November 2015 – TECHNO-SAURUS

Wireframe version : modifying the vertical neck section

In a previous post (here) the head and jaws and the horizontal neck section of the wireframe version were replaced with laser-cut mdf parts. This post is about rebuilding the vertical neck section to accommodate the changes.

The wireframe head and neck previously looked like this:

The new head/jaws and horizontal neck looks like this:

The two pairs of aluminium bars of the vertical neck section were each bent to shape to support the narrower mdf parts.

The front bars were attached:

Ande the rear bars were also attached.

A length of M4 studded rod was bent to shape and attached to the upper (moving) jaw, through a slot in the lower jaw to allow the jaw mechanism to function.

It was found that the new head and neck made it front-heavy, so a much longer and more flexible tail was attached…

Larger front claws were then added.

The wireframe techno-saurus now looks like this.

The video below shows it walking.

Red version: modifying the front legs and claws

The original ‘Robokiller’ featured a kind of flatpack design (easy to cut out) which is why I ended up using low density polyethylene boards. The legs were left rectangular-looking (i.e., not shaped to look more leg-like) so that it would be easy to modify them later to incorporate hinges. The hinge would allow the legs to fold when ‘injured’ -more on that in subsequent posts.

This post is about making a simple modification to the front legs and claws.

The shape of the legs was altered and larger claws were made (each with simple slip clutches).

In the image above the right front leg and claw have been altered.

The photos below shows both legs and claws altered.

The new claws can be seen in action below.

More later : the front legs will be modified to enable ‘injuring’ during fights….

Red version: building a lower space frame

When complete the red version looked like this with the lower wire space frame attached:

The red version was the first to be made using low density polyethylene board.

A high-density polyethylene (HDPE) version was made before this, which was the first to feature the present basic design but the HDPE was much denser and too heavy.

At some point I made a kind of spaceframe cover using gas welding rod and wire, soldered together.

The objective here was to create a similar space frame for the underside which would also function as the rear legs.

An under belly was made and slung beneath the main body.

The welding rod sections are joined by wrapping them in steel wire and soldering.

The next step was to modify the LDPE leg and attach it with rods to the main body.

From then on the space frame was built up and the spaces between the wire struts was filled-in with a kind of lattice structure using wire.

This process was then repeated on the left side.

The whole structure was then removed and painted.

The claws were attached.

This assembly was then reattached.

The result:

Nb: a larger rear claw (with slip-clutch) has also been attached.

The next task is to modify the front leg and claw…