Once I’d attached the Nerf gun to the motor mount, I designed a stand to support the gun and the distance sensor, Arduinos, and firing circuit. Using some 20mm 80/20 t-slot aluminum and connectors, I built this. It started out as a tripod, but grew some feet, so now I’m not sure what to call it.
I didn’t have a profile long enough to add support to the angled front and back pieces, so I grabbed a piece of scrap from the stereo I removed from my wife’s car and used that.
The motor that sweeps the gun back and forth is driven by a MotorShield and Arduino. To know when to reverse direction, I added a bump switch to either side of the stand framing. When the grip hits a switch, it’ll go the other way. In a marriage of two competing aluminum building systems, I’ve got MicroRax plates coupling the switches to the 80/20.
Here it is in it’s full glory. The aluminum is strong, but lightweight. Once the electronics are complete, and enclosed, I’ll attach them to the stand as well.
In the Maker Shed:
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