Robotic Ostrich Build

[Barking Mat]

So some months ago my son got into his head that I fixed robot osterichs at work. He loves osterichs and I fix things.

At some point months ago, I said I'd make a robot osterich for his birthday. D'oh. Then we all forgot.

Then yesterday evening 11 days before his birthday, robot osterich pops up

I'd already discussed if my boss wanted an old unreliable Morse boat control system. It is the basis of this 'sculpture'? of an osterich.

It's not going to walk, it's going to move it's head and maybe open its mouth.

The plan:

well that was my cunning plan last night.

And today I went to work, (day off). And played with redundant Morse command units, ressurected dead Morse cables, we don't bin dead Morse cables too many uses. The scrap bin and pile / stack got raided.

Dead rudder arm, trimmed? I ended up plasma cutting it as the grinder and hacksaw weren't having it.

Anyway more photos....

 

[Climber]

The things we do for our kids! Or do we do fun stuff in the name of doing it for the kids?

 

[Barking Mat]

So the neck which has a obviously temporary mock up neck, and will all get dressed up properly, moves in three positions, it's the marine gearbox control, forward, neutral, reverse. Which actuates the neck.

And I need to make a head with an opening mouth...

 

[Barking Mat]

@Climber excellent day just playing making stuff up, scrap heap challenge style. Nothing needs to be perfect, it will be covered.

 

[Climber]

Looking forward to seeing how this progresses. It looks (to my untrained eye) like it's going to be a masterpiece. I wish I had the creativity to do this kind of stuff. If I tried it would probably end up looking like a penguin.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

I'm interested in how you're going to giftwrap it.

Sadly, the rest of the construction would be beyond me

 

[Barking Mat]

No, it's going to be done in under 10 days, it may not be a masterpiece.

 

[pedrobedro]

Österreicher
Are you building him an Ostrich or an Austrian ?

It sounds like a fun project, bit of a tribute to Rod Hull.

 

[Climber]

Österreicher
Are you building him an Ostrich or an Austrian ?

It sounds like a fun project, bit of a tribute to Rod Hull.

If he can build Austrians, I'll have a half dozen of these.

 

[Barking Mat]

This was my first effort:

based on the seagulls in Nemo.

Rebar, chicken mesh, fiberglass, then I bulked out it all with cardboard boxes sliced and parcel tape.

One day it might get covered in filler, and painted....

 

[Ali]

Love it. I almost started a thread not long ago on random cardboard things I’ve made my kids in a few rushed days before their birthdays. They’ve had way more fun out of them than all the other plastic tat you can buy. Made a fire engine a while back, will see if I can find the pics.

Pirate ships wheel was the latest - unfinished here, it got painted up after:

A robotic ostrich is definitely one-up on my efforts though.

 

[Barking Mat]

Save your judgements till the 19th.

My colleague who was at work today asked me what I was doing at work, and I explained I had to build a robotic ostrich which I had prior discussed with him. He asked me how, and I said I didn't know.

I nearly put the knees on backwards, but he corrected me.

The stainless steel shaft of the neck pivot was tigged and the rest was arc welded, I had real problems getting penetration onto the brake disk for the feet.

 

[Migmac]

Great, I’m sure you son will love it.

 

[Barking Mat]

Waiting for clients to turn up I've been scratching my head, how to make an osterich head.

Eventually, I cut up the top thirds of two plastic bottles, and a roll of masking tape helped.

Then some body filler ensued...

 

[Barking Mat]

Then just a bit more.

At which point disaster.

It's too heavy. Goes down, but won't come up again.

Scratch that, I will redo it tommorow in either polystyrene or Styrofoam, and put a thin layer of plaster or something over it.

Annoying, was starting to look ostrichy.

Neck is an old vacuum cleaner Flexi tube.

Always tommorow...

 

[Barking Mat]

Right, got a few hours in this afternoon.

Thats getting there.

Expanding polystyrene, the heads polystyrene, painted in plaster / polyfiller and the eyes are ping pong balls.

When it's all set properly, I'll cover it in plaster again and paint it.

 

[ajlelectronics]

How about using your original head and taking a mould off it? You could them mould a thin walled copy.

 

[Barking Mat]

That was my plan, but it took less than 20 mins to make the new head today.

Also, I'm mainly working this week, and it's got to be finished by Saturday, so.....

My daughter found the first head frightening looking.

 

[pedrobedro]

I like the new head. The beak is much better. The old one looked like a parsnip.

 

[Barking Mat]

Agreed, it's more cartoony caricature, which I think helps the effect.

Hopefully when it's painted it'll look better.

But I'm pretty damn happy with it.

Nostrils and a black line around where the mouth (doesn't open), and finish the eyes.

It's missing its tail plumage as well.

The expanding polystyrene worked a treat for its body, another can and I'm there I think.