01
What We're Building and Why
Project overview: what the turret can do, how long it really takes, and what you need before you start.
The Blaster Bot — Gel-Ball Turret
Build a 3D-printed robotic turret that launches soft gel balls, driven by an ESP32 — from the first part to the first launch.
Medium 12 hours Free
Start building
Parts list
0/7 partsBuild it step by step
Chapter 1 Prep & Parts
02
Lay Every Part Out on the Table
By the end of this step: every part on the list is laid out in front of you and checked off. A missing part stops you a week from now — not today.
Chapter 2 Physical Assembly
03
Printing the Turret Body
By the end of this step: the turret body is printed clean, with no stuck supports. The recommended print profile is embedded in the 3MF file.
04
Assembling the Feed Mechanism
By the end of this step: the gel magazine feeds freely into the launch channel.
Chapter 3 Wiring & Code
05
Wiring the Motor to the ESP32
By the end of this step: the motor is wired through the driver and nothing gets warm.
06
First Code — the Motor Spins
By the end of this step: the motor responds to a command. The robot "breathes" for the first time.
// First motor test — the robot breathes
const int MOTOR_PIN = 26;
void setup() {
pinMode(MOTOR_PIN, OUTPUT);
}
void loop() {
digitalWrite(MOTOR_PIN, HIGH);
delay(1000);
digitalWrite(MOTOR_PIN, LOW);
delay(1000);
}Project files
- Turret body — print file