Partybot!!!
If you like the costume please vote for me in the Halloween Costume Contest: http://tinyurl.com/9nnz7bq.
As my other costume instructables say, I always try to find a common concept, and take it to a new level with some X-Factor.
I wanted to take the cliche cardboard robot and really bring the PARTY!!! The key to a party is having music so I needed a way to bring it with me. You'll see two versions of partybot in the photos.
Version 1: I found speakers that are powered by triple A batteries, mounted them in the chest, and connected them to a 1st generation ipod in the chest that fans could use to select music.
Version 2: I found a boom box at the thrift store that ran on a half dozen D-cell batteries. Now I had the wattage and mobility. I opened up the stereo, unhooked the AM/FM module, and soldered RCA cords to the input. This then ran to an auxillary plug that I could patch into my iPod.
Version 3 (quick addition): I'm going to patch in the small triple A speakers in addition to the boom box to try and get a disturbing the peace ticket. What better way to get on an episode of COPS!!?!?!?
COOLING!!! I can't stress this enough. It turns out that foil reflects head and painted cardboard doesn't breath. Therefore you really need to maximize your circulation. I have a computer fan mounted in the head and two in the body which are powered with 9 volt batteries. The fans will not function with 1.5V (A, AAA, C, D) batteries so you have to use 9V.
Go to the PVC piping section of a hardware store to make the ears (pool filters) and antenna (ikea lamp or PVC tubes). Have fun with it.
Head: Put in fans, you can mount the inside of a safety helmet so that it stays stable, add tail light lenses available at an autoparts store for cheap, and mount tap lights behind to light them up.
Pants: Don't you hate that awkward moment when you ask the though guy at Home Depot "Where you stock your robot pants"? Everyone immediately thinks that dryer tubing will work perfectly. The problem is that the largest size is 12" which won't get all the way up your thigh (or not mine at least). The solution is to cut a vertical slit down the inner thigh and let the tubing out to a larger diameter. Then rebuild the structure and fill in the resulting triangle gap with TONS of chrome duct tape. You can then safety pin each leg to a pair of shorts.
Lighting: Cut a hole in the box, add a layer of clear plastic, then a layer of parchment paper for diffuse lighting. Zip tie a flashing light to a paper towel roll that has been coated with aluminum foil. Attach the tube to the back of the window you cut in the box.
Arm holes: You will get a LOT of stress and weight on the shoulder holes in the box. This is especially true if you go with the heavy D battery version. Add several layers of cardboard to the sides of the box above the shoulder holes. Adding some foam rubber would be a great improvement too.
Paint the whole thing silver, use sharpie to write the name for that “I wasn’t trying that hard” look, and then spray the entire thing with clear coat paint to make it more water proof. Carry robot bandages around with you (chrome duct tape) because you’ll need it if you’re actually rocking the sweet dance moves.
As my other costume instructables say, I always try to find a common concept, and take it to a new level with some X-Factor.
I wanted to take the cliche cardboard robot and really bring the PARTY!!! The key to a party is having music so I needed a way to bring it with me. You'll see two versions of partybot in the photos.
Version 1: I found speakers that are powered by triple A batteries, mounted them in the chest, and connected them to a 1st generation ipod in the chest that fans could use to select music.
Version 2: I found a boom box at the thrift store that ran on a half dozen D-cell batteries. Now I had the wattage and mobility. I opened up the stereo, unhooked the AM/FM module, and soldered RCA cords to the input. This then ran to an auxillary plug that I could patch into my iPod.
Version 3 (quick addition): I'm going to patch in the small triple A speakers in addition to the boom box to try and get a disturbing the peace ticket. What better way to get on an episode of COPS!!?!?!?
COOLING!!! I can't stress this enough. It turns out that foil reflects head and painted cardboard doesn't breath. Therefore you really need to maximize your circulation. I have a computer fan mounted in the head and two in the body which are powered with 9 volt batteries. The fans will not function with 1.5V (A, AAA, C, D) batteries so you have to use 9V.
Go to the PVC piping section of a hardware store to make the ears (pool filters) and antenna (ikea lamp or PVC tubes). Have fun with it.
Head: Put in fans, you can mount the inside of a safety helmet so that it stays stable, add tail light lenses available at an autoparts store for cheap, and mount tap lights behind to light them up.
Pants: Don't you hate that awkward moment when you ask the though guy at Home Depot "Where you stock your robot pants"? Everyone immediately thinks that dryer tubing will work perfectly. The problem is that the largest size is 12" which won't get all the way up your thigh (or not mine at least). The solution is to cut a vertical slit down the inner thigh and let the tubing out to a larger diameter. Then rebuild the structure and fill in the resulting triangle gap with TONS of chrome duct tape. You can then safety pin each leg to a pair of shorts.
Lighting: Cut a hole in the box, add a layer of clear plastic, then a layer of parchment paper for diffuse lighting. Zip tie a flashing light to a paper towel roll that has been coated with aluminum foil. Attach the tube to the back of the window you cut in the box.
Arm holes: You will get a LOT of stress and weight on the shoulder holes in the box. This is especially true if you go with the heavy D battery version. Add several layers of cardboard to the sides of the box above the shoulder holes. Adding some foam rubber would be a great improvement too.
Paint the whole thing silver, use sharpie to write the name for that “I wasn’t trying that hard” look, and then spray the entire thing with clear coat paint to make it more water proof. Carry robot bandages around with you (chrome duct tape) because you’ll need it if you’re actually rocking the sweet dance moves.