Clockwork Mechanical Art by Gina Kamentsky

You have got to love the playful mechanical sculptures by Gina Kamenstsky. This video should give you a sample of what I mean.

A reminder: her solo exhibition, Gina Kamentsky: Mechanical Confections, will be on exhibition in Fuller Craft Museum through November 9, 2008.

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Master of Windmills and Whirligigs

Whirligigs are a form of automata -- to my mind at least. They depict an animated scene with a person or animal. The only distinction between a contemporary automaton and a whirligig is that the latter are outside and are powered by the wind.

The folks over at The Proceedings of the Athanasius Kircher Society have a great post about a man with a passion for windmills and whirligigs. The man's name is Vollis Simpson, an 87-year-old retired mechanic from North Carolina. Simpson's back yard is filled with dozens of his wind-driven creations.

A quote from Simpson:
"The main part of doing anything that turns is to get it centered".

Truer words were never spoken.

Check out the post on Vollis Simpson's Windmill Farm at the Kircher Society blog.

Here's a list of books on how to make whirligigs:

• Making Animated Whirligigs (Woodworking Whirligigs)
• Easy-to-Make Whirligigs (Woodworking Whirligigs)
• Whimsical Whirligigs (Woodworking Whirligigs)
• Action Whirligigs: 25 Easy-to-Do Projects (Woodworking Whirligigs)
• The Art And Craft of Whirligig Construction

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5 Best Mechanical Reference Books

Here is a list of 5 great reference books for automata-makers and people that love or want to learn more about mechanisms.

1 - 507 Mechanical Movements: Mechanisms and Devices (Dover Science Books)-Henry T. Brown

2 - Ingenious Mechanisms for Designers and Inventors (4-Volume Set) (Ingenious Mechanisms for Designers & Inventors)- Franklin D. Jones

3 - Mechanisms and Mechanical Devices Sourcebook- Neil Sclater and Nicholas Chironis

Also the improved Mechanisms and Mechanical Devices Sourcebook, Fourth Edition - Neal Sclater and Nicholas Chironis

4 -Illustrated Sourcebook of Mechanical Components- Robert O. Parmley

5 - Machine Devices and Components Illustrated Sourcebook- Robert O. Parmley

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5 Best Books for Making Wooden Mechanisms

Here is my list of the top 5 books for people who want to make mechanisms out of wood. These devices are often used, or could be used, in the making of contemporary automata. The projects are great skill-building exercises and make great gifts.

1 - Making Wooden Mechanical Models: 15 Designs With Visible Wheels, Cranks, Pistons, Cogs, and Cams- Alan Bridgewater, Gill Bridgewater

2 - Making Mechanical Marvels In Wood- Raymond Levy

3 - Making More Wooden Mechanical Models- Alan Bridgewater, Gill Bridgewater

4 - Making Marble-Action Games, Gadgets, Mazes & Contraptions: Designs for 10 Outlandish, Ingenious and Intricate Woodworking Projects- Alan Bridgewater, Gill Bridgewater

5 - Making Working Wooden Locks- Tim Detweiler

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A Cabinet of Curiosities

I was fortunate enough to see a DVD recently released by Cabaret Mechanical Theatre -- home to many great automata-makers. I was delighted to see work by CMT artists old and new. The DVD covers many items currently available in their online store. For example:

• Automata from Fourteen Balls Toy Company


• Automata by Peter Markey


• Automata by Carlos Zapata


• An automaton by Pierre Mayer


• Automata by John Lumbus


• Amazingly tiny automata


• Sculptural work by Robert Race


• Automata by Simon Venus


• Paper automata by Walter Ruffler

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Belt-buckle with Gears that Move

Wow...now that's a nifty belt buckle [via - via] - Link on YouTube

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New England Model Engineering Society

I would like to thank the members of the New England Model Engineering Society for having me as a guest at their most recent meeting. Four automata-makers were invited to say a few words, and I was one of them. Despite my lack of preparation, the members were very gracious and asked many interesting questions.

There are a lot of good metal-working and model making resources to be found on their web site. If you live in New England and are a fan of this sort of thing, you might consider joining their group.

Here's a link to the NEMES web site.

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More on the Antikythera Mechanism

The journal Nature and the NYT have more this month on the Antikythera Mechanism which I posted about here back in September.

From the article in the NYT:
The mechanism, presumably used in preparing calendars for seasons of planting and harvesting and fixing religious festivals, had at least 30, possibly 37, hand-cut bronze gear-wheels, the researchers reported. An ingenious pin-and-slot device connecting two gear-wheels induced variations in the representation of lunar motions according to the Hipparchos model of the Moon’s elliptical orbit around Earth.

That's just amazing. This would be a huge accomplishment if someone made this today wih the aid of the internet, books from the last two thousand years, computers, and CNC milling machines. Bear in mind, they believe this was made around 150-100 B.C.!

Here's the New York Times article on The Antikythera Mechanism

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Swiss Watches and Objects with Automata

The photographs are too darn small, but you really must take a look at these watches and clocks with integrated automata. The site says they date from 1770 to 1850.

The cursor doesn't change when you roll over it, but the text that says "Full printable version" is a link that will open a small window with a photograph of the item.

Most unusual is the derringer that is really a small clock with a singing bird automaton. That's got to be one of the strangest combination of things I've ever heard of. Funny, beautiful, clever, incongruous, and chock full of man-hours. Yup, you guessed right: I love it.

See this Collection of Swiss Watches and Objects with Automata

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Not Your Father's Erector Set - Interactive Robot

This Erector set builds 6 ultra-cool robots that can be motorized and programmed. The Sleek and futuristic design comes with 2 motors. The new Erector assembly system is faster and easier than ever and includes a power tool that doubles as an additional motor. The set comes with over 500 plastic and metal pieces

This is not your father's Erector set!

Check out the Erector Interactive Motorized Robot Speedplay Set

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Schylling - Wind Up Mechanical Tin Toys

It warms my heart that Schylling is still making classic tin toys. While my preference is for wood and hand-cranking, I love retro metal toys that you wind up.

Some of them are very clever...and no batteries required.

I dealt with their customer service folks once and they were really nice. I broke a crucial piece on my Balancing Bear Ernestand they shipped me a new part, free of charge!

Check out a bunch of Schylling Tin Toys

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A Maker's Manifesto - Dave Gingerly

Formal title of the essay: Most of my life was spent in trying to figure out how to do a $50.00 project for 50 cents, and the remainder of my time was spent in trying to scrounge up the 50 cents.

My title for the essay: A Maker's Manifesto

This is great essay about how to think about making things by the late Dave Gingerly. Both logical and inspirational reading for all Makers.

Click here to read A Maker's Manifesto.

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The Antikythera Mechanism

Long suspected as being an astronomical showpiece, navigational instrument or rich man's toy, the Antikythera Mechanism is a bronze mechanism built before the birth of Christ.

New research has convinced scholars in Greece that it is, in fact, the world's oldest analog computer.

Here's the recent news article: Revealed: world's oldest computer

And here is the Wikipediea article on The Antikythera Mechanism

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