Two new YouTube videos for your viewing pleasure :-)
Keep up to date: Receive the latest blog post by email
Rate this post:
Become a Member for free
access to this and other files on the site.See the Membership page for more details.
Already a Member? Log in Here
A curmudgeonly companion for the agreeable sheep. turn the handle on the disagreeable sheep and she shakes her head vigorously. With every turn of the crank she disagrees with everything you say.
Members can download the parts for free, non-members can download the project for £2.50.
The Disagreeable Sheep comes with both colour and mono versions. Print out the parts onto thin card (230 micron, 67lb) Note that the colour version is printed on both sides. Print out the front, flip the card over and return it to the printer to print out the back.
Score along the dotted and dashed lines. Cut out the holes then carefully cut out the pieces.
Fold over the cams and glue them together to make double thickness card. When the glue is completely dry cut out the parts.
Assemble the axle. Fit the cams to the axles. Note the positioning of the blue line and the orientation of the cams in the picture above.
Complete the cam shaft by gluing the cam supports into place.
Assemble the vertical shaft. Glue the striker plate to the centre grey area on the vertical shaft using the grey triangles for alignment.
Fold the striker plate round and glue it down. Glue two washers into place using the grey areas and the grey line.
Fold the flap round on the two box parts and glue them down to make a right triangle tubes.
Glue together the two box parts. Fit the base into the box with the hole at the front. Glue it into position so that it is lined up with the hole in the front and back of the box.
Fold the flaps on the bottom of the box and glue them down.
Thread the cam shaft into the box with the blue end though the hole with the blue ring. Fix it in with the remaining two washers.
Drop the vertical shaft into the box so that the flat face is towards the front of the box.
Fit the box top into place so that the vertical shaft is held in position.
Assemble the handle in three steps: Fold the two tubes and glue them together to make square sections. Fold one into the other and glue them together. Roll round the long tab and glue it down to complete the handle.
Glue the handle to the box.
Assemble the head and glue on the grumpy eyes.
Glue together the body inner. Glue the body inner to the inside of the body. Roll the body round and glue it down to that the two sides are lined up.
Glue the head to the flap at the top of the vertical shaft.
Glue the feet to the top of the box to complete the project. Once the glue is dry, turn the handle and the disagreeable sheep shakes her head.
Let the sheep jokes in the comments begin!
Keep up to date: Receive the latest blog post by email
Rate this post:
I've finished the parts and photography for the Disagreeable Sheep project. The finished mechanism is working nicely! I just need to add the labels to the parts files and write the instructions then it wil be ready to upload.
We've got various family things going on over the next week so I'm holding back on the Tumbler project. I really need to be able to sit down and concentrate for a sustained period of time on that one. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten.
Keep up to date: Receive the latest blog post by email
Rate this post:
Nemesis to the Agreeable Sheep, the disagreeable sheep is the same as her friendly sister but with evil eyebrows. Oh, and when you turn the crank she shakes her head with an emphatic 'No!'
The disagreeable sheep uses a version of the Flip Flop mechanism and is coming to a computer near you soon!
The next logical step is the indecisive sheep. This would be a challenging mechanism! Turn the crank and she either nods or shakes her head depending on the position of the dial on the front of the box. Could be interesting!
Another possibility, perhaps even better, turn the handle continuously and the sheep gives three nods then three shakes then three nods... properly indecisive!
Keep up to date: Receive the latest blog post by email
Rate this post:
A picture is worth a thousand words. Moving pictures must be worth at least twice that. To that end, I'm creating a YouTube video explaining the best techniques for making paper toys from printing and aligning to scoring and cutting. The Agreeable Sheep seemed like the perfect subject for such a video but just needed a few small changes. And so, for your cutting and sticking pleasure, I present here, a slightly updated version for you to follow along with at home. YouTube video soon.
Print out the parts onto thin card (230 micron / 230 gsm is perfect)
Score along the dotted and dashed lines then cut out the holes before carefully cutting out the parts of the model then follow the instructions for construction below.
Not one to stand out of the crowd, our woolly friend agrees with everything you say...
"Is this a good colour scheme?"
"Yes!"
"Would you like to go for a walk?"
"Yes!"
"Are you having a good time?"
"Yes!"
"Does my bum look big in this?" ...probably best not to ask. With this agreeable model you need never get a second opinion again.
Baa baa baa!
Fold up the two triangular sections on the box sides to make right angled triangles.
Glue the two box halves together.
Glue on the lid. Note that the hole in the box top goes to the front of the model.
Fold the two flaps on the base down and glue them into place.
Fold in and glue the four vertical flaps to form triangular tubes one of which is arrowed above.
Fold up and glue together the body inner. Glue it to the inside of the body in the position shown.
Fold round and glue down the other side of the body.
Fold up and assemble the head.
Glue the tab on the neck to the inside of the head.
Fold the coin holder round a single 20mm diameter coin roughly 4 grams in weight (One UK Penny is perfect for the job)
Glue the penny to the inside of the cam follower then glue the cam follower closed.
Assemble the push rod tube. Glue the large tab on the end of the push rod to the inside of the cam follower so that the edge is lined up with the edge of the cam follower arrowed above.
Thread the push rod up through the hole in the top of the box then glue the tab on the back of the cam follower to the back of the box as shown above.
Fold of the cam to make double thickness card then carefully cut it out.
Assemble the axle and thread the cam onto it gluing it down onto the grey areas.
Thread the axle into the box lining up the green ends.
Assemble the handle in three steps. Fold up the two square sections. Glue one section into the other. Roll round and glue down the long tab.
Glue the washers to the axle then glue the handle into place.
Glue the push rod to the head so that the crease in the tab lines up with the end of the neck tab arrowed.
Glue the four feet to the box using the grey pads for alignment.
Complete the model by gluing the neck to the front of the body. Turn the handle to see the sheep nod.
Now that wasn't so bad was it?
What do you mean, "Yes"?
Keep up to date: Receive the latest blog post by email
Rate this post:
I was sent this link by Carolina Chang from the University Simón Bolívar Caracas in Venezuela. Carolina used this model to introduce her course in robotics. My Spanish is very ropey. (No entiendo, no hablo Espanol is about my limit) but from what I can understand, the computer controlled Agreeable Sheep agrees with everything you say! Speak into the microphone and the sheep nods while her eyes light up mysteriously!
Thanks Carolina, it's fantastic!
USEFUL LINKS:
Agreeable Sheep
Link to YouTube video
Keep up to date: Receive the latest blog post by email
Rate this post:
Become a Member for free
access to this and other files on the site.See the Membership page for more details.
Already a Member? Log in Here
This model is a mechanism powered by a pendulum. It can be used as a starting point for your own automata or you can add the cute nodding sheep character. The download is available for free for members, (thanks you for your support!) None members can download the parts for a modest fee.
Print all the parts pages onto thin card (230 gram / 230 micron) except page four which should be printed onto thin paper. The first two pages are for the mechanism, the third page, the sheep character.
Score along the dotted lines and cut out any holes with a sharp knife before cutting out the parts. Both these jobs are easier on a full sheet of card.
Fold the end tabs of the two box sides up to make triangular sections.
Glue the two box sides together.
Fold down the ends and glue them down making sure that the box stays square.
Glue on the box top making sure that the flap marked front is at the front of the box!
Fold the long tabs down and glue them together to make triangular section vertical pillars.
Fold up and glue the two box stiffeners...
...and glue them into place inside the box in the positions shown.
Fold up and glue the bell crank.
Fold up and glue together the various linkages.
Glue the long link point to the pendulum.
Wrap the coin holder round three 25mm diameter coins (2p pieces) and glue them to the bottom of the pendulum.
Carefully join together the linkages with the paper hinges. Leave a very small gap (1mm) between each of the parts so that there is no glue on the crease.
Finish the mechanism by threading the parts together as shown in the picture then glue the pendulum to the top of the box and a bell crank to the box front.
At this point you'll have a working mechanism. Move the box and the pendulum will start to swing. The linkages and bell crank convert this motion into up and down movement at the push rod. Connect this to your own character to bring it to life!
If you want to try out a completed design keep going and add the nodding sheep to the top of the box.
Glue together the head and link point.
Glue the link point into the head.
Attach the neck to the head using a paper tab.
Glue a paper tab to the link point.
Fold round and glue together the body inner.
Glue the body inner into the body.
Glue together the body as shown above. Make sure that it is symmetrical.
Glue the paper tab from the inside of the head to the push rod on the box top.
Glue the neck to the body inner then glue the feet to the box top. When you are gluing the feet to the box, line them up so that the push rod doesn't touch the edges of the arch shaped hole.
That's it. Move the box and the sheep will start nodding. Now you have a fleecy friend who will agree with every thing you say!
Keep up to date: Receive the latest blog post by email
Rate this post:
Further developments in the pendulum power model. I've gone back to basics to check that the mechanism does what I think it will. I want to use pendulum power to drive a model so that it'll keep moving after you have stepped away from it.
The model is basically a four bar linkage. I've used paper strips to make the joints so as to minimise bending friction. Notice that I've left a small gap between the two moving parts. (Arrowed above) When I tried it with the two parts touching I found that the model didn't move as freely as I'd hoped. I think it was probably the glue getting into the fibres of the paper hinge at the point where it should have been bending.
The other thing I could try would be to cut a slot into one piece and thread a tongue of card through the hole so the parts aren't physically joined at all. I might give that a go tomorrow.
Here is the whole linkage system joined together with the fixed points circled. Notice the stack of coins. (Two pence pieces. 25mm diameter) The more coins the more mass in the pendulum. The more mass the better it will overcome any friction.
I threaded and glued everything together and tested it out by attaching it to the character from the agreeable sheep model. I've made a very quick video and uploaded it onto the YouTubes so you can see how it works.
The end result is a mechanism which could be at the core of some interesting models. Changing the length of the pendulum will change the speed of movement so for example a dog's wagging tail could be powered by a short pendulum and a jumping moon walker by a long one.
My plan now is to make this into a starting point download for you to create you own automata then make a finished character based download.
Keep up to date: Receive the latest blog post by email
Rate this post:
The Agreeable Sheep has moved from the Flying Pig web site to her new home here at robives.com. As a member you can download the parts file for free at the bottom of this post - I hope you enjoy it.
You will need a pair of scissors, some glue and a glue spreader. The best type of glue to use is white school glue (PVA.) A pair of tweezers will also be useful.
Print out the parts sheets onto thin card. Note that the parts sheets are marked front and back. Print out the front, flip the card over, pop the card back in the printer and print the back. Leave the ink to dry completely before continuing.
Before cutting anything out, score along all the dotted lines. This job is easier to do on full sheets of paper.
Dashed lines are hill folds, dotted lines are valley folds. Cut along the solid lines. Grey areas show where to glue.
Fold the body inner round and glue it together. (1)
Glue the body inner into the body. Use the two very small dots on the outside of the body to line up the diagonal corners of the body inner. (2) You might need to hold the body up to the light to see through it.
Roll the body round and glue it to the other side of the body inner. (3)
Assemble the head. (4)
Glue the neck to the head. (5)
Glue the neck to the body inner. (6)
Fold the two flaps at the bottom of the Box round and glue them into place. (7)
Fold round and glue the Cam Follower. (17)
Glue the Cam Follower into place in the box (18)
Fold round and glue the Push-rod. (19)
Thread the Push-rod up through the hole in the top of the box and glue it first to the inside of the Head (20)...
...then to the Cam Follower. (21)
Finish off the model by gluing the Box Back into place on the back of the model. (30)
Keep up to date: Receive the latest blog post by email
Rate this post:
Some of you may already know the Agreeable Sheep model from the Flying Pig web site. As part of the ongoing migration-of-the-downloads I've updated the layout and retaken photos for a nice new set of online instructions.
It'll be up on this web site in the next day or so.
Keep up to date: Receive the latest blog post by email
Rate this post:
