B.Light Design

The kid wanted a robot skeleton, so the kid got a Robot Skeleton. Happy birthday buddy and happy early Halloween.

Lately, I’ve been making a lot of robot chest plates and bottom plates. I’ve been experimenting with modifying steel electrical plates, technically called universal crossbars. Machining, bending, and modifying them. Typically, I get mine from Grand Brass (and this one).

So far, I like the results.

I ran a Robot Recipes Building Class at ITP Camp last week. It was a of fun, very interesting to see all of the different designs.

The latest Robot Recipe came from cans that made flan with peaches (thanks for the recipe Jav). A sink strainer, some drawer pulls, electrical plates, and of course a toggle switch. I love the new blue color I just got my hands on.

Recently, the Nerdy Derby visited ITP Camp. Here was my entry.

It was King of the Hill night, the goal was to roll over a hill the slowest. As my car went down the track the axles tightened on the wheels, slowing it down. It worked some of the time.

Everything that went into making the latest Robot Recipe (plus some internal electronics). When the red button is pushed it pulses like a heart beat (heart beep?) and the top button turns on the eye lights and bottom light.

Trying to get my numbers up in my robot army.

This blue guy came from a peach flan recipe, so he is Flan Bot.

An Earl Grey Tea body and evaporated milk head, T.E.A. Bot.

Just a head for the moment, tuna fish can and Altoids lid. Don’t know if I want to eat that meal.

I’ve been mocking up some more Robot Recipe robot bodies. Both body cans are from coffee, one big, one small. And the arms are drawer pulls, one set big, one small.

I think the bigger robot is looking right (no idea how I’m going to fit it in the powder coating oven), but I’m not crazy about the other one. Something is not right. But I do like the head. The potentiometer eyes are a bit creepy.

A quick how to build a toy robot head out of a tomato paste can.

Materials: tomato paste can, bolt, end cap nuts, caster

Take caster apart

The part you need

Cut off end of bolt with hacksaw

Make sure end caps fit

I made two 1/4″ diam holes in the can using a metal punch (basically a hole punch for metal), you can also use a drill. Holes are roughly 3/4″ from the bottom and spaced 1 3/4″ from each other.

Put it all together. Attach one end cap and thread bolt through one hole in the can. Place caster piece inside of can, thread bolt through both holes in caster piece. Thread bolt through other hole in can. Attach other end cap to other end of bolt.

You can draw on eyes, cut holes, or add lights. Anything goes. You now have a swiveling, nodding tomato paste robot head.

Next step, add a body

I’ve been building robot toys for the past couple of months, I’ve been calling them Robot Recipes. The toys are made up from tin cans, the idea is to have the robot made from a meal or drink. Meet Tea Bot - body is an Earl Grey tin, head is evaporated milk - the latest Robot Recipe.

I’m particularly proud of how the head is coming along.