American Robots 1978 robot build plans - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: crmfghtr
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 09, 2023, 12:36:25 am
content: In 1978 I acquired from Starlog magazine plans to build a robot looking much like Robby The Robot that was actually functional! I went off to college and my parents trashed the half finished project. I would really like to find these plans again as I lost them sometime ago, anyone out there buy them. There is zilch on the internet. Perhaps lost forever.

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 09, 2023, 01:28:39 am
content: good luck finding one or many of them, some website have some to sell ...there was an 224 volume archive on Archive.org but has been deleted due to royalties ... around 2013 2014https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Starlog_(magazine)

author: crmfghtr
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 09, 2023, 07:08:07 pm
content: Oh thanks. Yeah I actually have the Starlog magazine with the ad in it. Its the actual building plans that I bought and lost. The robot was cool like 5 feet tall and looked a lot like Robby the Robot. With a RPI or Arduino it could be incredible now!

author: crmfghtr
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 10, 2023, 04:01:32 pm
content: Awww man you lost them too? Well if you ever come across them, will pay you for them well! Imagine adding an a Raspberry PI or Arduino to that easy cheap build now! It would be amazing!

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 10, 2023, 04:06:44 pm
content: i thnk there was at the time some plans for R2D2 too ??

author: crmfghtr
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 10, 2023, 04:08:33 pm
content: Indeed but not same company. This thing was actually functional with motors and operational claws, it was ingenious how he came up with all the parts from everyday things to make a reasonable 5 foot functional Robby The Robot!

author: themadhippy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 10, 2023, 04:09:52 pm
content: QuoteAnd the perspex version,R2Cthru

author: crmfghtr
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: February 04, 2024, 04:19:29 pm
content: Someone found this for me online, this is a start but still pursing the remainder of the about 30 page plans. Obviously a lot of the decorative parts etc can now be done better by 3d printing but the large size of robot will be cheap and easy and metal!

author: Infraviolet
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 05, 2024, 10:54:59 pm
content: "cheap and easy and metal"I'm really not sure those 3 words belong together, anything needing custom parts made from metal is either not so cheap (although commercial services for laser cutting 2D metal sheets to precisions of 0.2mm or so are cheap compared to milling style subtractive CNCing of anything), or takes a lot of not so easy work to DIY more cheaply.Much more practical to make this project with today's kit than 1977s though.I'd imagine: aluminium slot extrusion for an internal frame, laser cut acrylic panels for flat outer walls (non structural) around the lower sections, lots of 3d printing in the curved higher-up areas, and motors on absolutely everything you can make move. Don't forget to make the best use of modern microcontrollers and/or Raspberry-Pi-like-SBCs, and fit sensors too.

author: crmfghtr
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: February 05, 2024, 11:45:43 pm
content: You are a long ways off base there. First where can you find a kit to build a metal 5 1/2 foot robot with the appearance of Robby the Robot, made out mostly metal for cheap? I built most of this before. If you LOOK at diagram the bottom is a wash bin, in between you can use a pail but I wrapped and riveted tin for smooth finish. The bottom of the torso is a garbage can lid, the middle is once again wrapped tin, top is another garbage can lid. The claws are old Schwinn bicycle brakes and solenoid, the top is pail with front center cut out and plastic bowl on top. The motorized wheels from robotshop run around 150 for both wheels. The base is wood, you need an arduino and servos, total cost now would be around $400, not sure what your income is but I would call that mighty cheap lol. I have built a number of home brew robots since 1990 and this looks great and very expandable. FYI I have a laser cutter and 3d printers and totally unsuitable for something this large size, and would be much heavier. I DO plan on 3d printing and laser cutting parts inside of head etc. But 3d printing a 5 1/2 foot robot would take months and cost easily three times as much!Quote from: Infraviolet on February 05, 2024, 10:54:59 pm

author: Infraviolet
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 06, 2024, 12:00:00 am
content: Oops, I was coming at it from my usual perspective of, "design in CAD then fabricate to match (potentially with more precision than you probably need for the end application)", rather than design from commonly available items. Sorry.

author: crmfghtr
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: February 06, 2024, 12:36:45 am
content: Completely understood! This is very old school and I still don't have all the plans back yet but trust me it looks much better then it sounds once its all painted and stuff. But you are right that laser cutting and 3d printing many of those smaller parts will be cheaper and look better! But first I have to get ALL the plans back.