Make it bubble

Pdf File 999.46 KByte, 16 Pages

Make It Bubble

Created by Mike Barela

Last updated on 2018-08-23 12:51:06 AM UTC

Guide Contents

Guide Contents

2

Overview

3

Parts

3

Supplies

4

Sub-Assemblies

6

Electrical Connections

6

The Wand

6

Mounting the Motor and Servo

7

Your Bubble Container

8

Code

9

MakeCode

9

CircuitPython

9

Possible Modifications to the Code

10

Final Assembly

11

Connecting the Crickit

12

Use

14

Bubbles

14

Fill the Container

14

Location, Location, Location

14

Have Fun!

15

Another Bubble Bot!

16

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Overview

Who doesn't love getting a bottle of bubbles to have fun with friends and pets? What's that? You get tired of all that blowing? Circuit Playground Express comes to the rescue. Along with the Crickit robotics controller, you can build a simple robot that dips the wand in bubble solution and blows the bubbles for you! Great at parties! This guide will show you how to build your own bubble blowing robot.

Parts

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1 x Circuit Playground Express

Adafruit's popular multisensor learning board ADD TO CART

1 x Adafruit CRICKIT for Circuit Playground Express

The easiest way to use motors, servos, and other electromechanical and blinky things. OUT OF STOCK

1 x Standard servo - TowerPro SG-5010

High-torque standard servo can rotate approximately 180 degrees (90 in each direction) ADD TO CART

1 x 3-Bladed Trifoil Propeller Fan for DC Motor

3-Bladed Tri-foil Propeller - it snaps on like a breeze (pun intended!) perfect for making a fan ADD TO CART

1 x DC Toy / Hobby Motor - 130 Size

Standard '130 size' DC hobby motor, 4.5 to 9VDC ADD TO CART

1 x DC Motor Plastic Mount - 130 Size / 20mm Diameter

The plastic is just flexible enough you can press-fit a DC motor with 20mm diameter inside ADD TO CART

1 x 3 x AA Battery Holder with 2.1mm Plug

A holder for three (3) AA batteries! It's got an 8" long power cable with a 2.1mm DC jack at the end

ADD TO CART

1 x Alkaline AA batteries (LR6) - 3 pack

Battery power for your portable project! ADD TO CART

1 x Small Alligator Clip to Male Jumper Wire Bundle - 6 Pieces

Connect your Crickit to the wires of your DC motor with these handy cables. ADD TO CART

Supplies

You'll want to go to your local store and pick up the following:

2 x Bubble Solution

Liquid Bubbles with 1" (2.5 cm) bubble wands

1 x Container

2" x 4" (5 cm x 10 cm) or so, deep enough to dip bubble wand in sideways, 1.5" (2.5 cm) or so.

1 x Legos or other parts mounting items

Legos make for a flexible way to mount the fan and servo for the project

1 x Super Glue

For gluing mounts to bases. Hot glue may also work.

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There are a number of bubble solution recipes on the Internet if you would like to mix up your own. If you decide to make your own bubble wand also, note that the container will need to be deeper than the diameter of the bubble wand.

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Sub-Assemblies

Electrical Connections

Use the assembly instructions () for attaching the Circuit Playground Express to the Crickit.

The servo plugs into the Crickit board in the block of pins marked Servo. The lightest color (yellow/orange) connects to the signal pin near the board edge. The connector side with the black wire faces the center of the board.

For the DC motor, use alligator clips to the motor wires, connect the pin ends to the Motor 2 pins (the ground and Motor 1 pins are unused). The clips will connect to the motor connection wires. If you ever find the fan running backwards, power off the project and swap the alligator connections which will reverse the direction of the motor.

The Wand

If you have very long bubble wand handles, you may need to trim them. About 8 cm / 3" works well but you'll want to check the mechanics of your setup to ensure things will work.

Select a servo horn from the package that comes with the servo. I used the X shaped horn but the double inline one is fine. The wand will be connected to the servo horn using the long pointy screws that come with the servo.

Drill two holes using a tiny drill bit that matches holes in the horn. Take the horn and using a short screw, connect the horn to the servo.

Screw the wand onto the horn. Alternatively you can try to hot glue or super glue the wand onto the horn. Gluing will not allow removal of the wand and since the wand covers the horn attachment screw, the horn is permanently attached. Screws would be best.

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