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How to Make a Wooden Robot Arm

Movies usually depict robots as sleek, versatile metal creations. In real life, however, robots are often clunky, clumsy looking machines built for a singular purpose, such as assembly or bomb disposal robots. Many are little more than mechanical arms programmed to perform a set of repetitive tasks. Robot software is a complex specialty, but you can build a basic, program-ready robotic arm out of wood and a few mechanical parts.

Things You'll Need

3 digital robot servos
1/4-inch plywood sheet
Saw
Wood screws
Screwdriver
Electrical wires
6-volt battery
3 electrical switches

Instructions

- 1
  Cut out a 12-by-12-inch square of plywood with the saw.
- 2
  Cut out a 2-by-2-inch piece of plywood with the saw. Put it in the middle of the 12-by-12-inch piece and attach it with four wood screws to create the base for your robot arm.
- 3
  Attach a robot servo to the base with screws. Servos can be found at electronics or scientific supply stores or online. Four- to 6-volt servos with a 3 kg/cm torque rating, such as those built by Hitec RCD USA, will work for this project.
- 4
  Cut a 3-by-12-inch piece of plywood and attach it to the servo armature with screws to create the robot arm.
- 5
  Cut out a 3-by-3-inch square of plywood and screw it perpendicularly on the end of the robot's arm to form the gripper base.
- 6
  Attach two servos with screws perpendicular to the gripper base. Set them about 1 inch apart.
- 7
  Cut out two diamond shapes from the plywood, about 3 inches tall by 2 inches wide at the widest point. Attach them with screws to the gripper servo armatures so that when the servos close, the tips of the diamonds will meet and be able to grip objects.
- 8
  Attach insulated electrical wires to each servo by twisting the wires' ends onto the servo contacts. Run wires from the servos' negative contacts to the negative post of the 6-volt battery.
- 9
  Run wires from each servo's positive contact to a contact on one of the electrical switches. Attach another wire to each switch's other contact and run it to the positive post of the battery. Trip a switch to close a circuit and activate each servo.

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