We divided our prototyping manufacturing into three main sections.
First, we made a prototype of the leg mechanism. Using the CAD model described before, we laser cut one leg mechanism out of 1/8" wood. These were the driver link, the ground link, the connecting link and the leg link. Each link has a smaller hole to fit a shaft in and a larger hole to fit a bearing. For this first prototype, we 3D printed small 5mm diameter shafts. Cutting and assembly were done in an afternoon, and this prototype worked as expected, meaning we were free to move to the second step.
Next, we decided to cut the rest of the prototype. This included two leg mechanisms, the main body, and the wheels and their connectors. As before, we used the CAD model to create image files of each link then laser cut them out of 1/8" wood. By then we realized we needed a way to transfer the rotational motion of our motor to the input shaft. Following our principle of simplicity, we decided on a 1:1 gear train. We designed the gears using an online gear generator, then laser cut them out of acrylic. This process took a lot of trial and error, as one of the gears needed to be adjusted to fit over the motor attachment. After multiple iterations, we obtained a gear train that fit perfectly over the motor and shaft.
Finally, we had to assemble the prototype together. This proved to be the most challenging step, as there were certain unexpected obstacles along the way.