Make real life functioning Minecraft Elytra
by iammaker
Engineering Journey Overview
Follow this step-by-step engineering journey to see real progress updates, challenges overcome, and practical experience.
Progress Updates (6 total)
Update #1: Make real life functioning Minecraft Elytra
It’s for YouTube video of mine and I’m getting close to getting done with it. Just have to figure out some of the mechanical mechanisms.
Challenges Overcome: I’ve already done the designing, prototyping, initial framing, and decorative framing, and now just finishing up the year system
Obstacles Faced: Figuring out the mechanical mechanism to make the wings spring in and out
Looking Back: Welding tiny wires is hard and so is designing gears that lineup perfectly
Update #2: Trying to figure out how to make the mechanism I’m gonna need to extend and retract the wings
60% completeI'm trying to figure out how to make the wings open and close. It's fine if the wings just open, and then I can manually close them. They will pivot around the bolts. Even something like a pull string mechanism would work. I can do a spring mechanism, just keep in mind that I’m planning to mount this thing on my back and would prefer it to be somewhat streamlined lol. I’ve already made gears that prevent over extension and keep both sides synchronized so let me know if I can add anything to them to help make this work.
Challenges Overcome: I changed out the cardboard gears with wooden ones. Hopefully those are strong enough to withstand the opening and closing forces
Obstacles Faced: The wings will be covered in about 1lb of leather each. I've tried using a spring to open the wings but they didn't have enough juice to fully open them
Update #3: Started work on the Rockets (will add fuel later lol)
75% completeAdded a back mount for the wings as well, obviously this rocket won’t happen enough to propel me, but I figured it was a cool side thing to do. Also should make for a flashy sponsorship segment!
Update #4: I think I figured out the spring
85% completeFigure out a system to make the wings go up and down with a simple trampoline spring and it looks like it’s working pretty well! Hopefully, I can figure out how to add front straps to it in a way that will make it more comfortable and secure, after that, it’s just decoration!
Update #5: Added harness to wings
95% completeBolted in the harness for the wings, fits great after adjusting the straps and it just looks so good! Only cosmetics left now, so excited to almost be done with this!
Update #6: Added a membrane
95% completeI was originally planning another and in the long run that is what I’m gonna go, but with with deadlines coming up and me not having a proper equipment to work with material. I find that table cloth covers work quite well! All that’s left to do is painting and I hope I can get that done today or tomorrow