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Select a difficulty level for this entire project (including any prerequisite instructions). The difficulty ranking reflects the experience, physical dexterity, and risk involved.

Easy

Requires minimal assembly and requires only basic tools like a Phillips screwdriver or sewing machine.

Moderate

Requires a fair amount of time and skill, but is accessible to non-experts looking for a challenge.

Difficult

Requires a significant number of steps and may require specialized skills such as building circuits.

Very difficult

The project is considered quite challenging, may require specialized tasks like micro-soldering, and is generally very involved. If you can do this, people may call you MacGyver on occasion.

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  • 1 x Diagonal pliers
  • 1 x Drill
  • 1 x Drill bits, 1/16", 1/4"
  • 1 x File
  • 1 x Hobby knife
  • 1 x Hot glue gun, with hot glue
  • 1 x Jigsaw—or coping saw, or scroll saw
  • 1 x Miter box
  • 1 x Pencil, with eraser
  • 1 x Ruler
  • 1 x Sandpaper
  • 1 x Scissors
  • 1 x Screwdriver
  • 1 x Soldering iron
  • 1 x Table saw—or handsaw
  • 1 x Wire strippers

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  • scrap x Cardboard—Heavy paper or card stock also work.
  • scrap x Plywood, 1/4"—(about the same size as one side of your wooden box
  • 1 x Wood glue—or cyanoacrylate gel glue or other good permanent glue for wood and plastic
  • 4 x Alkaline battery, AA
  • 1 x Battery holder, 4xAA—RadioShack #270-391, radioshack.com
  • 1 x Insulated wire, 24-gauge, different colors—Scavenge from dead telephone cable, Ethernet cables, thermostat wire, intercom cable, and anything with tiny colored wires. You can't have too many different colors of wire.
  • 1 x Hook-up wire, 22-gauge—insulated, stranded
  • 1 x Gearmotor—part #GM2 from Solarbotics, solarbotics.com, or #SBGM2 from the Maker Shed, makershed.com. You can also use a standard R/C servomotor modified to ignore signal input and allow for continuous rotation, if it doesn't already. See makezine.com/23/uselessmachine for sources and instructions. A GM2 is less expensive, but if you have an extra servomotor already, the mods are easy.
  • 1 x Gearmotor mount, with mounting bracket—Solarbotics #GMW and #GMB28, if you're using the GM2 gearmotor.
  • 1 x Toggle switch, DPDT or DPST—or salvage this and the micro switch from common electronics.
  • 1 x Lever micro switch, SPDT
  • 1 x Wooden box, small—Lid must be large enough to fit the battery pack, motor, and arm in resting position (down). The one I used was purchased at a Dollar Giant store. If your lid isn't hinged, you'll also need some small hinges.

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