Introduction: Spuugmachine

The "spuugmachine" (Eng. spitting-machine) is an interactive machine made for children. The aim is to exchange toys in an interactive way. The machine contains small bal's with a little toy inside, each child has a little bal themselves. When a child places his bal in de machine an already inserted one will pop out and fall into a maze. Two kids need to interact and play with the machine to make the bal roll through an interactive maze. at the end of the tour, they can launch the new bal with a build in slingshot. This way the machine spits out a new ball with another toy.

In this prototype it only exchanges balls, there are no toys in the balls yet.

c.2007 All
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Step 1: Outside Frame Bal

  1. Used materials:
    • hand bendable metal wire - length: several meters & diameter: 4 mm
    • PVC tube - length: 60 x 200 mm & diameter: 10 mm
    • 9 metal sticks - length:1 m & diameter: 6 mm
  2. Preparation:
    • Cut the PVC tube 90 pieces of 200 mm
      • Create a little cutout in some tubes, this will make welding easier.
    • Place 5 PVC tubes on the wire and cut the wire. Make sure the wire is at least 100 mm longer than the tubes to make welding possible.
      • Do the same for 6 tubes.
      • You can copy the length of the wire to cut more lengths of wire as you need it.
    • If the wire is coated, strip the last 150 mm of the ends.
  3. Create first pentagon
    • Place 5 tubes on the wire (length 5) make sure the 2 tubes on the outside have a special cutout. The side were the cutout is needs to touch the other tubes in between.
    • Make the wire at the ends touch, bend the wire a little to create the pentagon but don't worry about the shape to much yet.
    • Mark the place where it needs to be welded.
    • Now, because of the little cutouts at the end tubes, you can slide those PVC tubes a little down over the wire. This will create a little more space to weld. (this is necessary otherwise the PVC will melt)
    • Weld the ends of the wire on the mark you created. Make sure it is cooled down, pour water over it and wait a few minutes.
    • Now you can turn back the last 2 tubes on the wire so the cutouts will face the inside of the shape. The tubes can't move anymore.
    • Manipulate the created frame by hand, make sure it is a flat pentagon.
  4. Build up the hexagons on the pentagon
    • Now use the 5 sides of the pentagon to build up the next 5 hexagons
    • Use a wire length 6, slide it through one of the PVC tubes from the pentagon.
    • Place 5 more PVC tubes on the wire: 3 normal ones and 2 with cutouts.
    • Bend the wire, mark for welding, slide the PVC tubes with the cutouts away and weld it. Manually shape the wire into a flat hexagon.
    • For the second hexagon, use one side of the pentagon and one side of the first hexagon.
    • Continue building up, using pentagons and hexagons. Take a football as example to see the pattern.
  5. Strengthen the inside
    • Weld 1 metal steel stick in between 2 parallel corners of 2 parallel hexagons.
    • Do this for 2 x 3 hexagons on 2 x 3 corners each time. (this way you create an coordinate system inside the ball)
    • Saw and file the welded corners until they are smooth and safe.

Step 2: Make the Softbal

Note: Because this is a protoype there are no toy's in the little softballs yet. The real balls wil have a harder inside shell. Here we show how to hollow the softball and fill it with foam, so the prototyping ball's will have the same resistance.

  • Used materials
    • 3 (minimum) softballs - diameter: 65 mm
    • Isolationfoam
  • Preparation
    • Soak the balls in water and place them in the freezer for a few hours.
    • Take the isolation foam and make a ball that is about 20 mm smaller than the softball.
  • Cut out the balls
    • Use a cutter knife to scoop out the inside of the softball until the foamball fits in.
    • Close the ball by gluing both parts together.

Addition: The making of the bigger trade-soft-ball with resin - see step 9

    Step 3: Inside Maze - Starting System

    Idea: By pushing a ball in the system, an other ball slips out and falls in the maze.

    1. Used materials
      • 2 plates of wood: 120 mm x 120 mm
      • 4 Wooden sticks: 4 mm x 4 mm x 200 mm
      • Hand bendable metal wire
      • PVC tube (make sure it is the end piece) - length: 300 mm & diameter: 90 mm
    2. Make the plates
      • Make a hole in the wooden plates (diameter: mm) so they are little smaller than the softballs. The balls need to fit through when pushed a little.
      • Make cutouts on both plates in the same place, they need to be deep enough so the sticks fit in.
      • Place the 4 sticks temporary in place and see if the softball fits in between the sticks easily. If they are kludged the cutouts need to be made little deeper.
      • When the 4 cutouts are in place glue and nail the sticks on the first plate and smooth out the outside.
    3. Close the system
      • Place the second plate temporary over the 4 sticks at approximately 100 mm distance from the first plate and place 2 out of 3 softballs in between the plates.
      • Make both plates touch the balls in between and press them a little tighter. Now try, if you push in a 3rd ball, the first one needs to slip out.
      • Mark the sticks and glue and nail the second plate on the marks. Saw off the rest of the sticks and smooth out the outside.
    4. Attach the wire
      • Drill 8 holes in each corner of the 2 plates
      • Insert wire so the 4 corners are connected.
      • Insert 2 pieces of wire underneath the connected wire (see photo). This is necessary to connect the starting system to the big frame ball.
    5. Attach the tube
      • Drill a hole at the top of the tube, diameter 90 mm.
      • Place the wooden block over the hole so that if one ball slips out it will fall in the PVC tube.
      • Drill 2 holes in the plate and at the same place in the tube, use a bolt and nut to attach the block to the tube.
      • Use the drill disk (inside from the drill) to close the PVC tube at the end by pressing it in the tube.
    6. Place it in the maze
      • Use metal wire to weld the system to the corners of a pentagon

    Step 4: Inside Maze - Slide

    Idea: slide of PVC tubes, because of the flexibility, you need to push and pull the slide to get the ball roll through.

    1. Used materials
      • 15 pieces PVC tube - diameter: 9 mm & lenght: 50 mm
      • 4 x 1 m string
    2. Make a slide
      • Dril 4x2 holes in each piece, make sure the holes are in line (on the cross diameter of the tube.)
      • String the pieces.
      • Make 2 slides: 1 of 10 pices and one with 5 pieces
    3. Place the first slide
      • Because we used the end piece at the starting system you can easily fit in the first piece of the slide. The length needs to be adjusted to reach the next part of the maze.

    Step 5: Inside Maze - Twist

    Idea: ball falls in the tube that needs to be twisted to make the ball roll to the next tube.

    1. Used materials
      • Wooden plates
      • 1 PVC tube - diameter: 90 mm & length : 300 mm
      • 2 PVC tubes - diameter: 90 mm & length: 150 mm
      • 2 PVC pipe clips - diameter: 90 mm
      • 1 PVC corner - diameter: 90 mm
    2. Create covers
      • Saw 4 wooden plates of approximately 110 mm x 110 mm x 20 mm
      • Create 90 mm holes in 2 of the plates, and grade them out until the PVC tubes fits in easily
      • Glue a normal plate behind the hole
    3. Create turning-system
      • Drill holes in the longest tube on opposite directions, diameter: 90 mm so the ball can enter the tube from the side.
      • Place the longest tube in the wooden covers
      • Use wooden stick to connect the covers by screwing it on the sides of the covers, make sure the tube in between can turn easily.
    4. Make the extensions
      • On both sides (see picture) screw longer plates on the outside of the covers in different directions.
      • screw the pipe clips on the longer plates, close to the turning tube and place the remaining 2 pieces of PVC tube in the clips
      • Cover the 2 remaining sides at the ends with wooden plates so the ball is only able to move from the first pipe, through the turning tube to the next pipe.
    5. Place the twist
      • Attach the twist to the other side of the frame ball, drill small holes in the plates, you can put tie-wraps or metal wire through to fix it in place.
    6. Attach the slide to the twist
      • Drill 4 holes at the end of one short pice of the twist, thread the slide on to the twist.
      • Now adjust the length of the slide until it makes a smooth roll. To fix the slide, simply tape around the PCV pieces.
      • Place the corner pice at the other side of the twist system, this will be the start for the next piece.

    Step 6: Inside Maze - Pull

    Idea: 2 slides stop the ball, by pulling both slides away (2 persons needed!) the ball is able to roll through.

    1. Used materials
      • 2 Plates of wood 120 mm x 120 mm x 2 mm
      • PVC tube - diameter 90 mm & length: 300 mm
      • 2 Elastic strings 200 mm
      • 4 small nails 1.5 mm x 15 mm
      • 1 corner pice 60° for PVC tube - diameter: 90 mm
    2. Plates
      • Drill and saw big finger holes in each plate
      • Saw small cutouts at the ends.
      • Drill 2 small holes (diameter 3 mm) close to the tube on each side.
      • Drill 2 small holes (diameter 1 mm) at the edge that will be inside the tube.
    3. Tube
      • Saw 2 opposite grooves halfway through the PVC tube, at least 10 mm above each other.
    4. Make the pulling system
      • Place the slides in the grooves
      • String the elastic through the 3 mm holes and the cutouts on the end, tie it at the back of the tube.
      • Use small nails and hammer these through the pre-drilled holes on the inside. (probably need to use the backside of the hammer.)
    5. Place the pulling system into the maze.
      • Place the pulling system in the corner pice of the twist. Make sure the ends of the nails are in the right direction so the softball wont hit them while rolling through the maze.
      • Place the corner piece of 60° at the end of the pulling system.
      • Place the second part of the slide in this corner piece.

    Step 7: Inside Maze - Launch

    idea: slingshot to launch the ball out of the frame bal.

    1. Used materials
      • PVC tube - diameter 90 mm & lenght: 300 mm
      • 2 pieces of Rubber band 150 mm x 10 mm x 2 mm
      • 2 pieces of wood - 20 mm x 130 x 10 mm
      • 1 PVC clip holder - diameter 90 mm
      • Some blind rivets
      • PVC tube - diameter 10 mm & lenght: 100 mm
    2. make the tube
      • Make cutouts in the tube on 4 sides. The pieces of wood need to fit in.
      • Make a cross of the 2 pieces of wood, glue them togheter while they are placed in the PVC tube.
      • Nail the ends of the rubber band to the pieces of wood.
      • Use blind rivets, and a clip-holder to fix the other sides of the rubber band to the tube.
      • Close the tube by placing a piece of wood at the end.
      • Use rope to create a handle, knot it to the cross, and attach a piece of PCV to the end.
    3. Place the launching system in the maze.
      • Attach the launching system to the frames of the maze using metal wire and tie-wraps
    4. Make transition to launch
      • Use a pice of PVC tube cut out 100 mm of the top half and make a hole in the other side so that the ball can fall through.
      • Drill 3 holes in the end and in the top of the launching system, use wire to attach the end of the slide to the launching system.

    Step 8: Decorate the System

    Use tape to decorate the system, strengthen the corners with grip (normally used for tennis rackets) now roll the ball, put your hands in the maze to get to the end.

    Step 9: Trade-soft-ball

    • UsedMaterials:
      • Two-component PU-resin
      • Softball diameter: 90 mm (officially used for playing tennis-alike games)
      • 4 cups
      • Stanley knife
      • 4 magnets
    • Preparation:
      • The first ball you make is a test-ball. The process of mixing the resin is very precise, so first do a try before you make the final prototype.
      • Put your resin in two cups, one holds the first component, the other the second component. Weight of the components should be the same, so you can mix the components 1:1. 30g should be enough for one ball. For stabilizing the magnets you might want 10 g of both components.
      • At the spot where you will use the resin, have a timer ready and a stick to stir/mix the resin.
    • Shaping the softball:
      • Make a line on the ball from where you can split it in two. In most cases you can use the line that is on the ball from production.
      • Make 3 or more lines perpendicular to your line on which you are going to split the ball. If you take an odd number, you will always be able to find the point to match the two parts like they are still one.
      • Use the Stanley knife to split the ball in two parts.
      • Than use the knife to make the ball hollow. To be able to put in the magnets, use the shape shown in the picture.
      • Make two holes in the broader parts of the ball, where you will later put in the magnets.
    • Resin process for the ball:
      • Put on gloves.
      • Put the timer at 2.40 mins.
      • Put the two parts of the ball ready, with magnets in place.
      • While you pour the resin together, start mixing the components for in the ball (2x 30 g).
      • When the timer is run out, the resin should be less fluid as when the components were poured together, but still able to flow.
      • Pour the resin into one half ball and magnet the other on it.
      • Turn and twist the ball, so all of the inside is covered with resin.
      • When you are convinced the resin has covered all of the inside of the ball, take the two halfs apart, so they won’t stick together forever.
      • Wait for 10 minutes for the resin to harden.
      • Resin process for the magnets:
      • Use the same process as described in part 4, until the resin is poured. Before you start take the magnets out this time.
      • When the resin is ready, move quickly. First pour resin into the holes for the magnets.
      • Put in the magnets again.
      • Pour resin over the magnets, so there is a cover over them.
      • Wait again for 10 minutes for the resin to harden.