[FTC]: Rookie Team Noob Question #1 for this year

[Chris is me]

Originally Posted by pilum40

We're competing in FTC for the first time this year expanding our program to FRC, FTC and FLL. We wanted to start stocking up on parts for the FTC build and wanted to know if there was a place we could get used or non-used (by other teams) Pitsco parts? We went on the site and were open jawed by the pricing for pieces of aluminum. Can we custom fabricate our own parts and pieces? We just can't see spending tons of money for relatively flimsy parts.

Read the rulebook, but essentialy the answer is "not really". The FTC parts aren't terribly weak (I mean, the ones that aren't repackaged LEGOs), but they are definitely pricey, ESPECIALLY with shipping. Price is one of the biggest deterrents from the FTC program, as a competitive FTC team and bare bones FRC team cost nearly the same.

There are other competitions, like Vex, that may be more down your alley if price is your biggest concern and you want to participate in competitive alliance-based robotics.