Frame Wars: Wood vs. COTS vs. Custom

The chassis is the skeleton of your robot.

1. Wood (Laser Cut Plywood)

• Reputation: “Hobbyist” or “Joke”.
• Reality: Incredibly fast. You can laser cut an entire robot chassis in 10 minutes for $5.
• Stiffness: surprisingly good if you use box construction.
• Verdict: The ultimate prototyping material. Build your “Version 1” in wood to test dimensions.

2. COTS (Commercial Off-The-Shelf) - GoBilda / REV

• Reputation: “Standard”.
• Reality: Excellent. GoBilda Strafer kits are robust, heavy, and reliable.
• Pros: Easy to modify. Huge ecosystem of parts.
• Cons: Heavy. You are limited to their hole patterns.

3. Custom (CNC Aluminum Plates)

• Reputation: “Elite”.
• Reality: High risk, High reward.
• Pros: Exact dimensions. Perfect weight distribution. Looks pro.
• Cons: If you mess up a hole, you have to machine a new plate. Takes weeks to design and make.

Conclusion

• Week 1-2: Wood.
• Qualifier: COTS.
• State/Worlds: Custom Aluminum.