Fischertechnik Rubber Band Powered Vehicle

I play with different educational manipulatives for a living. (Visit www.weirdrichard.com). Over the years I have built different themed models using all sorts of toys.

My students would often build cars and other vehicles. One fun challenge is to build a rubber band powered vehicle! To make it even more fun...I would challenge students to integrate a propeller!

This instructable will describe how to create a fischertechnik Rubber Band Powered Vehicle!

Note: The images were generated by a CAD program and a fischertechnik elements library.

You will need to gather your elements. The fischertechnik elements are available from a range of kits available from ebay, Craig's List, or fischertechnik retailers.

Elements can be purchased individually from www.fischertechnik.com.

The List:

1 Winch Drum
1 Large Pulley 60
1 Metal Axle 110
1 Hub Nut
2 Hinged Block Claw
1 Clip Axle 20
3 Angular Block 15 degrees
2 Spring Cam
2 Angular Block 7.5 degrees
1 Building Block 30
3 Building Block 15
1 Flat Hub Collet
1 Angle Girder 15
1 Clip Axle 45
3 Rope Pulley 21
4 Angle Girder 120
1 Angle Girder 60
1 Angle Girder 30
2 Single Rivet 4
2 Bearing Sleeve
3 Building Block 5
2 Building Block 7.5
1 Roller Bearing
5 Clip 5
2 Hook
3 Mounting Plate 30x90
1 Angular Block 10x15x15
1 I-Strut with Bore 90
2 Belts (I used the fischertechnik rubber band #35678)

Begin the model by fixing a Rope Pulley 21 in a Roller Bearing with a Clip Axle 20. Add a Building Block 15 on top of the Roller Bearing.

Insert a Bearing Sleeve into a Hinged Block Claw. Add a Metal Axle 110 into the Bearing Sleeve. Fix a Rope Pulley 21 at each end of the axle with two Clip 5s. Insert a Spring Cam into the side of a Building Block 15 and fix the block on the Hinged Block Claw.

Connect the two wheel assemblies with two Angle Girder 120s.

On top of the front wheel assembly, add a Angle Girder 60 and a Angle Girder 30. Top the column off with two Angle Block 7.5s.

Add (in order) a Building Block 30 and a Building Block 15 to the Angle Blocks. Insert and slide a Spring Cam at the top of the Building Block 30.

Set aside the model in order to create the upper frame and propeller assembly.

Build the propeller assembly by combining a Hook, Building Block 7.5, Winch Drum and Clip Axle 45.
Insert this into a Hinged Block Claw/Bearing Sleeve combination. Fix everything on a Building Block 7.5 and then a Angular Block 10x15x15. Add a Clip 5, Flat Hub Collet, Large Pulley and a Hub Nut onto the axle end.

Make a prop by combining a Building Block, Angle Block 15, and a Mounting Plate 30x90. Make a total of three props and insert them into the Large Pulley.

Connect an Angle Girder 15 with two Angle Girder 120s. Slide the Angular Block 10x15x15 into the end Angle Girder 120.

Add the upper frame assembly to the model by sliding the Girder 15 onto the Spring Cam. Add a Hook onto the Building Blocks above the assembly.

Support the propeller end of the upper assembly by adding fixing a I-Strut with Bore 90 with two Rivets on the model.

You can use a common rubber band. In this case, I used two thick fischertechnik belts, one connected onto the other. Add the belts onto the two hooks.

Congrats! Your model is finished!



Wind up the propeller in a clockwise fashion, set the model on the table, and watch it propel itself along!

My challenge to you is to redesign this model so that it moves forward as far as possible!