We have to be honest about this one: our Big Dumper plans hit a wall.
Between purchasing delays on parts we needed and inventory gaps we didn’t catch until we were deep into the CAD work, it became clear we weren’t going to get a Big Dumper built and tested in time to actually compete with it. That’s a hard call to make after a couple of weeks of momentum, but building something ambitious that isn’t ready by week six helps nobody.
So we’re pivoting to the 2026 Everybot, the open-source design Team 118 puts out every year specifically for teams who need something reliable, affordable, and buildable with common parts. It’s exactly what we need right now, and it means we can actually finish a competitive robot instead of leaving an ambitious one half-built.
It stings to change plans mid-build, but we’d rather ship something solid than chase something we can’t finish. Back to the CAD.