Pages complete. I've done the instructions and all the parts. I've included a mono version in the pack so you can add your own colour. I should have it completed and uploaded within the next 24 hours

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Spent the afternoon adding colour to the This Much Robot. I've tried to make the final look of the robot a little more romantic but with a mechanical edge to it. Hence the row of rivets contrasting with the eye lashes. The "I love you this much" speech bubble is an

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I stripped back the model that I'd created yesterday and I've scanned and made appropriate adjustments to the parts layouts. The scissor arm unit is fastened top and bottom inside the body. In the stage that I was at yesterday the tabs holding the scissors were glued into the centre of a flat surface. The problem with this is that the surface flexes as the tab is pulled. To get over this problem I have added a crease into the centre of each surface.

It only needs a single crease to dramatically increase the stiffness of a structure.

I completed assembling the parts and it all works quite nicely! I'll be doing another draft before starting with colour and artwork, The relative size and positioning of the parts needs some serious work!

It's coming on though.

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 TMR (A quick re-cap, "This-Much! Robot." Press the body down and the arms go out - "I love you this much!")

Having got a set of working arms I'm now fitting them into a robot body. I've had to redo the arms a bit thinner front to back so that they'll fit into a reasonable size body. I spent a lot of time drawing pictures and trying to work out how it was all going together. In the end I just roughed up a couple of interlocking tubes and started hacking away with the scalpel. Having worked out how everything fits I'll now be able to create a neater version. This process also shows me where the model needs strength. When I rebuild I'll be able to add some suitably placed creases and tubes for rigidity.

I've finished another project today - I'll be able to tell you more soon. Oooo! Exciting eh?!

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No printer ink from the postman this morning. I've pressed the laser printer into service - it is not very good on card, I think the fuser isn't hot enough. Anyway - it did the job and has let me construct a few experiments in robot geometry.

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Back to work! I've had a few family days while the kids are on school holiday - helping with home work, visiting friends, walking the dog. It's been nice.

I've been thinking about a few different models - got some nice ideas I reckon! I'm starting off with what should have been this year's Valentine model, should be ready in good time for 2011! The model will be a paper robot. Lift the body up and the arms spread. "I love you this much!" I'm using a scissor mechanism to move the hands in and out. At the moment there is an issue with the amount of travel. Even pulling the centre of the arms right up (As modeled by #1 son) the hands won't pull right in. I've got a couple of things that I can try involving varying the geometry and changing the joints. I'll give them a try in the morning and report back tomorrow. 

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