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Step 3Cover the Robot
The next step is to coat your robot to give it that shiny, fresh-out-of-the-laboratory feel. I used aluminum foil and a combination of duct tape and aluminum tape. I ripped off an appropriate size of foil and then taped it down with: a) aluminum tape if it would be showing or b) duct tape if it wasn't. Generally, they are interchangeable but I had a larger supply of duct tape so I used that when I could.
Since the project consumes a large amount of tape, I tried to conserve tape. Cutting the tape into smaller strips is an easy way to get the exact same aesthetic results but get more out of the same amount of tape. Additionally, you can also foil two sides and then aluminum tape the edge, which will tape both sides down but not waste tape by taping twice over the same spot.
Do the head first--it is smaller and easier to work with. WARNING REGARDING THE HEAD: Aluminum conducts electricity! You cannot have foil or aluminum tape where you want your LEDs. Rip off the corners and pieces of the sides of the foil that will cover the top of the head and duct tape where you want your LEDs to go.
When working around the eye hole, cover the entire side in foil and then poke through with one of your tools. Then, carefully peel or push the foil through the eye hole and tape it to the inside. For all the areas that remain uncovered, use tape to fix it.
The body is the same as the head, just on a larger scale. Be sure to use the same tape-conserving tricks.
Since the project consumes a large amount of tape, I tried to conserve tape. Cutting the tape into smaller strips is an easy way to get the exact same aesthetic results but get more out of the same amount of tape. Additionally, you can also foil two sides and then aluminum tape the edge, which will tape both sides down but not waste tape by taping twice over the same spot.
Do the head first--it is smaller and easier to work with. WARNING REGARDING THE HEAD: Aluminum conducts electricity! You cannot have foil or aluminum tape where you want your LEDs. Rip off the corners and pieces of the sides of the foil that will cover the top of the head and duct tape where you want your LEDs to go.
When working around the eye hole, cover the entire side in foil and then poke through with one of your tools. Then, carefully peel or push the foil through the eye hole and tape it to the inside. For all the areas that remain uncovered, use tape to fix it.
The body is the same as the head, just on a larger scale. Be sure to use the same tape-conserving tricks.
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