Mid-sized sliding
clamp with rubber
jaw covers.
wedges to be sharpened.
Sliding Clamps
Whether you're using them to
hold parts in place while you're de-bending them, using them as a
weapon lock on a small robot (do test
to make sure it will actually stop the
weapon before assuming it's capable),
or just using them as an extra hand in
the pits, these things always come in
handy. If you can fit it, pack a few in
several sizes.
1/4" Bit Set and Driver
A good bit set will make sure
you've almost always got the
screwdriver head on hand that you
need. If you use the case, you'll have
them all relatively organized in one
spot, so you won't waste time digging
when you need them.
Duct Tape
It's almost never the right tool for
the job, but it will often get the job
done for a while. If you forgot to
make safety covers for sharp parts on
your robot, some cardboard and duct
tape will normally do it; if you've
stripped out some screws on your
armor, it can help keep it in place; and
if you've got an access hole for a
removable link, it can help keep the
link from popping out of your chassis.
Luxury Items
If you have more room for tools
than just a small toolbox, there are
quite a few handy things that you can
bring with you. In general, these will
allow for faster modifications or
26 SERVO 08.2013
repairs during an event.
Cordless Drill
The big use of a cordless drill at
an event is removing weight at the last
minute. It's almost inevitable that
someone will have finished their robot
at the last minute and won't have
gotten around to checking the weight
until the day of the event. Whether it's
you or someone else in this position,
having a drill handy is a decent
method of dealing with the problem.
Cordless Impact Driver
If you manage to make it toward
the end of the bracket at an event,
time starts getting quite tight. An
impact driver combined with a bit set
can dramatically speed up the removal
and reinstallation of access panels
between matches.
Angle Grinder
If you absolutely need to grind it
flat, cut it off, or shave it down now,
an angle grinder is the tool to use.
You can get a wide range of wheels
for them with grinding, cutting, or
sanding as the primary focus. When
Angle grinder
with sanding
wheel.
used properly, a grinder can do the
job a rotary tool would do in a
fraction of the time. Just be careful
with where the sparks or dust gets
sprayed. Whenever possible, make
sure to cover any openings into your
machine with tape (or similar) to
reduce the chances of metal shavings
getting in and shorting something.
Large Hammer
As with the angle grinder, a large
hammer will often do the same job as
the similar small tool, but much faster.
A large sledge or demolition hammer
should be a tool of last resort, but
when it’s needed to fix the problem,
there is no substitute.
Bench-top Shop Tools
Occasionally at an event, a team
will bring a drill press or other similar
shop tool. If you've got the capability to
bring one and are willing to allow
other teams to use it as well, you'll
rarely be alone at an event.
Drill presses, bench top mills, and
small lathes all allow for a fairly
extreme amount of damage to be
repaired at an event, often by
frantically remaking the damaged part.
Welder
If you've welded a portion of your
machine together and you're able to
bring your welder, it's worth the
hassle. You'll be quickly able to patch
up damaged sections or repair broken
welds which can often be the
difference between doing the repair
correctly or using duct tape.
There are plenty of other tools
that you can bring, but outside of
necessary specialized tools, these are
the first ones you should consider
bringing to an event. While it's highly
difficult to plan for every issue, these
tools should have you prepared for
the majority of situations you'll run
into at an event.
There will almost certainly be
something that has been left off this
list that will be useful to you. As a
final step of the packing process, I
recommend taking the time to walk
around your work area. Take a look at
each of your tools and think about if it
could come in handy during the event.
If you think you'll need something
and you've got the space for it, bring
it. Even if you don't end up using it,
there's a good chance someone else
will need one and your help could be
the difference between someone
making their next match or having to
forfeit. SV
