Introduction: Rising and Spinning Halloween Skull
How to create a programmable rising and spinning Halloween Skull using fischertechnik elements!
My vision was to create a scene with a skull rising out of a coffin, spin in the air and return to the coffin. The device raising and spinning the skull would be hidden beneath white tissue paper. This is an instructable that focuses just on the controlling mechanism.
I play with different educational manipulatives for a living. (Visit www.weirdrichard.com). Over the years I have built different holiday themed models using all sorts of toys. It is very easy to create awesome Halloween models with fischertechnik elements. This instructable will describe how to create a spooky Halloween Skull using fischertechnik and a programmable brick.
Note: The CAD looking images were generated by LDraw/MLCAD and a fischertechnik elements library.
The link to the instructable DIY Halloween 2007 rules:
https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Enter-the-Instructables%2c-MAKE%2c-and-PopSci-D/
Step 1: Gather the Parts
You will need to gather your elements. I purchased an inexpensive plastic skull from Target. Hobby knives are widely available. There are a variety of programmable bricks including fischertechnik, K'NEX, INEX, Super Cricket and the BASIC stamp. I used the PCS Programmable brick. The fischertechnik elements can be found in a range of kits available from a fischertechnik retailer, and the specific elements can be purchased individually from www.fischertechnik.com.
The List:
A cheap plastic skull
Hobby knife
Programmable Brick with batteries
fischertechnik elements:
3 Hub Nut (#31058)
2 Link 15 (#31060)
2 Motor Reducing Gearbox (#31078)
2 Clip Axle with Gear Teeth T28 (#31082)
1 Hub Nut (#31915)
11 Spring Cam (#31982)
3 Building Block 15 with Bore (#32064)
2 Mini Motor 6-9v (#32293)
1 Building Block 15 x 15 (#32850)
2 Bottom Plate 30x90 (#32859)
2 Building Block 30 (#32879)
1 Building Block 15 (#32881)
3 Flat Hub Collet (#35031)
4 Building Block 15x30x5 with Groove and Pin (#35049)
1 Clip Axle 30 (#35063)
1 Axle Coupling (#35073)
1 Clip Axle 75 (#35087)
1 Base Plate 120x60 (#35129)
2 Cog Wheel T 10 m=1.5 Narrow (#35945)
1 Gear Wheel T 30 (#36264)
2 Angle Girder 120 (#36294)
2 Angle Girder 60 (#36297)
2 Rivet 4 (#36323)
1 I-Strut 45 (#36328)
5 Building Block 5 (#37237)
1 Building Block 5 with two Pins (#37238)
8 Building Block 7.5 (#37468)
1 Clip Axle 180 (#37527)
1 Clip 5 (#37679)
1 Locking Worm m=1.5 (#37858)
2 Worm Nut m=1.5 (#37925)
4 Worm m=1.5 (#37926)
1 Angular Block 10x15x15 (#38423)
1 Building Plate 15x30x5 with 3 Grooves (#38428)
Step 2: Model Structure
Begin the structure by fixing two Building Block 15x30x5 with Groove and Pins to a Base Plate 120x60 with two Spring Cams.
Step 3: Model Structure
Add a Gearbox to a Motor and insert a Clip Axle with Gear Teeth T28. Fix a Cog Wheel T10 to the extended axle.
Step 4: Model Structure
Slide the motor assembly onto the Building Block 15x30x5 with Groove and Pins.
Step 5: Model Structure
Build a platform for the programmable brick with two Spring Cams and a Bottom Plate 30x90.
Step 6: Model Structure
Fix a Hub Nut and a Locking Work near one end of a Clip Axle 180. Add four Worm gears to the axle. Add two Worm Nuts to the worm gear assembly. Connect the two Worm Nuts with a Building Block 15x30x5 with Groove and Pin. Finish the central assembly with a Building Block 5, Building Plate 15x30x5 with 3 Grooves, three Spring Cams, a Building Block 15, and two Building Block 7.5s.
Step 7: Model Structure
Insert the end of the Clip Axle 180 into the Cog Wheel T10.
Step 8: Model Structure
Construct the two supports using four Angle Girder 120s and 60s, two Building Block 30s, two Building Block 5s, a Building Block 5 with 2 Pins, and a Building Block 15x30x5 with Groove and Pin. Connect the two supports with an I-Strut 45 and two Rivets.
Fix a Building Block 15x15 on the back of one of the supports. Add a Building Block 5 to the block. This assembly will be used to hold the programmable brick in place.
Step 9: Model Structure
Fix the end of the Clip Axle 180 in place with a Building Block 15 with Bore, two Building Block 7.5s and two Link 15s.
Set the model aside.
Step 10: Model Structure
Begin the second motor assembly by adding a Clip Axle with Gear Teeth T28 and Gearbox to a motor. Fix a Axle Coupling to the extended axle end. Insert a Clip Axle 30 into the Axle Coupling. Place a Building Block 15 with Bore on the axle and add a Cog Wheel T10. Add a Building Block 5 onto the side of the motor, and fix a Angular Block 10x15x15 to the block. Slide a Spring Cam and a Building Block 15 with Bore onto the Angular Block. Insert a Clip Axle 75 into the Building Block 15 with Bore and fix one end with a Clip 5, and the other with a Collet, Gear Wheel T30 and Hub Nut on the other.
Step 11: Model Structure
Add a second Collet and Hub Nut assembly onto the end of the Clip Axle 75. (This will be for the plastic skull). Attach the entire assembly to a Bottom Plate 30x90 with two Spring Cams.
Step 12: Model Structure
Fix the second motor assembly onto the model between the two Building Block 7.5s using a Spring Cam with the upper block.
Step 13: Opening the Skull
Using the knife, make a hole large enough for a Hub Nut at the back of the plastic skull. You may have to make a second hole for an axle at the bottom of the skull. (My skull had a small hole at the base of the skull for the axle.)
Step 14: Attach the Skull to Model
Remove the upper Hub Nut. (It might be easier to remove the entire Clip Axle 75 assembly). Put the Hub Nut in the Skull, and insert the Clip Axle 75. Screw the Hub Nut onto the Collet, fixing the skull in place.
Step 15: Program the Brick
Insert batteries into the programmable brick. Author a program that will raise and spin the brick.
I used a version of Logo.
Here is my program:
to scare
skull_up
skull_spin
skull_down
end
to skull_up
b, thisway
setpower 8
on
wait 150
off
end
to skull_down
b, thatway
setpower 8
on
wait 140
off
end
to skull_spin
a, thisway
on
wait 64
off
end
Step 16: Finish
The finished model!
