Thanks!
Yes, the plastic parts are all cut by hand with a common band saw.
zenta,
That is very impressive. Like someone else said it does look laser cut. Good job indeed.
Ive always wanted to build a hex type robot ever since I saw the micromagic systems robots. The only thing about this project that puts me off is the price of 18 capable servos.
Any plans to add anything else to your bot?
I’ve been thinking of giving her some large jaws like a stag beetle 
entomology.wisc.edu/insectid/insect_info.php?144
But I’think her body is too small. Her leg would easily crash into her jaws.
For the time I’m in the “thinking stage” of a new project, a Octapod (8 legs)…
Yesterday I was only playing with my Phoenix, making some new sequences. Here are two pictures of Phoenix in a attacking pose. 
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc6/ZentaOlbaid/Pose-1.jpg
Another angle:
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc6/ZentaOlbaid/Pose-2.jpg
The jaws would definitely look cool!
I think a scorpion would be neat also. Both pincers and stinger. The stinger probably isn’t feasible due to weight but the pincers might be…
Currently it appears that you are only running sequences, is this correct? Have you given any thought to some form of control like r/c that in turn runs sequences programmed in an mcu?
Keep up the good work!!!
A scorpion would be a really cool project! Although thats a lot of servos and $$$.
The tale would probably need about 2-3 servos and because of so much weight on the back may create an unstable hex. IDK if thats a good Idea, but would be sooo cool! You might be able to do it with one servo and a wire to tension and pull up/ or release down the tail. that would be cool! 8)
I think I’d go for a pair of mandibles or grippers before a tail. Besides, how would you make it STING? OK, OK, I can think of some ways…
Alan KM6VV
ohh, I forgot the ABSOLUTE NECCESSARY detail. As if the coolness of a moving tail on a hex for the very first time wouldn’t be enough
he he…oh boy…lets just start with a camera of course!
Anyway…I think the holy grail of this hobby is a super strong lightweight servo. How can we do this??? I know lynx is working on the gearbox based servo but its just not light enough. No matter what solution I can come up with it always adds a ton of weight…
I just hate the idea of having to use 18 servos for a hex and spending more than $10 bucks per joint…its the only thing drawing me back from building my own.
HERE HERE! 
I made a set of mandibles for my polypod. They are sort of modeled after the Lynxmotion robot hand. A single mandible consists of two crescent shaped pieces of lexan which are more narrow anteriorly and have a bulbous posterior. The bulbous end is for the connection to the servo. The two pieces are held together using several hex struts. From above, the mandibles sort of resemble a deer’s footprint. I have each mandible attached to a separate servo but you could rig it to open and close using a single servo like the Lynxmotion gripper. The mandible unit is attached to my PING sensor’s pan servo to allow horizontal flexion/extension in the horizontal plane.
Cool! Do you have any pictures?
Pictures?
Uh, I will have later today.
Pictures
My decapod
http://webs.morningside.edu/petra/decapod.jpg
Mandibles closed
http://webs.morningside.edu/petra/mandibleclosed.jpg
Mandibles open (they will open a bit wider)
http://webs.morningside.edu/petra/mandibleopen.jpg
Down the gullet view
Thats a cool way of getting your robot to serve you a nice cold can of Soda
Great work with your mandibles! 8)
They looks very strong and solid, but as you mentioned it shouldn’t be difficult to use only one servo on both mandibles to save some weight.
In addition to the panning function have you considered rotation?
I agree with the one servo mechanism, but I think having two servos allows his bots mandibles to open wider. 8)
I forgot to mention that your decapod looks very cool and long! How do you control it, and how do you control it to make a curve? Any videos?
What is the total weight of your decapod?
Hey,
Pretty cool looking decapod you’ve got there! Nice mandibles! Were they custom made? Or were they a pair of feet originally?
-robodude666
Thanks to all for your kind comments.
I have only just finished re-assembling the decapod. I bought it from someone else on this site and completly disassembled it. I wanted the pleasure(?) of assembling it. I starting to use the SSC-32 Sequencer to build the movement sequence and will post video when I have it all together.
The mandibles were a last minute addition. They are custom made by me. I got the basic idea from the Lynxmotion biped hand.
I don’t know what the total weight of the robot is and I am concerned about the total weight on the front section. I have already upgraded all of the leg servos from the standard 422s to 475s but I may upgrade to 645s in the front.
Zenta - sorry to hijack your post