Introduction: Pimp My Fan

About: I'm Mario Caicedo Langer (M.C. for short), a Colombian STEAM educator living in Azerbaijan, BSc in Naval Sciences, Master in Toy Design, and former Navy officer. I am a CAD and 3D Printing enthusiast and an ar…
Only a few days before I left the AiR program, Randy brought an old Honeywell electric fan, and started to talk:

"This is my old fan. It's not the big deal. It's white. Blows air. And it's dirty. It's just a fan. I want it to still be a fan, but with more attitude.

Please M.C. Langer, PIMP MY FAN!"



After criticizing the obvius defects of the fan (white, dirty, just a fan), I took it to the shop, and then I started to work. With so little time, I could transform the fan into this fancy junkbot. But I know maybe one day, Randy will install some kind of Arduino-based psycho-frakulator for keeping away people from his lab.

Or, at least, some cool lights!

Step 1: Materials

If you want to pimp your fan, the first thing you need is a fan (duh!). And get all the plastic trash and e-waste you can. It's very complicated you can make the same one I made, but you can make a better one!

So, the materials are:
1 Fan
All the plastic trash you can get
4in x 5/8in mending braces
Corner braces inside L (2in. x 5/8in.)
corner braces inside L (1in. x 1/2in.)
Nuts, screws and bolts
Iron washers
Superglue (cyanoacrylate)

TOOLS

Dremel Rotary Tool
Tweezers
Screwdivers
Scalpel
Pliers

Step 2: Small Pincers

I combined a damaged plastic robot pincer with the footing of another toy for kids. I will install it on the bottom of the fan.

Step 3: Opening the Fan

I removed the front cover of the fan, so I can install the bottom pincer and the following parts (arms and head), using nuts and bolts and making holes in the respective place, using the Dremel.

Step 4: Making the Arms

I took the black plastic cases and I removed the circuits and any extra weight. Then, I installed corner braces on the back of each one. I attached a toothbrush charger on each one, forming the arms.

Step 5: Blaster

In one of the arms, I installed a plastic cylinder and the cylinder from a laser pointer, making some kind of blaster.

I attached the arms in each side of the fan, on the bracket.

Step 6: Hand

Using two router antennas and a mouse, I made a hand for the other arm.

Step 7: Shoulder Pads

I took two similar plastic covers from digital agendas, and I attached them to each arm, as shoulder pads. I used screws.

Step 8: Head

I made the head using the case from a radio clock, plastic glasses from a Wild Planet toy, and the base from an old computer screen. For the eyes, I used two Nesquik caps and two iron discs.

First, I attached the radio clock case to the fan, then I fixed the eyes. Later, I attached the plastic glasses and the base.

Step 9: Finishing

I attached a plastic piece on the center of the fan's front cover, and then I reinstalled it on the fan.

This pimped fan must be (strongly) attached to a wall.

It's a good time to say "Yo Dawg, I heard you like robots, so I put a robot in your fan so you can see a robot while you chill."
Halloween Decorations Contest

Participated in the
Halloween Decorations Contest