Hexapod Explorer

A Challenging, Rewarding Series of Models - Tips for Successful Completion I am truly impressed with this kit. Its designers are highly skilled wizards. Parts are smoothly cut by laser, and for wood parts, tolerances are tightly held. If you are a value seeker, this is an excellent value. If you are mechanically minded, chances are you will love these wooden puzzles/projects/models. If you don’t have model building or similar experience, this is an advanced project that could be a bit much for a first puzzle. I might suggest that you find a similar, simpler model to try first if you are apprehensive about completing a more complicated UGears project like this one. It may not turn out well if you deviate from the directions, or don’t carefully follow the assembly sequence and visuals. What you need will be there, but may not be obvious at first. I found the Hexapod to be a fairly complex project, suitable for those with patience and some mechanical experience or model building skills. For a beginner, a simpler kit could be a great learning tool. This particular kit isn’t a suitable birthday gift for your average teenager - certain skills are assumed which some may not have. The wood parts come in several sheets of fairly soft 1/8” or 3mm plywood (known as lite-ply to model airplane aficionados). They are very accurately cut with a computer-controlled laser cutter. Some extra parts that could be easily broken or lost during assembly are included. Each part is labeled with adjacent part numbers, although the parts themselves aren’t numbered. Some parts are marked with small reference marks or dots to aid in establishing the correct orientation during assembly. The manual lacks verbal instructions. The assembly diagrams are accurate, complete, but completely visual, with perhaps a few exceptions. One has to be very careful when examining the assembly pictures – a few differences are subtle, without clarification. Look quite carefully at the assembly diagrams, and use the numbers in the manual judiciously. Don’t jump ahead. If you do, you may not be happy with the problems that this might create. UGears supplies wax to lubricate the parts where they slide or rub together. It would be nice if more wax was furnished. Wood waxes can differ significantly. They say candle wax or paraffin can be used. The supplied wax seems to be softer than paraffin. It seems slightly slipperier than several other waxes I tried. It is softer and a bit “stickier” when rubbed on the wood. It seems a bit better than harder paraffin wax, or a few other commercially available wood lubricants I tried. A few square inches of 220 grit paper are supplied to smooth out parts in contact (which is too coarse in my opinion) to reduce wood-on-wood friction, and over-sanding with coarse paper may change tolerances. I used 400 grit then 1000 grit paper, which results in a smoother surface and less friction. Parts preparation is the key to end up with a smoothly operating model, so I spent a lot of time here. Do not over-sand, because it may change tolerances on bearings and other moving parts, which is to be avoided. Suggestions: Try a simpler kit to start with, as a learning experience for a more difficult kit. A simpler kit as a learning experience may help some to become a fan of these products, who would otherwise would become frustrated with more complex first-time project. Friction is the enemy of a properly working, powered wood model. Moving parts that have been waxed may need to be rubbed or worked in, or burnished. Where they say to use wax, you should wax adjacent moving or sliding surfaces, like the sides of gears. Thickly applied wax does not result in decreased friction. It may help if the wax is “worked in” by working the moving surfaces together, or burnishing, then perhaps reapplying wax. I did some homework regarding lubrication for wood-on-wood sliding surfaces. Experimenting some, I tried several commercially available wood lubricants without significant results. I found that graphite and/or molybdenum disulfide powder allied to waxed surfaces (or added to melted wax) did decrease wood-on-wood friction after waxing. But it created problems, too. Graphite is messy and dark, so if you are looking for a wood model for a display case, forget that. I wanted the Hexapod to operate smoothly and look like something prehistoric so I stained the parts dark, with water-diluted acrylic paint, which covered up the use of graphite. Others have had issues with broken parts. Use the included “tool” to punch the parts out of the plywood sheets. If a part is tight, work around the part gently and slowly rather than punching it out with one push. I put a thick towel on my work surface. This provides a soft pliable surface to punch out the parts from the plywood surround. Lots of light on your workspace is helpful. Be gentle and carefully align mating parts when assembling. Try to keep parts at right angles to one another when snapping parts together. If you have to force something, or a part doesn’t snap together like the rest, chances are you may have chosen the wrong parts to assemble. Broken parts can be repaired easily with just a dab of superglue. Don’t separate the parts from the plywood before you use them, to avoid difficulties later on. If some smaller parts come loose prematurely, scotch tape them back in place until called for, to maintain their identity. This kit has hundreds of parts, some of which look identical but aren’t, or can be identical with different part numbers (mirror image parts). Leave the tie-wrap or nylon tie on the metal spring before installing it. I lightly oiled my spring with sewing machine oil, then wiped off the excess from the edges. Assembling, dis-assembling, and reassembling parts loosens the fit between parts. The more it’s done, the looser the fit. Avoid using superglue to keep parts together and in place if you can – chances are you will have to backtrack somewhere during the assembly procedure. Follow the assembly guide exactly, step by step, page by page. Sanding and waxing is critical if your Hexapod is to operate as advertised. I over-sanded a few of the moving surfaces, specifically the round bearing surfaces. Consequently, it changed tolerances enough and added some “slop” that affected the motion of the Hexapod. One leg wouldn’t move far enough because of over-sanding and enlarged tolerances, so it fell over instead of crawling. Some parts looked and felt like they were tightly and properly snapped together, but on reinspection, they weren’t. If your Hexapod or other mechanical model doesn’t operate as expected, this could be the cause. It is easy to confuse look-alike parts. Review the manual carefully before starting the construction, to learn the syntax of the directions, which can be confusing and not particularly intuitive. The plywood can be successfully stained with lightly applied, water-diluted acrylic paint, and probably, with water color or spray paint as well (but I haven’t tried these). Leaving a paint build-up on the surfaces may change tolerances and increase friction. Perhaps spray on the paint lightly, then immediately wipe excess paint from just-painted surfaces?

This kit is complicated, but if you’re into those kinds of projects it’s so fun! The pieces snap on without glue and you can paint them if you want. I do recommend you use vaseline on every moving surface since there’s a lot of hidden friction. You might want to buy the easier kits before moving on to the advanced ones but this is the most fun I’ve ever had and I’ve spent probably a thousand dollars on these.

I really enjoyed working through building this. It started as a gift for my daughter but I took a shine to it. It looked exactly as pictured and was just challenging enough to keep my interest and be fun. The reason for 4 starts is the mechanism just wasn’t consistently working. I would wind it up and I needed to shake it in order to get it to move, but it would move. It’s a sturdy and a great display item even if it doesn’t move that easily.

Fantastic model! I'd give it 6 stars for engineerin if I could. Worked properly on first try. They say it can be done in 8 hours. I say to do it in 8 hours means it probably WON'T work properly. Take your time. Pay CLOSE attention to the instructions. Everything you need is in there. You just have to farret out some of the finer points of assembly. The Utube assembly video helps in some areas with perspective, even if it's in German. I will say the arrows, in the instructions, to indicate where to wax,on some of the parts, leave a little to be desired. So...if in doubt...WAX it. You can't wax it too much! You won't regret it! Now let's address a very critical point. On page 13, step #19, it is absolutly necessary for ALL the indicator marks to line-up correctly. If they don't, there is NO way the Hexapod will walk correctly. So...if you want a good experience...Don't rush. Take your time. Pay close atttntion to the instructions. Test each operational step before proceeding. Sand (debur) and WAX to your hearts content. Enjoy the process and you will have a model to be proud of. Jay Perkins Cordova, TN USA

I love building these, so I knew I was going to enjoy this no matter how it turned out. I don’t know what I did wrong, but it definitely didn’t turn out how it was supposed to. I went back and redid a couple things when I noticed something was off, but eventually the bottom spinner (whatever that’s called) just ripped off. Which meant it couldn’t move anymore. So that part kind of sucked. Fun to build no matter what! ETA: UGEARS was nice and offered a refund, which they definitely didn’t have to do. Their customer service was great, without me even asking. Thanks again!

I've done a bunch of wooden mechanical models and UGears have been some of my favorites. This one was a joy to build and it works flawlessly. I highly recommend. However, it's more for adults than children. I know of a lot of adults that build these (I'm 57) but not kids.

Great project. This was my third advanced level puzzle. I read a bunch of reviews and realized the gear placement is critical. Just one off the mark and it will not work. That said, I spent a lot of time with this one. When finished it moved across the floor with ease. The engineering on this is most impressive,(as with several of these puzzles). I always suggest you take it slow. With this one I would suggest you take it VERY slow. Pay attention and sand and wax the heck out of everything that moves! I have had no issues with this standing up at all. For those who had an issue with that I can only say they had to have missed something somewhere. This thing is a beast. It does well on a smooth floor but it really flies on a low pile rug. Not for a child better for the parents.

A wonderful model to build. Ugears generally uses thicker pieces of wood than other manufacters which makes it much less likely that you would break a part. The pieces always stay together tightly. The multi speed switch is a plus and the large capacity spring motor allows the model to operate much longer than other spring motor models. Instructions are clear. The only drawback is that rubber bands are used for the on and off switches, and to articulate the arms. My experience in pass is that the rubber bands will dry out in a reasonable short period of time and break. They are difficult to replace on a finished model. I would not hesitate buying another Ugear model.

Die Spinne sieht als fertiges Model toll aus, und wie sie läuft........super ! Die Teile lassen sich leicht aus den Schablonen rausdrücken, das Zusammenstecken ging auch gut von der Hand. Den Schwierigkeitsgrad würde ich als Mittel bezeichnen. Ein gutes Produkt, würde ich wieder kaufen.

Le regalé el UGEARS Hexapod Explorer 3D Puzzle a un amigo y ha sido un acierto total. Este rompecabezas mecánico es una verdadera joya para los amantes de los desafíos y la ingeniería. La experiencia de ensamblarlo es divertida y gratificante, con piezas de madera de alta calidad que encajan perfectamente. Lo mejor de este puzzle es su capacidad de moverse una vez armado. El Hexapod Explorer, al ser una figura robótica, tiene un mecanismo de movimiento que lo hace aún más fascinante. Además, es adecuado para todas las edades, desde niños hasta adultos mayores, ya que tanto los más jóvenes como los mayores pueden disfrutar del proceso de ensamblaje y la satisfacción de ver cómo cobra vida. El nivel de dificultad es intermedio, lo que lo convierte en una opción ideal para pasar el tiempo de manera entretenida y educativa. Los instructivos son claros y fáciles de seguir, aunque algunos pueden necesitar un poco de paciencia al principio. Este 3D Puzzle es una excelente opción para regalar, ya que no solo ofrece horas de diversión, sino también una pieza decorativa única una vez armado. En resumen, es una opción muy recomendable para quienes buscan un reto, aprender sobre mecánica o simplemente disfrutar de un hobby diferente.

My favourite build so far. Fun, very sturdy. Travels along the floor nicely. Love the speed control switch.

Arrivato nei tempi previsti, completo e senza difetti. Non semplice nel montaggio ma il risultato è ottimo, il meccanismo a molla funziona ed è di facile istallazione. Buon divertimento a tutti !!

Acheté pour moi, j'ai pris le temps lors du montage pour bien ajuster, poncer, lubrifier les pièces. Se monte en quelques heures et la qualité des pièces est impeccable. Pas eu besoin des pièces de rechange. Le résultat est top et l'engin se meut très bien.