Hello,
We are anew rookie team… with minimal budget what would you list as the MUST HAVE tools.
We are plannning a giving tree for a family night at school and want to make the list count…
Suggestions…
Thanks
Since you’re on a budget, I’m going to go the route we went for a couple years. We didn’t have access to a space where we could set up permanent bench tools, so here’s a list of essential hand tools.
- Wire Strippers
- Wire Cutters
- Crimpers
- Pliers
- Socket Wrench Set
- Allen key set
- Drill/Impact Driver
- Drill bit/hex sets for the drill/impact driver
- Jigsaw
- Angle Grinder
I’m probably missing a few, but these are what I can think of off the top of my head.
It’s not a tool, but make sure to have plenty of hardware like bolts/nuts/etc.
In addition to these, you should also have a drill press and bandsaw. They are necessary for the majority of our manufacturing.
I would definitely suggest these, but I’m not sure about what their budget constraints are. They did say “minimal” budget. That’s why I went the hand tools route.
There are a few threads on this you can search for, but if you stranded me on a desert island, here’s my list:
- The tool list to build the Kickoff kit drivetrain. Obviously, we don’t know what is in the Kickoff kit drivetrain this year (and those that do aren’t sharing), but here’s what it was last year (PDF link). FIRST has blogged that this year’s Kickoff kit drivetrain will be “similar”.
- Drill bits for that drill.
- Probably some other size wrenches. Lowe’s usually sells them in a combo pack anyway.
- Metal files. File parts as you go to knock off sharp edges, and you’ll make your inspector a very happy person.
- A pop riveter. With some rivets, some 1x1 square tubing at the hardware store and some angle or flat aluminum, you can create a structure that will achieve the game challenge. (You can optimize this further with some sheetmetal fabrication, but I’ve made it work with just that.)
- Hopefully, a chopsaw with a metal cutting blade. This will make fabricating with tube and a pop riveter infinitely faster.
- Zip ties. Being able to secure your wiring and make it legible is a major key to troubleshooting issues.
- Staple gun. You will use it to build your bumpers.
- (Optional, but recommended) A can of spray paint. See what I said earlier about files? Spray-painting the robot comes with a caveat: having to file afterwards will ruin the finish. Kids like a good-looking robot. So this is your incentive. As soon as we started painting, sharp edge issues all but vanished.
You probably don’t need to own these–someone in your circle probably has one you can use for a bit:
- Table saw. Bumpers are going to be used next year, and historically that means the ability to cut 5" wide pieces of 3/4" plywood.
Absolute bare bones tool list. You can build a great robot with just these tools, judicious use of COTS parts, consumables like tape/zip ties, and some creativity:
-Safety glasses
-Allen wrench set. Probably the most important item to have multiples of as they get used in parallel a lot and go missing easily, especially just buying bulk of sizes you use all the time. Must-have sizes for my team’s standard fasteners of choice are 5/32" and 3/32".
-Adjustable wrenches
-Hacksaw
-A few C-clamps
-Hammer
-Vice grips
-Wire stripper/cutter/crimper
-Cordless drill, bits
-Files
-Shop-Vac
-Carpenter’s Square, rulers, tape measures, or other measuring devices.
Not quite vital, but still extremely important:
-Socket wrench set
-Soldering iron
-Jigsaw (or tin snips, in a pinch)
-Rivet gun (if using rivets, which I recommend especially if you’re on a budget)
-Chain break (if using chain)
-Multimeter
-Bench vice
-Tap and Die set
-Dremel tool, grinding bits and cutting wheels
-Staple gun (for bumpers)
Pricier or less vital, but super great to have if you can get them. Not a complete list by any stretch:
-Bandsaw
-Drill press
-Bench grinder
-Benchtop lathe
-Miter saw and appropriate blades
-Calipers
-Heat gun
-Air powered rivet gun
Or you can just have the people at Home Depot rip the wood to 5" when you initially buy it.
Good luck to you guys this year we were rookies last year and made it to the championship hope you can do the same and I don’t have anything to add to the lists already posted.
Try to get this done on a slow weekday night if you can.
Signed,
The people behind you in the queue for the panel saw
In addition to what others have already posted:
Bench vises
Reciprocating saw(Sawzall) - With the proper blade, can cut anything you would use on your robot, however it can be a bit inaccurate due to vibrations. A jigsaw is better for thinner material and/or more precision.
If you (intend to)use a lot of wood, maybe get a circular saw. There are also metal cutting versions for sheet metal.
I’ve heard oscillating multi-tools are pretty versatile and useful, but I have yet to use one myself. I would definitely consider it, though.
As Joe said above, Allen/hex keys. A lot of them. You’ll be surprised how often they go missing.
Another push for cordless drills. Get a few and at least the same number of batteries. They’ll be in use 90-100% of the time during build season. Also sets of drill bits; they’ll go missing or break, and having duplicates allows two or more people to drill identical holes simultaneously.
That’s all I can think of for now. If you’re okay with used tools(in good, safe condition of course), try estate sales. You can also get good deals online at Caring Transitions Online Auctions(the tool category is on the left sidebar.) I often see bandsaws, drill presses, and tons of hand tools there. Just be aware that air compressors/tanks and fire extinguishers should be purchased new. Air tanks rust, posing an explosion risk. Fire extinguishers experience a similar effect, and will lose pressure over time. Rechargeable ones can be repaired, but you might end up spending more to fix it than you would for a new one.
Best of luck to you and your team!
I just posted the 2016 version of the rookie guide that we make, Illuminations.
https://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/papers/3304?
One of the appendixes is a pretty nice tool list.
The lists above are quite good, except that they forgot screwdrivers and measuring devices as #1 priorities.
Starting from scratch, my list of must have tools would include:
Top Priority:
Tape measure
Square (at least a “speed square”, preferably also something much larger)
Straightedge (which might just be a length of aluminum angle)
Pencil (though ultra-fine sharpies are even better)
Hand Drill, with basic set of twist bits plus a step bit and perhaps select spade bits (which cut aluminum nicely). Screwdriver and allen driver bits are also a great addition.
Hacksaw
Wood Saw (preferably a back saw with a miter box that can cut 1"x6" board and 2-1/2" round pool noodles)
Screwdriver set
Hex/Allen driver set (those “swiss army knife” sets are wonderful)
combination wrench set
Basic set of files, including flat and round
Knife
Scissors, good enough to cut heavy bumper fabric among other things
Pliers: slip joint, needle nose, and diagonal cutters at a minimum.
Automotive terminal crimper
Basic wire stripper
Staple gun (I just can’t imagine making bumpers without staples)
Next-level priorities would include:
Ratchet wrench set
Electric Saw (either miter chop saw or portable band saw; both is even better)
Electric “hammer drill”
Drill press (benchtop is OK, floor model as an upgrade)
Calipers (vernier if you are strapped for cash; digital if you can afford it)
Dremel tool kit (rarely the best solution, but useful for lots of stuff!)
Blind rivet setter
Angle and/or Bench grinder (preferably both)
Bolt cutters (useful for rough cuts in metal stock as well as bolts)
Anderson Power Pole crimper tool
Dupont (0.1" pitch header connector) crimper tool
“automatic” wire strippers (which grab, cut, and pull on a single squeeze)
If you do not have safety glasses, you need to get some. MINIMUM one pair per team member, but remember that you’ll somehow have to account for lost glasses and people that want to visit while you’re making chips (cutting, drilling, and filing all generate chips or dust, and some of those tend to throw chips). You could have every team member get a pair on their own, and just get about a dozen for “shop spares”. Mark the team-owned ones so people will leave them in the shop…
Maybe a couple of pairs of gloves, too, for jobs that don’t involve spinning or reciprocating tools (or robot parts).
As far as measurement, there’s a couple I haven’t seen yet…
Scale: Length. Looks like a ruler, but has marks for decimal portions of an inch. Use this as your straightedge–get a couple in different lengths. McMaster has 'em in the $10-$25 range.
Scale: weight. For some reason, knowing how much a part weighs before it goes on the robot is very useful–small scale for that, and another that can handle the whole robot (say around the last week of build…), will come in handy.
Alternatively, you could put a tote on a smaller scale, tare it, then put the robot on top of the tote. A bit of a janky solution, but worked well for us. 
I didn’t say HOW it could handle it–but it needs to have the weight capacity, minimum 150 lb. A smaller scale is handy for subassemblies.
What, you don’t have a platform scale in your bathroom?
…maybe I need to lose some weight :ahh:
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.
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!