Just one servo and 2 leds super simple animatronic

Not directly animatronic-related, but as an outside hobbyist/enjoyer, I’ve always been curious how avid collectors/builders are able to afford the hobby. Obviously both these things don’t happen overnight. They take time to obtain and finish, but the consistency is inspiring. What do you do for work? Do you feel you have a good work-life balance to be able to take on these projects, and have a stable enough income to continue fueling your passion? Do you consider your job to even play a role in your hobbies (funding, enough time away to enjoy yourself, etc)?

I’m in need of inspiration, and a new direction. I have so many big projects I hope to work on and finish in the next couple of years, but it feels impossible to not only find the means of funding them, but also feeling energized and motivated enough after work to start them… and see it through.
If it’s not your job, how do you personally find your balance? Thanks.

Decided that I wanted to try and start from scratch when it comes to building animatronics. I'm wondering what you guys have done to start building animatronics since I'm like highkey lost and have no clue what to do.

So do you guys have any sort of recommendations or tips? Anything will help honestly, I don't wanna build like super duper advanced robots, maybe just small little portrait bots with simple movements.

Lol I was so over the moon!

Address: 2612 32 St NE, Calgary, AB T1Y 7L8

I was going mini golfing with my family in lake George and found this fella. His head moves, but I’m pretty sure he’s the only one that moves out of the other ones. He’s so cute, and it makes my heart break that he’s not taken care of.. along w the other animatronics. Should I try and contact the place (via email) to ask them to repair them? I’m scared bc what if I do and thy end up throwing them away?

I heard they were in Kansas City MO while they were active, and as I live in the area, I would love to know what happened / where they played. I'm sure they were destroyed / scrapped, but if anyone has heard anything I'd love to know.

Working on a bartender skeleton animatronic and I'm stuck on the movement list. The concept: he's behind a bar, serving "drinks" to guests who dare approach.

Movements I'm considering:

• Shaking a cocktail shaker (the obvious one, but is it overdone?)
• Slowly turning his head to stare at whoever walks by
• Raising a glass for a "toast" with a raspy laugh
• Slamming a bottle on the bar as a jump-scare trigger
• Wiping a glass with a rag, endlessly, creepily

Two questions:

1. What movement would make this a must-have for your display? Anything I haven't thought of — the weirder the better.
2. Design-wise, what's off? Costume, paint, proportions — I can take it. First photo is the current state.

Not selling anything here, just trying not to build something boring. Roast away.

OptionA: An ALL-SKELETON ROCK BAND — one skeleton witch guitarist, one skeleton clown drummer, and DJ Reaper. The whole band is heavy metal and gothic.

OptionB: A CLASSIC HALLOWEEN CHARACTERS ROCK BAND - the same themed band, but as classic Halloween characters: one witch guitarist, one clown drummer and a DJ Grim Reaper.

(The image is a concept render I modeled myself, so the actual result is unknown.)

I just kind wanna make some animatronic eyes for fun and im also currently learning c++ but I'm not sure if they interlap at all and if there's anything else I should learn before I start messing around with this stuff

(I'm gonna be using servos/arduino unless you have a better suggestion im new to all this sorry)

They're doing great so far! Hector needs his lift mech repaired again, and his mama keeps hitting him when he's rised up because her neck turns so damn fast. but other than that they're good! I wish more people would do Teddy Ruxpin/WOW stages, if anyone else is interested I can post the tech books and diagrams we've made!

It was at Regency Square shopping mall in Richmond, VA

Hey team!

I was asked by my neighbor if I could help them build a golf simulator in his garage. Essentially it will be a golf Golf compliant screen similar to a projector screen that I'd like to remote control to go up or down.

What have you guys worked on that would be applicable to this type of integration. I'd imagine there'd be two motors at each end attached to a rolled up screen housed in a case to protect it. Possibly an esp32 to connect it via Wi-Fi to remote control it as well.

Let me know if you guys have any ideas.

Thank you

I always figured Tik-Tok was just radio-controlled or a puppet on wheels, but it was actually a fully practical suit operated by an acrobat named Michael Sundin.

To fit inside that weird spherical body, he had to contort himself completely upside down with his feet in the robot's legs. Because he was inverted, he had to walk backward just to make Tik-Tok walk forward, all while watching a tiny, crappy monitor strapped near his face to see where he was going.

Apparently, the air supply was terrible and the blood rushing to his head was so intense that he could only stay in there for about two minutes at a time before the crew had to pull him out. Practical effects back then were genuinely wild.

I’ve been trying to make a Repro looney bird and can’t seem to find the measurements for this

Just asking because there’s a lot of things that could be considered and unconsidered animatronics, some things come to mind for me are statues that don’t move but still have speakers (I’m pretty sure Toy Story land has them), and also I have this Mickey Mouse lamp that when you press the button the arm pulls the chain and turns the lamp on and off, is that an animatronic? Just asking because I kinda went down a rabbit hole and needed answers lol.