Building A Friend From My Childhood

Some kids had imaginary friends. I had a robot.

Growing up watching Lost in Space, the B9 Robot wasn’t just part of the show’s scenery. He was a guardian, a companion, a comic relief, and somehow, the most human character on the Jupiter 2. His flashing lights, whirring arms, and famous warnings captured my imagination. To me, he wasn’t just a machine — he was a friend.

I wanted a robot. That Robot.

The B9 from Lost in Space wasn’t just a character on TV — he was a dream wrapped in aluminum and flashing lights. Protective, witty, loyal, and strangely human for a machine, he captured my imagination like nothing else. So in 8th grade, I decided I wasn’t going to just admire robots — I was going to build one.

Armed with sheet metal, dryer duct, blinky lights, and a whole lot of ambition, I built my first robot and entered him into science fairs. He had a Folgers coffee can for one hand and a functional gripper claw on the other that could turn a screwdriver — a feature I was especially proud of. One arm moved up and down, one hand had moving fingers, and on his chest were lights that blinked just like B9’s. I didn’t have CAD or 3D printers — I had a garage, a dream, and whatever parts I could scrounge or repurpose.

That robot won ribbons, but more importantly, he taught me that I could bring imagination to life with my own hands. He may not have spoken or warned of incoming danger, but he represented something even more powerful: the moment a childhood passion turned into a lifelong love for building, creating, and bringing the impossible a little closer to real.

Now, all these years later, I’m picking up where I left off — with better tools, more experience, and the same wide-eyed excitement — to finally build the B9 Robot as he was meant to be: full-sized, fully functional, and fully alive in my pipe organ workshop.

Fast Forward 40 Years…

Fast forward 40 years, and suddenly there’s this amazing thing called 3D printing — a technology that would’ve seemed like pure science fiction back when I was cutting metal panels in my dad’s sheet metal shop. What once took days with hand tools and scrap parts can now be drawn on a screen and printed overnight in stunning detail.

And I wasn’t alone anymore.

What started as a childhood dream has grown into something much bigger — a global community of builders, makers, and fans who, like me, were inspired by the robots of their youth. Just as there's an incredible community of people who bring Star Wars' R2-D2 to life in garages and workshops around the world, there's a devoted group keeping B9 alive — one servo, circuit, and printed part at a time.

These builders share files, give advice, compare part tolerances, and celebrate each other’s progress. Some are engineers, some are hobbyists, some are just lifelong fans — all brought together by a shared passion and a deep love for the “bubble-headed booby.”

Thanks to these generous and brilliant people, the dream that once lived in my imagination — and in that first aluminum-and-coffee-can robot — is now becoming a reality in full scale. I’ve got better tools, better parts, and most importantly, better company.

We’re not just building robots anymore. We’re building community, friendship, and for some of us — we’re finally building that one robot we always wanted.

Enjoy the Journey

In the following pages, I hope you enjoy this builder’s diary — the ongoing saga of my efforts to bring a fully functional B9 Robot to life… even if he sometimes behaves, as Dr. Smith would say, like a “Clod-Like Collection of Condensors.”

This project has been as much about learning as it has been about building. Along the way, I’ve taught myself how to 3D print complex parts, write code, program Arduinos, wire up LEDs, control servo motors, and troubleshoot more electronics than I care to admit. What once seemed impossibly technical has become second nature through trial, error, and sheer stubbornness.

This diary is a record of progress — from printing the first shoulder bracket to hearing the robot’s voice echo through my shop for the first time. It’s full of successes, setbacks, and small victories that make the next step feel worth taking.

If you’re a fellow builder, a fan of Lost in Space, or just someone who once dreamed of creating something larger than life, I hope this journey sparks a little inspiration — or at the very least, a smile.

After all, every Blithering Booby needs someone to build him.

Getting Started: Research, References & Inspiration

Every great build starts with a blueprint — or at least a sketch on a napkin and a head full of childhood memories.

Before the first part was printed or wire was stripped, I dove headfirst into researching every detail I could find about the B9 Robot. From frame dimensions and lighting patterns to sound clips and servo configurations, I wanted to get it right. Thankfully, I wasn’t alone. The B9 Builders Club proved to be a goldmine of shared knowledge, design files, and generous advice from people who had been exactly where I was — staring at a pile of parts and wondering, “Where do I even begin?”

Screen captures, forum posts, 3D model libraries, and even freeze-framing episodes of Lost in Space became part of my daily routine. I studied original measurements, fan-made schematics, and modern adaptations to find the balance between screen-accuracy and real-world function.

This wasn’t just about copying a prop — it was about understanding the soul of the machine that inspired me so many years ago.