Buy an automaton, save hundreds of antique machines from an ill fate

As some of you may know, I like tools. I love learning about them, what they can do, and increasing the number of things I am able to make for myself. I've been dreaming of buying some miniature machine tools for years. I've held off on the purchase because I didn't know if I could justify the expense. Perhaps that money would be better spent elsewhere or simply put in the bank for a rainy day. Still, my desire for these tools -- a Sherline lathe and mill to be specific -- continues to burn inside of me.

In an effort to commune with the great automaton makers of old -- many of whom were watch or clock makers -- I started to learn about clocks and clock repair last year. It's a fascinating subject that has captivated my attention recently. It is gratifying to be part of a venerable craft and tradition, and to bring old machines back to life. I've been fortunate enough to make the acquaintance of several people who have provided me with expert advice on the topic. I've also found an outstanding mentor who is teaching me the details of clock repair and restoration. I took four courses on clock repair and miniature machine tools in the last year -- one of which was on wheel and pinion cutting at the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors School of Horology.

Over the last year, I've come to realize there is good reason to own the Sherline tools that I've long desired. You see, when a gear (called a "wheel") in an old clock or automaton is badly damaged, it's not always possible to repair it. To make matters worse, these wheels don't always conform to a standard, so you can't simply buy one from a clock supply company. You can hunt for junk clock of the same model, but there is no guarantee it will ever come your way. What does all this mean? If someone doesn't take the time to machine a new wheel, then that clock will never run again. If a clock will not run, it is thrown out, used for parts, or robbed of its remaining parts for uses that don't always sit well with me. If a new gear were to be cut, the clock would, in all likelihood, run for another 100 years or more.

At the moment, I have one automaton for sale. I realized today that, by complete coincidence, the price I set for the piece matches the cost of the tools I need to cut my own clock wheels and pinions. I'm not particularly superstitious, but I'm going to take that as a sign. I envision the following sequence of events:

Step 1 - Sell this automaton that I designed and made

Step 2 - Purchase Sherline machine tools

Step 3 - Cut custom clock parts like this one I made in a class

Step 4 - Save hundreds of antique clocks from an ill fate

So what tools am I talking about? Here they are:

1. Sherline 4400B Lathe Package
2. Sherline 5400A Deluxe Mill Package
3. Sherline CNC Rotary Table

These are the exact same tools as those used in the course I took on wheel and pinion cutting, taught by master machinist, Jerry Kieffer. I expect to be fixing clocks for a very long time. I think it is fair to say that these tools will save hundreds of antiques from being destroyed. They are, of course, capable of producing more than just clock gears. In fact, with these two tools, almost any small part can be fabricated! That's a prospect which I find truly exciting.

I would prefer that antique clocks continue to serve their intended function. In fact, I feel an obligation to make sure that happens. If you agree and/or are in the market for an automaton that I have made, please consider purchasing The Unwelcome Dinner Guest automaton or drop me a line using the contact form.

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Even the Grim Reaper is entitled to a break for lunch

Here is an automaton by Tim Donald titled Lunch Break. The piece depicts two characters sitting on a bench in the park. Even the Grim Reaper is entitled to a break for lunch! As usual, I love Tim Donald's rich carving style. I've never tried a skeleton, but it seems that most of the well-known automaton makers have done one at some point. Time to add it to the list.

You can see more automata by Tim Donald on his web site.

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Compilation video of a assorted wooden ramp-walker toy designs

We've featured the work of Roberto Lou Ma many times here on The Automata Blog. As you may recall, he designs wooden toys that are able to walk down a slight incline. Some of his designs have free plans, such as the ramp-walking wooden robot and the a ramp-walking wooden rhino toy.

In the video shown here, we get to see the breadth of his creativity within this genre. There are wooden ramp walkers depicting penguins, turkeys, whales, robots, apes, celebrities, elephants, monsters, dinosaurs, and more. A full 5 minutes of gravity-powered wooden toys that show true creativity.

Something that struck me on a few of the figures was the presence of an animated limb -- the troubadour's hand for example. A counterweight on an axis running parallel to the ramp has allowed the figure a secondary motion (strumming the guitar) that adds life and subtlety to the character. It's amazing how so many of them have been designed to capture some essential aspect of how the figure should move -- all within some tight physical constraints. Bravo!

Here is Roberto Lou Ma's YouTube channel, where you can see individual clips of his ramp-walkers and other wooden toys.

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A short interview with automaton-maker Tom Haney

Head on over to the artistaday.com site to read a short profile of automaton artist Tom Haney. Haney's work has been featured on The Automata Blog dozens of times. He has a style all his own that many of us appreciate.

From the Tom Haney:

Any kind of mechanical movement has always been a fascination of mine and to combine this with figurative carvings became irresistibly compelling. After some time I learned about automata, "a moving mechanical device made in imitation of a human being", an ancient pursuit more thoroughly developed in the 13th – 19th centuries mostly in Europe but also in Asia. The work I create today is a modern offshoot of the time-honored European tradition of automata.

Shown above is a piece by Haney titled Departure. The distinctive carved figure, savvy use of motorized movement, carefully selected found objects, and lovely aged surfaces are all typical of Haney's work.

Here is where you can read the article about Tom Haney.

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New wall-mounted kinetic sculpture by David C. Roy is mesmerizing

This new piece kinetic sculpture by David C. Roy is the combination of two innovations he has recently made in mechanism design. Titled Swoop, the mechanism pushes the parts through an angle of 60 degrees -- much smaller than most of his previous pieces. He combined this new mechanism with a technique that allows the front wheel to move in the opposite direction (without having a drive belt running directly in front of it). Those two innovations allowed him to finally create the a certain motion he remembered from the Howdy Doody film in his childhood.

Swoop Technical Details:

• Number: Limited Edition of 95
• Size: 29"h x 23"w x 5"d
• Power Source: Constant Force Spring
• Run Time: Approximately 10 hours per winding

The mechanism for Swoop works well on fairly small scale, which means that it is very suitable for display in the home.

Here is where you can get more details, see additional photographs, see the film that inspired the artist, and order the Swoop wall-mounted kinetic sculpture.

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Flying geometric jellyfish moves through the air by turning inside out

This helium-filled geometric kinetic sculpture is known as a Schatz cube and uses a process called inversion to propel itself through the air. The object is named for Paul Schatz (1898 - 1979), a German-born sculptor, inventor and mathematician.

This fine working model was created by the folks at Festo who dubbed it SmartInversion.

From the Festo web site:

SmartInversion is a helium-filled flying object that moves through the air by turning inside-out. This constant, rhythmically pulsating movement is known as inversion and gives the flight model its name. With the intelligent combination of extreme lightweight construction, electric drive units and control and regulation technology, inversion kinematics can be indefinitely maintained to produce motion through the air.

Like some kind of angular, contortionist jellyfish, its slow motion flight through through the air is mesmerizing. Researchers are searching for industrial applications for the inversion technique and held a contest that ended in December of 2012.

Here is Festo's page about SmartInversion – airborne geometrical band with inversion drive.

[ Thanks Christoph! ]

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The Busted Bricks Marble Machine #2 kit has a wheel elevator and two tracks

A while back, I posted about a new laser-cut marble machine kit from Michael Henriksen, the man behind BustedBricks.com. His second marble machine design is shown in the video. It is is now available as a kit also.

Marble machine #2 is a larger, more complex machine than his first. It has a 150x150mm base and stands 170mm tall. It features a wheel lifter to elevate the 7mm chrome steel balls, which come with the kit. A track switch distributes the balls between the two independent tracks, one of which has a collector that dumps the balls when three have been collected. The lifter wheel is pre-assembled to make sure everything operates as it should.

If you would like to get a good sense for what is involved in making the kit, here is where you can download the assembly instructions.

Here is where you can get the Busted Bricks Marble Machine #2 kit.

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The Aetherologist - interactive automaton from a past that never was

Check out this amazing project by Brett King inspired in part by the works of Henri Maillardet and Thomas Kuntz. It's an automaton and an interactive performance all in one. The multimedia piece has a well-developed back-story which makes for a rich and intriguing experience for the viewer.

The artist explains:

The Aetherologist is an interactive steampunk exhibit that demonstrates the power of the aether as a communications medium. It includes an automaton which gathers information about the time and temperature around the world and an Aetherscope for direct viewing of events around the world. The idea behind the video is that the Aetherologist might have been exhibited at something like the Chicago World's Fair in 1934. I imagined "the aether" being the way that internet was developed in an alternate reality.

Using both found and constructed elements, the automaton took just over 4 months to build. The found objects incorporated into the piece include a working bakelite radio, microphone, magnifying glass, brass mask, and prism.

King intends to create a carrying case so that he can take The Aetheriologist to various Steampunk and maker conventions, such as ConTemporal.

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The automaton art of Steve Armstrong on exhibit in Lexington, April 2013

Ernesto Scorsone and John Davis will be hosting an exhibition of new work by artist Steve Armstrong in their home in Lexington, Kentucky. Other specially selected pieces from Armstrong's studio will also be on display courtesy of Heike Pickett Gallery. Shown above is the first of a three-part video profile of the artist at work. (Here is a link to part 2 and part 3.)

This is a wonderful and all-too-infrequent chance to see the refined work of a masterful maker of contemporary automata.

What:
Scorsone and Davis, Showing Art of Steve Armstrong

When:
Friday, April 19, 2013
5:00pm until 8:00pm

Where:
The Scorsone and Davis Residence
511 West Short St.
Lexington, Kentucky

For more information, visit the Facebook page for this event.

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A leather-clad devil rides a skeletonized two-wheeled hell hound!

Check out this recent automaton by Keith Newstead which features the devil in his biker persona. He comes complete with leather outfit, goggles, and the coolest vehicle imaginable -- a hell hound skeleton on wheels.

Here is where you can see more images of Keith Newstead's Hell's Angle automaton.

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Laser-cut wood clamp for fusing your own belts with urethane belt material

Did you read my latest automton-making tips article? If not, it shows you how to fuse urethane belt material to make belts of any size for your mechanical projects. The method desribed works well and is much, much cheaper than purchasing a belt welding kit made for the job. Still, the method I present could be improved. Probably the trickiest part is pressing together the two ends of the just-melted belt material. If you are just a little off, or the ends slide, you will end up with a lumpy belt.

Michael Henriksen over at BustedBricks.com read my article and came up with a way to clamp the belts during the process. He's now offering a laser-cut wood clamp kit for a very reasonable £6 or about $9.00. Not only does it make holding the belts easier, but his new clamp allows you to use a soldering iron to melt the ends of the belting. Here's a shot of the clamp in action.

As you can see from the photo, the clamp makes the process easier and more consistent. It also allows you to use a a tool that many people already own or can get very easily. Check out this selection of soldering irons if you don't already have one. A basic model will do, though you might consider getting more than one tip and dedicating one to melting belt material.

Here is where you can get the new welding clamp for polyurethane belts.

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The Cuckooland Musuem features over 600 Black Forest cuckoo clocks

This wonderful photograph is of Roman Piekarski, who runs the Cuckooland Museum in Cheshire, England. He and his brother have assembled a collection of Black Forest cuckoo clocks -- many of which are rare and notable examples. They recently had the daunting task of changing the time on more than 600 cuckoo clocks with the spring time change.

The Cuckooland Museum features one of the largest collections of its kind in the world. You can learn more at ww.cuckoolanduk.net

Here is where you can read a recent article about the Cuckooland Museum from The Mail Online.

If you find that you like this sort of thing (as I do), you'll want to put this book on your reading list. It's titled Rare and Unusual Black Forest Clocks, written by Justin J. Miller. It's a beautiful book featuring clocks from Germany's Black Forest region. It includes 700 images of fine examples of clocks made in this region. It is a very comprehensive treatment of the subject.

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