Knot Your Average Boat

Materials:

2 wooden boards (10” by 6 1/2”)

2 wooden boards (7” by 6 1/2”)

1 wooden dowel (1’ by 3/16 diameter)

2 wooden dowels (5” by 3/16 diameter)

3 wooden circles (2” diameter with a 3/16” diameter hole)
2 wooden circles (2” diameter)

1 irregular shaped cam (6” diameter from the furthest point)

1 irregular shaped cam (4” diameter from the furthest point)

1 model boat (preferred 6” long)

1 small wooden board (4” by 5”)

1 dowel (6” long and 1/2” diameter)

Make 2 wooden boards 10” by 6 1/2”

Make 2 wooden boards 7” by 6 1/2”

Thickness does not matter, but I used 1/2” thick wood to make the project sturdy so it doesn’t break

Make 2 different templates for these cams

They have 2 humps on the ends of them to simulate gaining height, but then a sudden drop like a real ship on the water

1 cam has a diameter of 6” from the furthest point

1 cam has a diameter of 4” from the furthest point

Trace the templates on the wood and cut the wood with a bandsaw

Make 3 perfect circles of 2” diameter

I used a circle saw because they all need a drill hole inside of them anyway

The hole size should be 3/16 diameter for the dowel size

Cut two wooden dowels 5” by 3/16” diameter

Cut two wooden circles 2” diameter

You will have to use a bandsaw to make this since there can’t be a hole in the center of these

Sand off any jagged edges until they are smooth

Make sure that these circles are 1/16” thick or your Automata will stick

1. Take your 2 smaller boards and drill a hole in the direct center of each with a diameter of 3/16”

2. Glue together your large board with 2 smaller boards to make the bottom half of your frame. Then use a nail gun on these parts to make sure the frame is sturdy

1. Insert your long wooden dowel into the frame until only 1 side of the frame has the dowel
2. Hot glue your short wooden dowels to both of your wooden circles in the direct center that Don’t have holes
(so each circle has one dowel)

3. Take your cams and wood glue them 4” from each side of the long dowel then insert the other side of the dowel into your frame

1. Once you are done the mechanism from before and everything has dried drill two holes into the other large wooden board, each hole 3” inches away from the short sides and 3 1/4” away from the long sides

2. Then insert your wooden circles attached with short dowels into these holes

3. Use wood glue to secure the entire top-half of your Automata

4. Once all of your glue is dried and you made sure that your wooden circles and cams are completely aligned then take 2 of your wooden circles with holes in them and use wood glue to insert them onto the short dowels and slide them all the way down to your frame. This will act as a guide to your dowels so they remain secure

5. Take your miniature boat and hot glue it on the wooden dowels and hold it there until it is secure, and now you are almost done

Take your small board that is 4” by 5” and drill a 3/16 diameter hole 1” from the top

Take your 5” by 1/2” diameter dowel and hot glue it to your small board 1” from the bottom

Take the combination of these pieces and slide them with wood glue onto the remaining end of the dowel

Then take your last wooden circle with hole in it and and use wood glue to secure it on the other end of your dowel. This will act as a stopper so your dowel doesn’t slide out of the frame.