Steampunk inspired balancing robot

Posted in Krafty kids

1) I wonder if he knows he’s made from two toilet rolls…

Steampunk inspired balancing robot

2) …and an old plastic deodorant bottle!

Steampunk inspired balancing robot

3) Wow… he’s light on his feet (or should I say foot)!

Here’s a robot that’s so agile it can balance on the edge of a ruler, so strong its heart is made of steel, so clever its brain is made of cogs… and so cheap he’s made from trash!

A couple of cool additional features are the see-through head, made from the lid of a can of shaving gel and the arms that rotate up and down, revealing the robot’s steel heart. It was produced for Craft: (as part of their Summer craft series) and is the perfect project if you are looking to keep your kids busy.

I have provided full instructions below, but feel free to improvise, you can create your Steampunk inspired robot from almost anything. In fact, I’d love to see how you give your robot an individual twist, so why not send me a photo. Have fun!

How to make one

Steampunk inspired balancing robot diagram

Note: If you want a more detailed description of each step check out the Steampunk inspired balancing robot project on Craft:.

Download project files›

Includes:
1) Collectable instructions – print them out & put them in a folder!
163 downloads so far, thanks everyone!

If you’re interested in seeing me giving my 5-word speech at the Webby Award ceremony in New York please visit my Facebook Page (but don’t let me know what you think – ha ha!).

What I made

756

days ago

Chopstick and Coke can bird feeder

Posted in Make: Magazine, Radical recycling

Bird feeder made from coke cans Bird feeder logo

I’m very excited by this craft project – mainly because it’s my first contribution to feature in MAKE: magazine (part of a new regular series) but also because I think it’s quite a neat project!

I made it during a snowy spell, after taking pity on a Robin that had taken residence in our garden (it’s funny how craft ideas often come from an actual need). I didn’t feel like braving the cold, so I made do with materials I found lying around the house – namely a few Coke cans and some disposable chopsticks (salvaged from a meal out to a Chinese restaurant). I was quite pleased with the result, I thought it looked fairly elegant, which was my initial goal.

How to make one

Chopstick bird feeder diagram

Download project files›

Includes:
1) Collectable instructions – they look great stuck on the fridge!
133 downloads so far, thanks everyone!

While on the topic of bird feeders here’s some very cool ones made from traffic light lenses. If you know of any others made from unusual materials let me know, I couldn’t find many.

What I made

765

days ago

Webby Awards – how to vote guide!

Posted in Dippy doodles

Webby how to vote how to diagram

Now, you could vote for ‘What I Made’ this way.

Or you could do it the easy way, and vote online at the Webbys People’s Voice website (voting now closed).

Update: I’m very happy to announce that ‘What I Made’ won the 2011 Webby Award and Webby People’s Voice Award for best personal blog/website. Thank you to everyone who voted, or showed their support by leaving comments, emailing me, or liking one of my posts!

Webby Award Logos