Animated Car - Train Hand Cart

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gpraceman
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Animated Car - Train Hand Cart

Post by gpraceman »

After seeing some cool electronic cars last season, including this Pinewood Lowrider, I decided then to make an animated car for our church's next Awana Grand Prix race. I've built fast cars, so it is quite a different challenge to go for design, especially an electronic one.

So, the concept is an old fashioned train hand cart, with two guys pumping away at the handles. Here's a model that I found at a local train hobby store that served as some inspiration.

Image

Drawing it out, I came up with this:

Image

Here's it fleshed out. Axles hold the arms and legs to the body. The wheels are G scale train wheels, using 5mm bearings. The handle is brass rod soldered together. A micro servo to control the movement via a control rod. One of the sides of the central unit is removable to access the electronics. It is held on by magnets.

Image

Image

This video shows the movement. I used a servo tester to make sure everything was working.


https://youtu.be/

Unfortunately, I did not get it all finished by the time of our race, which was today. Just the same, it did race. I do intend to finish it off. I've got an Adafruit Trinket to act as a controller and it will be powered by a dual watch battery pack. I also want to paint it.
Randy Lisano
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Awana Grand Prix and Pinewood Derby racing - Where a child, an adult and a small block of wood combine for a lot of fun and memories.
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sporty
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Re: Animated Car - Train Hand Cart

Post by sporty »

You made that from scratch, just off something you seen.

Pretty neat. Could not get you tube clip to play tho.
Neat.
Sporty
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whodathunkit
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Re: Animated Car - Train Hand Cart

Post by whodathunkit »

Randy,
That is neat looking do you have plans in the works to build the trailer cart for it as well ?
What type of automobile can be spelled the same forwards & backwards?
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Re: Animated Car - Train Hand Cart

Post by gpraceman »

whodathunkit wrote:Randy,
That is neat looking do you have plans in the works to build the trailer cart for it as well ?
I don't really have an interest in the other cart, as there isn't much of a challenge to building it.
Randy Lisano
Romans 5:8

Awana Grand Prix and Pinewood Derby racing - Where a child, an adult and a small block of wood combine for a lot of fun and memories.
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whodathunkit
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Re: Animated Car - Train Hand Cart

Post by whodathunkit »

Might be a challenge To do something different.

If the trailer cart used a motor to push the train cart up hill on the track.
& you load the trailer down with weights to see how much weight it can push up the track.

Might be a challenge.. or an idea the kids might enjoy seeing sometime.
What type of automobile can be spelled the same forwards & backwards?
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Re: Animated Car - Train Hand Cart

Post by Laserman »

Cool!
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