270 Piece Georello 3D Gear Tech Construction Toy

The Quercetti 3D Gear Tech construction set allows you to build 3 dimensional mechanical creations. The 270 piece set includes pillars, connectors, extenders, interlocking base plates and meshing gears in four sizes. The universal joints allow gears to be connected horizontally or vertically. The chain and and elastic belt drives provide a means to transmit rotary motion to distant axles and gears.

This looks like a really fun way to learn about most basic mechanical components and principles!

Here's where you can get the 270 Pieces Georello 3D Gear Tech by Quercetti: Construction Toy

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Mechanical coin-op chicken plays Tic Tac Toe

One of the many wonderful contraptions featured at Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum is the tic tac toe chicken game. Here's some video of the game in action and Marvin's commentary about how REAL chickens used to play the game.

Here's a link to Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum located in Farmington Hills, Michigan.

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Kinetico baseball automaton by Gordon Bradt

Check out this baseball-player automaton made by Gordon Bradt's company from 1975 to 1985. When you turn it on a spring mechanism propels the batter to swing and really hit the ball.

From the ebay item description:

According to the description on his website: "Gordon Bradt and Kinetico Studios produced about 100,000 of these mechanized sports figures between about 1975 and 1985. Some of the sculptures were built with 220volt motors for use in other parts of the world. The sculptures have suddenly resurfaced as collector items, and can be found in auctions and estate sales around the world."

Here is the ebay listing with photograph of Kinetico baseball automaton by Gordon Bradt

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Book: The Art of the Catapult

With plans for 10 working catapult projects as well as a healthy dose of history, military strategy, and physics, this book is now officially on my wishlist.

From the Amazon description:

Instructions are clear, with full materials lists, helpful diagrams, and no skipped steps. Saw and drill are often required, along with hardware store purchases such as PVC pipe or specifically sized wood. Some of the finished results are large, such as God's Stone Thrower, a 5' x 5' construction with considerable flinging power, while a couple are smaller, tabletop-sized models that still propel successfully.

Here's where you can check out (and see some sample pages of) The Art of the Catapult: Build Greek Ballistae, Roman Onagers, English Trebuchets, and More Ancient Artillery

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Anitique lever-opertated mechanical dice

While obviously an old concept, this is new to me: mechanical dice. Within the stylish faux tortoiseshell box, a mechanism is concealed. By removing the lid you are presented with the faces of two die and a small lever. When the lever is pushed the the dice rotate on discs of some sort. The are stopped using the lever again. I assume it is spring-driven, but maybe the movement of the lever both powers and stops the spinning die wheels. I'm not sure what the advantage is over actual dice, other then being mechanically nifty. Perhaps it is bit more quiet than throwing real dice around. I suppose this was a very early form or automatic random number generator which might have had uses beyond gaming and gambling too.

Here's a link to the full ebay listing with additional pictures of the 19th century mechanical dice.

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Marionette Sourcebook: Theory & Technique

I can't say I've read it, but this book on marionettes gets high marks from those who have reviewed it on Amazon. Looks like a good resource. I wish the had the "Look Inside" feature for this one. Anyone out there have it?

Here's where you can see a bit more about Marionette Sourcebook: Theory & Technique.

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Joueuse de Tympanon, dulcimer-player automaton

Last week the Dark Roast Blog had a post about assorted automata, which included the piece shown here known as La Joueuse de Tympanon. This is one of those rare cases where the automaton figure actually plays the musical instrument -- eight songs on a hammer dulcimer in this case.  Equally impressive is the automaton's history. Created by German clockmaker Peter Kintzing it was owned by Marie Antoinette, and  restored  in 1864 by none other than the great Robert-Houdin!

The dulcimer player still works to this day and is housed at musée des arts et métiers in Paris.

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Walking Spring - kinetic sculpture by Casey Curran

Take look at this incredibly unique kinetic sculpture called Walking Spring, the latest creation of artist Casey Curran.

See more sculpture by Casey Curran at http://www.caseycurran.com/.

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Fantastic robotic arm made entirely from wood

Check out the engineering that went into this amazing wooden robotic arm. Look at all those gears and how they operate at the extreme end of the arm...amazing! It is incredibly dexterous too as shown at the end of the video.

See more amazing creations by the same maker (YouTube name: "kinohaguruma") on this web site.

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Wormanizer automaton with dual Geneva wheels

Check out this awesome automaton by Keith Seifert entitled "Wormanizer". The piece features a lovesick male inchworm pursuing a female inchwork around a circle. The piece cleverly users two geneva wheel mechanisms to produce the distinctive inchworm motions.

See more art by Keith Seifert on his web site.

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4 winged rubber-band powered Luna Ornithopter

What makes ornithopters so cool is that they fly by flapping wings just like an insect or bird. As a kid I had the Tim Bird rubber band-powered ornithopter. In the last few years, they have come out with a number of new designs, like this ornithopter available in The Automata / Automaton Store.

The Luna Ornithopter is a kit shown here includes everything you need to make your own four winged rubber-band powered ornithopter with a 14 inch wingspan. You will need to provide a few basic tools and some white glue.

Here's where you can get the Luna Ornithopter Kit (Flies by Flapping Wings!)

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Book: Mini Weapons of Mass Destruction

Keeping with the subject of miniature siege engines stared a few days ago, check out this intriguing book called Mini Weapons of Mass Destruction: Build Implements of Spitball Warfare.

About the book:

Toy designer John Austin provides detailed, step-by-step instructions for each project, including materials and ammo lists, clear diagrams, and construction tips, for mayhem-loving MacGyvers. The 35 devices include catapults, slingshots, minibombs, darts, and combustion shooters. Build a tiny trebuchet from paper clips and a D-cell battery. Wrap a penny in a string of paper caps to create a surprisingly impressive “bomb.” Several of the projects even include variations where combatants mount laser pointer sights to their shooters to increase their accuracy.

Here's where you can check out the book Mini Weapons of Mass Destruction: Build Implements of Spitball Warfare.

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New York Construction Worker - DIY automaton

Here is a charming automaton that Keith Newstead made for a cruise liner. Like it? I do. Great news: there is an instructable by the artist that shows you most of the details you need to recreate it for yourself!

Here is the instructible for Keith Newstead's New York Construction Worker automaton.

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10 miniature wooden siege engine kits

There are only a few days left in this, The Year of the Physics Toy. There is always time for a good siege engine though, right? They make for good physics/history lessons, are a productive way to spend some vacation time, and happen to be just plain fun.

Here's a round-up of 10 miniature wooden siege engine kits:

 1 - Catapult Kit by Pathfinders. Here's my review of this catapult.
 2 - Trebuchet Kit by Pathfinders
 3 - Siege Tower Kit by Pathfinders
 4 - The Desktop Onager by RLT Industries
 5 - The Greek Ballista by RLT Industries
 6 - The Miniature Trebuchet by RLT Industries
 7 - Desktop Trebuchet by RLT Industries
 8 - The TK3 Model Trebuchet Kit
 9 - The Floating Arm Trebuchet by RLT Industries
10 - Stirling Warwolf Trebuchet by RLT Industries

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Death Drop automaton by Keith Newstead

Here is a shot of Keith Newstead's in-progress piece called Death Drop. The automaton is based on the popular 'Test your Reactions' theme of vintage coin-operated machines. The multi-floor scene is great and the surprise even better!

Visit Keith Newstead's blog to see many in-progress photos of the Death Drop automaton.

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Wooden circles for your mechanical projects

Circles are the basis of many mechanical parts: cams, eccentrics, cranks, pin wheels, collars, bearings, followers, flywheels, gear blanks, and pulleys to name just a few. That's some pretty important stuff!

So how do you make this shape in wood? Head over to the wonderful Cabaret Mechanical Theatre blog to read up on various methods of cutting circles. This is the second article in my column titled Dug's Automata Tips, Techniques and Tricks, published quarterly by Cabaret Mechanical Theatre.

Here's a link to the article on cutting wooden circles.

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Watchmaking - step-by-step making of a watch

This looks to be a VERY nice book on the topic of watch making.

About the book Watchmaking by George Daniels

The first and most comprehensive step-by-step guide on the subject, Watchmaking has become a classic in its own right. This new edition is updated to include a new section which discusses and illustrates a variety of the author’s own watches. The author's principal aim in writing this book has been to inspire and encourage the art of watchmaking, especially among a new generation of enthusiasts. The making of the precision timekeeper is described, step by step, and is illustrated at each stage with line drawings and brief explanatory captions. Great care has been taken to ensure the text is easy to follow and to avoid complicated technical descriptions.

Right, well, they had me at the title "Watchmaking"...and that awesome technical illustration of the watch mechanism.

Here's where you can view some sample pages and/or pre-order Watchmaking, due out in May of 2011.

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Incredible industrial-scale Matchbox car track

Maybe this is old news, but it's new to me. And, if any of you good readers haven't seen it yet, I'd feel terrible about not sharing this installation by Chris Burden called Metropolis 2. It must be the biggest, baddest, most industrial scale Hot Wheels / Matchbox track ever. I could never have imagined such a thing. Unbelievable!

It's a pretty fair critique of some of our behaviors too. So much to learn from toys, so little time.

[ Thanks Gina! ]

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Wooden head with lever-operated expressions

This piece called 'Show me your feelings' by Pablo Lavezzari is very creative and looks like a lot of fun. A clever system of levers, pulleys, and linkages allows the user to manipulate the facial expression of this wooden bust.

See more kinetic sculptures by Pablo Lavezzari on his web site.

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The Toy Shop – 20 Marvelous Mechanical Models

Back in the 1980s there was a program for the Commodore 64 computer called 'The Toy Shop'. The program allowed you to print out designs to make twenty paper models, many of which were kinetic. The models included trucks, airplanes, a carousel, a sundial, flying toys, a catapult, a working scale, several machines, a zoetrope and this amazing mechanical bank!

A wonderful web page documents all of the projects from The Toy Shop program, allowing you to download both the patterns and the instructions for free.

Here is where you can view, download and make the 20 assorted projects from The Toy Shop software.

[ Thanks Julia! ]

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Snap-together circuitboard kit with 500 Projects!

Having declared it to be The Year of the Physics Toy, I have been a little remiss in my duties by neglecting electronics. I've thought that the Snap Circuits kits are a great idea for a long time. In fact, I posted about the giant Snap Circuits set with 750 experiments that allows you to interface with a computer. Here is the next set down in the product line including 500 experiments. The beauty of all the Snap Circuit sets it that you don't have to break out the soldering iron, breadboard, or buy individual electronic components to learn about electronics. The various components are built into plastic housings that simply snap together. Safe, easy, and contained -- it couldn't be easier to experiment with various circuits. I wish I had this as a kid!

Here's one place to get the 500 project Snap Circuit Kit. They have many smaller kits, add-ons, and specialized kits to fit you budget and intersts, so be sure to check out full line of Snap Circuit sets.

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Wooden remote control T-REX kit

Here is a kit that allows you to build your own walking, biting, and roaring T-Rex. It is a kit, but no glue and tools are required to assemble the precut wooden parts. The T-Rex has both a light and sound sensor, so I assume it will respond in some way to outside stimuli. And, of course, it can be controlled with the battery powered remote. A good gift idea for builders, dinosaur lovers, or anyone who simple wants a terrible lizard to run amok amidst plastic army men.

Here's a link to the Robotime remote control T-Rex.

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Amazingly realistic electronic butterfly in a jar

I saw this in a store last weekend and was quite impressed. Here's a guilt-free way to have you own butterfly in a jar. The butterfly's motion is surprisingly realistic given how simple the mechanism is. A very clever bit of engineering that creates an very lifelike effect. At $20 USD, it's very affordable too.

The animated image above doesn't do the motion justice. Here is a YouTube video that shows the butterfly in action:

About the electronic butterfly in a jar:

Each Electronic Butterfly in a Jar is a jar with a wire in it. The wire has a fake butterfly on the end. Somehow, when you tap the top or make a loud sound, the electronics in the cap make the wire wiggle. This creates the very realistic illusion of the butterfly flittering around your jar. It even just stays on the glass and flexes its wings sometimes.

The butterflies come in pink, blue, orange (Monarch), and yellow.

Here's where you can get your own electronic butterfly in a jar.

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Haba's extensible wooden marble track system!

If your are looking for a construction toy, you should take a good look at the marble track system by Haba. Like other good construction toys (i.e. Legos, Erector, etc.), the Haba marble track system has a lot of what is called 'play value' -- defined as the amount of playing you can do with a thing before it gets tiresome and probably thrown out.

Shown here is their 42 pieces set, made of European beech wood. It includes glass marbles, blocks, direction switchers, bridges, ramps, and a bell to ring when crossing the finish line.

Why the Haba marble track system will be used over and over?
  • It is a construction toy, engaging the imagination and hands
  • It is an action toy, creating interest and excitement
  • It requires no batteries, so there is nothing to wear out
  • It is made largely of solid hardwood pieces that won't break
  • It highly reconfigurable, so not the same thing every time
  • It has many expansion modules that add exciting new actions

Here's the kicker: the Haba building system pieces are all based on a 4 x 4 x 4cm cube, so they are compatible with the wild assortment of Haba marble track expansion sets. These expansion sets include tilting buckets, funnels, musical staircases, curved track, tunnels, flexible tracks, and jumps. You can buy a new piece or two every year and play with this system indefinitely. Whoa...I think I just sold myself!

Here's where to check out the Haba Ball Track Construction Set -- a good starter set. Here's a smaller set you could also start with: Haba's First Playing Ball Track Set. Either way, be sure to explore the dozens of exciting Haba track extension modules.

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Thames and Kosmos Physics Pro set

I posted some time ago about the Thames & Kosmos Physics Workshop. Seeing that kit a store window the other day reminded me of it...and the fact that I declared it to be The Year of the Physics Toy a few weeks ago. They also offer this Pro physics kit which builds on lessons from the original set, focusing mostly on the behavior fluids -- water and air, in particular.

From the Physic Pro kit description:

With this kit, you can continue your study of statics and dynamics from previous lessons and begin your study of more advanced topics in physics, including fluid dynamics, energy, oscillation, hydraulics, and pneumatics.

By adding advanced topics like fluid dynamics to your physics repertoire, you can now build some really spectacular models and devices, such as a wind tunnel, pneumatic shocks, and a hydraulic lift. You will see how physics extends far beyond the classroom, giving us an amazing set of tools that can be applied in the real world to engineer marvelous things.

Here's a link to the original Thames & Kosmos Physics Workshop and here is link to the more advanced Thames & Kosmos Physics Pro set shown above.

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The Banker automaton by Pablo Lavezzari

Another one of my favorite automaton-makers is Pablo Lavezzari. Check out this delightful piece entitled, The Banker. It is a sophisticated animated bank made of wood, copper, and bronze. The automaton also features a working oil lamp and a crazy clock with a mind of its own. A very special key is required to open the drawer below where the coins are saved. The piece measures 24 X 24 X 55 cm.

See more automata by Pablo Lavezzari on his web site.

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Stirling engine that requires no fuel...sort of.

Well, of course it requires fuel...the laws of physics tell us you can't get energy for free. But, this working Stirling engine only needs a bit heat to run. A beautiful high-end physics toy featuring a solid brass fly wheel, graphite pistons, glass chambers, and stainless steel hardware.

From the Stirling engine description:

This is the Stirling engine that's powered by any heat source--even the palm of your hand. The engine relies on the same thermodynamic principles that powered Robert Stirling's original model in 1816, but is enhanced to operate in response to a low temperature difference between the upper and lower plates of its base. The two aluminum plates are connected by two sealed piston chambers and when the bottom plate is at least 5º F hotter than the top, the air inside the chambers expands and pushes the pistons upward. As the pistons rise they spin the flywheel, which in turn pushes the pistons back down, repeating the mechanical cycle until the heat differential--from a computer monitor or even a cup of coffee--is lost.

Here's where you can get this (not exactly, but awfully damned nice) "fuelless" Stirling engine.

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Cams & Cranks toy - 5 models and some physics

A few days ago I pointed out Engino Mechanical Science's Gear toy. I should also mention that they have a whole line of machine-based toys. One of those toys -- Cams & Cranks -- is shown here.

From the cams and cranks toy description:

Learn how you can transmit power using Cams and Cranks are how these can be used to convert reciprocal to linear motion. Build 5 models including an oil drill, a flying eagle, a crane and a moving figure. A 36 page activity book is included with innovative experiments and detailed explanation of the different technological principles applied! Booklet with detailed building instructions also included.

Other sets in this toy line include: pulleys, linkages, levers, wheels, gears, screws and even the incline plane. That's a comprehensive eduction in basic machines in toy form!

Here's a link the entire line of mechanical physics toys by Engino.

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