Jojo is a super handsome cat.I love him in every aspect, except he keeps waking me up everyday 4am in the morning for his food, so it’s time to get an automatic cat feeder to save my sleep. However, he is so handsome that when I want to find a right automatic cat feeder on the market for him, I can never be satisfied with their simple bucket like appearance. So I decide to build a best looking cat feeder that I can ever imagine from……well, not from scratch, but from a cereal dispenser to ensure it’s functionality.
The principle behind this feeder is rather straight forward. The wemos chip drives the servo motor to turn the cereal dispenser knob at preset time instead of your hand. So unlike many other DIY cat feeder projects who builds everything on its own,I leverage the mechanical part to a solid made cereal dispenser, thus can set more focus on details.
Supplies:
- cereal dispenser
- wemos d1 mini
- Servo motor
- DS3231 module
- DC connector
- solder tool
- 3d printer& white PLA
Step 1: Setup the Framework
For the structural part, the major innovation is its 3D printing framework which combines aesthetics and functionality. It’s a well balanced twist locking structure, so the installation of motor and electronics can never be easier:
- Print out the framework file.
- Seat the major bottle container into the framework at the front side, gravity will help to lock them together.
- Replace the dispenser knob with the servo motor at the backside, rotate the motor to touch the framework and lock it up with a single zip tie.
- Slide in the electronic box beneath the bowl part.
Step 2: Setup Up the Controller
- Wire things up
- Upload the program
Read more: Super Stylish Automatic Cat Feeder
