Animated Snowman Project

[dirknerkle]

with the 3003 you CAN make/alter them for 360 degree . And I honestly think you should consider using a stronger servo ... Rather than burn out a standard servo right in the middle of your show . Might want to try a 1/4 scale or giant scale ( as long as size isn't too much of a problem . ) Might want try ( if using Futaba - http://www.servocity.com/html/s3306.html ) or if using HITEC - http://www.servocity.com/html/hs-755hb_1_4_scale.html


And then ... if you need one to jack up your car when you get a flat tire ... http://www.servocity.com/html/ms530-2_mega_servo.html

Thanks for the tip. I'll certainly take a look. As far as anything heavy is concerned, such as the arms, they will be counterbalanced so that the servos have very little mass to move. The head is also incredibly easy to turn as it runs on ball bearings. But I like "heavy duty" stuff and whenever given the chance, almost always opt for more instead of less... (unless it's a DirkCheap SSR, of course...)

[JackFrost]

Please keep us posted/updated on this project . I know you have a lot on your menu lately , but , this ONE , is one that I would LOVE to see the outcome . hint hint ... vids are SUPER ! ( so far , so good )

[dirknerkle]

As a matter of fact, here are a couple photos taken this afternoon -- I moved my boat out of the DIGWDF garage so I could work on it, unencumbered by the DIGWDF engineers... who heard the garage door open and started salivating because they thought there were going to go out for a walk...

I had a few old 3/8" plywood tabletops leftover from a garage sale a few years ago and they were perfect for shaping the body. I strapped them to the snoman's spine (using ski rope from the boat) and drew freehand what I thought might work as far as proportions. After cutting one of them out, I used it as a pattern for 3 others (only 3 shown in the photo). Chicken wire will be used to attach to the frame and, of course, bent into the snowman shape. Then I'll wrap it with wet cloth and paint it with a few coats of DryLock basement waterproofing paint.

Still working out the details of the mouth and eye movements, but I'll start making the head pretty soon -- probably block that up out of plywood, too. Thinking of naming him Charlie Brown because, after all, he'll be a 'block head'

BTW, I'm just having a ball messing around with this thing! It's the most fun I had in quite a while!

[lightman]

Looking good! Can't wait to see it moving... BTW... what is "wet cloth" (Starch or epoxy and cheesecloth or fiberglass cloth to form hard shell before painting?)

Regards,
Lightman

[dirknerkle]

Looking good! Can't wait to see it moving... BTW... what is "wet cloth" (Starch or epoxy and cheesecloth or fiberglass cloth to form hard shell before painting?)

Regards,
Lightman

Thanks, Brian! This animatronic stuff is a hoot!

Wet cloth is just that -- some old sheets torn into 24" widths, soaked in hot water and wrapped on the form. The theory is that the cloth will form to the 3D chicken-wire shape better than if they're dry. My original plan was to soak them in DryLock paint but if you've ever used DryLock, you know it's unbelievably thick and you probably couldn't soak anything in it. I toyed with the idea of using fibreglass cloth and boat repair resin, but I came to my senses when Mrs. Dirk gave me "the look" that made me realize I was quite possibly overengineering this one... The cloth is only to create a subsurface that will hold the Drylock until it hardens.

I still like the fibreglass and resin idea though...

[JackFrost]

Good so far . So , I take it that the body will be solid ?

[ctmal]

Good so far . So , I take it that the body will be solid ?

Knowing Dirk it'll probably be bullet proof and flame resistant.

[JackFrost]

Knowing Dirk it'll probably be bullet proof and flame resistant.

LOL .... Sorry ... should have clarified . I meant that the body would not be moving ...

[Skunberg]

Hi Dirk, I thought you might like a peek at the competition ;-)

http://www.papasplace.us/video/2012/..._Streak_LQ.wmv

Brian

[dirknerkle]

That's pretty clever! Thanks for the link, Brian! Messing with this thing is great fun.... working on the head today....