Video of the 2012 Cabaret Mechanical Theatre automata exhibit in London

Here is a lovely video showing the current Cabaret Mechanical Theatre exhibit in London. A previous post featured artist and engineer, Tim Hunkin, performing a very unusual "ribbon cutting" ceremony at the exhibit opening. Let's just say it involved a pad lock and angle grinder.

Though the exhibit has only been open a short time, the video starts with a celebration of the exhibit's 5,000 visitor. It just goes to show you how much people love contemporary automata. To a huge extent, we have Cabaret Mechanical Theatre to thank for that.

The video also shows an assortment of automata made from paper, metal, and wood. You will see pieces by many of the artists you might expect from CMT including Peter Markey, Keith Newstead, Paul Spooner, Pierre Mayer, Walter Ruffler, John Lumbus, and others.

The exhibit will be open Tuesday through Sunday until the September 7th, 2012 and is located at:
65 North Cross Road
East Dulwich SE22 9ET

Congratulations to Cabaret Mechanical Theatre on their recent exhibit and ongoing success!

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Improved video footage of the inside of a mechanical bird coin bank

I posted the other day about this mechanical tin bank that comes to us by way of mechanical master, Falk Keuten of the Spiel und Kunst mit Mechanik blog. He decide to reshoot the video to show the mechanism better. It worked. Thanks Falk!

If you prefer your mechanical birds to give rather than take, you might like the toothpick dispensing bird I referenced in that post. I use toothpicks in the workshop a lot. It just occurred to me that this would be a much easier and fun way to store and dispense them.

If you like this kind of thing in general, here's a list of posts on mechanical banks that I've done over the years. It could keep you busy for a few minutes.

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Engino's mechanical toy system teaches the physics of pulleys

I've done short posts in the past about the Engino Toy System. The system uses a variety of cool multi-faceted rods and connectors that are designed to be connected on up to 6 sides at the same time.

Previous posts include educational sets focusing on gears, cams, and linkages. These seemed like good choices because they are indispensable to automata making. The set shown here focuses on pulleys -- another very hand mechanical device for automata making!

From the product description:

Learn how pulleys can be used to transfer force with reduced friction and how to increase force or speed at amazing levels. Build 5 working models including an oil drill, a stationary bike, cranes, bridges and a machine blender.

A 40 page book is included with the set providing experiment ideas and detailed explanations of the different technological principles involved in pulleys.

Here's where you can get Engino Mechanical Science: Pulleys.

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The inner workings of a mechanical bird coin bank

Falk Keuten of the Spiel und Kunst mit Mechanik blog posted this video of a German tin toy bank made by toymaker Lorenz Bolz. A coin is placed in front of the opening in the birdhouse. When the hand-crank is turned, the bird emerges from the hole with its beak open. In a quick movement, the bird closes its beak on the coin, and flips back into the house. The telltale sound of a coin hitting tin lets us know that the bird has dropped the coin inside.

The second half of the video reveals all the mechanical details that allow this to happen. In many similar mechanical toys such as the toothpick dispensing birds and cigarette dispensing birds, the beak is not articulated, but has a tapered opening. The pressure of upper and lower portions of the beak hold item by friction. It's up to the user to remove the item because the beak itself cannot release it. This mechanical bird bank is different and more complex than that.

It's a truly ingenious little machine. I am certain that if I were asked to design the mechanism, it would be far more complex and cumbersome, and no more reliable.

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Looking for antique toys and automata? A new store hits the web!

Shopping on eBay for automata and antique toys can be fun; your never know what you may find. The down side is that you often have to sort through a lot of stuff that isn't exactly relevant. A new online shop has opened and you should know about it. Called simply Antique Automata and Toys, the store sells just that. They offer automata, American toys dating from the 1860s to the 1960s, European toys, toys made in Japan, and toys by the Schoenhut. There is a lot to see! Take for example this toy they are offering for sale: an early American Brower's Automatic Toy Dancer dated to around 1873.

From the clockwork dancing toy description:

This toy features a clockwork driven dancing black man performing in front of a paper on board background scene of a Southern plantation and the neighboring sharecroppers shack. The figure is dressed in his all original clothes. We believe the entire toy to be in its original condition....The clockwork mechanism is functioning well and when wound the gentleman will "dance" tapping his feet.

The toy has the original gold stenciling on the back side of the tin box which protects the clockwork mechanism. The printing reads "BROWER'S AUTOMATIC DANCER PATD SEPT 23 1873".

Here is where you can see 10 detailed photographs of the the Brower's Automatic Dancer Toy. You can also buy it directly from the site. Be sure to check out the rest of the site too!

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Walking wooden Frankenstein monster -- IT'S ALIVE!

Here's another fun creation from Roberto Lou Ma -- the man that provided us free plans for a Ramp-walking Wooden Rhino as well as free plans for a Ramp-walking Wooden robot. Oh...yes, he also designed and created plans for a Ramp-walking Bird too!

Measuring 32 centimeters high, the Frankenstein model shown in the video is his largest ramp-walker creation so far. The slow lumbering walk is perfect for Frankenstein! I love the outstretched arms and detail in the figure. Very well done.

I'm not sure if plans will be available for the Frankenstein walker, but you can see all of Roberto Lou Ma's wooden creations on his YouTube channel.

If you happen to love ramp-walkers, you might clike the book Walking Automata: A Collection of Self-Moving Models to Cut Out and Make. The book has seven walker projects in total: Noah's Ark, a pirate ship, three sizes of duck, a kangaroo, and a blue footed booby.

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Deck of cards shows spinning gears when used as a flip book!

I like the static pattern on the back of these cards. It gets better. When put in order and flipped with your thumb, it shows an animation of gears in motion! Just when I thought these cards couldn't get any cooler, I learned that the pattern also allows them to be used as a marked deck. Wow. I didn't know I could feel this way about playing cards. Give me a moment...

Here is where you can get you own Animated Gears Card Deck

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Working out the tumbling acrobat toy...in paper!

Head on over to the blog of paper engineer, Rob Ives, to follow along as he works out the geometry and mechanics of the classic tumbling acrobat toy. Ives is dissecting the motion of a Japanese version of the tumbler toy to figure out how to recreate it in paper. Incredible!

From his recent blog post:

In essence, the tumbler has three parts. the body with the sliding weight, the arms and the legs. I traced the three parts and experimented with different stills from the YouTube video to work out where the joints should be.

Here is a link to the latest blog post about the paper tumbling acrobat by Rob Ives.

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Mechanical Devices for the Electronics Experimenter

I don't dabble with electronics as much as I used to, but I do on occasion. Just this week I was doing some research and had to find some answers regarding the different types of motors, how to drive them, and how to understand their torque ratings. Mechanical Devices for the Electronics Experimenter came in very handy.

I'm not sure why the ratings on Amazon aren't higher for this book. True, it does not go into great depth on any of the subjects covered, but I suppose that's one reason I like the book. I was able to read up on DC motors, stepper motors, servos, and solenoids in a short amount of time. Of course there must be more to know about these topics, but for a concise summary and review, this book served me well.

And motors aren't the only thing covered. Other chapters include:

1. Basic mechanical principles - the physics you actually needed to learn!
2. Sensors - mostly for determining speed and position
3. Motors and Motor control - with circuit diagrams
4. Motor control - with some circuit diagrams included
5. Stepper motors - with info on using cheap surplus motors
6. Solenoids - including info on making your own
7. Gears and pulleys - a nice treatment of why the involute form is used
8. Mechanical components - info on bearings, shafts, springs, ratchets
9. Pneumatics systems
10. Vacuum systems
11. Hydraulic systems
12. Wheeled vehicles - getting into robot-specific territory here
13. Arms, legs, and hands - again, mostly of interest to the robot makers

The diagrams are simple line drawings, but they ARE clear. That's what matters. The author likes to throw in a lot of math, but I had no trouble just breezing past it when all I was after were the core concepts. If you happen to like math, well...it's in there. Also, the book makes sure to relate most topics back to electronics. You won't find that in every book.

So the book might be somewhat misnamed. It's really more about the basics of mechanical engineering. With this in mind, I think it's quite a good book. Here is where you can check out Mechanical Devices for the Electronics Experimenter.

If you are searching for something more nut-and-bolts practical, check out Animatronics: Guide to Holiday Displays which has a lot of good nitty-gritty info on the making of mechanical things and Making Things Move DIY Mechanisms for Inventors, Hobbyists, and Artists which is outstanding all around.

If you are in fact looking for in-depth introductory information on mechanical engineering (with even more math), then I recommend Mechanical Engineering Principles by John Bard and Carl Ross.

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German made wind-up turkey - tin toy or automaton?

The line between a sophisticated toy and simple automaton is not a clear one. My thinking is that it boils down to the target market. If it was for adults (and costly) it is probably an automaton. If it is for kids (and inexpensive) it is a mechanical toy. The turkey in the video is much like one currently for sale on ebay. It may have crossed this imaginary divide of mine.

From the eBay description:

Made in germany by Kohler. Wind-up lithographed Turkey circa 1950, blue leg version. The best I've seen in years...works very well. Key is included. Walks very deliberately forward while legs articulate as if strutting along, while plumage spreads out & raises up. Nothing missing, very excellent condition. Very few produced, no loose wheels or bent shafts or broken or loose tabs. 7" long.

I am guessing it started out as a fairly inexpensive toy for children.My visits to antique stores have shown that these tin toys are no longer inexpensive -- especially if they work and are in nice condition. I doubt many kids are spending hundreds of dollars on these antiques. By my definition above, this might suggest that it started life as a toy that has, over the years, become an automaton because it is now collected by adults. There is probably a flaw in this logic, but it's an interesting notion at least.

Here is where you can see more nice photographs of this German made wind-up turkey in toy.

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Precise beauty: the engineered kinetic art of Anne Lilly

Here is a kinetic sculpture by artist Anne Lilly. Like most of her work, the piece is made of machined stainless steel. Though the pieces are finely crafted and sleek, they are not motorized; they require the viewer set the piece into motion via a gentle touch.

From the artist's web site:

Kinetic sculptor Anne Lilly uses carefully engineered motion to shift and manipulate our perception of time and space. Her highly ordered and precisely constructed interactive sculptures move in strikingly organic, fluid and mesmeric ways. Employing opposing modalities -- analytical and intuitive, rational and emotional -- Lilly's sculptures elicit new connections between the physical space outside ourselves and our own private, psychological domain.

See more engineered kinetic sculpture by Anne Lilly on her web site.

[ Thanks to Junkculture! ]

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Restored Black Forest clock with shaving monkey automaton

Here is an early Black Forest clock recently restored by Kevin Wright. Information on piece the is nonexistent -- or at the very least, extremely hard to find. To make the restoration even more of a challenge, the clock's automaton was missing many pieces.

When Wright received the clock the monkey was missing his right arm and hand, his left foot, mirror, razor. He was also missing his eyes. The clock didn't have the typical worm governor, so the speed could not be controlled. Wright knew he had only about 9 seconds of motion to work with and decided to have the monkey shave his chin,look in a mirror, and scream/smile. The cam shaft, cams, second wheel and all of his linkages all had to be reverse-engineered and fabricated. Brilliant work!

For more on unusual Black Forest Clocks like this shaving monkey, be sure to check out and order a copy of Justin Miller's new book, Rare and Unusual Black Forest Clocks. The book contains over 700 images showcasing the finest examples of clocks made in the region. It also explains the various mechanisms and guides collectors trying to identify individual clocks.

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Female golfer automaton by Wanda Sowry

Female golf automaton a video by Wanda Sowry on Flickr.

I've always loved the use of woods in Wanda Sowry's automata. This piece depicts a golfer. Unlike some of the simpler versions out there, this figure actually hits a small ball into a cup with putter. The ball reemerge moments later to be struck again. She's getting in some good putting practice!

Wanda's figures are 100% successful from the looks of the video. Their placid carved expressions are therefore appropriate. My understanding is that the game is an emotional rollercoaster. It must be so because there is actually an entire book dedicated to carving golfers with all sorts of crazy expressions. It's called Carving Golfers: 12 Projects Capturing the Joys and Frustrations of the World's Greatest Game. Seems like the range of expressions captured would be useful for all kinds of automata. I may have to pick up a copy!

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Wooden robot lost in space - kinetic sculpture by Alan Westby

I posted last month about the wooden robot automata made by Alan Westby. I just received word that he's finished another in the series. This one depicts a poor robot hurling through space just beyond the safety of its rocket ship. Thankfully, most robots don't require air.

Note the clever use of two sets of bevel gears used to create rotation in two directions off of the same drive shaft. Well played!

See more of Alan Westby's robot-themed automata on his web site.

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Mechanical music collection at Musical Mystery House in Wiscasset, Maine

Some time ago, I did a short post about the Musical Wonder House in Wiscasset, Maine. Though the video shown here is a little dated, the House is open and alive with the sound of mechanical music.

This museum has a collection of over 500 machines representing nearly every form of mechanical music. Among the collection are a number of player pianos, assorted disc music boxes, cylinder music boxes, musical clocks, musical toys, and automata.

A guide is on hand to provided a personal tour, which includes playing many of the instruments and explaining their history and unique qualities.

If you will be in New England this summer, a visit to the Musical Wonder House is a must. It is an amazing collection of machines, each one expertly restored, and beautiful to hear.

If you want to do some research ahead of time to enhance your experience, Encyclopedia of Automatic Musical Instruments by Q. David Bowers is the definitive reference on this subject. The book has over 1,000 pages with hundreds of black-and-white photographs, advertisements, and reproduction company brochures. All you will need to complete the experience is to hear the machines in person at the museum!

Address for the Musical Mystery House: Musical Wonder House
16-18 High Street
Wiscasset, ME 04578

Hours:
Memorial Day Weekend through Halloween
Monday through Saturday, from 10AM - 5PM and Sunday Noon - 5 PM
Web site: http://www.musicalwonderhouse.com/

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Mechanical toys of a bygone era: dancing and boxing figures powered by rotating phonograph

I've posted in the past about this interesting variety of mechanical toys which were powered by a rotating record. I'm not exactly sure how this one works but in others the toy is mounted on top of the record player and a friction wheel behind the figure rides along the edge of record album causing it to "dance" to the music.

It may seem like folly to place a dancing figure on top of a delicate stylus and record. One little mishap and the needle might be broken or the record scratched. The existence and popularity of this type of toy says something about the time in which it was created. Here are a few thoughts on the matter:

1 - The early phonographs were among some of the first automatic music machines to enter the home, but was auditory medium only. The addition of the mechanical figures added an interesting visual element.

2 - Most early phonographs were spring-driven, suggesting that electric motors were not yet commonplace. The relatively rare motor in the gramophone, Victrola, or phonograph could do double-duty by also powering the dancer or boxers.

3 - Toys often represent popular trends. I expect the ones shown here are no exception. Dancing and boxing were probably both popular forms of live entertainment at the time.

The toys shown here dates to the early 20th century and were made by National Co, USA. The dancing figure is interchangeable with the boxers. The set is currently up for auction on eBay.

Here's where you can learn more about this set of phonograph-powered mechanical toys.

[ Thanks McDrunk! ]

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Six of the most unconventional whirligigs you will EVER see

Here are six unusual whirligigs that were in exhibited in museums in New York, Baltimore and elsewhere. These delightful wind-driven pieces were created by retired surgeon, Ben Thal. Thal has made around 60 complex whirligigs in the last 10 years, devoting four to six weeks for the drafting, carving, painting and assembling of each one.

The Seattle Times did a nice write up of Ben Thal back in 1997. We learn a lot of interesting things about him such as the fact that he does the carving for his whirligigs actual surgical scalpels and that his condo has also been turned into something of a whirligig factory. Read the full article titled Spin Doctor -- Former Surgeon Ben Thal Builds Humor Into His Witty, Whimsical Whirligigs for more details on this fascinating man.

See more amazing whirligigs by Ben Thal on his YouTube Channel.

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Useless Box kit with all the parts -- just build and solder

Did you see the fantastic Instructable on how to build The Most Useless Machine back in 2010? It was a brilliant project that led to a lot of neat spin-offs. Here's the version I built featuring a tiny carved arm coming out of a miniature trunk.

At long last, there is a kit available so you don't have to find all the little parts, which can be kind of a pain. If you aren't a woodworker you also don't have to worry about how to build the box itself. (The acrylic box pieces in the picture below are still covered in protective paper.)

From the kit description:

The Useless Box Kit arrives as most kits do: a pile of parts. With easy to follow instructions, you'll be assembling your Useless Box Kit very quickly. Whip out your soldering iron, do a little bit of work, and then screw the thing together. When you're done, you'll have your own gleaming acrylic box. Set it on your desk and wait for curiosity to cause victim after victim to turn it on - each to be met with the little finger turning the box back off.

Here's where you can order the Useless Box Kit

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Mechanical tapping fingers contemplate for you automatically

Here's another hand-themed mechanical sculpture by artist Chris Eckert -- the man who created the The Waiting Machine I posted about back in 2008. This gorgeous piece is titled Think Machine.

From the sculpture description:

Cranking the handle drives a series of cams and levers making the fingers of the articulated hand tap rhythmically on the mahogany surface - automated contemplation.

See more photos of Think Machine by Chris Eckert on his web site.

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Universal adapter set allows you to connect 10 different toy construction systems together

The Free Universal Construction Kit is a set of 80 adapter bricks that allows you to connect ten completely different popular children's construction toy systems. This is a groundbreaking creation.

From the product web site:

By allowing any piece to join to any other, the Kit encourages totally new forms of intercourse between otherwise closed systems—enabling radically hybrid constructive play, the creation of previously impossible designs, and ultimately, more creative opportunities for kids. As with other grassroots interoperability remedies, the Free Universal Construction Kit implements proprietary protocols in order to provide a public service unmet—or unmeetable—by corporate interests.

The Free Universal Construction Kit has adapters that connect Lego, Duplo, Fischertechnik, Gears! Gears! Gears!, K'Nex, Krinkles (Bristle Blocks), Lincoln Logs, Tinkertoys, Zometool, and Zoob! Simply incredible.

While the set cannot be ordered directly, the adapters can be downloaded from Thingiverse.com as a set of 3D models in .STL format. These can then be reproduced by personal manufacturing devices like the Makerbot 3D printer. The production of physical sets may be arranged through a personal fabrication service bureau such as Ponoko.com. You might also try a makerspace in your area. You may also find a 3D printer in the architecture, industrial design, or mechanical engineering departments of a local university. Ask nicely.

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