Bottle Spinner #1

September 15, 2020: Creation is completed
Stair Stepping Bottle Spinner #1

Done!  Now for the hard part, I’ve got to market the three product spinners.

This past couple of weeks has gone by quickly.  Painting takes focus, and then there is the drying time, which is both important and frustrating.

After I reassembled, the drive mechanism proved unreliable.  The drive belt was storing energy and releasing it when one of the couplings passed around one of the pulleys.  I have replaced the drive belt with a plastic drive chain and all is well.  I’ve not used a plastic drive chain in this kind of situation but I think that it will be fine…the chain will be doing very little work…just a tiny amount.

As I’ve been creating this automata  I have on order a Prusa Mini 3D printer.  It will arrive here in the first couple of weeks of October.  So I’ve been looking at what I’m doing and what I need in anticipation of being able to create some of the components with the 3D printer.

I’ve concluded that I’ll be able to build to tighter tolerances with the 3D printer.  For example, the ratchet mechanism that I created from wood (in this automata) would be better 3D printed, I think.  It would be more uniform and more perfect.  Also, the pulleys will be able to be 3D printed, and the motor mounts, and etc.  I’m excited to get the printer.  The filaments that I’ll be working with initially will be PETG and PLA with carbon fiber.  There are many filaments available. It’s exciting and I’m looking forward to learning this new tool.

September 2, 2020: Wet Paint
Stair Stepping Bottle Spinner #1

Well, I’ve had the biped mounted in position and the display platform in place and the automata operates well.  There are about 15 hours on the clock.

So, I’ve disassembled and begun painting everything.  And of course, the biped needs to be completed.

As I type this most everything has been painted and is now in the drying stage.  I’m working the paint details on the biped at the moment.

My process for painting is approximately this:

• I fill voids and imperfections with patch material.  It goes on pink and turns white when it is dry.
•  I then sand with 80 and 120 and 150.  I use a combination of sanding sticks and squares of sandpaper.  The sanding sticks I obtain from the beauty supply store.  My favorite sanding sticks are 100/180 grit.
• Then I prime with a grey spray primer.
• Then sand with 150 and perhaps 220
• Sometimes more patch material and sometimes another coat of primer.
• Then paint, either spray paint or hand brushed acrylic.  Let dry.
• Usually, I will then sand 220 and apply a second and perhaps third coat of paint.
• Then dry.  This is a frustrating time for me.  Drying time should be several days at least.  The longer the better.

Sometime this coming week I’ll begin to reassemble this automata.  Then a video.

18 August 2020:  The mechanism is running
Stair Stepping Bottle Spinner #1

With the exception of the biped and the display platform, the mechanism is functioning.  In the base, you see the motor, the cams, and followers.  Above the base, you see the stair-stepping levers and the ratchet assembly.  The motion train is: the motor provides rotary motion, which the cams convert to linear motion.  The stair-stepping levers transmit the linear motion to the ratchet assemblies, which in turn convert the motion back to rotary motion.  Each time a stair-stepping lever is pushed down the output shaft rotates 1/4 turn.  Simple.

All in all, I’m pleased with how this is operating.  It is quiet, smooth, and strong.  The electrics module has also been completed.  It is on the backside (thus out of sight in this image).

The next steps will be to mount the biped and the display platter.