Chariot Game

Purpose: This is my submission for the 2020-2021 Butwin Elias Award by the Adam Iseman Foundation. My submission is a chariot game where the goal is to compete against another chariot and try and knock the other rider off of the opposing vehicle. The following is a guide as to how to construct a chariot and its rider. Best played on a flat, even floor, without furniture or machinery to bump into.

Tools

• Soldering Iron
• Wood Cutter
• Laser Cutter
• Hot Glue Gun
• Wire Cutter
• Writing Utensil
• Tape Measure

Resources

Chariot

• Balsa Wood (35” x 0.5” x 0.125” ) x2
• Balsa Wood (24” x 0.25” x 0.25” ) x1
• Wire x1
• Soldering Wire x1
• Hot Glue Sticks x2
• Acrylic sheets ( 3” x 3” x 0.63” ) x2
• 9 Volt Battery x1
• 9 Volt battery Connector x1
• 1.5 Volt Motors x2
• Switch x1
• Bearing x1

Rider

• Balsa Wood (35” x 0.5” x 0.125” ) x1
• Balsa Wood (24” x 0.25” x 0.25” ) x1
• Paper Clips x4
• Masking Tape x1

How does this simple project show an application in STEM? One of the major ways this was shown is in its circuitry and the designing behind it. This project gave me a hands on lesson with soldering and circuits. Before taking this on, I didn't truly understand the difference between series and parallel. Through testing, and a few 9V batteries, I had a better grasp of what circuits were and how they worked. Originally, I had a parallel circuit and the test model only did donuts on the floor. After some testing and suggestions from my Engineering teacher, I was able to understand what worked best. One of the best applications of this project in STEM is its circuitry, the engineering process trying to make it work, and the hands-on learning behind it.

Get the Balsa Wood pieces (36" x 0.5" x 0.125" ) and cut them into the following measurements:

• 11, 4" pieces
• 7, 3" pieces
• 10, 1.5" pieces
• 11, 2" pieces
• 3, 1.125" pieces

Using the Wood Cutter tool, cut 45 degrees off both sides of a 4" piece and a 3" piece (you should end up with two trapezoids), and on just one side of two 2" pieces.

Arrange the two trapezoids and six 4" pieces into the above shape. Using the Hot Glue Gun, attach one 4" piece down the center, and two 3" pieces along the sides. This will form the base of the chariot.

Grab three of the 2" pieces of Balsa Wood and two of the 1.5" pieces. Using the Glue Gun, attach the pieces to the Base (the 2" pieces will be vertical and horizontal, and the 1.5" pieces will be diagonal.)

Using the same pieces, repeat the last step, making the Wall 1" tall.

Using the Wood Cutter (or a 3/8 drill bit if available) make holes in the base as shown in the attached picture. One hole is 2.5" in, and 0.5" up, while the other is 0.75" in and 2.75" up.

Using your two 1.5V motors and the Hot Glue Gun, attach your two motors to the Base. Make sure to secure them with ample amounts of glue as these wheels are jostled quite frequently.

Get your 9V battery and 9V battery connector. Attach the latter to the former and glue down to the base. Slip the black wire through the nearest hole and bring to the back of the base.

Using the Hot Glue Gun, attach the switch to the bottom of Base with the wire connectors facing inwards (should fit between the two support pieces). Thread the black wire through left-most holes on the switch (strip the wire with the Wire Cutters if the wire does not contact the entire surface)

Get two 2" lengths of wire and strip off both ends of both wires using the Wire Cutter. Repeat the last steps, cutting and stripping one 3" piece.

Attach the two 2" between the motors. Make sure the positive side of the motors are connected together and the negative sides are connected as well.

Take the 3" wire and thread it through the center of the switch and then through the nearest hole in the Base.

Attach the 3" wire to the wire right above it when it comes out of the hole. Attach the Red Wire of the 9V battery connector to the front wires.

PLEASE NOTE: Make sure both motors spin towards the front of the Base. If one is backwards, disconnect it from Base, flip it 180 degrees, and reattach it the same way as previously mentioned. When properly wired, as you flick the switch it should make both wheels spin forward.

After you make sure all the wires and motors are arranged properly, solder the wires together so all connections stay secure during movement.

Get one 2" piece, two 3" pieces, and two 1.5" pieces of Balsa Wood. Using the Hot Glue Gun, attach these pieces onto the already existing wall, increasing the wall height to 1.5". Repeat the previous step again, so the wall height is 2".

Get the last three 4" pieces and glue them together. After they are done drying, place it into the chariot and glue it to the walls. It should rest before the front starts angling in, and one piece below the top of the wall.

Getting the two 2" pieces with 45 degree cuts, one 2" piece, and two 1.5", add them to the wall. The total wall height should be 2.5".

get the three 1.125" pieces (of the 36" x 0.5" x 0.125" Balsa Wood) and your bearing. Using the 24" x 0.25" x 0.25" Balsa wood, cut out:

• 2, 3" pieces
• 1, 0.75" piece

Put the bearing on the 0.75" piece, and glue on the two 3" pieces as shown above. Then, attach the three 1.125" pieces as shown. (Make sure there is a slight gap between the Balsa Wood and the bearing as this will cause friction. Balsa Wood should overhang slightly)

Flip the chariot over, and glue on the front axle as shown. The support piece running through the center of the axle should be above the center support on the base of the chariot. Make sure to keep it as straight as possible as any angle on it will cause it to turn in that direction.

Using a laser cutter, cut out 2.85" diameter wheels with a 0.63" hole in the center on the 3" X 3" acrylic sheets.

NOTE: This part is purposely vague on directions due to not everyone having the same exact machine and program. Please review your machine manual on how to print using said machine.

Press the wheels onto the shafts of the motors. It will be, and should be a tight fit. Shafts should slightly stick out.

Apply some hot glue to the center of the wheel to help secure it to the shaft. Also, because 1/16 acrylic is not known for its gripping ability, run some hot glue along the edge to help give traction.

Your Chariot is now done! Next step is making the Rider.

Using the 36" x 0.5" x 0.125" Balsa Wood, cut out the following:

• 4, 2" pieces
• 1, 3" piece
• 1, 1" piece
• 1, 2.5" piece

Using the 24" x 0.25" x 0.25" Balsa Wood, cut out one 12" piece.

Glue the four 2" pieces into a square. The final shape should be a 2" x 2" square with a 1" x 1" square in the center.

Using the 3" piece and 2.5" piece, glue together a T-shaped structure, with the 3" piece being the Vertical section and the 2.5" piece being the Horizontal.

On the 1" piece, make a hole directly in the center that has about a 0.25" diameter.

Taking all the pieces, glue them together into the structure above.

Get 4 paperclips and masking tape. Tape the 4 paperclips together and then put a piece of masking tape on upside down so the sticky side is on the outside. Put this on the back of the Rider to create weight.

NOTE: Depending on type of paperclips used, more may be needed to weigh it down.

Using the 12" length of Balsa Wood and the edge of a table, roll 1.5" of it into a slightly spherical shape.

Slide the spherical end of the 12" piece into the hole on the Rider. Place the Rider on the floorboard of the Chariot and you are finished!

This guide showed you how to make one Chariot and one Rider. Repeat this guide to make another set (or as many as you desire). Feel free to personalize your chariot and rider with paint, glitter, markers (googly eyes recommended) or whatever you want! Just make sure to not mess with any wiring or the wheels as this may have undesired effects.

On opposite ends of a room or hallway, with yourself and an opponent, place your chariots on the floor facing each other and let them go! Angle your chariots or riders different ways to try and knock your opponent off.

Here are the CAD files for the Chariot and Rider. These are just basic models to give a better understanding of the Structures needed to be built.