Thaumatrope

thingiverse

The most straightforward way to create an animation is the thaumatrope. Long before the zoetrope was introduced and much longer before cinema and television became popular, kids still have fun with this old-fashioned method. In this project, we will upgrade the classic thaumatrope with special effects. To do that, we use a microswitch and some LEDs. Every time the rotating disk touches the microswitch, the LEDs flash. This results in a much sharper and more stable picture. A small geared DC motor (12V-1200RPM) drives the disk, which has a marker indicating its exact bottom position. The motor runs smoothly on 9 volts. The motor shaft can be either 2 or 3mm in diameter. For both options, a fitting disk is attached. Print multiple disks so that pictures (widely available online) can be prepared beforehand. A disk is easily installed by sliding it over the motor shaft and locking it with a 2 or 3mm bolt on the other side. In this way, you can quickly switch between various scenes. https://youtu.be/6TLAkZXPpug