Servo - March 2016

48 SERVO 03.2016

Project Concept and Design

• Ask for help. Find a mentor to pass on some of their knowledge to help you along.

• Spend some time making a plan first! A little extra time spent at the beginning of a project will save lots of time and headaches later.

• Learn new skills. Check out your local community college. Their classes are widely available and teach many skills you will find useful.

• Spend time researching. Take advantage of all the resources that are available on the Web. Make sure to bookmark any interesting sites or videos even if they are not related to a current project. They may come in handy for a future idea.

• Attend conventions, events like Maker Faires, or local group meetings. Many cities have robotics clubs, woodworking groups, or Halloween gatherings. All of these have something to offer the DIY animatronic builder.

• Join an online forum. No local groups that fit your schedule? There is a plethora of online forums filled with people who enjoy doing the same things we do. Find one, join, and introduce yourself. In fact, why not start by joining our own Animatronics forum at http://forum.nutsvolts.com.

• Have a backup plan. Or two. Or three.

• Make checklists, parts lists, to do lists. Writing it down will help assure that important steps are not forgotten.

• Take notes — lots of notes! Keep an idea book and use it! Jot down ideas, no matter how outlandish they seem. You may one day have the skills to turn those crazy ideas into a reality. Another resource I use is Google Docs which allows me to update my ideas no matter which electronic device is handy. My phone is usually with me, so I can conveniently record and retrieve ideas even when away from my computers.

• Make sure you have adequate electrical service for all your needs. Decide early how you will provide power for all those cool projects you think up. Some things to consider include:

Let's face it. Getting started with a new hobby can be daunting. There is new vocabulary to learn, unfamiliar techniques that need to be mastered, and tools and parts that need to be purchased. So, what should you learn first and where should you start?

Have no fear! Others have already traveled this road and are willing to share their expertise. There is no need to reinvent the wheel, plus you can learn from their mistakes (although you will still make plenty of your own).

I have compiled a list of some nuggets of information and hope they will speed up your learning curve if you are a beginner. If you are a seasoned builder, I hope there are a few ideas here that are new to you, as well.