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OK, so Santa forgot to give you all this classic retro stocking stuffer so I am going to show you how to make one...
I was inspired by the Instructables Robot Cake (sorry, third day on the job, haven't figured out how to link - doesn't work for me) for its modular design and best use of the robot as a theme and so hey, what can I come up with to get some "brownie" points for this contest? I could only hope for exclusive marketing rights and massive merchandising royalties or I could just settle for a PM from the Robot.
CAUTION:
Mod your kid's favorite toys at your own risk.
I was inspired by the Instructables Robot Cake (sorry, third day on the job, haven't figured out how to link - doesn't work for me) for its modular design and best use of the robot as a theme and so hey, what can I come up with to get some "brownie" points for this contest? I could only hope for exclusive marketing rights and massive merchandising royalties or I could just settle for a PM from the Robot.
CAUTION:
Mod your kid's favorite toys at your own risk.
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Signing UpStep 1Around the house...
As a man, as with most, we do most of our thinking on the most comfortable seat in the house. I was still trying to figure out what to do as a project when inspiration was found when I had to change the roll of TP. Yes, you may laugh but with an empty toilet paper cardboard tube, I could have made a weapon of mass destruction or something better...parts for a Mr. Instructables Head (R). (Please debate the over or under thing somewhere else...)
Rummage through the paper recycling bin for a small box to make the head and some more cardboard for the other parts. The TP tubes were just the right size but you can cut down an empty paper towel tube too. If you are all out of cardboard tubes, just grab two paper plates together to cut and form your own tube.
You will also need one of those kraft paper envelopes, a black magic marker, tape( I prefer the clear packing tape on a dispenser gun), white school glue, some thick stiff wire ( I had some 12 AWG left over from the house remodel), electrical tape and a bit of red colored play-dough ( I had to beg my kid to use it for a just cause, we had made a giant homemade batch to simulate gums on a giant set of teeth).
Glue the two plates together and let dry. This gets the right stiffness to make a cardboard tube. Cut out two strips from the plates the width of half the height of the TP tube. Roll and form a tube the same diameter as your TP tube. These are the legs.
With the scrap pieces from the plates, draw hands. The curve of the plates fit nicely to form the fingers.
With the two tubes for arms, pinch the top together and mark an arc to form the curve of the shoulder. Cut along that line.
On the spare cardboard, cut out six strips of cardboard the width of the tube diameter. Trace the tube in the middle of the strip and cut out so that it can be glued or taped as endcaps for the leg tubes and where the hands go on the arm tubes. The flaps will aid in supporting the endcap.
On the spare cardboard, cut out pieces for the 2 wheels and smaller hubcaps. I laminated four pieces of one wheel to get the right thickness. After gluing the wheels, run a strip of electrical tape around the edge of the wheel to make it look like a wheel. Using an awl or some other sharp dangerous instrument, poke a hole through the wheels and hubcaps so you can thread a wire through it to assemble the wheel.
Start covering all the parts with material from the kraft envelope. To my laser-calibrated eye, it seems the robot is in a shade of MG "muddy-orange" that hasn't been seen since the '70s. I was going to try to make this thing out of a block of cheddar but I was told not to play with food...
Rummage through the paper recycling bin for a small box to make the head and some more cardboard for the other parts. The TP tubes were just the right size but you can cut down an empty paper towel tube too. If you are all out of cardboard tubes, just grab two paper plates together to cut and form your own tube.
You will also need one of those kraft paper envelopes, a black magic marker, tape( I prefer the clear packing tape on a dispenser gun), white school glue, some thick stiff wire ( I had some 12 AWG left over from the house remodel), electrical tape and a bit of red colored play-dough ( I had to beg my kid to use it for a just cause, we had made a giant homemade batch to simulate gums on a giant set of teeth).
Glue the two plates together and let dry. This gets the right stiffness to make a cardboard tube. Cut out two strips from the plates the width of half the height of the TP tube. Roll and form a tube the same diameter as your TP tube. These are the legs.
With the scrap pieces from the plates, draw hands. The curve of the plates fit nicely to form the fingers.
With the two tubes for arms, pinch the top together and mark an arc to form the curve of the shoulder. Cut along that line.
On the spare cardboard, cut out six strips of cardboard the width of the tube diameter. Trace the tube in the middle of the strip and cut out so that it can be glued or taped as endcaps for the leg tubes and where the hands go on the arm tubes. The flaps will aid in supporting the endcap.
On the spare cardboard, cut out pieces for the 2 wheels and smaller hubcaps. I laminated four pieces of one wheel to get the right thickness. After gluing the wheels, run a strip of electrical tape around the edge of the wheel to make it look like a wheel. Using an awl or some other sharp dangerous instrument, poke a hole through the wheels and hubcaps so you can thread a wire through it to assemble the wheel.
Start covering all the parts with material from the kraft envelope. To my laser-calibrated eye, it seems the robot is in a shade of MG "muddy-orange" that hasn't been seen since the '70s. I was going to try to make this thing out of a block of cheddar but I was told not to play with food...
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14
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17
Mar 2, 2008. 11:24 AM
Gjdj3
says:
Gjdj3
says:
Nice Instructable! +1
Reply
16
Jan 5, 2008. 7:43 PMDoctor What
says:
This is a really good instructable! It is super easy to understand, and has the right amount of detail. (+) (favorited)
Reply
113
Jan 5, 2008. 9:30 PMcaitlinsdad (author)
says:
caitlinsdad (author)
says:
Thanks, I'm picking up the slack due to the writer's strike. Did you know when you print these things out they make a perfect fascinating bathroom read?
Reply
16
Jan 6, 2008. 5:33 PMDoctor What
says:
Dumb question: Are you picking up the slack because there is no new shows, or are you an actual writer?
Reply
113
Jan 6, 2008. 7:29 PMcaitlinsdad (author)
says:
caitlinsdad (author)
says:
Just trying to be punny, I am not associated with the TV wasteland. Nothing good on TV so I might as well put up an instructable and do something constructive.
Reply
16
Jan 7, 2008. 11:28 AMDoctor What
says:
I do instructables while I watch tv. I multitask.
Reply
22
Jan 5, 2008. 3:29 PMGorillazMiko
says:
Awesome job, I might try this, it looks a bit strange though..
Reply
113
Jan 5, 2008. 5:39 PMcaitlinsdad (author)
says:
caitlinsdad (author)
says:
...still tipsy from too much WD-40 on New Year's Eve...punch probably had some heavyweight oil in it...
Reply
Jan 4, 2008. 11:24 PMInstructables Robot
says:
Reply
Jan 5, 2008. 3:03 PMdeancp1
says:
Hopefully this internet romance is one of the good kind, not the creepy, read-about-it-in-the-headlines type...
Reply
113
Jan 5, 2008. 10:11 AMcaitlinsdad (author)
says:
caitlinsdad (author)
says:
Thank you, thank you! I've made it to the big time!
Reply
4
Jan 5, 2008. 6:59 AMShifrin
says:
Cute...
Reply
4
Jan 5, 2008. 5:50 AMwhatsisface
says:
whatsisface
says:
Awwww....
Reply
26
Jan 5, 2008. 10:53 AMLinuxH4x0r
says:
LinuxH4x0r
says:
cool!
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