hex heads. Dr Joe did a great job helping out here by starting a thread on useful vex tools which covers what, where, and why to buy extra supplies for the kit.

Originally Posted by CyberWolf_22

We are also thinking about buying several of the same kits so that we can put on a small competition with in our school.

Check back with me later. I am going to be helping develop a Vex game used to train high school teachers at five sites across the US this summer. We'll also devise a game for the teams those teachers will develop so they can put on local games. These will be a very nice precursor/adjunct to the FIRST sponsored Vex competitions. Other areas, such as yours, may be interested in this. Hopefully what we develop won't suck.

[artdutra04]

Originally Posted by White Wolf

We have been very reluctant to cut metal. Unfortunately, we haven't seen extra metal available from RadioShack. We used pieces from the EdUbot kit for prototyping to defer any cutting. Thus I think "metal" is going to be a commodity that will require ongoing renewal to refresh the kits to full potency.

The metal pieces from the EDUbot and the VEX kits are exactly the same. However, if you are looking to buy more parts for your VEX kits, I have found two sources online where you can buy more. RadioShack does have more metal pieces for sale, but it is a huge set (84 metal pieces and 331 hardware pieces) and costs $79.99. RadioShack also has the all the new VEX-only parts, that is parts not carried over from the EDUbot line, like the motors and the wheels, etc. All the new parts are available there.

However, if you would rather buy VEX parts a la carte, Innovation FIRST has set up a new website to do so. At Vex Labs you can buy individual metal pieces, the gears/wheels, and pneumatic parts. However, this site has only the parts that are the same in both the EDU and the VEX kits, like the metal pieces, screws, etc. Also, this site continues to grow (last month it had only metal parts), so there may be more products in the future.

As a VEX owner myself and seeing how they are really the only expendable part of the kit, I would say buy more metal pieces. Other than that, what extra pieces you need would really would depend on what you are building.

[Adam Y.]

We have been very reluctant to cut metal. Unfortunately, we haven't seen extra metal available from RadioShack. We used pieces from the EdUbot kit for prototyping to defer any cutting. Thus I think "metal" is going to be a commodity that will require ongoing renewal to refresh the kits to full potency.

I guess it depends on what RadioShack you go to. The one where I just obtained my kit from had only one starter package but five of practically everything else that came with it.

[White Wolf]

Originally Posted by artdutra04

The metal pieces from the EDUbot and the VEX kits are exactly the same.

They are very similar in size and shape. The EDUBot plate and long bar are a bit thicker and heavier. We prefer them, but won't be using them in the competition next week since they are different.

Originally Posted by artdutra04

However, if you are looking to buy more parts for your VEX kits, I have found two sources online where you can buy more.

Well Done. Thanks for these pointers.

[Not2B]

You can get the shafts and shaft collars from McMaster Carr - of course I don't know what the rules will say about these parts - but they do work.

I found that I ran out of shaft collars really fast.

Other than that I'd say a few extra motors and some more metal - but it depends on what you want to do with the kit. (Motors and metal is just what I would want.)

Good luck! Vex is fun to play with. (The dog doesn't agree.)

In our experience with the Vex kits

do's an don'ts:

don't tighten the nuts too tightly ( such as using a hex key and a wrench )
remember tighter is not always better because the grip part of the nut then falls off, and your left with a grip less nut

don't use up all of your longer screws. Try to use the smallest type you can use for the situation. Sometimes you need a longer screw then you find out that you have to take it from another part. Also it consumes too much time to be screwing and unscrewing these long screws.

do buy any type of organizational equipment. I can't refer you to any one particular product but my mentor went out and bought small stackable box type things to put all the different screws and nuts and wheels. This really helps when you need to find something quick, or to know when you've run out of something. I can't remember how many times we've ended up looking for something that was already been used up.

lastly, do buy more Allen keys. This is for the hex screws. In my experience with the provided Allen keys I've found out that they usually get more worn out than the screws. THIS IS A MUST!!!!!


I'll add more as I come up with them =)

[CyberWolf_22]

Thanks for the advice. The organizer idea was very good I never thought of that and will suggest it to my head mentor.

Also, what parts are allowed to be used in the FIRST VEX Challenge at Championship in addition to those in one starter kit? (Extra wheels, motors, entire kits)

[BrianBSL]

Originally Posted by CyberWolf_22

Thanks for the advice. The organizer idea was very good I never thought of that and will suggest it to my head mentor.

Also, what parts are allowed to be used in the FIRST VEX Challenge at Championship in addition to those in one starter kit? (Extra wheels, motors, entire kits)

You are allowed to use the contents of 3 kits, plus 6' of string, a 6x6" square of this non-slip stuff, 2 ink-jet transparencies for your team # and a pwm extension from your 4th parts kit. I'm probally missing something here, but it basically boils down to 3 kits.

[Joe Johnson]

Originally Posted by Morenoh149

<snip>
lastly, do buy more Allen keys. This is for the hex screws. In my experience with the provided Allen keys I've found out that they usually get more worn out than the screws. THIS IS A MUST!!!!!
<snip>

I recommend throwing AWAY the Allen keys that come in the kit. They are aweful... ...really.... Throw them out.

Quality brand allen keys are really much much better. My wife's team (FRV-23 The Daughters of Isaac) is made up of only 14 year old girls with almost no mechanical experience before this. They stripped TONS of screws... ...until we ordered the stuff I posted HERE. The McMaster.com stuff is pretty good. Bondhus brand as I recall but others are good too. Anyway... they have not worn out a tool or stripped a screw head since.

For what it is worth...

Joe J.

[Rabid_Llama]

really, if you are just starting out all you need is a single kit. i would say buy extra metal as you need it but i suppose it depends on your budget. If you want to get all your materials now i would go with extra metal, motors, and of course the battery pack.