Cheap Lee Valley Hydraulic Robot Arm

Anyone who has seen auto-factory robots at work can appreciate how fascinating hydraulic machinery can be. This model kit lets you build your own hydraulic robot arm capable of picking up and manipulating small objects. No electricity or batteries are required; all the arm’s movements are driven by water pressure and mechanical action. Fully functional with a sturdy design, the finished model is a toy that will provide hours of entertainment (and a better understanding of hydraulics).

Controlled with levers and a crank built into the base, the arm has six axes of motion; it can bend at the wrist, elbow and shoulder, as well as rotate at the wrist and shoulder. The gripper can hold objects up to about 2″ and 50g (1 3/4 oz). The arm has a vertical reach of over 16″ and a horizontal reach of about 12″.

Clear visual instructions guide you through the assembly process, making even the most complex steps easy to understand. The plastic parts snap together with no glue and only a few screws. All fasteners are included; you only need to supply water, a Phillips screwdriver, and scissors or wire snips. At 229 parts, it provides a moderate construction challenge for ages 10 and up, and will appeal to engineers of any age.