Is that a robot in your pocket or are you just glad to see me?

Since the extinction of the the pocket protector, what else could replace the ubiquitous uber-geek pocket accessory but a Bobblebot pocket Robot? People can spot it a mile away and know to either holster their K'nex weapons or say "Hai, what's that?" Other than that, it serves no other utility than to entertain for hours upon hours watching it bob back and forth, forth and back, back and forth...

This may be in the gray area of the contest since it does extend past the pocket depth-line when in use. The head is retractable though.

Anyone recognize this bot?

CAUTION:
May contain small parts not suitable for small children, should only be used under the supervision of an adult, antennae may pokey poke... Do not argue with a kid on who has dibs it. Go make another. (No K'nex was harmed in the making of this bobblebot)

Also enjoy other robot stuff here or
Robot cartoon comics while waiting for stuff to dry...

Step 1: Get It Together...

You will probably end up making more than one...good thing materials are relatively cheap.

Once again, dig through the paper recycling bin to find an expended toilet paper tube, some scrap cardboard and a manila file-folder, You will also need a small compression spring and a short piece of wire with black insulation. The springs extracted from a ball point pen seem a little too small (my spring is 7/16" x 2-1/8"). Craft glue, some tape and a pair of scissors to put it together,

Print out the large image of the robot which can be found here. Print it out as is. Don't force it to fit-to-page, you should get the right size to use which is about the height of your paper tube.

If you are lucky enough to have a color laser printer, the better it will look but an ink-jet printer on glossy stock will work just as well.

FAINT-OF-HEART warning here...
Proceed to cut out and detach the robot head from the rest of the robot picture. Leakage of oil is expected. Glue this top part to a piece of stiff cardboard. Set aside to dry.

Laminate or glue the rest of the robot to a piece of the manila file-folder or thin cardboard stock. Set aside to dry.

Step 2: Spring Forward...

Take the TP tube and trace around it on a piece of cardboard. Extend lines from it to make support tabs on both sides when we cut it out. Make three of these "watchlike" shapes.

Cut a small slit or radius on one piece to coil in one end of the spring. Center the spring in the circle. Laminate and glue the other 2 pieces so the tabs fan out and lock in the spring. Set aside to dry.

Take a small piece of wire and shape it like a Texas Longhorn steer. Trim the robot head of excess cardboard including the antennae. Mark on the other side where the antennae would project. Center and tape the wire to the back of the robot head. Insert the V-shape pointy part of the wire into the spring to mount the robot head. You may need to bend or flare out the V to get it to fit snugly. Crank up the volume on "Bohemian Rhapsody". Test the bobble motion of the robot head.

Remove robot head from spring unit. Fold tabs away from the spring. Insert spring unit torpedo into torpedo tube. Ram the base until spring exits slightly at other end. This should be a tight friction fit only, more later. Remount the robot head.

Step 3: Move Ahead...

Trim a level line across near and around the shoulders of the robot body. Trim off one end vertically near one of the robot's arm.

Trim across where the wheels are. Wrap and test fit around the toilet paper tube. Entire Robot figure should be visible. Glue onto the tube.

Adjust and tune the suspension. You may need to tape a small coin (penny, pence, ...) to the robot head to add mass for better oscillation. The spring should be vertical. Adjust the spring platform inside accordingly. You can also stretch the spring a bit if it is too stiff. Adjust the height of the spring platform as needed by pushing inside the tube. You may need to slightly bend parts of the robot head or trim to get it out of the way if it catches on the sides of the tube when it bounces around.

So, mods to this are add LEDs for the eyes, put in some kind of voicechip, add bobble elements for the arms, a big Instructables bobble-Hand, or a bobblehead Robot for your computer monitor with a bigger spring and leftover parts from a Mr. Instructables Head(R), etc., etc...

For those in the Bay area, this may be useful as a seismic detector. Attach a pen to the spring and have paper feed out through the robot's slot.

Last pictures are Bobblebot technology applied to making an eco-friendly bobble-dolphin gift-for-teacher's-birthday. Can also be used to animate diorama displays...

Go forth and replicate...