# making my mantis critter move.



## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

I've been working on making a mantis/human gene splicing critter, and I was thinking of making him move. I have said this on like four or five different props, and have chickened out every time. I've never worked with any type of motors, have absolutely no knowledge of where to start, but this time no matter what, I'm going to stick to my guns and win or fail, I'm going to give it a whirl. Sooo....I was thinking of making the legs move back and forth as if it were walking. Now for the hard part, where do I begin? It's going to have four legs and two arms, and a rather long body(thats fairly heavy), and I'd like to have the legs moving. Is this too ambitious for a first time, or is it doable. I'm doing some research on it, but alot of this stuff makes little sense to me. I've never worked with motors or electronics of any kind really, and I feel a little out of my element. Any help would be appreciated!!!! Thanks ya'll!!!


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## Allen H (Feb 13, 2010)

For the most part I find it easier to find a movement, then put a skin on it. It sounds like you are making a creature then tryiong to make it move, thats harder.
I would start elese where. An easy clace to start is with an oscilating fan. Build a body on it then put a head on it that turns back and forth as the fan moves.
It isint difficult, but you do seem to be starting with a tough project.
Easier for your mantis would be to mount a shiatsu massager in its chest to make its arms move.


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

Thanks Allen, I think your right, I have a witch I'm working on, and I think I'll have her stirring a cauldron. Simple and it'll give me something to work on to gain experience. With the mantis critter I was hoping to create the illusion that it was walking, but I see now, that's beyond my skill right now. Would an oscillating fan work with the witch prop as well?


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Jack, we used a wiper motor for our stirring witch. A vent motor might work as well as long as you don't put a lot of weight on it.


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## Allen H (Feb 13, 2010)

Go with a wiper motor from fright props or monsterguts. really easy for the cauldron.


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

Thanks Roxy and Allen, I'll be putting it together really soon, and posting pics.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Jack, I'm wondering if some type of cam set up would work for moving the legs on the mantis? I don't have a good example at the moment, but there might be such a set up someone has used somewhere.


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## Allen H (Feb 13, 2010)

These sites are very good reference for me when Im working mechanically maybe they will help you out.
http://www.robives.com/mechs
and the four bar generator from here
http://www.boopack.com/software.html


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

Cool, thanks again Roxy and Allen, I've been doing a little thinking on it, and I've come up with a few ideas that might work (in my head), I've just got to try it with some scrap, and see if it has the right movement. I appreciate the help, and I'll put together a sketch of my idea as soon as I figure it out completely to see of it'll work.


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## The_Caretaker (Mar 6, 2007)

What type of movement are you aiming for legs/arms/head/torso. if you can specify the movement we may be able to brain storm some ideas for you.


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

I was thinking of having the legs move up and down, and possibly outward as though it were walking. I have a sketch of it that I'll post so you can get an idea what I mean. Well for some reason it won't let me load the pic, but it's in my mantis prop thread. The body is sketched out and and you can get an idea of the motion I was hoping to get. I'll try again, and see if I can get it to work. [EDIT] Ok I was able to get it to work. Basically Iwas hoping to get the right leg to move upward and inward, and then repeat it at opposite intervals. I'm kinda technologically challenged and have never really attempted any movement so if you do come up with something...speak s-l-o-w-l-y lol!! I'll get it eventually!! Thanks for the help!!


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## The_Caretaker (Mar 6, 2007)

The basic movement would be the leg would raise, the foreleg would move towards the body and as the leg comes down the foreleg would slowly move back out then the other front leg would do the same. First thought would be to use a motor a couple of cams one cam to control raising the leg and a second to control the foreleg, The foreleg would be raised using a cable, think bike brake cable, with a lever riding on the second cam. the same cams could be used for both legs just by having them 180 degrees apart on the cam


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## Allen H (Feb 13, 2010)

Actually if the leg just moved in an elipse (eliptical cam) it could raise, lower and move forward and back with just one rotational movement, no cables needed, unless Im missing something.


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