How to Build a Turtle Robot With Wheels

Creating a turtle robot is a great project to do with your children or even in a classroom. Not only does it teach about electrical currents but it also helps children get an idea of how things work. It also makes an excellent gift at birthdays and other holidays. Constructing your own turtle robot with wheels can be done with inexpensive supplies in a matter of hours.

Things You'll Need

• 2 1.5-volt motors
• 2 SPDT switches
• 2 AA batteries
• Electrical tape
• 4 by4-inch box (cardboard jewelry boxes work fine)
• 2-wheels
• Index card
• Wire
• Soldering iron
• Extra strength Super Glue
• Fabric glue
• Hot glue gun
• Kitchen knife
• 150-Grit sandpaper
• 8 by 10-inch piece of green felt
• Newspaper
• 1-inch Styrofoam ball
• 4-inch Styrofoam ball
• 1-inch Styrofoam cone
• Googly eyes (from a hobby shop)
• Yarn
• Permanent marker

Instructions

Constructing the Robot Body

1. 

   Cut the 4-inch Styrofoam ball in half with a kitchen knife so that you have a half sphere. Use a smooth-edge knife in order to avoid jagged edges. If jagged edges are present, use a 150 grit sand paper to gently smooth them down.

2. 

   Lay out a piece of felt on a hard, flat surface. Place your thumb on the edge of the felt (see image) and trace it using your opposite hand. Do this four times.

3. 

   Remove the felt from the table. It should look something like the example (see image) except with four different trace lines.

4. Cut along the lines that you drew on the felt. Place the extra felt to the side.

5. Place newspaper on a flat, hard surface in order to protect it while you are painting.

6. Paint the three inch half Styrofoam ball, the 1-inch cone shape, and the 1-inch Styrofoam ball with dark green craft paint. Allow the Styrofoam balls to dry.

7. 

   Attach the small 1-inch Styrofoam ball to the 4-inch Styrofoam ball using extra strength Super Glue. Allow the pieces to dry together.

8. 

   Glue the felt pieces to the 4-inch Styrofoam half ball using extra strength Super Glue as legs for the turtle base. Allow these pieces to dry.

9. 

   Attach googly eyes to the head of the turtle using Super Glue. Carve a mouth into the head using a plastic butter knife. Use a permanent marker to draw two dots for the nose. Attach yarn to the top of the head using fabric glue, if desired.

10. Attach the turtle's tail to the body using Super Glue.

Constructing the Robot

1. Attach the pins on the SPDT switches together using a soldering iron. Repeat this step on the middle pins.

2. Locate the lead on the motors and attach the bottom leads together using a soldering iron.

3. Solder a wire to the bottom of the battery holder.

4. Attach a wire to the negative side of the battery holder to the pin in the middle of one of the switches by soldering. Attach a wire to the positive side of the battery to the other switch, again, by soldering.

5. Attach the bottom pin on each switch to the motor that sits on the opposite side. Solder the end of the connection on the battery pack to the bottom of one of the motors.

6. Install batteries into the battery pack. Turn on the SPDT switch to see whether or not the motors turn. If they work, remove the batteries and move on to step seven. If they do not, start over from step one.

Attaching the Robot to the Body

1. Cut holes in a small box in order to fit your motor, switches, and battery holder inside. Be sure that the axles of the motors will hang out the sides of the small box.

2. Line the box with electrical tape. Cut an index card in order to fit inside of the bottom of the small box.

3. Glue all of the pieces (motor, switches, battery holder) onto the small box using a hot glue gun. Allow it to dry.

4. Attach the wheels to the axles on the motor.

5. Install the batteries into the battery holder.

6. Cut out the bottom of the body of the turtle in order to place the small box inside of the turtle base. Be sure that the wheels are not touching the base as the wheels will not be able to turn. Check that the piece fits snugly inside of the turtle base.

7. Turn on your SPDT switches and allow your turtle to roam free.

Tips & Warnings

• If your robot will not move, try using smaller Styrofoam balls or lighter materials such as paper or foam.

• Be extremely careful when using a hot glue gun and kitchen knives. If you get super glue on your fingers, use finger nail polish remover or lemon juice in order to soften it up and peel it off. Always remove the batteries from your robot when it is not in use.