Introduction: How to Make a Simple Bristlebot
Step 1: What's Needed...
I found everything at my local dollar store to make the basic bristlebot.
1) Vibrating Toothbrush (battery included)
1) Fingernail Brush
1) Roll of packaging or duct tape
1) Package of pipe cleaners
1) Package of google eyes
Hot glue gun and glue.
The pipe cleaners and eyes are optional. You can choose to decorate them up or not. If you come up with some other cool ideas for decorating, please send me some pics.
1) Vibrating Toothbrush (battery included)
1) Fingernail Brush
1) Roll of packaging or duct tape
1) Package of pipe cleaners
1) Package of google eyes
Hot glue gun and glue.
The pipe cleaners and eyes are optional. You can choose to decorate them up or not. If you come up with some other cool ideas for decorating, please send me some pics.
Step 2: Assembling the Basic Bristlebot
This is fairly easy to put together. The first thing you do is remove the toothbrush from the package. Give the head of the toothbrush a slight twist and pull off. Install the battery per the directions. I like to turn it on and off just to make sure it works. Place the body of the toothbrush on the fingernail brush as shown in the picture.
Now you need a piece of tape that will start on one side of the fingernail brush, go all the way over the toothbrush body and then end on the other side of the fingernail brush. You can do a best guess and trim with scissors or you can measure to see how long of a piece you'll need. I also like to do a small fold on the end so I can easily remove the tape if I want or need to.
Note: If you get a fingernail brush like mine, it may want to smash or even tip the toothbrush body while you are applying the tape. This is okay. You may even find that it runs a little better since you'll have more vibration against the plastic rather than cushioned some by the bristles.
Now you need a piece of tape that will start on one side of the fingernail brush, go all the way over the toothbrush body and then end on the other side of the fingernail brush. You can do a best guess and trim with scissors or you can measure to see how long of a piece you'll need. I also like to do a small fold on the end so I can easily remove the tape if I want or need to.
Note: If you get a fingernail brush like mine, it may want to smash or even tip the toothbrush body while you are applying the tape. This is okay. You may even find that it runs a little better since you'll have more vibration against the plastic rather than cushioned some by the bristles.
Step 3: Let's Get Ready to Rumble...
Your bristlebot is ready to go unless you want to do some decorations on it. As you saw in the intro you can take and add eyes or whatever you'd like to dress them up. After we got them all done my son and daughter wanted to have a "BristleBot Bash". Below is a video of our bots in action.
We had a lot of fun doing these. If you want to "wow" and "amaze" kids (and adults), you'll want to make one of these.
Hint: If your bot tends to go in circles either re-align the toothbrush body or rub the bristles down the leg of your pants. This will slant the bristles some to help it move forward.
We had a lot of fun doing these. If you want to "wow" and "amaze" kids (and adults), you'll want to make one of these.
Hint: If your bot tends to go in circles either re-align the toothbrush body or rub the bristles down the leg of your pants. This will slant the bristles some to help it move forward.