The mouse trap
We had a a problem. It was small furry and super cute. And it pooped everywhere. The mouse had already foiled a couple of traditional traps we set for it so I knew I had to take matters into my own hands.
This is actually not an unfinished project. Its not nice looking, well built or good code. But it caught the mouse!
Hardware #
- PVC pipe
- Two metal plates
- Arduino
- Small servo (small enough to be driven directly by the arduino)
- Small metal pin, the kind use to fasten knitting needles
- Duct tape
- Popsicle sticks
- Copper tape (I used the one used for keeping slugs out of your garden)
- Some wooden planks
- Some screws
Build #
The build is quite simple. A trigger at the end of a PVC pipe triggers a closing mechanism on the other side. The trick is that the pipe is so long the mouse doesn't have a chance to bolt.
The "pressure plate" is to popsicle sticks with copper tape on them. A bit of a broken popsicle stick in the middle keeps them from touching until the weight of the mouse is on it. Btw peanut butter is great for mouse traps.
The arduino code just polls with a digitalRead and sweeps the servo
at the first hint of any critters.
The guillotine #
The closing mechanism is super simple, the metal plate is a bit heavy and when the servo removes the pin it falls down. Sawing a bit down into the wood makes sure the mouse can't push get a hold and push it up.