Make A Walking Beast

Six tons of steel that lumbers around on eight giant legs

By Charles Crain Posted 08.26.2008 at 1:25 pm 10 Comments

Hot Steel Six people can ride in the Walking Beast’s belly at a time, and its head raises and lowers to let the driver and another passenger ride on top. Jeff Noel

Martin Montesano had been captivated since childhood by enormous walking machines like the ones in The Empire Strikes Back. A few real-life versions have been built before, but they never lived up to his vision. He wanted his to be huge.

Walking Beast: Jeff Noel

After three years of labor and $50,000, Montesano’s obsession has taken the form of a 12,000-pound, 23-foot-long steel vehicle, dubbed the Walking Beast. He first found a mathematical formula online that determined how all the parts could connect to make an eight-legged machine walk properly. But he still needed several months of experimentation to make the numbers work for a version whose moving parts alone weigh 6,000 pounds.

Working at his Oregon steel-fabricating business, Montesano is now adding features, including an elevator to load passengers. One thing he won’t be doing with it, though, is sneaking up on people. The Beast trudges around at just shy of five miles an hour. And once it gets going, every step it takes shakes the ground 500 feet away.

How it Works

Time: 3 years
Cost: $50,000
LOCOMOTION Powered by a Chevy V8 engine, the 650-pound axle runs the crankshafts that move the legs.

SUSPENSION For a smoother ride, Montesano designed a leaf-spring system (similar to suspensions in big trucks) to slow the legs just before they hit the ground.

TURNING A hydraulic A-frame takes weight off the legs on one side, acting as a pivot around which the other legs can walk the Beast in a circle or make a turn.

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10 Comments

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DiGMEH

09/02/08 at 9:42 am

Ok... 12 000 pounds of uselessness if you ask me.
I understand that Mr. Montesano was fascinated by TESB but to waste three years and 50K$ on a 23feet long can of sardines is just a bit too much.
But then on the other hand, if the guy could build that, he may influence others to build something else (hopefully more useful). The future of this robot, as I see it, is in the army. Huge machine, all steel, possibility for remote control, capable of carrying missles and weaponry...
Lets wait and see :)

- DiGGY

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Dustin2127

09/04/08 at 6:20 pm

When can I get one of these? Oh and I want the military version, not the 'walker w3'

Dustin H

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gsjack

09/23/08 at 7:53 am

I love this model. It represents a path towards invention that few have adopted: non-bipedal exploration vehicular transport.

I would wager to guess that others look to develop this avenue of exploration will pick it up as more than junk.

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Swilverback

09/25/08 at 1:54 am

I think this 'BEAST has a lot of potential', but i have to agree with the first commentator that it has been a huge expenditor of resourses.That doesnt mean that it is frivilous, only that, it needs improvement!For example, the solar panel is being upgraded on a daily basis!We all have dreams and sometimes they turn into obsessions but if that wasnt the case we would still not have electricity!I think the overall potential of this project has major overtones of micro and macro development.

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techsmoke94

09/27/08 at 9:06 pm

that is cool but it wont be very smart to buy, to rent it for about two days would be cool

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Kaccount

12/22/08 at 11:59 pm

King of NERDS - first of all I'm thinking this thing must cost a lot to maintain insurance, repair, GAS........ not to mention that you already spent $50000 on it and 3 years of you time oh and the future time making repairs. What I'd like to know is if this would even be street legal ? I think that It would have to have a speed higher than 5 mph to do anything. On the other hand it is a cool thing to have, (if you can afford it), so try to think of a cheeper one and then you can wow me!

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glassdave

03/16/09 at 10:18 am

Readers of Popular Science,
and I say that in the most affectionate way. I don't think you guys are getting this vehicle. It's a work of art. And it's fun (understatement) to watch it move, and I would imagine it is a lot of fun to ride on. I also think it was a lot of fun to design and build. Fun Fun Fun. When I saw it, it literally took my breath away. There are other aspects to life besides the military and profit motives. Do Rembrandt paintings go five miles per hour? Do your Radeon gaming video cards have any real purpose? What's the alternative to building something as grand as the Beast? Watching TV? Is it really not socially acceptable to work on something besides a hot rod? As if that was practical.

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romaniamac1

10/21/09 at 5:26 am

Really cool video

Extractor 1.4
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www.emailextractor14.com/
www.emailextractor14.com/?page_id=95

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GlnnR

02/21/10 at 3:39 pm

glassdave nailed it. This thing is frickin' cool. Wish I had $50K and 3 years...

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nddave1

02/09/13 at 9:48 pm

.. your creature may be big and heavey on land but underwater , and holding a seabed dredge. It might have some great advantages. If you were interested in exploring underwater. When it is lowered to the sea floor the weight would be fine, the ground clearance looks good, It would be on a teather, and that might be able to contain or supply its need for power. It would need a 12volt or 24volt power supply , not unlike what a forklift would use and the extra weight of the batterys might be good. Johndeere makes a tree cutter buncher the walks on uneven ground and looks like a wingless grasshopper, its slow but very effective Just some thoughts on where your beast might find work............nddave1