Door Decoration contest at work idea! In previous years I have just taken motors off of existing things to create a snow globe with styrofoam balls, etc.
This year my idea is to use a Stem motor, input spoons on it so they scoop up cotton balls, or Styrofoam balls in a box and “throw” Them at people who passed by. I’d like to add an additional item that is motion detector.
My questions are:
Is there an existing motor/toy that I can disassemble and do this easily?
Can I purchase a stem type motor and whatever it takes for the motion detector?
Can someone help me construct this? Is it possible for a newbie learner like me?
I figured if I bought some sort of kit, I will get the added bonus of learning!
I’d rather not spend $1 million on this, but I like to win at work, lol.
The creative part I have down…and looks…I need help with the motor stuff!
The best way to throw things is to push a ball between two spinning wheels. Look at tennis ball machines. Scooping methods might be tough to get reliable and accurate. Certainly, cotton balls would be the most difficult. Styrofoam may work. I have shot tootsie rolls using this method.
Using the tennis ball throwing approach, the throwing mechanism can be on a rotating turret driven by a servo/stepper. Depending on how far away the object is and the environmental conditions of the target, multiple ways can be used to sense motion and target presence.
If your into making things like that you should really learn about arduino’s. What you want to do is really not that complicated electronically. Pick up a arduino starter kit and you’ll quickly go from making a led blink to making your thrower just over wifi on camera and with a servo aiming device and everthing you’ll learn can be used on other projects.
Thank you! I was looking at toys today and thinking what I could repurpose and tennis ball shooters made me think what about ping pong balls?! You’re right, cotton balls may be hard to pick up!
I found this: https://a.co/d/0FgmsKf
And am thinking of spraying the outside with that flocking spray so it looks like snow (maybe the pink going balls?)
It’s battery operated, is there a way I can add a motion detector to this?
Thanks for all the suggestions! This has been fun!
