ANIMATED TOY BALLERINA

How to make an animated toy ballerina  that can dance and wiggle to music. These types of toys were used for years to interest children by dancing on a wooden shingle or table top. This one was made for a small child to get excited over by grampa who was baby siting her. You may need to know how to cut or carve some wooden figures which are really simple to do. I used a wooden marble for the head. The rest is straight forward to make. Two sliders are used to make the arms move independently.

Step 1: MATERIALS AND TOOLS

  Materials - Refer to the drawing which is on a one to one scale for ease of construction.

1-Hair-Urethane soft yellow foam  or what is available..Glue on.
2-Head-One  inch diameter wooden marble found  in craft stores or carve your own..187 dia.neck hole about 1/4 in. deep.
3-Neck-A rubber  joint  .elastic  cloth- covered hair band cut 1/2 in. long.{.187 in. Dia.} Use same bands for all joints  except  elbows.For those use .093 Dia. hair bands x approx. 3/4 in. long.
4-Shoulder Covers- Urethane foam . glued and  scissor formed.
5-Trunk-Pine cut from 2x4 x2-1/2 in. long.Traced figure is carved.
6-Hook-String anchor.can be a straight pin or brass wire formed into an eyelet. .06 x1/2 in. lg.
7-Upper Arm-Wood dowel 5/16 dia. x 0.9 in. lg. Top side .187 Hole, Bottom side .093 Hole drilled.
8.Lower Arm-Wood dowel 1/4 in.Dia.x 1.0 in. long. .093Dia. Hole .25 in deep for string. .
9-Upper Leg- Wood dowel 13/32 Dia.x1-1/4 Lg. .187 hole x 1/4 in. deep.top and bottom.
10-Lower Leg-Wood Dowel 13/32 Dia.x1-1/4Lg..187 hole drill top end only.
11-Shoes-.40x.70 in. craft stick.x .078 in. thick
12-Control Rod- Wood dowel 1/8 in.Dia. x 7.0 in. long.
13-Stop- Plastic 1/4 in. dia. x 1/4 in long. can be soda straw.glued in place s shown.
14-Arm Control-Right arm,1/4 in. dia. x 1.0 in. long.Punched  small hole for string attach.
15-Arm Control-Left arm - same as right arm construction.
16-End Hand Hold- approx. 5/8 x 5/8 x1.0 long . with drilled hole for  1/8 rod.
17-Control string- Nylon fish cord[ 10lb. size.approx .x 4-1/2 in. long. x two places.
18-Paint- White orsilver sheen  for trunk. Stain brown-maple. Permanent pens colors.

TOOLS- Carving knife.Hand drill- saw, Drill bits :.093[3/32], .187 {3/16} .,.156 {5/32} for control rod.
    Long nose pliers. Wire cutters.,Scissors,Goop glue{R}, ice pick.

Comments

[mistic]

I looked at my Insstble and found that the MOV94mb0 ws posted just under the first picture.see ballerina 3-2-19-004 mov.

[kabira]

Love it.
How about posting a small clip of the animation?

[mistic]

sounds like an excellent idea, will do.

[mistic]

thanks for  the input- this little toy was a breeze to design but i never did go the one step further  to automate it with solenoids and a cpr,  Well, next year.......

[XOIIO]

Sorry but no, just no.