![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.huxter.org\/words\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/weather-tracker-finished-450x600.jpg\"){kind=tracking}
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I found these strange flower pens at Dollar Tree. The strange thing about them was that they were tall green pens with plastic\/rubber flowers on the top, attached to a wind-up motor. Wind up the stem and the flowers spin. Except they didn’t, because the rubber flowers kept hitting the pen stalks, probably why they ended up at the Dollar Tree.<\/p>\n
However, I was able to salvage the wind-up motors from them. And these were ideal for several uses, and I bought up as many as I could, and tossed those that just failed to work.<\/p>\n
Based on the configuration of this motor, I was able to create the Weather Tracker.<\/p>\n
I wanted it to look like some Adventure Team gear from the past, most obviously the Seismograph, and the Sample Analyzer.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.huxter.org\/words\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/at-seismograph-600x484.jpg\")
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![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.huxter.org\/words\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/at-sample-analyzer-a.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Because of the shape of the motor, I was able to use the winding stem to attach a radar antenna\/knob you could rotate to wind it up.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the output shaft could attach to a barrel cylinder, inside the body, which spins like crazy with a graph on a paper sticker.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.huxter.org\/words\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/weather-tracker-coming-together-600x450.jpg\"){kind=tracking}
<\/p>\n
I tried various colors and ended up going with a color scheme close to the Seismograph I was influenced by.<\/p>\n
I started by creating a 3D model of an ideal unit, which I then adapted to fit the motor, and changed elements for practicality and aesthetics.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.huxter.org\/words\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Trouble-Shooter-Radar-Exterior-01-WIP.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
To give the user access to the motor in case it stuck (it could) I made sure the top plate was a separate piece, and the motor slotted into that part, with a screw to keep it in place.<\/p>\n
This slotted smoothly into the base unit, which itself had several parts of different colors to accent it, including individually printed colored buttons, and a side vent.<\/p>\n
This Weather Tracker used 3 individual stickers. A tiny strip for weather graphing, an oscilloscope-type screen, and a long strip for the barrel cylinder, which had linear line graph segments.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.huxter.org\/words\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/weather-tracker-b-450x600.jpg\"){kind=tracking}
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.huxter.org\/words\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/weather-tracker-a-450x600.jpg\"){kind=tracking}
<\/p>\n
I added some detail to the body for interest.<\/p>\n
The base is a spring-loaded clip that became the standard attachment system for the RACCS.<\/p>\n
And you can really fit a number on there.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.huxter.org\/words\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/weather-tracker-group-photo-450x600.jpg\"){kind=tracking}
<\/p>\n
A blueprint\/instruction sheet accompanied this toy.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.huxter.org\/words\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Weather-Tracker-Blueprint-467x600.jpg\"){kind=tracking}
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I found these strange flower pens at Dollar Tree. The strange thing about them was that they were tall green pens with plastic\/rubber flowers on the top, attached to a wind-up motor. Wind up the stem and the flowers spin. … Continue reading