Physics equivalent to the class chemistry set

Here is the long overdue equivalent to the classic chemistry set: the Physics Workshop set for learning the fundamental laws of mechanical physics in a hands-on way.

Using the 64-page full-color instruction book to build 36 models of machines and then conduct 37 experiments with the models you've built.

You can start by experimenting with simple machines: gears, levers, screws, inclined planes, pulleys, wheels and axles to understand fundamental physics. Then you can build small models of a crane, sail car, pinball game, windmill, wind-powered generator, pendulum clock, hammer machine, centrifuge, scale and many others.

Aimed at ages ages 8 and up, the Physics Workshop requires the addition of one "C" type battery.

Here is the link to the Thames & Kosmos Physics Workshop.

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K'NEX Intro to Simple Machines: Gears set

Mechanical toy maker K'NEX has an educational line of toys. One such line is their 'Intro to Simple Machines' which are designed to demonstrate science and technology concepts.

Shown here is a 198-piece set focuses on investigating and experimenting with gears.

From the product description:

These K'Nex kits inspire young minds and satisfy kids' curiosity on how to construct simple machines. Each innovative kit keeps young builders busy and intrigued for hours at a time.

This Gears Kit builds seven different models and allows kids to work solo or as a team. The models demonstrate spur, crown, chain and sprocket gear assemblies. Includes a compartmentalized storage case with snap-on lid. Curriculum sold separately.

Here is the link for the K'NEX Intro to Simple Machines: Gears set.

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Fire Dragon paper automaton by Walter Ruffler

Check out this paper automaton kit by Walter Ruffler called 'Fire Dragon'.

From the product description:

Normally a gentle beast, when provoked this dragon breathes fire snapping his mighty jaw, rearing up on his hind legs and fluttering his beautiful wings. A gentle dragon indeed! In Fire Dragon the handle moves a crank slider that makes the dragon rear up. His jaw, forelegs and wings are all operated by strings, which tighten when the dragon rears, causing coordinated life-like movement.

Here is the link to the Fire Dragon paper automaton.

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Thames & Kosmos wind power experiment kit

Here is a cool mechanical model you assemble to make a wind turbine with a small electric generator.

It comes with a 32-page manual that walks you through how to conduct more than 20 experiments -- including ones using different numbers of rotor blades, different blade angles and profiles, different wind speeds, different gear ratios, lifting a weight, lighting up an LED, and charging a rechargeable battery.

Here's the product page for the Thames & Kosmos Wind Power wind power experiment kit

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Insultabotz toy robot kit - a robot with attitude

Now here is a good comedic use of robot technology: the Insultabotz. The Insultabotz kit is easily built with common hand tools.

The Insultabotz moves forward on six insect-like legs. When its infrared eye detects an obstacle in its way, it will stop, reverse direction and then play any message you have prerecorded into the on-board re-recordable voice chip. I'm thinking I would want to record something like: "What the?!? Who put this thing here?!?"

Here is the link for Insultabotz toy robot kit.

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Gakken's Stirling engine powered car kit

The other day, the Retro Thing blog drew my attention to this really awesome looking Sterling Engine Car Kit by Gakken.

From one review:

The kit has nice components. The instructions are complete (24 pages in Japanese). And, there are a whole bunch of tiny details to get lost in. The cylinder mount and the gears need to be carefully aligned. This is one of the trickier parts. If you have it misaligned, there will be too much friction for the engine to run. A gauge is supplied to make this step easier.

This and several other hard-to-find Gakken kits can be found at the Make Magazine MakerShed.

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Brachiating solar robot orangutan kit by OWI

You will need a screwdriver and about 20 minutes of time to assemble this solar powered brachiating orangutan. Robot Orangutan climbs hand-over-hand across a horizontally mounted string when exposed to light (either the sun itself or a strong light bulb).





At right, is a photograph of the kit's various pieces. The kit includes the climbing string, but will you will need to provide the screwdriver. No batteries required -- a favorite phrase of mine.

Here is the link for the climbing solar robot orangutan.

This kit, known as OWI-MSK675 can also be ordered from The Automata / Automaton Store.

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Edge Robotic Arm Kit

You will need about two hours to assemble the Edge Robotic Arm Kit. No soldering is required.

The robotic arm features five axes of motion that you control via a wired remote. The gripper will open and close, the wrist twists, elbow bends through a range of 300 degrees, and the base rotates 180 degrees. The arm has a vertical reach of 15 inches, and horizontal reach of 12.6 inches.

Here's a page with more info and video of the Edge Robotic Arm Kit at ThinkGeek.com.

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Cupid, Robot and Grumpy Goat Downloads

For a limited time, Rob Ives of Flying-Pig Paper Animations Kits, is offering three of his downloadable kits for one special price.

You can get the files to download and make a cupid, grumpy goat, AND robot (shown here) for £4.99 GBP or a little over $7 USD.

After February, these three kits will only be available printed form.

Here's a link to the Cupid, Robot, Grumpy Goat package deal.

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Bionic Robotic Hand Kit

The folks over at Edmund Scientifics offer this cool-looking hand kit.

From the product description:

This customizable kit allows you to construct a moving, life-size, robotic hand. Using simple tools, you can enjoy every step of the building process.

No soldering or electronic skill is required. Once completed, your hand will be able to open and close at the touch of a button and even grasp items.

Decorate your hand with a glove and jewelry or leave it bare to watch the mechanisms inside. However you choose to use your Bionic Hand, it will be an enjoyable project and intriguing conversation piece for years to come!

Includes an illustrated assembly manual with step-by-step instructions and an AA battery. Requires, but does not include, a screwdriver, small pliers, wire cutter, and drill for assembling the model.

This and many cool robots and kits may be found at Edmund Scientifics.

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Butterfly paper automaton kit from CeraCera

The folks over at CeraCera have just come out with four new paper automata kits. Among them is this charming Monarch Butterfly that gently flaps its wings when you turn the the crank.

Here is a link to the Monarch Butterfly paper automaton kit from CeraCera.

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Floating arm trebuchet - throws golf balls 200'

This precision engineered trebuchet is a functional model standing 34" tall, 18" long and 12" wide when built. The guillotine-action and a plunging beam can hurl a golf ball over 200 feet. Nice!

From the product description:

Detailed instructions and high quality hardwood pieces that have been pre-cut and pre-drilled are all provided, so you can construct a finished model in a day.

This kit is professionally engineered, designed and manufactured in the USA. Made with 100% hardwoods, each part is precision carved by computer controlled machinery for a guaranteed fit and accuracy.

Here a link to see more about the Floating Arm Trebuchet.

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Gizmos -- The best paper automata deal around!

I made a huge oversight in my recommendations for mechanical toys. The Gizmos kit gives you everything you need to make eight Rob Ives models. For one very affordable price, you get:

• A 144-page book with an introduction to automata and the simple mechanisms
• A pre-made pop-up frog ready to jump
• Punch-out parts for two snap-up models
• Complete punch-out parts to create six fully animated paper machines: Die Fledermaus, Mouthy Moose, Schrodinger's Cat, Shrimp Boat, Surf Bunny, and Marching Robot
• Reusable templates for each of the model parts, to get you started on future projects

Gizmos is a great way to learn basic mechanical principles and paper-engineering techniques.

Here's a link to Gizmos by Rob Ives

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Trebuchet and Catapult Gift Guide from MAKE

The holidays just got a bit more..um...Medieval. I am so happy to share with you MAKE Magazine's complete Gift guide for the trebuchet and catapult maker. Build one, learn things, and by all means -- fling something!

(I am staunchly pro-catapult. There, I said it.)

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LEGO Mindstorms Robotics Invention System 2.0

LEGOs aren't just plastic blocks anymore! Now you can design, construct, and program real robots. The Robotic Invention System lets you build three robots out of the box: a Candy Sorter, a Robotic Arm, or a drawing Artbot.

When you start building your own creations, you can attach sensors, motors, and gears to the RCX microcomputer. You then use your PC and the LEGO MINDSTORMS CD-ROM to program your robot. The possibilities are almost endless here.

Here's where you can learn more about LEGO Mindstorms Robotics Invention System 2.0 - Robotics.

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Paper snowman model, automata, & surprise gifts

Rob Ives over at Flying Pig Paper Animation Kits has just released a new paper model for the holiday season. The snowman shown here is a downloadable model. You simply pay online using your Paypal account or a credit card, then download the .PDF that contains the pattern and instructions. Don't worry if you are not used to paying in Great Britian Pounds (GBP) -- PayPal will convert the transaction into your currency. Most cost less than a cup of Starucks coffee. Once you download the file, print it, cut out the pieces, and glue it together as instructed.

If you have kids at home on vacation complaining of having "nothing to do", check out all of amazing paper animation kits from Flying Pig. There are dozens, ranging from dinosaurs to working paper locks. You can let the kids choose the model and have the kit printed out in just minutes. That ought to keep them busy!

Struggling for what to get the crafty/clever person in your life for the holidays because you think they already have everything? Why not surprise them by pre-ordering Rob's forthcoming book? It's called Paper Engineering & Pop-ups For Dummies.Give them an envelope with a print out of the book's cover and they'll look forward to receiving a great gift in just a few months.

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Simple motorized robotic duck kit

This looks like a simple, fun mechanical toy kit that allows you to build a waddling bipedal robot.

Here the link to the Robot Duck kit.

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Simple machines: 4-in-1 hydraulic machines set

This kit lets aspiring engineers and tinkerers of all ages build four simple machines that explore the mechanics of hydraulics. This set allows you to build a Platform Lifter, Scissor Lift, Cherry Picker, and Excavator.

Each working model uses water as the hydraulic fluid, comes with pre-cut wood pieces, and instructions. You supply the white glue and the time to put them together.

Here's the full product listing for the 4-in-1 hydraulic machines set.

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Free break-dancing paper automaton download

Here is a paper prototype automaton that is available for downlaod. I believe the creator is looking for feedback to refine the design.

Here is a link to the downloadable files for the Free Paper Street Dancer Automaton.

[ Thanks Raphael! ]

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Paperanimations.com for paper automaton kits

Paperanimations.com offers paper automaton kits from Rob Ives, Walter Ruffler, and Keisuke Saka. Shown here is Saka's delightful penguin automaton design.

From the Paper Animatins site:

Making paper animations and static paper models (such as buildings, planes, cars and animals) is a thriving hobby in Europe and Asia. Such paper crafting is just now catching on in the USA. Paper animations enjoys an increasingly wider following among teachers and students who use the models to explore the basics of mechanical movement.

Visit Paper Animations to see all of the paper automata kits they offer.

Super Creepy Mechamo Crab with Baby Head

The team over at MAKE magazine have figured out a way for you to make your own creepy crab/baby abomination -- not unlike the one in the movie Toy Story -- just in time for Halloween.

Here is a link to MAKE's post that shows this and other videos for this project. Their store, The Maker Shed, also sells the Mechamo Crab by Gakken used (baby head not included).

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Milestones in Science - DIY Great Experiments

When I was a lad, science seemed, lamentably, mostly a series of facts and formulas that didn't really convey anything about the times, the world, or the minds from which it came. This is one reason I ended up studying the history of science rather than science itself. Here is a well-conceived kit that attempts to walk the new scientist through the great experiments of history. I may well treat myself to this kit to learn first-hand that which I have learned second-hand.

From the product description:

Milestones in Science combines history and science in a fun, hands-on way. Children learn about famous scientists and inventors while reproducing 100 of their most significant experiments. Beautifully illustrated 96-page book walks junior scientists through a world of microelectronics, atoms, light, magnetism, and much more. Covers more than 140 scientists and civilizations. Made in Germany and includes 95 pieces. Requires one "9V" battery. (Age 10+)

Here is where you can order Milestones in Science.

For the more mature and readerly with and less experimental bent, I cannot recommend highly enough A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson.

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Working Torsion Spring Power Wood Ballista Kit

For those of you who enjoyed my two-part step-by-step guide on building the Pathfinder's Catapult Kit here's something else you will like. This a wood ballista kit.

The ballista (from the Latin and the Greek meaning "to throw") was a weapon developed from earlier Greek crossbows. It relied on two levers with torsion springs, consisting of several loops of twisted skeins of rope. Early versions ejected heavy darts or spherical stone projectiles of various sizes for siege warfare.

This kit is made from high quality knot-free Basswood. This ballistic firing machine is a working model easily assembled from pre-cut and pre-drilled pieces. It includes laser cut plywood wheels. The finished model is 11-1/2 inches long, 9 inches wide, and 5-1/2 inches tall.

Click here to buy the Ballista Wood Kit

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Video Details of Hank-cranked Songbird Serinette

I posted recently about the DIY Programmable Bird Song Organ from Gakken. Here's an other video which has a short montage at the beginning to give you a sense for the parts and pieces of the kit. It then goes on to show you a guy tuning the various pipes of the serinette.

You can buy the Gakken Bird Song Organ from The Japan Trend Shop.

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Animated Paper Shark Automaton Download Kit

The AquaShark Automata is an new animated paper automaton kit from the folks at CeraCera. This is a downloadable kit that will cost you about $5 U.S. dollars. The model looks to have a very nice, subtle motion. Paper automaton makers amaze me in what they can do.

Check out the Animated Paper Shark Automaton Download Kit

For a really well-done printed book that allows you to make four complete paper automata, check out Paper Automata: Four Working Models to Cut Out & Glue Together.

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New Wood Automata Kits in the Automata Store

The Automata / Automton Store now offers two additional wood automata kits from Pathfinders. Like all Pathfinder's educational kits, these are very carefully designed and sure to please.

The Pathfinders Automata kits are made with natural, untreated pine. They can be painted or decorated and will last for many years. The Pathfinders Automata come with complete instructions and are recommended for ages 9 and up. They require only white glue, scissors, and a ruler for assembly.

Here is the link for the Pathfinder's Running Horse Wooden Automaton Kit. Here is the link for the Pathfinder's Flying Pig Wooden Automaton Kit.

Gizmos: New Paper Automata Kit from Rob Ives!

The unstoppable Rob Ives has a new paper automaton set called Gizmos.

From Barnes & Nobel:
"Everything You Need to Make Amazing Paper Machines!

Automata are animated toys that use several basic mechanisms to come alive—and they're made completely out of paper! Using the ingenious punch-out designs included in Gizmos, you can assemble six enchanting automata by designer Rob Ives—and when you've mastered the fundamental techniques, you can create new designs of your own.

Gizmos includes:
* A pre-made pop-up frog ready to jump right out of the box!
* Pre-stamped punch-out parts for two snap-up models that are perfect for first-time builders
* Complete punch-out parts to create six full-color, fully animated paper machines: Die Fledermaus, Mouthy Moose, Schrödinger’s Cat, Shrimp Boat, Surf Bunny, and Marching Robot
* A 144-page book with an introduction to automata and the simple mechanisms—cranks, cams, and levers—that give them life; easy-to-follow instructions to make eight Rob Ives models; and handy reusable templates for each of the model parts, to get you started on future projects

Gizmos is a fascinating way to learn about basic mechanical principles as well as a guide to paper-crafting techniques that will enable you to design and build paper toys that capture the imagination!"


Eight models for under $15...that's a good deal. Check out Gizmos by Rob Ives at Barnes and Nobel.

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Working Rack-and-Pinion Paper Model

Yet another cool mechanical paper model from the good folks at Flying-Pig Animation Kits. Shown here is the brand new Rack-and-Pinion model.

The is a downloadable kit that you cut out and make. Once you've payed online, you print out the pages of this model onto thin card stock paper, follow the illustrated instructions and make your a working model.

You can get this model individually or as part of their 'Gears Collection' package deal.

For those in the U.S.A., don't worry about the prices being in Great British Pounds, PayPal will convert the Pounds into Dollars for you.

Here is a link to a page with the Rack-and-Pinion paper model.

Animated Movie Praxinoscope Replica Kit

Somebody forgot to tell me, but I guess it's Mechanical Animation Week here at The Automata / Automaton Blog. Following yesterday's post about the Retroscope and Thaumatrope machines, we've stumbled upon another form of motion picture device. Shown here is an animated movie Praxinoscope replica kit. The Praxinoscopic looks a bit like a refinement of the Zoetrope.

This little working replica is about 6 inches tall with a 5 inch diameter platform to hold the circular movie sheets. It comes with a few ready-made movies and a few blank sheets to try your hand at animation/early-movie-making. A 10-sided mirrored reflector is viewed through a frame to see the animated images right-side up.

I found this on Amazon.com, but nobody there seems to have reviewed it yet. It certainly looks like fun! If you drop the $12.50 for this gizmo, let us know how you like it.

Here's the product page for the Animation Praxinscope.

Edison Mechanical Recording Device Kit

The folks over at MAKE have put together a fantastic video of the Edison Phonograph (or is it a Gramaphone?) kit. The kit allows you to record sound on the side of a plastic cup! Don't expect high fidelity, but still...this is a purely mechanical system that teaches all the basics about one of the last century's great inventions.

Visit the MAKE Magazine store to learn more about or buy the Edison-Style Cup Phonograph Kit.

Paper Locksmith Collection -- Paper Lock Kits

Rob Ives at Flying-Pig Paper Animations Kits has done it again! Now you can learn all about how mechanical locks work by making working models out of paper.

The new Paper Locksmith Collection includes a twelve page booklet about locks and locksmithing. The booklet covers the history of locks, modern lock mechanisms, and the future of locks. It even has a section on lock picking.

You get three working lock models to download, print, and build:
1 - Combination Lock
2 - Cylinder Lock
3 - Warded Lock

You also get the included the free locksmith booklet.

Right now this package deal is only £4.99 (about $9.80). Don't worry...Paypal will do the currency conversion for you.

Learn more about The Paper Locksmith Collection.

Pathfinders Wooden Automata Kits

I've told you about the catapult kit made by Pathfinders previously.

I am pleased to let you know they are now making wood automata kits.

From the product description:
Pathfinders has now designed two fascinating wooden automata kits that assemble with ease. The Pathfinders Flying Pig and Running Horse are engineered using a minimum number of parts yet produces dramatic movement. The Pathfinders Automata kits are made with natural, untreated pine. They can be painted or decorated and will last for many years. Requires only white glue, scissors, and a ruler for assembly.

Here is the are photos and descriptions of the Pathfinders automata at notedco.com.

You can order the automata kits from the Pathfinders on their web site. They are also available via Amazon at these locations: Pig Automaton and Horse Automaton.

Paper Automaton Kits by Peter Markey

Here is a site that sells a line of paper automata kits by the inimitable automaton artist Peter Markey.

Markey is a master of getting great motions from simple mechanisms. These kits highlight his skill in this regard. Here is a chance to make one for yourself!

Visit Optical Toy's site to see their offering of Paper Automata by Peter Markey.

Dancing Diplodocus Paper Automaton Kit

Here is a brand new paper automaton creation from Flying-Pig Paper Animation Kits. You can make this kit for yourself in a few hours time.

This one is being sold as a downloadable model. You simply pay online using their secure site. Once your order is complete you will be sent an email with details of how to download your model. Downloading takes no more than a couple of minutes. You'll need adobe acrobat reader, which is free from Adobe. Once you have the file on you computer, print it out onto thin card stock paper.

As with all of Rob's wonderful paper automata, you just need a few simple tools to put them together: scissors, a ruler, Elmer's white glue, and a sharp hobby knife. Other helpful items are tweezers and a self-healing cutting mat.

Visit the Flying-Pig Paper Animations Kits' download page to get the Dancing Diplodocus Paper Automaton Kit

Aging an Authentic Working Wood Catapult Kit

This is the second in a two part series reviewing the working wood catapult model made by Pathfinders. In the the first part, I reviewed the the kit and gave you some assembly tips. In this part, I'll tell you how I went about making the catapult look like it truly belongs on a medieval battlefield.


What is the Kit and Where Do You Get It?
The catapult kit is sold by ThinkGeek.com by the name of "Wooden War Engine Kits". ThinkGeek.com offers more than one model; this article refers to the one advertised as "Catapult Kit". It sells for $19.99.

Getting Ready to Get Old
Once the kit is assembled, you should have a bit of fun testing it out. I recommend throwing small grapes at a pyramid of empty aluminum cans. If you would like to make your catapult look old, read on. For this process, I used the following tools and materials:

* Carving knife
* Small wire brush
* Furniture finish touch-up markers
* Coarse twine
* Elmer's glue
* Sandpaper - 100 grit
* Minwax wood stain - Early American
* Round wooden disks
* Wooden wheel pegs
* Popsicle type "craft" sticks
* Soldering iron with wood-burning tip
* Gun bluing
* Portable hand drill
* Ball-peen hammer

None of these things are essential. You should feel free to use whatever tools and materials you have on hand or can obtain easily.

Making the Catapult's Wood Beams Look Old
The first thing I did was removed the string and washers from the model.

I used a carving knife to take the corners off of the straight edges of the wood. I didn't remove a lot of material because I didn't want to compromise the strength of the wood.

I just shaved off small, irregular shavings to make it look a little less perfect and perhaps as if the beams had been hand-hewn. I also rounded the spoon-shaped end of the throwing arm.

Next, I added the wood knots to the beams. I have a set of three wood finish touch up markers. I used the second darkest color. By gently resting the very tip of the marker on the unfinished wood, pigment from the marker is drawn into the wood fibers in a way that looks something like a real wood knot. Use the underside of the model to perfect your technique.

The knots may look a little too dark at this point, but don't worry. After placing knots of various sizes on the beams, I gave the entire model a coat of Minwax wood stain. I used "Early American" simply because I had some around. You can use whatever color you like, so long as it is considerably lighter than the knots you have made with the marker. This allows the knots to show through the stain. At this point, you should give your catapult some time to dry.

Later, I used a wire brush to give the catapult some scratches and wear marks to make it look like it had been used for years. I also used a wood-burning tool to add some grain lines and cracks to some of the beams. Make sure these lines follow the grain of the wood so that they appear natural.

I dipped the the string that comes with the kit in the Minwax and wiped the excess off with a rag. This makes the "rope" look old too.

Adding the Twine to the Crossbar and Throwing Arm
I am not sure if it is authentic or not, but I thought some cordage wrapped around the throwing arm and crossbar would look good. I also figured this would provide a bit of cushioning. I used a coarse three strand twine for this. I unraveled the strands so that I had a single strand. I tied one end of twine around the crossbar.

Next, I spread some Elmer's glue on the section where the twine was to be placed. I then wrapped the twine in a tight coil around the crossbar. I tied off the end and put a drop of glue on it to keep if from coming off.

This process was repeated on the throwing arm where it meets with the crossbar.

Making the Wooden Wheels for Your Siege Engine
I purchased a set of round hardwood discs that are 2 - 3/4 inches in diameter. I also purchased some wooden toy axle pegs and some craft sticks -- really they are just Popsicle sticks. All three items can be found at craft stores.

I used a soldering iron with a flat wood burning tip to create parallel lines on the wheels to make it seem as if they were constructed from individual planks. I also burned the edges of the wheels a bit to simulate wear and wood grain.

Next, I glued two short lengths of Popsicle sticks to the outside of each wheel to model the boards that would hold the wheels together.

I drilled a 1/4 inch hole in the center of each wheel and in the four corners of the catapult base. I sanded flat sides on the axle pegs and darkened them with marker.

Using the toy axle pegs, I mounted each wheel to the catapult. I glued only the holes into which the pegs go, so the wheels can move freely. Finally, I gave the wheels a coat of wood stain.

Finishing Touches to The Antiqued Catapult
The catapult was starting to look pretty old at this point, but the bright metal washers on the outside ruined the effect. I used the rounded end of a ball-peen hammer to dent one face of each washer. I then rubbed some gun bluing on the surface to give it a dark, oxidized look. DO NOT get this stuff on your tools.

In the end, I spent 30 to 40 minutes making the basic functioning catapult kit, and 4+ hours making it look old! I had a lot of fun doing it.

Where to Get the Kit and Other Supplies
Most of what you need can be found at your local hardware store, craft store, or hobby shop. If you have any difficulty finding these items locally, here are some online sources:

* Catapult kit
* Wood carving knife
* STEEL SCRATCH BRUSH
* Sharpie Touch up Markers - 3 pack
* Sisal Twine
* Elmer's Glue-All
* 100 Grit Sanding Sheets
* Minwax Wood Finish - Early American
* Wood toy wheels
* Wood toy wheel axle pegs
* Cuisipro Frozen Pop Sticks
* Woodburning and soldering tool set
* Perma Blue, liquid gun blue kit
* Cordless drill
* Ball peen hammer

VEXplorer Robotics System with Claw and Camera

I've posted about this robotic system in the past. I am posting about it again because Amazon has added a ton of new info about it to their product page including video, and an extensive write up of the robotic toy's capabilities.

With more than 300 parts, the VEXplorer allows users to create and experiment with endless combinations of radio-controlled robotic configurations -- without breaking the bank (about $150 USD).

Check out the Revell Vexplorer Robotics System.

Waiting Machine Finger-Tapping Automaton

I have seen the tapping finger automaton done in a variety of ways, though none as artfully as this one by Chris Eckert.

• Here is a paper hand animation kit you can make
• Here is a two-handed wooden automaton from New Zealand

Check out more art by Chris Eckert on his web site.

Mr. Machine Collectible Robot Toy Patent

The following is the patent abstract for the classic mechanical toy known as Mr. Machine. The full patent has several drawings and a lot of descriptive text.

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Patent No.: 3,050,900
Category: TOY
Inventors: Marvin L Glass and Leonid Kripak
Date Filed: Dec. 28, 1959, Ser. No. 862,208

This invention relates generally to, and has for its principal object, an animated toy. More particularly, the invention relates to, and has for a further object, a mobile toy including a construction and arrangement of the parts which can be readily assembled and disassembled, which resembles a mechanical man incorporating various interest attracting features, and which are generally fabricated of translucent, differently colored plastic materials so that a fascinating mechanical, multicolored activity is observed during operation of the top.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a toy of the type described which is of inexpensive construction, which has educational value in developing the mechanical skill of a child through assembly, disassembly and operation of the toy, and which will attract and maintain the attention of children over an extended period of time.

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I guess patents are not intended to sound fun. But Mr. Machine is fun! So, I'll leave it to the marketing copyrighters to convince you...

From Amazon.com:
"1960's authentic Mr. Machine! An early robot collectible toy manufactured using original molds! Rolling, spinning, ringing, squawking fun! Take Mr. Machine apart & put him back together! Includes authentic numbered Mr. Machine & his "toy wrench," DVD, Replica of US Patent Certificate, Numbered Certificate of Authenticity, Collector's Manual."

You can order the Mr. Machine robot gear toy online.

Simple Machines Kit Teaches about Mechanics

This clever kit includes everything you need to make simple machines: a variable lever, a wheel and axle, an inclined plane, a pulley and a wedge.

The kit includes a worksheet with diagrams and exercises to accompany hands-on building activities. There's also a 38 minute video, which explains how to construct and use the machines, and how to calculate the mechanical advantage of each machine.

I think I need to get this!

Here's the link to the Simple Machines Kit.

Make A Snake Mechanical Wooden Automaton Kit

I've been finding a lot of fun mechanical toys and gadgets over at ScientificsOnline.com lately. Most recently, I was delighted to discover this wood automaton kit of a snake in motion.

From Edmund Scientifics:
"The handle turns the cam shaft and the eccentric shaped cams push the rods up. This shows how a circular turning motion can be converted into an up-and-down movement. The cams can be repositioned on the shaft to change the movement of the snake."

The kit comes complete with everything your need to build the automaton except a screwdriver to put it together. Here is a 16-Piece Precision Screwdriver Set with everything you might need for delicate projects.

Here's the product page for the Make A Snake Mechanical Wooden Automaton Kit.

Paper Mechanism Multi-pack Downloads Kits

Rob Ives over at Flying Pig has created a pack of three models for one price.

If you are interested in paper engineering or paper automata, this is a great value. It's also a great way to break into automata, requiring few tools and relatively little time.

The first is the gear model that uses only cardboard to make a fully working mechanism with two gears.

The second model is a working set of bevel gears made completely from card-stock paper.

Pump the paper bellows on the third model and the rotor spins.

Head over the download section of Flying-pig.co.uk to check out this multi-pack kit and a ton of other well-designed paper automaton kits.

Rubber-Band Powered Kite Can Fly for 5 Minutes

I have posted recently about a rubber band powered flying ornithopter project and a book on rubber-band powered cars.

Apparently, the model plane kit shown here, called the Stringless Wonder, can fly up to a mile and remain airborne for 5 minutes. A mile? 5 minutes? On rubber band power? It's hard to believe. I guess I can shell out the $10 and find out!

Available as the Stringless Wonder at Edmund Scientific and PP-4 STRINGLESS WONDER KITE at Amazon.com. For the lowest price ($7.95) check out the Stringless Wonder at SK Science Kits.

Build an Ornithopter - Flapping Wing Flying Toy

Build an Ornithopter - video powered by Metacafe

I posted a while back about the Tim Bird Toy -- a rubber band powered bird that flies by flapping its wings.

Here's a great weekend project brought to us by the good folks at MAKE magazine. This video shows how to build an ornithopter -- also powered by a rubber band.

Other Resources:
Ornithoper.org has kits, plans, and advice.
The Wind-up Flying Toys page at The Automata Store.

Gear Toy: Superstruts Wacky Machines Set

Kazoo Toys offers building and construction toys from a host of toy makers. Shown here is the Superstruts Wacky Machines Set made by Waba Fun. This 175 piece building set includes 12 large gears and plans to build 7 models that include a clock, geared-down Ferris whee, a car that drills, and other fun contraptions.

Otherbuilding and construction toys offered at KazooToys.Com come from toy makers including:

• Building Blocks
• CoinStruction
• Cranium Super Fort
• Elenco Electronics
• Gears & Gearbotics
• Haba Toys
• Kapla
• K'nex Building Toys
• LINCOLN LOGS
• Magna Tiles
• Magz by Progressive
• Playmobil
• Quercetti Toys
• Rokenbok Construction System
• Taurus Toy
• Superstructs
• Zometool Building Systems
• Zoob Toys
• ZOOMORPHS

Find a wide variety of building and construction toys at KazooToys.Com.

How to Build a Working Wood Catapult Toy Kit

This is the first in a two part series reviewing the working wood catapult kit made by Pathfinders. In this first part, I will tell you about the kit and give you some assembly tips. In part two, I'll tell you how I went about making the catapult look like it truly belongs on an ancient battlefield.

ThinkGeek.com offers more than one model; this review refers to the one advertised as "Catapult Kit". It sells for $19.99.

Where did kit come from?
The product is sold by ThinkGeek.com in their Geek Toys section under the Cube Warfare subsection by the name of Wooden War Engine Kits.


What do you get in the kit?
The kit comes with nearly everything you need to assemble the catapult. The only material you need to provide is white Elmer's-type glue. The kit comes with a small swatch of sandpaper and suggests that you have a ruler and scissors available. The kit arrived in a slender cardboard box with instructions and parts separated into two plastic bags. No excessive packaging, no impossible-to-open-plastic-clamshell. I like that.

The kit contains just over a dozen wooden parts, two washers, some string, a small bit of wire, and some soft Play-Doh type clay -- otherwise known as "ammunition".

The wood is a clear-grained pine. Just one of the pieces of my kit had a medium sized knot in it. It had been filled with a little plastic-wood type filler to keep things solid and smooth.

How were the instructions?
The instructions are printed in black and white on 8 pages. There are instructions in English, French, and German which is nice, though they are intermingled in a way that requires a bit of scanning and rescanning. I found the directions to be very good, though there were a few vague spots. I'll address these very minor pitfalls in the next section. The line drawings in the instructions are simple and clear and serve as the primary means of instruction.

What helpful hints do you have?
Overall, the kit itself took me a little over half an hour to make, though they suggest that you set aside 1 to 2 hours. The kit is suggested for ages 9 and up. That sounds about right to me.

Here are a few helpful hints for the assembling the catapult kit:

1. Read the entire instruction manual all the way through, paying attention to the drawings. This won't take long and this will prevent any possible confusion.
   
2. At first, I wasn't sure how to tell the crosspiece that the holds the trigger from the upright braces. It's quite simple really: just read the directions (I hadn't yet). Note that they have thoughtfully placed red marks on the crosspiece and the base with which it mates.
3. The kit is held together with pegs that are glued in place. There are 18 total. Be sure to sift through the lot to find the two that a just a bit longer than the others. These are used to add tension to the string.
4. I found that the pegs fit rather tightly. The glue helps to lubricate them a bit. I gently used a nonmarring hammerto tap the pieces together. Alternatively, you could use the included sandpaper to slightly taper the ends of the dowels and ease their entry.
5. Add a safety/trigger - The trigger arm didn't always want to hold the throwing arm in place when under tension (OK, yeah...so maybe I have it wound too tightly). I rigged up a small diagonal piece of wood that fits in a notch to keep the trigger arm from swinging. By pulling this diagonal piece out, the trigger arm is free to swing and the catapult will fire. (See image below for my safety/trigger addition.)
   
6. A small hobby or razor Sawis handy if you want to trim some of the dowels that are left a bit over the surface of a few parts.
7. Consider staining and/or sealing your model to increase its beauty and lifetime. More on this in part 2 of this series.

So...does it work?
The packaging claims that the catapult can throw a soft clay ball over 15 feet. This is absolutely true. I easily achieved distances over 20 feet and don't think I have put undue strain on the model. Should you choose to add extra horsepower to your model (and this is just my speculation), I believe some added string and a reinforced crossbar would allow you to throw a grape twice as far as advertised.

The Verdict?
This is a well proportioned and historically accurate catapult. More specifically this is a mangonel variety of catapult that uses twisted fibers for its power source. I gather that many had a sling on the end rather than the spoon shape we typically see. (You can learn more about catapults from The Art of the Catapult: Build Greek Ballistae, Roman Onagers, English Trebuchets, and More Ancient Artillery)

Everything that was promised was delivered and the model outperformed the advertising copy. When was the last time you purchased a product that did that?

I give the Authentic Working Wood Catapult from ThinkGeek.com high marks.

What's next?
In the next installment of this article, I'll show you how to the catapult model look ancient and ready for a siege.

Bioloid Humanoid (or non-humanoid) Robotics Kit

Bioloid features 18 servo motors, an amazing range of movement, and versatile modular construction. The Bioloid Humanoid Robotics Kit is truly a KIT. This means you will can assemble the Bioloid's modules together to form any one of dozens of different robotic creatures (see image below). This really sets it apart from other humanoid robot kits and lesser toys.

The sensor array is impressive: an IrDA receiver, three proximity sensors that can measure distance and luminosity, and a microphone for sound detection and a piezo-electric speaker that can be used to play musical or beeps. This is a robot aware of its surroundings -- another big plus.

Using the included motion editor software and visual programming environment, you can make the Bioloid interact with its surroundings and perform complex movements. Motions are built up frame-by-frame like a story board in an animation sequence. This allows quite complicated movements to be programmed. Once a motion has been defined it can then be downloaded into the Bioloid's memory and called from the Behaviour Control Program. The Bioloid comes with several example programs to make it walk, avoid obstacles and interact with sound.

This is an impressive platform for roboitics allowing for many configurations, many ways to sense the environment, and a well-developed system for programming actions.

Take a look at the extensive documentation (including the manual and screen shots of the programming interface) on the Bioloid Humanoid Robotics Kit.

Robot Lizard Kit - Electronics Meets Mechanics

Here is neat little lizard robot kit designed to teach the basics of robotics, electronics, and mechanics. Never mind all that learning stuff...it just looks cool.

The design combines a single motor, crank system, and a gear box to create a reptile-like walking motion. Sounds you make start and stop the robot's motion and cause its Light Emitting Diode (LED) eyes flash. The clear body allows you to see what's going on inside the little beast.

All components and parts are included to assemble a working lizard robot. Good, clean fun for about $20.

Order your own Lizard Robot Kit.

Highly Configurable Remote Control Robot Kit

Here is a cool looking robotics kit, which includes four motors, 24 gears, steel braces, an extendable arm, a grasping claw, six rubber tires, and a digital camera -- 300 parts in total.

This kit allows you to build a huge variety of robot configurations to suit your interests or application. (It looks like the ones the bomb squads use, doesn't it?)

This version also has a belt-driven tank tread kit and an additional motor and joint that allow the extendable arm to rotate.

The robot is controlled by a six-channel radio transmitter with a 150 foot range. The 6 channel radio gives you a lot of control over any robot you design with this system.

The included digital camera can be mounted to the robot, allowing you to wirelessly transmit color video directly to a television.

This looks like a great value as a platform for remote controlled robot projects.

Check out all the details of this Remote-Controlled Robot Kit.

Fuel Cell Car and Experiment Kit

This is one of the coolest mechanical toy kits I have ever seen.

During any sunny period, photovoltaic cells perform electrolysis on water, dividing it into its constituent elements -- oxygen and hydrogen. At some later time, you can feed these gases into the fuel cell to get electricity to do work (like power the motor on this little car). The byproduct of all this wizardry is just a bit of water!

Now you can have a fuel cell of your own with which to experiment. This is a big deal. Fuel cells are one of the most promising forms of environmentally-friendly energy on the horizon. Learn more about fuel cells from this article on Fuel Cell Basics.

Go for it, check out The Fuel Cell Car and Experiment Kit

Cubical Warfare Goes Medieval/Mechanical

ThinkGeek is selling these working scale replica kits of Medieval siege engines. Seen here (clockwise from the right) are a Trebuchet, Catapult, and Bastilla.

From ThinkGeek.com:
"These kits let you bring back all the fun of flinging. Each one can assemble in just a few hours, and provides a fantastic scale model of an actual war weapon of yore. The catapult is perfect for chucking balls of paper and other small objects over cubicle walls. The trebuchet is better for long range targets (like the water cooler or networked printer). And, all you need to put them together are some strong fingers (or pliers), a cutting tool, and glue (not included). All three kits are perfect for showing your love of retro weaponry."

Sounds like fun to me!

Visit ThinkGeek cube warfare toys section to see all of these awesome wooden kits.

Automaton of Leonardo's Mechanical Hammer

Here's a nice looking model from the folks at PaperPino. This is a paper model made up of 44 parts that can be assembled without glue. A system of removable interlocking pins holds the model together.

From the PaperPino Site:
This is one of the simplest machines designed by Leonardo in order to improve the human performance. A lever connected to the hammer is moved by means of an eccentric cam. At each turn of the handle, the hammer gives a stroke. As a matter of fact, the real hammer is supposed to be powered by a water paddle-wheel. An implementation with a paddle-wheel powered by sand is planned for the next future.

Check out Leonardo's Mechanical Hammer paper model.

MAKE Finds Wood Automata @ NYC Toy Fair 2008

Phillip Torrone of MAKE Magazine is in New York City covering Toy Fair, 2008. Among his favorite finds this year: Timberkits wood automata!

Here's a link to his post about TimberKits at The NYC Toy Fair, 2008.

Elenco's Romomech Motorized Wood Toy

I've read that these kits can be a little tricky to put together, but I just love the look of the wood with the motorized elements. Wood and machine; it's the best of both worlds!

From my Amazon aStore:
This kit is supplied with pre-punched boards, gears, shafts, switch, motor, battery holder, and all necessary parts. Includes easy-to-follow instructions. Requires 2 "AA" batteries, screwdriver and long nose pliers.

Check out the Robomech from Elenco.

Also check out all of the motorized mechanical toys I've loaded into The Automata / Automaton aStore.

Book: Make Your Own Working Paper Clock

I remember seeing this book at a friend's house when I was a teenager. Neither he nor I had the patience to undertake the project. Years later, this books seems like an amazing way to learn about clocks, clock-making, mechanics, paper engineering...and patience.

The reviews on Amazon about the book/kit/project are illuminating. Among some of the tips I read were the following:

• Consider getting two copies in anticipation of needing to make/remake certain pieces
• Use glue sparingly
• Try a tacky type of glue
  
• Use an X-acto knife and many X-acto blades
  
• Work in many short sessions over time
• Work when you are up to it and can be careful
  
• Have small clips, weights, clamps, and cross-lock tweezers
  
• Be especially careful when constructing the main gears
• Certain parts might benefit from a hardening coat of white glue or Mod Podge
  

The comments reveal that the people who were happy with this project were the ones that really savored the process of building. It is clear that this not an afternoon project. If it is approached as a challenging, educational exercise -- you cannot really fail.

Order the book Make Your Own Working Paper Clock

Make Your Own Robot...With a Soda Can!

This little kit includes a plastic body, wire wings, wire legs, motor with wires, screws, and detailed instructions...almost everything you need to turn an empty soda can into simple robot bug that skitters across the floor. You supply the batteries, soda can, and the time it takes to put it together.

Check out the Make Your Own Soda Can Robug Kit.

Automaton Kits - Make Your Own Wood Automata

Automaton Kits have been added to a page on DugNorth.com. Several wood automata kits from Timberkits are available online. The lower portion of the page also has links to some paper animation kits from Flying Pig Paper Animation Kits.

Kits are a great way to begin building automata. With all of these kits, the tricky design details have already been worked out. You can concentrate on the task of building something you know will work. From there, you may choose to design your own. If you do, these automata related books can help.

Check out the automata kits page on DugNorth.com.

CeraCera Paper Automata Blog

Though not updated in a while, the folks over a CeraCera Paper Automata Kits have also created a blog.

The blog gives a candid look at the process of designing paper automata -- both the failures and successes. There is much one can learn on this site about paper engineering, and how it applies to automata.

Check out some of the posts on CeraCera Design Notes blog. It's fascinating stuff, so hopefully, they will be adding some new posts soon.

Downloadable Paper Robot Automaton

Here's a robot for everyone! This is another paper automaton kit from the folks over at Fly-Pig Animation Kits.

Turn the handle and the Robot marches in place dutifully. This may be one of the last robots we have FULL control over.

Print this model onto thin photocopier card-stock then all you need to make the model are scissors, ruler, white glue, and a sharp knife.

Download the Paper Robot (for less than $6) and make one for yourself.

Make Magazine Now Selling DIY Automta Kits

The ever-cool Make Magazine is now offering Designing Automata Kits.

I've never tried one of these kits, but it sure looks like a great way to try your hand it it -- even if you don't own tools. I bet this kit it would be a great gift for kids too. If any of you have tried these kits, drop me a line and tell me what you think.

Head on over to the Make Store to get your Designing Automata Kit.

New Paper Automata Download Shop

Flying-Pig Paper Animation Kits has created a whole new storefront for their downloadable automata. He is offering many of his designs as downloads!

Make your own paper automaton:

STEP 1 - Purchase and download the design of your choice to your computer. Each kit comes as an acrobat file (PDF).

STEP 2 - Print out the illustrated instructions onto regular paper. Then, print the parts pages onto thin card stock.

STEP 3 - Score and cut out the pieces. Glue the parts together with white glue.

In a few hours time, you have your own working automaton!

Downloadable models are paid for using the secure PayPal, so you can order from anywhere in the world using any currency and your order will be with you in minutes.

As of now, there are almost 30 designs to choose from!

Drawing Automaton Made from Paper

I am always impressed with paper automata. It requires a lot of planning and finesse to make one that works well and does something interesting.

This paper automaton by the folks over at Cool4Cats takes paper automata artistry to a whole new level. This automaton draws.

There are a number of famous antique automata that draw pictures, such as those by Jaquez-Droz and Maillardet. There is also at least one contemporary wood automaton by Paul Spooner that draws a simple picture.

This is the first example I have seen of a paper automaton that creates a drawing.

From the Cool4Cats site:
When the handle is turned the artist looks up at his model, then down at his easel and -amazingly- he starts to draw. Keep turning and you'll be amazed to see that he actually does a real pencil drawing of the model on a 'post-it' note! The handle operates a 'worm' gear which in turn drives two large cams. One controls the forwards-and-backwards movement of the artist's arm, the other the 'side-to-side' movements. A series of levers transmit the movements and the combination of both actions results in the drawing.

Visit the Artist Automaton page to learn more or order the kit.