Automata by Wanda Sowry (above) and Ian McKay (right) will be available soon at Speckled Wood, located in the Bath countryside in the Southwest of England. Their work will be showcased along with that of three other artists in a special event that will run for one week only.
If you can't make it to Bath, check out the Gizmos & Gadgets magazine where -- along with my article on the dog and bird automaton -- you will find an article by Wanda Sowry showing how to make a tiny ship automaton much like the ones shown above. A charming and gratifying project!
Where
Speckled Wood Pop Up Shop
20 Paul Street, Frome
Somerset, England
When
Monday, November 19th to Saturday, November 24th
I was asked to contribute an article to a special issue magazine called Gizmos & Gadgets. Not to be confused with the technology magazine of the same name, this one is put out by the same folks that publish Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts
magazine as well a many of the best carving, woodworking, and craft books you will find. They have to be one of my favorite publishers, so when I was asked to write for them, I was really excited.
The magazine was a year in the making and they did a fantastic job. The projects are awesome and the documentation excellent. They did the job right. The video above shows the projects in action. The automaton I designed may be seen at the 00:53 second mark. There is a wealth of useful techniques within these pages and more than 10 cool projects. What follows is a list of the projects in the magazine.
1 - Kicker Gumball Machine
This fun gumball dispenser will test your hand-to-eye coordination, give you a great project to build, and reward you with a treat. Lots of fun!
2 - A wooden chest with a working wooden lock
Notable wood clock-maker Adrian Iredale shows you how precise cuts and careful sanding can produce a working padlock made almost exclusively of wood. I'm looking forward to making one myself.
3 - Rapid-fire rubber band gun
The ultimate in wooden rubber band guns, this one is fired by turning a hand-crank much like the old Gatling gun. It's incredible.
4 - Simplest possible working wooden clock
Master of the wooden clock, Clayton Boyer, provides detailed instructions on how to make a wooden clock. If you have always dreamed of making a wooden clock, but were intimidated, this is the one start with! It's unconventional design makes it a unique timepiece as well as a work of kinetic art. FULL SIZE plans for this project are included in the magazine centerfold. This is a great value -- more than worth the price of the magazine alone. Trust me.
5 - Tiny ship automaton
Fellow automaton-maker Wanda Sowry contributed this really cute automaton featuring a tiny ship rocking on the waves of the ocean. This would be an ideal choice for one's first wood automaton. It would also make a nice gift.
The Unwelcome Dinner Guest - Automaton by Dug North
6 - Dog and bird automaton
My own contribution to the magazine is a scene featuring a bird stealing a dog's food. The poor dog is tangled in his own leash, so all he can do is wag his tail and bark at the winged thief who pecks away at the food. I worked hard to use materials that could be found easily online and at local home improvement stores. I'm quite pleased with the dog's barking action which uses a four-bar linkage.
7 - Bouncing buggy toy
This charming pull-along toy features a horse and buggy with two riders. The riders are having a bit of bumpy ride. This piece has a strong ties to a long tradition of folk toys. Why not be a part of that tradition?
8 - Wood spitting whirligig
No written work on wooden gizmos could be complete without a whirligig. The Gizmos & Gadgets issue delivers with this fine example. A very traditional scene -- a man chopping wood -- is animated by wind power alone. A classic.
9 - The 'Smoke Grinder'
This is a fun little do-nothing gadget that is loads of fun. It's a great beginner project that will also make a nice gift for kids.
10 - The mother of all gear machines
Ed Legler documents how he made this intricate kinetic sculpture that graces the cover of the magazine. The author uses some tools that may be beyond what you have in the workshop, but you can cut the gears on a scroll saw. I'm going to tackle this one sooner or later.
11 - Marble track tower
A nifty marble machine is also described in detail at the end of the magazine. Because of the complexity, the plans themselves have to be purchased separately. Still, you can get a good look at what you would be buying or perhaps be inspired to come up with your own design.
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!
We just got word that the talented automaton artist, Wanda Sowry, has a new address for her web site. Wanda Sowry's web site may be found at: http://www.wandasowry.com. Be sure to check it out to see the lovely use of different woods in her various automata.
Wanda Sowry is an automata maker from the UK. I really love her style -- the different unfinished woods, imaginative themes, and attention to detail.
Be sure to click on the image at left to see a larger animated image of her self-portrait automaton. (I've been meaning to do one myself.)
From her site: I have a small workshop on a farm near Bath. I partake in various exhibitions around the UK and I also make many personalised commissioned pieces.
My automata designs are quite simple and light-hearted. I like to use the different colours of natural wood.
