19 Mar DIY Robot Hand
Are you ready to get creative and build a robot hand using just cardboard, string, and straws?
This fun project will show you how simple materials can come together to make something amazing!
Supplies:
- 1 Large Piece of Cardboard 5. 3-4 ft. of Yarn or Twine
- Scissors 6. 2-4 Beads
- Duct Tape 7. 1 Pencil or Pen
- 2-5 Plastic Straws 8. 1 Ruler
Instructions
Step 1:
Use a writing utensil to sketch the shape of the hand you wish to make and cut it out. Keep at least one large rectangle of material to use later.
Step 2:
Bend the fingers of the cardboard hand, folding one or two times per finger.
Step 3.
Grab one straw for each finger on your cardboard hand.
Step 4:
Cut the straws to fit the bends of the fingers, cutting the pieces slightly smaller to allow a bit of space between the straw and the bend in the finger. Keep the remaining pieces of straw to attach to the palm of the hand.
Step 5:
Measure the length of your cardboard hand from the tip of the fingers to the base and cut yarn to match. You will need one length of yarn for each finger. Tie one bead to an end of each piece of yarn.
Step 6:
After attaching the beads to one end of the yarn, thread the yarn through the pieces of straw that were cut earlier, starting with the pieces for the tip of the fingers and working down to the pieces for the palm.
Step 7:
Use tape to attach each the pieces of straw to the hand.
Step 8:
After all pieces have been attached, take the length of cardboard that was set aside earlier and bend it to create a handle for the hand. Cut off any excess so that handle will hold your hand without being too tight. Use tape to attach the handle to the bottom of the hand.
Step 9:
Once all pieces have been attached, try on the hand to see where the ends of your fingers fall. Mark the location with a pen or pencil.
Step 10:
Tie loops at the unattached ends of the string that fall about where your fingertips would be and cut off any excess yarn.
Step 11:
Place your fingers in the loops of yarn and enjoy using your new robot hand.
-written by Alex B, Teen Central Library Assistant
