Build a Mystic Seer

Building the Mystic Seer - Part 1

I've had many requests from TZ fans to help them build their own Mystic Seer. Below, I've provide some detailed drawings and in progress construction pictures. I will try to add additional information as I have time. Send me a note if you have any particular questions. First, I need to say that my MS is not really operational. That is, it does not dispense the fortune slips. It does however have a working/spring loaded lever and will collect all the pennies you put into it. Also, the napkin holders are spring loaded and hold the napkins rather nicely.


1:1: scale front drawing with dimensions. These are hand drawn drawings based on measurements I made using a few different sources. Knowing that the original Mystic Seer was built over the guts of the popular Swami machine, gave me some idea of the overall size. But, knowing the size of the napkin was the biggest clue to all the dimensions.


I used PVC sheet material for construction. Partly because I used it for constructing many parts of my robot but also because it is so easy to work with. My Mystic Seer will not fit over a Swami Machine.If you attempt that, you may have to use sheet metal and/or adjust some of the dimensions.I noticed that my drawing does not have the center point for the key lock. I'll have to update it at some point.

Read more: Building the Mystic Seer - Part 1

Building the Mystic Seer - Part 2

Continuing from Building the Mystic Seer - Part 1


ms-3.jpg (50085 bytes)I then glued on a piece of styrene plastic sheet material over the top and front. This was the outer skin that provided the curved top/front surface. Then I inverted the box and filled the curved corner with a plastic resin from the inside. This gave quite a bit of strength to the corner.


ms-4.jpg (65741 bytes)I cut the holes and slots after the skin was put on because I was going through two materials and needed them to line up. I used my Dremel tool. The top coin slot is just big enough for a penny, but dimes also work. Since my MS was more of a napkin holder/bank, I was tempted to enlarge it big enough for quarters, but wanted to keep it as original as possible, so I didn't.

Read more: Building the Mystic Seer - Part 2

Building the Mystic Seer - Part 3

Continuing from Building the Mystic Seer - Part 2


ms-8.jpg (70020 bytes)Final coat of primer, lightly wet sanded again.


ms-9.jpg (54311 bytes)Here's an internal picture of the MS before I put in most of the guts. I had placed a single half-wall to hold the lever but decided to go with a full wall in the end.


ms-10.jpg (33406 bytes)This is the left internal wall (as seen from the back of the MS). It is the one where the lever mounts. You can see the simple spring I have attached to the end of the lever. The two holes in the wall are where the bolts will go through that hold the Napkin "pusher". The square notch cut out of the one corner is where I will put a small coin chute. It is needed because the coin slot does not line up with the center section of the MS where I want the coins to go. For the lever I used an old hack saw blade which I filed off the teeth.

Read more: Building the Mystic Seer - Part 3