Spirograph help

Nice Dave! At least you recognize that there are four elements.... Here is how I wired mine.

The pot is wired one end to +12 one end to Ground and the wiper to the transistor acting as a voltage follower to get you some current drive. You only need a small one for small motors

Jules said:

Nice Dave! At least you recognize that there are four elements....

Click to expand...

My wife's a witch

Peace,
dave

Ok so Im planning to build a spirograph.

Recently used a handheld fan which I switched the "blades" for a mirror.
I want something more than that, 2 or three mirror with speed control.

I have no idea how you can know where to wire the different components so I need a little help.

I tried my best but couldn't find a tutorial for uber beginners.

I live in Sweden and I have no idea where I can get small motors, plastic mirror, potentiometer, project box and what else that is needed. I'd like it to be pretty portable, not too big.

I have a hot glue gun, soldering stuff. And my very little knowledge. Hope someone can help me.

Thanks /Benji

Update: I have 3 motors soldered to a simple switch and 2 AAA batteries. 1 from the handheldfan, 1 from some RC thing (plane I suppose) and 1 motor from an old CD player. I have no Idea if the RC motor is strong/fast but if not i have another motor from the same cd player.

Still trying to find a box to put it all in around the house.
Mirrors...I found some kind of "telescope" you use when its crouded, simply a paper box with two plastic mirrors.

Anyone from Sweden knows where I can get a potentiometer? Would be more fun with that.

W00T Sweden!!1

Try with 1000 ohm pot at Elfa or Elektrokit. I don't know if a 1000 ohm will work, but I think it's the best option.

This is my favourite spirograph-thread, look for some diagrams and read here and there.
http://www.laserpointerforums.com/forums/YaBB.pl?num=1206759763/0

My advise is to use three identical motors.

[highlight]Edit: maybe 100 ohms with 3V. [/highlight]

Thanks for the help Always appreciated.

I'll try this 3 different motors until I find a place to buy from... Maybe one of the site you wrote sells? I don't know what motors to get either

IDK, Kjell.com..? I think you'll find something good there. Make sure that it's a DC motor, in your case somewhere around 3V.

I like the ones from CD/DVD players/burners.

I bought some connection wires and 2x 1kohm potentiometers. No motors were in stock.

Do I need a switch to turn all of the motors off? since I only have 2 potentiometers for 3 motors...

Also I dont have any mirror or box. Where can I get those! Can't find any suitable box at home :-[

Whats the difference between 2 and 3 motors? Anyways, can someone make a really simple description on how to connect all?
1 wire from motor to battery, 1 wire from motor to potentiometer x2. wire from motor to battery, wire from motor to switch, and both potentiometer to the switch?...

I've got these things right now, have 3 identical motors ordered.
No box, no good mirrors.
Which switch to use of these?

Look at kjell.com for electronic boxes (I cant link you for some reason), they have some different kinds to work with.

I can't help you with the mirrors, sorry. I make my own out of harddrives with my dremel and it's pretty hard. Maybe you can find something on ebay, surface reflective mirror.

Basically all you need to know is in the link I gave you, I higherly recommend you to have a look.
You'll probably only need one switch to turn everything on/off. The switch in the middle in your picture could be good for a reversing switch (it makes one of the motors change direction on your command) so you'll get even more patterns.


Here's my three mirror spirograph with one reversing switch:
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjXvGiC-hzg[/media]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zks-kTcoLGs[/media]

Thanks for your answer once again

I'll try till I make it ;D

The beginning of that second vid is awesome (not saying they both are but that one is just so cool!) ;D

that second vid is awesome (not saying they both are but that one is just so cool!)

Click to expand...

I cannot help but agree with that! Very nicely done FML

Regards rog8811

I've been wanting to build a spriograph for a long time now and I finally did today. I used the top of a DVD burner as a mount for everything, 2 10k pots, 2 mini switches, hot glue, soldering for connections, and 2 9v battery connectors, and cut out a CD to use as a mirror... I only have 1 9V battery right now which is frustrating, i don't want to drive to the store for just a battery....

anyways, here's what i made, anyone else is welcome to use my design. it's pretty ghetto but should work. I think it could be drastically improved with using an actual front surface mirror but I don't have any at the moment.

dumb question whats a pot

its a potentiometer


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potentiometer

I lose :-[