You have a few options for making your flying saucer. Paper plates, pie tins, frisbees, hubcaps, and more can be excellent starting points.
- Cut a hole for the battery connector in the bottom plate
- Pass the cable through to connect to the Circuit Playground Express's JST battery jack
- Tape the Circuit Playground Express to the bottom of your saucer
- Tape the battery box inside the plate
- Cut a hole in the center of the top plate, so you can still access the battery box's on/off switch
- Connect the plate halves together with tape or staples
- Cover the hole with the "cockpit" of your UFO, such as a disposable coffee cup lid, and tape it in place with a hinge-like strip of tape
Now, you can test out your UFO! As you rotate and tilt it, you'll hear the different pitches, see the varying light colors, and the overall frequency of the cycle with change!
For the tractor beam that's used for farm animal abductions, you can use a clear plastic drinking cup. By scuffing up the inside of the cup with some sandpaper, you can create a nice diffusion that will showcase the great lighting effects!
Land the UFO on your tractor beam to see the great lighting effect!
Or, you can 3D print the model linked below. You'll need some 2.5mm nylon screws and nuts to fasten the model halves together.
- Depending on your printer, you may be able to print the top and bottom sections intact (as seen in the second image here) or in halves for joining
- Place the Circuit Playground Express inside the saucer, facing down, and use tape to secure it and the battery pack
- Assemble the top and bottom, being sure to rotate the upper section before screwing in the screws and nuts to hold it all together if you printed each section in halves
- There will be a large, obvious seam, but that's part of the fun with this B-grade sci-fi film look!
You can also find some excellent plastic model kits at hobby shops and online. Then, you can use your imagination and creativity to modify the model kit to fit your Circuit Playground Express and battery pack.
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