BRITAINS BUCK ROGERS ROBOT

[Phil R]

When I built my Buck Roger robot, the same one as Brian, I was also thinking of the Buck Rogers Britain. I could never find a donor to mimic the unusual function. Well, how about it Brian, what do you think of the BR Britain as a 3-D project? 

[Brian..]

It's been high on my list for years, but I think we've both balked at trying to animate the strange design. Do you remember that tin proptotype that surfaced many years ago? It was a static model. 

I wouldn't need a donor, but it would take ages to design a walking model. The shape is a peach and the CAD would take just a few hours. The arms could be a series of bead shapes on a flexible wire. But making it move would be quite another matter. Just look at the most unusual pivot point. How on earth would it walk? 

 

Thanks for that wonderful comic strip featuring the robot. The hooks on the back hold a small arsenal of hammers and clubs. Wonderful!

 

Would a semi-static one be popular? Perhaps a swinging body, (counterweighted to let it oscillate) poseable arms and a variety of weapons? Would you follow the cruder Britains design, or go for that wonderful comic book look?

 

I should add that the other robot featured on the strip looks fascinating. 

[Phil R]

Thanks for your insight Brian. I like the comic strip look myself.  I'm no engineer but is their a problem with a body staying vertical while walking when the legs are on the inside or outside the body? I understand that mechanics are somewhat different. A semi animated figure would be cool as well.  I really like the carrying weapons ideal. I have a lot of original strips in an album plus all three of the sundays reprints for reference.

[robothut]

There are two ways to do it that I know of . First take a look at the wire remote control Robby design. You will see how a fixed "non moving" center axle for the leg is also the pivot post for the leg linkage that then runs straight down the leg. 

Think of the remote control Iron Giant toy. The legs are smaller around than your finger, but they do the same mechanical linkage trick.

or think of my servo control walking designs that can be run from a single servo controller. or if you want the robot to bow and tip the body use a Pololu controller so you can control the feet and hip servos seperatly. for example I did a joel bot that has small tube legs that are very long.

[robothut]

Or my Zathura robots. They had too much mass of a body for the small servos but the Buck Rogers robot does not.

 

[robothut]

Maybe the magnetic walking design would be good for this Buck Rodgers robot.

 

[robothut]

The Joel robot used the dual servo design.

 

[Brian..]

I have the mother of all colds at the moment and it's an effort just to type. 

 

I must confess that your elegant solutions are quite beyond my capabilities, John. I'm all at at sea with servos and anything that has the whiff of a microprocessor. 

 

I think I'd be interested in a simple nodder style of robot, a modest pendulum action. It would be cheap and cheerful and an ideal candidate for a resin build. I just printed the Fireball XL5 Granatoid Robot in resin and, though it has some fragile components, it has a lovely finish.  It might be pleasant for people to paint their own version. 

 

I'd leave the walking version of this chap to you, old bean. 

[robothut]

Sorry to here you are stuffed up right now. I am sure once you feel better that what ever you design will be Great. It always is.

[Automaton]

Anyone tried making these other buck roger robots. The flying robot with four hands is great and the treadmill one might be the easiest to make and the one smashing through the ceiling with the circle in its back is a very nice design. The last few bright red and yellow are a lot of fun especially the one with a rocket for a torso.