Jingle Jangle Flying Machine - SCOPES Digital Fabrication

Lesson Details

Subjects
Age Ranges
Standards
MS-ETS1-4, Fab-Safety.1, Fab-Fabrication.1, Fab-Design.1

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Author

Nettrice Gaskins
Nettrice Gaskins
Other
Dr. Nettrice Gaskins has worked for several years in K-12 and post-secondary education, community media and technology before receiving a doctorate in Digital Media from Georgia Institute of Technology in 2014. She has focused on the application of cultural art… Read More

Summary

This lesson was inspired by the musical fantasy film Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey, specifically the main character Jeronicus Jangle who is an inventor, toymaker, and owner of Jangles and Things. Among the toys seen in the film are mechanical devices or automata, which are designed to automatically do something such as fly. Students will create a flying machine or ornithopter, a rubber band powered device that flies by flapping its wings.

 

 

What You'll Need

Teacher Notes: This project can be created at home using found and low-cost materials. You will see some materials listed with lower cost alternatives.

 

Key Vocabulary 

 

automaton/automata

ornithopter 

wing spar

wing (membrane)

 

Materials List

 

Balsa wood or wooden coffee stirrers

Metal (music) wire or paper clips

Ruler

Pencil, pen or thin marker

Craft glue

Long rubber bands (ex. used for model airplanes)

Tissue paper

Scissors and/or craft cutting tool

Thin drinking straw or bead

Plastic earring backs 

Thin plywood (optional)

Wire cutter (optional)

Needle nosed pliers (optional)

Glue gun/glue sticks (optional)

Super glue (optional)

 

 

The Instructions

Preparation and Setup

Gather all of your materials and prepare to build the machine.

Collect all of your materials. Then cut out all of your wood pieces in the following quantities and lengths*

 

For the Machine Body

one 5 in. x 3/4 in. x ¼ in. 

one ½ in. x ¼ in. x ¼ in. 

 

For the Machine Tail

two 5 in. x ¼ in. x ¼ in. stick

one 1 in. wide (¾ in. opposite side) x ¼ in. thickness 

 

For the Machine Wings

two 8 in. x x ¼ in. x ¼ in.

two 7 in. x ¼ in. x ¼ in.

two 2 in. x ¼ in. (thin balsa or plywood)

one 2¾ in. x ¼ in. (thin balsa or plywood)

 

*The width for each stick is around ¼ inches.

 

Straighten and cut metal wire into the following quantities and lengths:

 

one 2 1/4 in. wire

two 2 in. wire

one 1 1/4 in. wire

 

Cut 1 5/4 in. thin tubing or a thin drinking straw

 

Print out paper supports PDF handout (you can also re-draw it using a ruler).

Motivating Activity

Learn about automaton/automata as toys and the ornithopter or flying machine.

Watch Jingle Jangle and/or read about Leonardo da Vinci’s ornithopter design: http://www.leonardo-da-vinci.net/ornithopter

Make the Wire Tail Hook and Crank

Use metal wire to make hooks that hold and wind up a rubber band to power your machine.

Bend your wires as shown in the picture (step 4) and PDF. Use pliers or another tool to bend the wire. Only bend the curved sides of the tail hook and crank wires. You will need to insert them to finish bending the other wire ends.

Make the Body of the Machine

You need to make the body of the machine and add the tail hook.

Make a tiny hole in one end of your 5 in. x 3/4 in. stick and push wire tail hook through. Bend the wire and glue into place (see photo). Glue the 1 in. piece of wood to the other end to support the wire crank.

 

Make the Tail of the Machine

The tail stabilizes the machine.

Cut a section from the center of the shorter side to fit the body of the machine (see photo). Glue the two 5 in. x ¼ in. sticks to the side of the 1 in. wood piece. Once dry attach and glue the tail structure to the machine body.

Add the Tube or Bead

The tube/bead holds the crank wire.

Insert the wire crank/hook into the tube or bead; then glue the tube or bead on to the smaller piece of wood on the body of the machine. Note: Make sure the wire crank can turn freely (360 degrees).

Glue the Wing Supports

The paper supports hold the rigid wing structure in place.

Print out or draw and cut out the paper wing supports (see PDF). Glue the two curved pieces together, making sure to line up the edges of the short and longer pieces. 

 

Make the Wing Spars

The membrane wing consists of a spar, at the leading edge of the wing and down the center.

Glue the 8 in. and 7 in. pieces of wood to the paper support, using the guides (see PDF). 

 

Drill holes at one end of each 2 in. plywood stick, making sure to match the holes with the arrows on the paper support (see PDF).

Form the Wings

The wing membrane extends backward from the spar and attaches to the body of the ornithopter.

Carefully curve the paper support to form the wings; bring each side upwards and connect the two 2 in. plywood levers by inserting the wire (one side is bent) through the holes. Drill holes at both ends of the 2¾ in. plywood connector and attach using the crank wire (on one end) and the levers at the top. Use the earring back to secure the levels and wire.

Make the Wing and Tail Membranes

The tissue paper "membrane" is an important element of the ornithopter wing design. Use tissue paper to make these parts.

Cut a piece of tissue paper that is 16 in. in width and 7 in. in height. Apply glue to the top of the wing structure (do one stick or part at a time – glue dries quickly) and carefully attach the tissue paper as shown. 

 

Cut another piece of tissue paper, cover and glue the tail end. Once dry, cut away the excess paper using scissors.

Let it Fly!

Rotate the crank wire, driven by a rubber band. As the crank goes around, the connecting rods push the wings up and down.

Just attach a rubber band, wind it up using the wire crank and let it fly!

 

Here’s what happened when I tested my machine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5QMm2nriyk 

 

Standards

  • (MS-ETS1-4): Develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a proposed object, tool, or process such that an optimal design can be achieved.
  • (Fab-Safety.1): I can safely conduct myself in a Fab Lab and observe operations under instructor guidance.
  • (Fab-Fabrication.1): I can follow instructor guided steps that link a software to a machine to produce a simple physical artifact.
  • (Fab-Design.1): I can be responsible for various activities throughout a design process within a group under instructor guidance.

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