Model originally uploaded to Thingiverse at https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6065490.

This is a thing I call the Sand Raker, it is a very peaceful print when finished and put together.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/fRqaw5RR5FI

Updated the led cover to cover the whole top. print four of them then glue in place.

A kinetic sand piece that rotates via an electric motor with a pinion gear of 11mm, and rakes the sand in a uniform circular motion with a rake arm then smooths the sand flat with the curved arm, readying it for the next rotation of the rake arm. It will not just push the sand out to the edges but instead is designed to rake the sand inwards keeping it in the right place to go for ever lol.

It runs on an Arduino code using an Arduino uno and cnc shield uses a nema17 stepper motor and a 2209 stepper driver making it 100% silent, the only sound is the gentle rustling leaves sound or distant ocean waves sound from the softly tumbling sand, or crushed coral from an aquarium in my case.

Here is a basic Arduino code to rotate the stepper motor at a given speed, you can change the number in the code to increase or decrease the rotation speed.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Rt5u-K2fzmaL7jaRLOaXO2aqDlcqpG1r/view?usp=sharing


The pinion gear on the stepper motor is 11mm

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003144199270.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.23.6ec73cbdNktumB&algo_pvid=0ee45347-bd7c-445a-ac9d-a35c478c1f83&aem_p4p_detail=202302271224476128902447532020014221007&algo_exp_id=0ee45347-bd7c-445a-ac9d-a35c478c1f83-11&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22sku_id%22%3A%2212000024333011539%22%7D&pdp_npi=3%40dis%21EUR%213.64%213.27%21%21%21%21%21%40211beeec16775294877884865d06de%2112000024333011539%21sea%21IE%212368247040&curPageLogUid=5YTAbDBKq1RB&ad_pvid=202302271224476128902447532020014221007_12&ad_pvid=202302271224476128902447532020014221007_12

The switch is

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001187370402.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.1000023.1.25bb512bMLtq6o

You could also skip the Arduino and code and use a microwave motor,

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004282229751.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.1000014.6.79c06bdcIUYVcm&gps-id=pcDetailBottomMoreOtherSeller&scm=1007.40000.326746.0&scm_id=1007.40000.326746.0&scm-url=1007.40000.326746.0&pvid=3c9b36c4-684d-4447-a0b1-9acb9a3ea8d4&_t=gps-id:pcDetailBottomMoreOtherSeller,scm-url:1007.40000.326746.0,pvid:3c9b36c4-684d-4447-a0b1-9acb9a3ea8d4,tpp_buckets:668%232846%238111%23429&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22sku_id%22%3A%2212000028624694525%22%2C%22sceneId%22%3A%2230050%22%7D&pdp_npi=3%40dis%21EUR%211.93%211.25%21%21%21%21%21%402103239c16775080457633872e792a%2112000028624694525%21rec%21IE%212368247040

or this 6/12v dc version

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000284317924.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.71.5c3056efC3s3eR&algo_pvid=249cd397-93e4-4670-abf9-60d75e010ac7&algo_exp_id=249cd397-93e4-4670-abf9-60d75e010ac7-35&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22sku_id%22%3A%2210000001169415893%22%7D&pdp_npi=3%40dis%21EUR%211.19%211.13%21%21%21%21%21%4021224e9b16775079649451373d0747%2110000001169415893%21sea%21IE%212368247040&curPageLogUid=IMXfifhkXDsQ

Either one will work, for the tray that holds the sand you could use what I did..

https://jysk.ie/homeware/decoration/decorative-accessory/decorative-tray-frits-d30xh2cm-brass?search_category=auto_suggestion&query=frit

or a plastic round serving tray or flowerpot saucer or similar.

The arduino and cnc shield..

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003930846846.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.3.4e377d20KrMHuS&algo_pvid=0940c5fa-cccf-4c40-a587-07a5283dd9bf&aem_p4p_detail=202302270632495796660231522810013056860&algo_exp_id=0940c5fa-cccf-4c40-a587-07a5283dd9bf-1&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22sku_id%22%3A%2212000027494258809%22%7D&pdp_npi=3%40dis%21EUR%2114.16%2112.46%21%21%21%21%21%40211bd4cd16775083695952355d0745%2112000027494258809%21sea%21IE%212368247040&curPageLogUid=KQaRKUzziK3H&ad_pvid=202302270632495796660231522810013056860_2&ad_pvid=202302270632495796660231522810013056860_2

The lights I used were led copper wire string lights, I cut of the string lights from the battery section and wired them into the cnc shield 5volt supply, pick one lol

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003259893750.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.25.56d572b4wuTa8L&algo_pvid=40b8c5f9-e4de-4d50-a799-8c157f256066&aem_p4p_detail=2023022714365710981661776483680015198138&algo_exp_id=40b8c5f9-e4de-4d50-a799-8c157f256066-12&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22sku_id%22%3A%2212000024902299348%22%7D&pdp_npi=3%40dis%21EUR%215.14%213.08%21%21%21%21%21%40211bf4c516775374179574000d0705%2112000024902299348%21sea%21IE%212368247040&curPageLogUid=NtKI9fMilDIZ&ad_pvid=2023022714365710981661776483680015198138_13&ad_pvid=2023022714365710981661776483680015198138_13

The Arduino gets a 5volt power supply from a single usb car charger, so the same 12volt power line for the stepper also powers the Arduino, like this one..

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004815887944.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.7.2963574fL9IWr1&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22sku_id%22%3A%2212000030597393756%22%7D&pdp_npi=3%40dis%21EUR%210.38%210.22%21%21%21%21%21%4021021d7b16775565810715850d06d0%2112000030597393756%21sea%21IE%212368247040&curPageLogUid=bCeqCYoZcgiP

The amount of sand has to be just right, if you watch the curved arm in the video you can see the amount of sand it is pushing, try to match that amount by adding or removing with a big spoon lol

If there are any errors in my upload I apologise in advance lol
Any questions fire away.

Hope it works as well for anyone who gives it a go :)


The Sand Raker #FunctionalArt

The Sand Raker

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The Sand Raker #FunctionalArt