Metroid Arm Cannon - Build thread

Youkai

Edit history:

Youkai: 2013-05-26 11:12:11 pm

Youkai: 2013-05-26 11:11:50 pm

Youkai: 2012-02-20 04:30:56 pm

Youkai: 2012-02-20 04:30:36 pm

Youkai: 2012-02-09 05:12:09 pm

Youkai: 2012-01-25 06:38:36 pm

Youkai: 2012-01-25 03:45:10 pm

Youkai: 2012-01-25 10:53:43 am

Youkai: 2012-01-25 10:52:40 am

Youkai: 2012-01-24 11:01:51 pm

2012-01-24 10:52:40 pm

Don't know what to speedrun :(

So the Arm Cannon project is a complete failure. Every step of the way I kept running into issues and every one I overcame resulted in two more. A while ago I abandoned the moving parts idea and was just going to do lights and sounds. Today I found out that my LED controller chip can't handle as many LED's as it needs to. It overheated and died. So I'm going to have to give up on the project it seems. Next time I'll pick a less ambitious thing to create.

ORIGINAL POST:

I have decided to attempt to build a Metroid Arm Cannon as a prize for an upcoming marathon. This will be the Arm Cannon circa Metroid Prime 1. I imagine this build is going to be quite long and trying so I am creating this thread to track my journey and to get advice/support from other members. Also to make sure I actually donate it and don't just keep it for myself. My goal is to have it done in time for the upcoming SGDQ which means I have about two months to build it if I want to make sure I have time to work out the bugs.

Information about the build

Required features:
--Should be life size and equipable for an adult i.e. you can stick your hand in it and wear it
--Look like the default arm cannon before any upgrades
--Have some LED lighting similar to the game

Goal features:
--Have Ice Beam configuration
--Have Wave Beam configuration
--Have Plasma Beam configuration
--Have Missile configuration
--For each configuration have a minimum of one moving section that sets the configuration apart from the default configuration
--The moving sections should move on their own when triggered by buttons internal to the Arm Cannon i.e. when the weilder’s gun hand presses a button for the selected configuration.

Nice to have features:
--Sound effects

I am planning to build the exterior out of some form of styrofoam. I’ll buy it in blocks and carve the pieces I need. All of that will probably be mounted to a piece of PVC pipe just big enough for you to stick your arm in. Inside the pipe there will be a handle to hold on to and that will have whatever buttons I am going to use on it. At a minimum there will be a switch to turn the LED lights on.

As far as the configurations go I have an idea for what I’m going to do for each configuration. The only question is how I am going to get the device to morph. I have two ideas so far:
-- I could use linear actuators if I can find small enough ones
-- I can find or make electromagnets and have them work in conjunction with a spring. The spring would keep the module closed and when the magnet is turned on it will overpower the spring and force the module open.
I still need to do a lot of research into both of these options but if you know something about either or have another good idea feel free to put your two cents in.

Build Images
Top view concept drawing: http://www.dandryl.com/ArmCannon/ArmCannon.jpg
Side view concept drawing: http://www.dandryl.com/ArmCannon/ArmCannonSide.jpg
Wave Beam concept: http://www.dandryl.com/ArmCannon/ConceptWaveBeam.jpg
Plasma Beam concept: http://www.dandryl.com/ArmCannon/ConceptPlasmaBeam.jpg
Ice Beam concept: http://www.dandryl.com/ArmCannon/ConceptIceBeam.jpg
Side view 1/2 scale drawing: http://www.dandryl.com/ArmCannon/ArmCannonSideHalfScale.jpg
Top view 1/2 scale drawing: http://www.dandryl.com/ArmCannon/ArmCannonTopHalfScale.jpg

Build video playlist
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBDD0A3B6E5C15862&feature=view_all

Thread title:

So the Arm Cannon project is a complete failure. Every step of the way I kept running into issues and every one I overcame resulted in two more. A while ago I abandoned the moving parts idea and was just going to do lights and sounds. Today I found out that my LED controller chip can't handle as many LED's as it needs to. It overheated and died. So I'm going to have to give up on the project it seems. Next time I'll pick a less ambitious thing to create.

[b]ORIGINAL POST:[/b]

I have decided to attempt to build a Metroid Arm Cannon as a prize for an upcoming marathon. This will be the Arm Cannon circa Metroid Prime 1. I imagine this build is going to be quite long and trying so I am creating this thread to track my journey and to get advice/support from other members. Also to make sure I actually donate it and don't just keep it for myself. My goal is to have it done in time for the upcoming SGDQ which means I have about two months to build it if I want to make sure I have time to work out the bugs.

[b]Information about the build[/b]

Required features:
--Should be life size and equipable for an adult i.e. you can stick your hand in it and wear it
--Look like the default arm cannon before any upgrades
--Have some LED lighting similar to the game

Goal features:
--Have Ice Beam configuration
--Have Wave Beam configuration
--Have Plasma Beam configuration
--Have Missile configuration
--For each configuration have a minimum of one moving section that sets the configuration apart from the default configuration
--The moving sections should move on their own when triggered by buttons internal to the Arm Cannon i.e. when the weilder’s gun hand presses a button for the selected configuration.

Nice to have features:
--Sound effects

I am planning to build the exterior out of some form of styrofoam. I’ll buy it in blocks and carve the pieces I need. All of that will probably be mounted to a piece of PVC pipe just big enough for you to stick your arm in. Inside the pipe there will be a handle to hold on to and that will have whatever buttons I am going to use on it. At a minimum there will be a switch to turn the LED lights on.

As far as the configurations go I have an idea for what I’m going to do for each configuration. The only question is how I am going to get the device to morph. I have two ideas so far:
-- I could use linear actuators if I can find small enough ones
-- I can find or make electromagnets and have them work in conjunction with a spring. The spring would keep the module closed and when the magnet is turned on it will overpower the spring and force the module open.
I still need to do a lot of research into both of these options but if you know something about either or have another good idea feel free to put your two cents in.

[b]Build Images[/b]
Top view concept drawing: [url]http://www.dandryl.com/ArmCannon/ArmCannon.jpg[/url]
Side view concept drawing: [url]http://www.dandryl.com/ArmCannon/ArmCannonSide.jpg[/url]
Wave Beam concept: [url]http://www.dandryl.com/ArmCannon/ConceptWaveBeam.jpg[/url]
Plasma Beam concept: [url]http://www.dandryl.com/ArmCannon/ConceptPlasmaBeam.jpg[/url]
Ice Beam concept: [url]http://www.dandryl.com/ArmCannon/ConceptIceBeam.jpg[/url]
Side view 1/2 scale drawing: [url]http://www.dandryl.com/ArmCannon/ArmCannonSideHalfScale.jpg[/url]
Top view 1/2 scale drawing: [url]http://www.dandryl.com/ArmCannon/ArmCannonTopHalfScale.jpg[/url]

[b]Build video playlist[/b]
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBDD0A3B6E5C15862&feature=view_all

Shiden

2012-01-24 11:03:55 pm

Is it ok if I drool a bit?

Youkai

2012-01-24 11:07:38 pm

Don't know what to speedrun :(

For sure. Hopefully in the next week I'll have some more drool worth material for you in the form of drawings of the various configurations.

FlamingMage

2012-01-24 11:47:19 pm

If you can streamline the production process, consider selling these. You'll make millions.

brassmaster

2012-01-25 07:17:03 am

Yeah, i thought about that and mentioned it to him as well. I'm really looking forward to this.

Youkai

2012-01-25 10:50:26 am

Don't know what to speedrun :(

Here are the concept drawings for the Wave Beam and Plasma Beam configurations. The morph will be linear in the direction of the arrow. It will most likely be between .5 and 1 inch of movement depending on the piece. The shaded areas in the drawings (i.e. the areas opened up by the moving pieces) will be lit with LED of the beam color. Purple for Wave and Red for Plasma.

As you can see on the Wave Beam there will be 4 moving parts, 2 on each side. I'm not exactly sure how feasible that is. That is my goal but I may have to one moving section on each side and the whole piece will move as one exposing the larger of the lighting areas.

The Plasma Beam will have two moving parts and they will shift out and forward exposing the lighted area.

holydiver42

2012-01-25 12:00:56 pm

Everybody DANCE!

This sounds incredible.

Heidrage

2012-01-25 01:03:44 pm

Willing to teach you the impossible

Any idea on the approx weight of the final product?

Youkai

2012-01-25 01:12:49 pm

Don't know what to speedrun :(

Quote from Heidrage:

Any idea on the approx weight of the final product?

My plan at the moment is to construct it out of a PVC pipe, styrofoam, and whatever electronics/batteries it takes. I don't have a good idea but I would guess 10-15 pounds total weight. I think the PVC and batteries will be the biggest weight components so it will be interesting to see if I need to make some accommodations to reduce the weight.

Depending on how many batteries I end up needing I might need to nix the AA/9V batteries and move to something like the rechargeable battery packs used in RC helicopters; I'm almost positive that these have a significantly higher energy density than traditional batteries. I may do that anyway to save space. We will see.

Heidrage

2012-01-25 01:28:08 pm

Willing to teach you the impossible

Cool, looking forward to your progression

sinister1

2012-01-25 03:18:09 pm

sinister1

so pro u don't even know

I want one! Seriously, like Flamingmage said, make more than one if you can, people will buy them.

Youkai

Edit history:

Youkai: 2012-01-25 06:38:03 pm

2012-01-25 03:44:14 pm

Don't know what to speedrun :(

Quote from sinister1:

I want one! Seriously, like Flamingmage said, make more than one if you can, people will buy them.

I appreciate your enthusiasm but I have to figure out how to make one before I even think about that.

Here is the initial side view concept drawing.

EDIT:
Ice beam concept. This one might be tricky. The taller section will have to move quite a bit to get up there. I may have to make them just one piece.

Youkai

2012-01-26 04:56:01 pm

Don't know what to speedrun :(

Does anybody looking at this have a half decent understanding of electronics that would be willing to have a phone or skype conversation with me? Particularly I need some help designing a circuit that uses flip-flops. Also I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around transistors.

MSK

2012-01-31 09:53:43 pm

I'm not too familiar with discrete electronics as I mainly do ICs, but if it's within my powers, I can try to help.

UchihaSasuke

2012-02-04 12:59:52 am

Stand: Devil's Call in your Heart

getting the phazon beam configuration is easy. just do all 3 at the same time and put a switch to use a blue led :p

Youkai

Edit history:

Youkai: 2012-02-04 09:12:40 am

2012-02-04 09:11:04 am

Don't know what to speedrun :(

Dammit Sauske, I was already planning on doing that and you went and ruined the surprise!

I was gonna build the whole damn thing without telling anyone and then when I was showing it to people they would be like "Oh this is super cool. I've been following your build thread." and I would be like "Yeah? That's great let me show you the beams in real life.". Then once I showed them all the normal beams I'd be like "Oh yeah I almost forgot. There's this too . . . PHAZON BEAM MUTHA' F$*#*@!" and they would be like "You are a god" or if it's a girl "please sign my boobs".

You know. Now that I go back and read what I just typed I'm pretty sure that I will think this thing is way cooler than most other people will. Sad day. I guess it's not the end of the world that you ruined it. Haha, anyway thanks for following the thread and giving tips/advice.

Brassmaster

2012-02-04 11:26:55 am

you could have just said that there wasn't room for the LEDs or something like that. Oh well, a bit late now. But that sounds like a great idea. This is going to be one bitchin' prize!

Lone_Kilted_Ninja

2012-02-04 12:42:44 pm

Anything you can do I can do halfass

If you're working in foam, a hot-wire cutter can be useful. In a pinch, you can just pound 2 big nails into a chunk of 2x4 (leave them sticking a couple inches out), stretch some wire between the heads and clip it (for brief periods of time only) to a heavy lantern battery or old laptop power transformer. If you really wanted to go all-out, you could do the foam mold and then vacuum-bag some fiberglass around it. An old fridge compressor and some trash bags can be enough for a basic lay-up, although I'd suggest practicing a few times on simpler shapes just to get a feel for how much epoxy to use vs squeegee off. I'd also say go to Radio Shack and get a small breadboard if you want to do electronics. Every time I do an electronic mod/hack, I always think "meh, I can just solder the individual components together and it will be smaller and stronger and cheaper" and every time it turns out fugly and fragile until I go back and do it right.
Either way, prototype-prototype-prototype. Build chunks of the design in isolation to get a feel for the technique. If your final product is the first version you ever attempt, you aren't going to be happy with it.

If you're working in foam, a hot-wire cutter can be useful.  In a pinch, you can just pound 2 big nails into a chunk of 2x4 (leave them sticking a couple inches out), stretch some wire between the heads and clip it (for brief periods of time only) to a heavy lantern battery or old laptop power transformer.  If you really wanted to go all-out, you could do the foam mold and then vacuum-bag some fiberglass around it.  An old fridge compressor and some trash bags can be enough for a basic lay-up, although I'd suggest practicing a few times on simpler shapes just to get a feel for how much epoxy to use vs squeegee off.  I'd also say go to Radio Shack and get a small breadboard if you want to do electronics.  Every time I do an electronic mod/hack, I always think "meh, I can just solder the individual components together and it will be smaller and stronger and cheaper" and every time it turns out fugly and fragile until I go back and do it right.
Either way, prototype-prototype-prototype.  Build chunks of the design in isolation to get a feel for the technique.  If your final product is the first version you ever attempt, you aren't going to be happy with it.

Youkai

2012-02-09 11:16:35 am

Don't know what to speedrun :(

Sorry for the lack of updates guys. MSK and NMS from the forum here have been trying to help me figure out the issues I have been having with my IC chips. I just don't think they are going to work for me the way I want so It looks like it's time to just go with a Microcontroller. I should be picking one up today and I'll be able to make progress again.

To respond to your post Lone_Kilted_Ninja; thanks for the info. I was planning on just buying some styrofoam blocks and literally using a knife to get the rough shape then smoothing it into the final shape with some coarse sand paper. I'm not really going to have any straight edges and I don't really have the means to make a wire cutter in my apartment so I'm going to have to use a different method. The apartment thing goes for the fiberglass as well lol. There is a hobby store around here that has RC planes, helicopters, and whatnot. They should have some sort of resin coating that is used on the planes which is clear and I can just paint over the final pieces to make it a little more durable.

Sorry for the lack of updates guys. MSK and NMS from the forum here have been trying to help me figure out the issues I have been having with my IC chips. I just don't think they are going to work for me the way I want so It looks like it's time to just go with a Microcontroller. I should be picking one up today and I'll be able to make progress again.

To respond to your post Lone_Kilted_Ninja; thanks for the info. I was planning on just buying some styrofoam blocks and literally using a knife to get the rough shape then smoothing it into the final shape with some coarse sand paper. I'm not really going to have any straight edges and I don't really have the means to make a wire cutter in my apartment so I'm going to have to use a different method. The apartment thing goes for the fiberglass as well lol. There is a hobby store around here that has RC planes, helicopters, and whatnot. They should have some sort of resin coating that is used on the planes which is clear and I can just paint over the final pieces to make it a little more durable.

Youkai

Edit history:

Youkai: 2012-02-09 05:55:49 pm

Youkai: 2012-02-09 05:55:12 pm

Youkai: 2012-02-09 05:12:33 pm

2012-02-09 05:11:04 pm

Don't know what to speedrun :(

After two weeks of messing around with component electronics I got an Arduino microcontroller board today and created a proof of concept in 2 hours. Should have just done this from the beginning; arg. Anyway I can start making progress on the project again. Time to start the real planning.

Here is a link to a playlist on YouTube that I created to house videos I make for this project. The video in it shows what I did with the Arduino board.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBDD0A3B6E5C15862&feature=view_all

EDIT: a little more planning

Pin plan for the micro controller.

Configurations (6): Normal, Wave, Plasma, Ice, Missle, Phazon

Each configuration will need: 1 momentary press button, 1 LED control pin, 1 servo control pin

This means I need a minimum of 15 pins on my microcontroller to run the Arm Cannon; assuming that one pin can run an entire bank of LED or as many servos are needed. The microcontroller I currently have only has 14 pins. There is a larger microcontroller that has 54 pins which I will end up needing for the project. I will need to leave a cavity 5 x 3 x 1 inches somewhere in the device for the board; that does not inculed space for batteries.

Weapon configurations
Normal: no servos, lights for the four triangular bars on the top surface of the Arm Cannon (always on even when other configurations are enabled).
Wave: 4 servos (two on each side), purple LED
Plasma: 2 servos, red LED
Ice: 2 servos, light blue LED
Missle: 4 servos (one for each quarter of the nose), no LED
Phazon: no extra servos (all current servos will switch to open state), dark blue LED (an extra bank next to each existing bank to light the same areas the new color)

After two weeks of messing around with component electronics I got an Arduino microcontroller board today and created a proof of concept in 2 hours. Should have just done this from the beginning; arg. Anyway I can start making progress on the project again. Time to start the real planning.

Here is a link to a playlist on YouTube that I created to house videos I make for this project. The video in it shows what I did with the Arduino board.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBDD0A3B6E5C15862&feature=view_all

EDIT: a little more planning

Pin plan for the micro controller.

Configurations (6): Normal, Wave, Plasma, Ice, Missle, Phazon

Each configuration will need: 1 momentary press button, 1 LED control pin, 1 servo control pin

This means I need a minimum of 15 pins on my microcontroller to run the Arm Cannon; assuming that one pin can run an entire bank of LED or as many servos are needed. The microcontroller I currently have only has 14 pins. There is a larger microcontroller that has 54 pins which I will end up needing for the project. I will need to leave a cavity 5 x 3 x 1 inches somewhere in the device for the board; that does not inculed space for batteries.

[b]Weapon configurations[/b]
Normal: no servos, lights for the four triangular bars on the top surface of the Arm Cannon (always on even when other configurations are enabled).
Wave: 4 servos (two on each side), purple LED
Plasma: 2 servos, red LED
Ice: 2 servos, light blue LED
Missle: 4 servos (one for each quarter of the nose), no LED
Phazon: no extra servos (all current servos will switch to open state), dark blue LED (an extra bank next to each existing bank to light the same areas the new color)

Youkai

2012-02-13 06:44:40 pm

Don't know what to speedrun :(

I'm getting to the point that I really need to start planning out the actual design and make sure everything will fit. To that end I have drawn a half scale drawing of the side view of the arm cannon. It' looks pretty much like the old drawing but for a couple changes. The moving part of the Magma beam is only going to go down to the center line of the cannon. Also in this drawing I have included the ribs on the section before the missile extension.

The backbone of the Arm Cannon is going to be a 4 inch piece of PVC pipe. That was a size I could reasonably fit my arm into. I don't think I can get away with having only an inch of foam surrounding that because I am going to need room for the servo's and wiring so I'm planning on two inches of foam surrounding the pipe. That brings the total diameter of the Arm Cannon to 8 inches. The length is going to be 20 inches total. Based on my scale drawing I think it will look a little thicker than maybe it should but I don't think it's enough to cause an issue.

Please take a look at the drawing and let me know if you think there are any issues with the relative size of various parts of the arm cannon.

I'm getting to the point that I really need to start planning out the actual design and make sure everything will fit. To that end I have drawn a half scale drawing of the side view of the arm cannon. It' looks pretty much like the old drawing but for a couple changes. The moving part of the Magma beam is only going to go down to the center line of the cannon. Also in this drawing I have included the ribs on the section before the missile extension.

The backbone of the Arm Cannon is going to be a 4 inch piece of PVC pipe. That was a size I could reasonably fit my arm into. I don't think I can get away with having only an inch of foam surrounding that because I am going to need room for the servo's and wiring so I'm planning on two inches of foam surrounding the pipe. That brings the total diameter of the Arm Cannon to 8 inches. The length is going to be 20 inches total. Based on my scale drawing I think it will look a little thicker than maybe it should but I don't think it's enough to cause an issue.

Please take a look at the drawing and let me know if you think there are any issues with the relative size of various parts of the arm cannon.

[img]http://www.dandryl.com/ArmCannon/ArmCannonSideHalfScale.jpg[/img]

Youkai

2012-02-20 04:29:40 pm

Don't know what to speedrun :(

Here is the half scale top view. I have both of these laminated now so I can draw on them with dry-erase marker. Hopefully I'll soon have more detail in my planning and be able to say where the components are going to be placed.

Youkai

2012-02-20 09:48:49 pm

Don't know what to speedrun :(

These are the laminated images with dry-erase on them. Red is the cavity for the micro controller. Purple are where the servo's are going to go.

1 and 2 will run the Ice beam (top goes up)
3, 4, 5, and 6 are for the Wave beam (sides go out)
7 and 8 are Plasma beam (shell goes out and up)
9, 10, 11, and 12 are for the Missile attachment (nose spreads open)

I'm a little concerned about how the hinges for the Missile attachment are going to work. Ideally they need to be as close to the outside as possible. But with the narrower ring before them I'll only be able to place the hinge so far out. I may have to get creative on that one.

Youkai

Edit history:

Youkai: 2013-05-14 10:10:25 am

2012-08-07 06:00:43 pm

Don't know what to speedrun :(

I know it's been a while since I posted anything about this but I haven't abandoned it. I got busy with SGDQ practice and then my FFXII speedrun so this has been on the back burner. Anyway I should be working on it again here in the near future. Here is a new video of some prep work I've been doing:

brassmaster

2012-08-07 10:29:52 pm

glad to see you back at work on this.

what about using something like a dremel tool to get smoother carvings? that might help with the "cavities" as well.