DIY Actuator

Thread the servos through the screw. Cut the base of one of the servo heads off, flush with the flat disc of the servo head. Attach the screw to the drill. Thread an uncut servo head onto the screw, with the base toward the screw head. Thread the cut base onto the screw next, followed by the remaining uncut servo head, with the base facing toward the tip of the screw.

Wind the copper coil. Thread approximately ten inches of the copper wiring through one of the holes in the servo, beginning in the center hub between the two servo heads and exiting out the servo head disc toward the tip of the screw. Wrap this ten-inch tail of wire tightly around the screw. Turn on the drill and tightly wind the other end of the wire around the center hub until it is approximately half-inch thick. Cut the end of the wire. Rub a little bit off glue on the copper coil you've created and let dry completely.

Remove the actuator from the drill. Unwind the copper wire tail from the screw. Holding both of the servo head discs tightly, reverse the direction on your drill and slowly back the servo head assembly off the screw. Remove the two uncut servo heads. Wipe a little more white glue onto the wire coil, being careful not to get the glue on the center hub. Once dry, ease the center hub out from the copper coil. Trim the wire tail and soak the copper coil in thin CA and let dry. This is your actuator.

Place the magnet and connect the power source to the actuator. Glue the magnet to a pin and insert the pin into the surface you are wanting to move. Bend the pin so that the magnet is centered above the fixed surface where you will glue the actuator. The magnet needs to be directly in the center, without touching, the coil of copper. When electricity is applied to the actuator, it will create a magnetic force that will attract the magnet to the coil. This creates linear motion.