How to Make Your First Automaton

Inspired by the Exploratorium "Cardboard Automata" curriculum.

Materials include: cardboard, 6mm foam, bamboo skewers, paper fasteners, drinking straws, and hot glue.

[thepotato]

Very nice. Just made it myself. I figured out you can add more cams to the box and make multiple figures move up and down at different rates.

If you replace the pistons circle with a longer more rectangular base the accent and decent is more smooth however you lose the spinning affect

[richardglady]

That was amazing. It is so neat how the whole thing comes together in the end. Thank you.

[curiousgamer]

This must be the automaton equivalent of "hello world".Thanks for the likes.

[milenagarcia]

thank you for you work, you helped me with my sciences project which cost 10 A’s, and i got them all! you deserve a lot for your great job!!

[MarkMcCluney]

nice vid mate. like that wee holster for your glue gun. thanks for sharing.

[rakkadude]

back in the 90s we did an automaton project, we didnt know what we were doing tho or what it was called. i like the game ones where you win or lose, they could get pretty extensive.

[neldino]

in a dead design and tech lesson.
Stabs where you at?

[fuzz]

I have to make this for a art project and I didn’t get any instructions so I’m here I hope this will help me (that stupid teacher didn’t even give me the right materials)

[shitheadjohnson]

i love watching those teethless cogs grip and spin each other cause they have gravity attaching them!!!

[victortorres]

What is that red stuff? I’m trying to find a good material to make a cam.

[husain]

Waste of my time. Boring Dt lesson. Who else was forced to watch this for school