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99 Cent Store Mini Gripper Arm — Parallax Forums

99 Cent Store Mini Gripper Arm

ercoerco Posts: 20,257
edited 2015-03-23 20:45 in Robotics
A handy little gripper, I've used four in projects already and I bought some extras. There's a mini Tower of Hanoi bot in the offing. Robot arm lovers, hustle yourself down to your local 99Cent store and grab a few. Plan ahead, you'll need two for a little humanoid-y trash can robot.

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Comments

  • msrobotsmsrobots Posts: 3,709
    edited 2015-01-30 20:40
    OH LORD LORD LORD LORD ERCO

    always spending other peoples money. Keeping the economy rolling.

    will check 99cets store here tomorrow.

    Enjoy!

    Mike
  • Martin_HMartin_H Posts: 4,051
    edited 2015-01-31 12:37
    Sweet, I look forward to the video.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,257
    edited 2015-01-31 12:38
    Martin_H wrote: »
    Sweet, I look forward to the video.

    My first two arm projects are confidential, but I will video the tower of Hanoi when I make it...
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,257
    edited 2015-03-20 17:37
    Another good build day. I got all of the mechanicals done for a Tower of Hanoi arm (3-axis). The wooden base is made out of a Home Despot yardstick. I like the look, plus it's going to hang on the wall nicely. Gotta add posts and make a controller and program it. Video just shows 3 servos getting exercised by a servo tester. Vertical range isn't much for this application, it's hard to tell if it's going up & down in the video below.

    You guys DID buy these when I told you too, right?

    attachment.php?attachmentid=113574&d=1426898227






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  • ercoerco Posts: 20,257
    edited 2015-03-20 23:51
    Programmed and nearly finished (I still have to mount the electronics inside & route wires) plus I got one quick tower demo videoed & Youtubed before midnite. A fun one-day build. For lightweight disks, I found a big glittery foam letter E at Walmart. A few minutes in the shop yielded some nice foam disks, see photos before & after.
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    foamafter.jpg
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  • cruXiblecruXible Posts: 78
    edited 2015-03-21 01:28
    I want to make a trash can bot now... a trash can bot with shark arm grippers and googley eyes
  • ajwardajward Posts: 1,130
    edited 2015-03-21 03:25
    The local Dollar Tree has grippers of a slightly different style for... well, a dollar. :-)
    It's about a foot long and assembled with screws! Just begging to be tinkered with... adding to the already too large pile of unfinished projects.

    attachment.php?attachmentid=113578&d=1426933196

    @
  • Martin_HMartin_H Posts: 4,051
    edited 2015-03-21 04:04
    Cool bot. Simple design, but it gets the job done.
  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2015-03-21 05:03
    Great "one day" project! Remember, folks, he's a professional! Try this at home and you're in for more than a day's worth of fun!

    With the blue glitter, it's more a 'Tower of Vegas' vibe! :D
  • zappmanzappman Posts: 418
    edited 2015-03-21 07:33
    ajward wrote: »
    The local Dollar Tree has grippers of a slightly different style for... well, a dollar. :-)
    It's about a foot long and assembled with screws! Just begging to be tinkered with... adding to the already too large pile of unfinished projects.

    attachment.php?attachmentid=113578&d=1426933196

    @
    I have had a pair of the Dollar Tree grippers sitting on may desk for about a month waiting to be used for something.
  • ajwardajward Posts: 1,130
    edited 2015-03-21 09:24
    erco wrote: »
    Programmed and nearly finished (I still have to mount the electronics inside & route wires) plus I got one quick tower demo videoed & Youtubed before midnite. A fun one-day build. For lightweight disks, I found a big glittery foam letter E at Walmart. A few minutes in the shop yielded some nice foam disks, see photos before & after.

    Only slightly off topic, maybe... Just curious erco, what is the most number of discs you've moved with one of your 'bot arms?

    @
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,257
    edited 2015-03-21 11:20
    ajward wrote: »
    Only slightly off topic, maybe... Just curious erco, what is the most number of discs you've moved with one of your 'bot arms?

    My bigger first arm did 4 disks. Adding one disk more than doubles the time. IMO, 3 is plenty. :)
  • cruXiblecruXible Posts: 78
    edited 2015-03-22 01:31
    IMG_1043.JPG

    They are itching (not scratching) to start stacking stacks. I just need to find a nice trashcan, dig through some e-waste and then I can work on your Tower of Hanoi challenge. I roll economical style, yo.
    IMG_1043.JPG
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  • ercoerco Posts: 20,257
    edited 2015-03-22 08:47
    Good man, cruXible. I also found some nice trash cans at the 99 cent store. Red & blue in big stacks. Looks good for robot bodies and the right size for these arms. Lightweight enough that you could slap one on top of a Boebot and not slow it down.

    Now tell me about your shark arm grippers and googley eyes...

    attachment.php?attachmentid=113604&d=1427137460
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  • WhitWhit Posts: 4,191
    edited 2015-03-22 10:51
    Free at Sonic in the kid's meal!

    attachment.php?attachmentid=113584&d=1427046685
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  • ercoerco Posts: 20,257
    edited 2015-03-22 15:44
    Whit whins aghin! It's another Festivus miracle! :)

    Looks good, stock up!

    I can probably find a Sonic around here, although I've never eaten at one. And I'll have to check out those orange & blue Dollar Tree grippers. A man without hand is not a man, Jerry!

    Speaking of which, I have one of these Toysmith hands and should do something with it. Too bad they only come right-handed. A proper humanoid needs a lefty too! http://www.ebay.com/itm/Toysmith-Robot-Hand-Free-Shipping-New-/141599126135
  • blittledblittled Posts: 681
    edited 2015-03-23 06:35
    Erco, I just saw this post. The picture in your first post shows a yardstick with LORD on it. My dad worked for Lord's which is based in Erie PA and makes specialized rubber coating for various industrial and military equipment. Do you know where you got that yardstick?
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,257
    edited 2015-03-23 09:33
    I really don't recall where I got it, I've just had it forever. Some trade show maybe? My wife is a PK (pastor's kid) and she likes for our kids to use it and see LORD at every opportunity. :)

    I must have a thing for yardsticks. Lately I've used $1 Home Depot yardsticks to make bases for several projects, including this one. HD sticks are strong and replaceable. The vintage LORD stick is neither. It's kind of a plastic foam material. We'll see how long it lasts with the twins...

    attachment.php?attachmentid=113574&d=1426898227
  • cruXiblecruXible Posts: 78
    edited 2015-03-23 20:45
    erco wrote: »
    Good man, cruXible. I also found some nice trash cans at the 99 cent store. Red & blue in big stacks. Looks good for robot bodies and the right size for these arms. Lightweight enough that you could slap one on top of a Boebot and not slow it down.

    Now tell me about your shark arm grippers and googley eyes...

    attachment.php?attachmentid=113604&d=1427137460

    That looks great! Those Tupperware containers add a nice touch. I need to find a nice link for the style of glasses I am thinking of, but I had this (that I bought at the pier):

    http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004K75EPA/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1427168511&sr=8-2&keywords=Shark+grabbers&pi=AC_SY200_QL40&dpPl=1&dpID=31a4xiZ1lmL&ref=plSrch

    Unfortunately, I think I broke it during a session of horse play with my wife.
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