Use a Drill to Rock the Crib

by ShakeTheFuture

8.2K4522

Intro: Use a Drill to Rock the Crib

Putting a baby to sleep or calming him/her down can be exhausting.

I am talking about the days when you have not slept and you feel very tired.

In this Instructable, we look at a way to transfer your cordless drill to a crib rocker.

What's needed:

  • Cordless drill (with adjustable speeds)
  • Instamorph moldable plastic
  • Bungee cord
  • CD
  • Screws
  • Weights
  • Electrical tape
  • Epoxy Glue

If you are Interested in a video version of this Instructable and the embedded video does not appear on your mobile device, here is an alternative link

STEP 1:

I used Instamorph to make a bouncing base for the crib.

When Instamorph had cooled down, I tried out the base to see how good it bounces.

It did bounce, but not as much as I wanted, so I made a few cuts until I was happy with the result.

STEP 2:

I drilled a hole in the CD and glued a screw in the center

STEP 3:

I remove the hooks from the bungee cord and used a screw to attach the cord to the CD.

STEP 4:

I removed 2 wheels from the crib as they were hitting the floor when the crib was bounced.

I put the base under the frame and tied the bungee cord to the crib.

To make sure the cordless drill does not move, I put some weights on top of it.

After setting the speed, I used a piece of electrical tape to keep the button pushed.

That's it!

Let you cordless drill to rock the crib when you need some help.

Depending on your crib, you might need to use 2 x Instamorph bases.

If you don't have Instamorph, you could try to use a large spring or two.

16 Comments

tulekah 7 years ago

ingenious....also...i busted out laughing the instant i saw the video....

JessicaMills 8 years ago

It's a cool idea, but looks kinda creepy

ShakeTheFuture 8 years ago

Well, yes there is some noise, but baby does not mind.

I guess it will also depend on a drill.

I am considering to get a synchronous motor. It will be more quiet + I get to get my drill back.

man_thas_cool 8 years ago

Cool idea. I only worry that the bungee cord could get wrapped around the chuck of the drill and pull the crib all the way down to the ground/crib falling over. I'm not sure how likely that is, but you know how any little thing with a child's crib can cause it to be recalled for safety reasons. A stick instead of a bungee cord could eliminate that possibility!

ShakeTheFuture 8 years ago

I tried it out. The drill does not have enough power to pull the crib down. Well, you can set the resistance.

It did work for me and it was safe. Of course it's a different story for different cribs and drills.

I never leave the crib unattended. It is rocking when I watch the TV :)

I guess the stick would be a better option. Not sure if the rocking would be as soft as with a rubber band.

Thanks for the suggestion.

mxx 8 years ago

Nice idea!

chefranger 8 years ago

You always have such great ideas

ShakeTheFuture 8 years ago

I am sure it has. With 7 billion people living on this planet there is a very big possibility that it has been done before by thousands of people. Maybe not exactly like that, but similar.

I never said that it's a unique invention that no one has tried before. I am sure if I had this idea, so did other people. If I would worry about being the first, I would never share anything on the internet, thinking there must be somebody else who had the same idea. That would be crazy :)

TimoR3 8 years ago

I believe that CD is not enough durable. Better try some other, non breaking material.

ShakeTheFuture 8 years ago

I don't know. It works fine for me and does not look like it's going to break.

I guess you could glue 2 or 3 CD's together to make it more tough.

johnnybravoesq 8 years ago

great idea, but doesn't the noise from the drill keep the baby awake or make them cry?

ShakeTheFuture 8 years ago

Not at all.

I think the noise actually helps him to fall asleep :)

Cheers