Assembly Instructions

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Rocker-Bogie Structure
For this component you will need:
6 tongue depressors
6 thumb tacks
6 push pins
6 bottle tops (noticing a pattern yet?)
scissors
Lots of Masking tape
A ruler

Step 1: Begin by measuring 1.5 inches from the end of a tongue depressor, and draw a line across it at that point. Repeat this on the other end of the same tongue depressor. You should now have two lines drawn on the face of your tongue depressor, each one 1.5 inches in from the end.

Step 2: Cut the tongue depressor along both of those lines, giving you two pieces that are 1.5 inches in length, and one that is approximately 3 inches in length.

Step 3: Place each of the 1.5 inch sections on opposite ends of the 3 inch section, perpendicular to it. You will then tape each section down. Be sure to tape both horizontally and vertically for added strength.

Step 4: Using either a thumbtack or a pushpin, very carefully poke a hole through both of the 1.5 inch sections. These will be the holes in which you mount your wheels.
Building tip: if you're worried about cracking the wood, wrap some tape around the end you are poking the hole in.

Step 5: Poke a hole through the center of the 3 inch section.

Step 6: Taking a new tongue depressor, measure 4 inches from one end, and then cut it along that line. You will use the 4 inch piece.

Step 7: Tape the cut end of the 4 inch tongue depressor perpendicular to the end of a full length tongue depressor, giving you an L.

Repeat steps 1-7 for the second side of the rover

Step 8: You need to poke a total of four holes in the L tongue depressors now, two on each one. Poke holes on both extreme ends of the L, these will be used for wheels. Also, measure 1.5 inches outward from the corner of the L, once on each tongue depressor, and poke a hole there. Try and make these holes in line with each other, they will be used to secure this side of the frame to the body of your rover.

Step 9: It's time to assemble your rocker-bogie chassis. Attach one front wheel assembly to each of the L's by putting a thumbtack trough the front wheel support and into the L bracket. Take care to make sure the front wheel assembly is facing the right direction (see picture).

Step 10: After you have attached the front wheel assemblies to the L brackets, it's time to mount the whole chassis to the main body. Line up the two holes on the L bracket onto your empty Baby Wipes (or other) container so that the frame will be centered. Put one thumbtack in each hole on the L bracket, poking through the container. Repeat this step for the other side. An assembled side of the rover should look like the picture below.

Step 11: Finally, attach one wheel to each leg of the rover by pushing a pushpin through the center of each bottle cap and into each hole on the legs.

Drill Support and Gears
For this component you will need:
2 large bottle caps
1 clothespin
1 wooden pencil (half-size is fine)
20 push pins
just a little bit of masking tape

Step 1: We will begin by assembling the gears themselves. Start by pushing a pushpin through the side of one of the bottle caps. The back of the pushpin should be sticking out perpendicular to the bottle cap.

Step 2: You will now place eight more pins into the bottle, making sure they are as evenly spaced as possible. The gears shown on the model rover were made by counting the number of ridges in between each push pin (5) and then placing pins there. You may try that method or just make a guess.

Repeat Steps 1 and 2 for the second gear.

Step 3: Place the pencil in the grip of the clothespin, with about 2/3 of the pencil on one side, and 1/3 on the other.

Step 4: Place the bottle cap gears face down and push a pushpin through the center of each cap.

Step 5: Push the opposite end of the clothespin over the top of one of the pushpins in the center of the gears so that it stands straight up. For added stability, wrap two windings of masking tape around the clothespin and pushpin.

Antenna Mast
For this component, you will need:
1 Tongue depressor
2 Bottle caps
1 Rubber band
2 Pushpins

Step 1: Measure 2 inches from an end of the tongue depressor and draw a line across it.

Step 2: Measure 2 inches further down from that line and make another line across the tongue depressor.

Step 3: Make two holes in the tongue depressor, one centered on each line.

Step 4: Poke a hole in the center of each bottle cap.

Step 5: Place the pushpins through the tongue depressor and into each bottle cap so that the ends of the pushpins are on opposite sides of the tongue depressor from the bottle cap.

Step 6: Wrap one turn of tape around the upper pushpin.

Step 7: Press the Bic pen cap on top of the taped pushpin.

Step 8: Clip the binder clip across the length of the pen cap.

Step 9: String the rubber band across the center of the two bottle caps.

Bonus Component: Grabber Arm
For this component you will need:
3 tongue depressors
3 pushpins
1 eraser (cut from a standard pencil)
masking tape
scissors

Step 1: Find the center (about 3 inches down) on two of the tongue depressors and make a hole in each one using a push pin.

Don't forget the method we used to poke holes earlier

Step 2: On those same two tongue depressors, poke two more holes, one on the end of each tongue depressor.

Step 3: Place a pushpin in the center hole of each tongue depressor, making an X.

Step 4: Make a hole on one end of the remaining tongue depressor.

Step 5: We are now going to make a channel in the middle of this last tongue depressor. This can be difficult, so don't worry if you break a tongue depressor or two in the process. Start by poking a few holes along the center of the tongue depressor, beginning about halfway down.

Step 6: Once you have made enough pushpin holes side-by-side, try to widen them by using your scisoors.

Step 7: Repeat this process as necessary, you want to create a roughly 2 inch long slot.

Step 8: Place the tongue depressor with the slot in it along the top of the X.

Step 9: Put the push pin from one side of the X through the hole on the end of the slotted tongue depressor, and put the other pushpin through the slot.

Step 10: Push the eraser onto the push pin exposed through the slot.