Zoltar Speaks - The Instructable

Featured in the Instructables Newsletter December 17th 2009!
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I waded through about 1000 photographs to try and give as much detail as I could.
I am sure this is way too long, as well as long-winded. There were components of Zoltar I was obsessed with and spent WAY too much time on getting the details JUST RIGHT.

Since this was my first time doing something this complex, I undoubtedly wasted alot of money on buying the wrong things, dealing with breakage, buying more, breaking more and then buying still more!

My total cost for this project was $5000, I figure about $1500 was 'waste' and FAIL WHALE

Since Zoltar would be mounted on my segway i2, it adding several factors to the equation
like balance, and wind resistance, pitch and yaw and driver (rider) safety.

I have logged over 10,000 miles on my segway, and even with all that experience using it
it was still a cautious ride with Zoltar fully assembled,

so if you are planning on doing this one and you die, don't blame me!

Here is a Video of Zoltar in Action:

Step 1: The Base

I had a custom base plate made at a welding shop. I choose to make it from steel because I knew it would have to hold about 100 pounds of "costume", I took cardboard and made a basic template
and had holes drilled where the platform already was tapped and I would mount it there.

I didn't want to dedicate the segway JUST to zoltar, so I designed it all to be able to be disassembled easily. Note also the Side Bars welded that would hold the struts.

Comments

[kotten]

2x4's luan plywood and a little paint made this beauty for less than $100

[macgeek]

To quote eliza doolittle..

SHOW ME!!!

:)

Jonathan

[1ofakindwork]

Great work, I love it!

[Opcom]

what a great job! Amazing! Takes guts to ride the rig!

[luvit]

 this is the size of the box i live in, just down the street. i'll try to add a window like your;s

[fungus amungus]

Great, great job on this one.

[macgeek]

I am very touched, Thank you.
I hope to continue providing this site with my out of the box
(Ok fortune teller booth) ideas!

Jonathan

[zedomax]

GO ZOLTAR, Zoltar RULEZ!

[lemonie]

Wonderful, what next?

L

_{(as you're publishing world-wide how about popping in a link to the other Zoltar-machines?)}

[macgeek]

(as you're publishing world-wide how about popping in a link to the other Zoltar-machines?)

Other zoltar machines? - the arcade ones??

http://www.charactersunlimitedinc.com/fortune_teller.html
If you want to buy one!

http://www.segnyc.com
This is my website with more information

And whats Next year!!! ???? (Evil laugh)
you will see! (I am working on it already)

[lemonie]

Yea, the arcade machines. This had some kind of familiarity to me, but I don't think I've ever seen a cabinet. I guess this is not a world-wide arcade machine, but I still recognised it as being one (even not having seen an original), and I guess that's down to the build-quality.

L

[microman171]

Television was responsible for my knowledge of Zoltar.  Was on some American show...  I think it was 'Big' - featuring Tom Hanks

Other than that, I have no idea!

[macgeek]

I guess "Zoltar" was more an American thing.
YES, Zoltar is based on the Movie "BIG" with Tom Hanks.
I based My Zoltar, on the Popular Arcade Fortune Teller,

[lemonie]

BIG - that's probably where I saw it (once), thanks.

L

[frollard]

Mega-super-duper overkill, and one of the coolest instructables on here!

VERY VERY well done!

[Bongmaster]

awesome XD