Introduction: Beware of the Horrible Pumpkin Bots ....
These bots are all dangerous!
They came over me with full force. I did not expect them to be this powerful. Hopefully they all lose their energy very soon ... ;-)
They came over me with full force. I did not expect them to be this powerful. Hopefully they all lose their energy very soon ... ;-)
Step 1: What You Need
It helps a lot if you own many many things that you got out of old electronic devices. I used motors from old XBOX gamepads to make the robots shake ... and move. I used old motors from useless floppy disk drives to build a the crawler.
out of old pc mainboards I got battery holders and 3V button batteries. Also LEDs or resistors could be sourced out of old electronic parts.
To make the radio controlled mover I bought a bunch of radio controlled mini cars. I got 27Mhz and 40Mhz cars so that I can guide two robots at the same time.
Step 2: The Headbanger
... was the first one I build. I used Gold Cap as the energy source to drive the rumble motor of the XBOX gamepad. To load the Gold Cap with energy a 3V battery need to be attached to "The Hadbanger" for some seconds. After that he headbangs ... slowly but steady ...
The legs are made with the contacts of LEDs. These legs are rather soft. Together with the hight center of mass, the motor is mounted rather high, it leads to the slow "headbanging". As you can see in the video, this bot is moving!
After some fun with the simple version I attached a small switch that I found in an old floppy disc drive. This switch is activated when the motor "headbangs" to the side of the switch. It is deactivated when the motor moves the "rumble masses" to the other side. This leads to some oscillation.
The advantage of the soft legs are also the disadvantage of the bot. After a lot of "headbanging" the legs will break. Now we see ... IT'S DANGEROUS!
The legs are made with the contacts of LEDs. These legs are rather soft. Together with the hight center of mass, the motor is mounted rather high, it leads to the slow "headbanging". As you can see in the video, this bot is moving!
After some fun with the simple version I attached a small switch that I found in an old floppy disc drive. This switch is activated when the motor "headbangs" to the side of the switch. It is deactivated when the motor moves the "rumble masses" to the other side. This leads to some oscillation.
The advantage of the soft legs are also the disadvantage of the bot. After a lot of "headbanging" the legs will break. Now we see ... IT'S DANGEROUS!
Step 3: The Smoker
The Smoker uses much the same construction as "The Headbanger". I tried to avoid the soft legs and gave him legs that are made of springs that I got from old floppy disc drives. When I was finished and switched him one he just turned around, he did not move. The legs where to "equal". To make him move I made the legs different by attaching some rubber and a wheel.
I did not use a Goldap here but a 3V button cell battery that I took from an old pc mainboard, including the battery holder.
On his nice cloak he got some fluorescent pieces ... sadly this can not be seen on the video ...
On the top of his head he has what we call "Räucherhütchen" in German. I don't know what this is calle d in English, maybe one of you can help me.
Sadly also the smoke cannot be seen on the video and it is really loss that videos don't smell :-)
I did not use a Goldap here but a 3V button cell battery that I took from an old pc mainboard, including the battery holder.
On his nice cloak he got some fluorescent pieces ... sadly this can not be seen on the video ...
On the top of his head he has what we call "Räucherhütchen" in German. I don't know what this is calle d in English, maybe one of you can help me.
Sadly also the smoke cannot be seen on the video and it is really loss that videos don't smell :-)
Step 4: The Tumbler
This one is really crazy ... have a look at the video. It was one of the simplest construction when I build the prototype. But the battery is inside the pumpkin. So I had to add a switch to turn the motor on and off. On the prototype I had to remove the motor and the battery to turn it off.
To make him really scary I added some nice red leds.
I used a bunch of rubber bands to make the hair. It "flows" in the wind while he moves ... really crazy :-)
To make him really scary I added some nice red leds.
I used a bunch of rubber bands to make the hair. It "flows" in the wind while he moves ... really crazy :-)
Step 5: The Crawler
This one was inspired by many web pages I saw on the Internet. I found some of these small DC motors in old CD-ROM drives. They where used to open the CD-slot. I had two of the same type and need to use them here ...
The construction is rather easy. I used a thick copper wire that is used for the power in houses. I removed the insulation and build a T using two pieces. On one piece I soldered the small motors. The motors got short pieces of the insulation that gives them a better grip.
Now I took a 3V lithium battery and removed the plastic. I mounted the "naked" battery onto backbone of the crawler. To fix it I used paperclips, the ones that are coated with copper, so I could solder them to the backbone. The motors need to be connected so that they turn in different directions. I added a small switch and soldered the wires directly onto the battery.
Watch the video to find out how good this works.
He moves fast and he looks to the front and to the back simultaneously, isn't that scary? ;-)
The construction is rather easy. I used a thick copper wire that is used for the power in houses. I removed the insulation and build a T using two pieces. On one piece I soldered the small motors. The motors got short pieces of the insulation that gives them a better grip.
Now I took a 3V lithium battery and removed the plastic. I mounted the "naked" battery onto backbone of the crawler. To fix it I used paperclips, the ones that are coated with copper, so I could solder them to the backbone. The motors need to be connected so that they turn in different directions. I added a small switch and soldered the wires directly onto the battery.
Watch the video to find out how good this works.
He moves fast and he looks to the front and to the back simultaneously, isn't that scary? ;-)
Step 6: The Driver
This one uses a micro rc car for the movement. I bought a bunch of these cars on ebay. "The Driver" is remote controlled. The car I used is an Enertec "Micro Flash Charger Fromula 1". This car has two LEDs that light up while the car drives forward. I used that and added "eyes" to "The Driver".
To attach the Pumpkin I had to remove some parts of the carriage. I removed the antenna and use a wire instead. This wire can easily be but into the pumpkin.
The LEDs are mounted on top of the motor block. I removed them and put new ones into the pumpkin. I wired them using tine copper wire that has some varnish (is that the correct English word?) on it. The wires where all weeded through holes in the carriage.
The pumpkin is now glued onto to carriage.
To attach the Pumpkin I had to remove some parts of the carriage. I removed the antenna and use a wire instead. This wire can easily be but into the pumpkin.
The LEDs are mounted on top of the motor block. I removed them and put new ones into the pumpkin. I wired them using tine copper wire that has some varnish (is that the correct English word?) on it. The wires where all weeded through holes in the carriage.
The pumpkin is now glued onto to carriage.
Step 7: The Blitzer
Now we come to a real beast!
To build this bot is rather dangerous! I REALLY mean that! It is because I used a photo flash light from a used one way photo camera. These devices use very high voltages and they can KILL you if you put your fingers onto the wrong parts.
I had to modify the flash to make it smaller so that it fits into the pumpkin. You can see on the images that I cut it in half and made a cube out of the two parts.
I wanted to make the pumpkin turn around and have some flashes then. I decided to use a small motor that I ripped out of an old CD-ROM drive. The gear was still there. That make the outer gearwheel turn rather slowly. I glued the casing of a presenter pen onto the wheel. Inside this casing I put some switches and the 3V lithium battery that powers the flash.
I wanted the flashes to appear automatically. I added a small slider switch that I ... once again ... got from an old CD-ROM drive. Those CD-ROM drives are really valuable crap ... ;-)
This switch slides along a screw and shortens, while doing so the flash happens.
I needed a power switch because the battery was meant to disappear into the casing.
All wires soldered, flash into the pumpkin, pumpkin onto the top, ignition switched on ... and ... motor started. Se the video to find out how it works ... ;-)
To build this bot is rather dangerous! I REALLY mean that! It is because I used a photo flash light from a used one way photo camera. These devices use very high voltages and they can KILL you if you put your fingers onto the wrong parts.
I had to modify the flash to make it smaller so that it fits into the pumpkin. You can see on the images that I cut it in half and made a cube out of the two parts.
I wanted to make the pumpkin turn around and have some flashes then. I decided to use a small motor that I ripped out of an old CD-ROM drive. The gear was still there. That make the outer gearwheel turn rather slowly. I glued the casing of a presenter pen onto the wheel. Inside this casing I put some switches and the 3V lithium battery that powers the flash.
I wanted the flashes to appear automatically. I added a small slider switch that I ... once again ... got from an old CD-ROM drive. Those CD-ROM drives are really valuable crap ... ;-)
This switch slides along a screw and shortens, while doing so the flash happens.
I needed a power switch because the battery was meant to disappear into the casing.
All wires soldered, flash into the pumpkin, pumpkin onto the top, ignition switched on ... and ... motor started. Se the video to find out how it works ... ;-)
Step 8: Usage
Everything arranged on a table as a decoration for the helloween food ... for example ... have fun :-)
Step 9: After the Party
Hmmm .... it was fun ... but one of them broke. The Blitzer was not strong enough for my kids. My son broke the Blitzer's neck. But even without his base he makes fun. The Kids simply took him in their hands and ran around. This might even be better than the original version.
Playing with The Tumbler, my other son found out that it can spin really cool and fast ... have a look at the videos! :-)
Playing with The Tumbler, my other son found out that it can spin really cool and fast ... have a look at the videos! :-)
