The Most Useless Machine EVER!

Step 11 Putting it All Together

Im finding this part very difficult to explain, so if youre having trouble understanding things, let me know&

The micro-switch will only shut off power when the toggle switch is in the OFF position.

Before you start installing the parts in the box, you'll want to make note of the direction the motor turns and in which position of the toggle switch is off.

Mount the toggle-switch and now you can align where you are going to mount the motor and design the shape of your arm.  Design the arm so that when it's in the off position, it will hold the micro-switch OFF.   You may need to build a stand-off for the micro-switch.


Before you put in the batteries, manually move the arm to check that it will rotate between hitting the toggle, and hitting the micro-switch.


If you are using a standard servo and 555 circuit the idea is the same.  The only thing to keep in mind is that the servo arm can only rotate at most 180 degrees.

Once you have the parts installed and aligned there is some fiddling.

Power up the circuit but leave the arm off of the servo.  Flip the toggle to the on position and the servo axle rotates to the on position and will then stop.

Now take the batteries out of the circuit and flip the toggle to the "OFF" position.  Now put the plastic actuator (with the wooden arm) back on the axle so the hand is touching the toggle switch.

Put the batteries back. The servo will return to its off position.

Now you can see if the arm is fully retracted back into the box.  I had problems with the arm sticking up to high, not allowing the lid to fully close.  Or having the arm hitting the bottom of the box.

At this point I had to tweak the shape/dimensions of the arm.

Once I had the arm switching the toggle, and retracting back into the box I mounted the micro-switch so that when the servo is in the "OFF" position it is holding the microswitch down.

At this point you should have a working Useless Machine.

 

Comments

[surfcurve]

Just finished mine and it was a little more difficult than i thought it would be, but worth it. I used krazy glue to hold everything in place. If anyone has an issue with your servo not being strong enough to flick the switch like it did, U can take switch apart and change out the spring in the middle of the switch ( i used a pen spring instead of original spring inside of the switch and it works flawlessly now.) I went with the simple method with the 2 switches and a cigar box which already came with a center cut in the lid. Will now make a great conversation piece on coffee table. Good luck to everyone who tries to build one!!! Well worth the few hours of effort.

[Frivolous Engineering]

Right on. Sometimes you can 'break in' a stiff toggle just be flipping it on/off a bunch of times but replacing the spring, that's a new one!

Thanks!

[rotoreuter48]

I have the motor, and it has 4 arms on it. do i sand the 3 down that i am not using?

[Frivolous Engineering]

That's up to you. If they get in the way, or if they aren't needed then sure. The way I arranged things in the photo on this page, I'm using one of the arms to activate the micro-switch, and I've cut off another that would be in the way.

[nikonet]

Another way to fix the servo inside the box
yfrog.com/0kinsideboxj

[Frivolous Engineering]

Right On!

[judobrian]

Thanks this step definitely helps.  I went to a craft store and picked up a wooden letter 'V' this looks like it will work perfectly.

Can I ask what you used to attach your servo to the box lid?  I was thinking of using silicone, but I think it might have too much flex.  Epoxy might work, but that is extremely permanent.  It looks like you may be using a wood glue of some type?

[Frivolous Engineering]

I hot melt glued it in place.  Crude but effective.  At first I just used a couple drops, just enough to hold it temporarily while I was getting the arm perfected.

Once I had the arm working correctly, I re-glued it with a more permanent amount of glue.