Automaton clock depicts the goddess Diana on her chariot

Take a look at this antique automaton clock which depicts the goddess Diana on her chariot. The piece -- made around 1610 in Augsburg, Germany -- was recently recovered from storage. The automaton is made from gilt bronze and silver with an enameled dial. The case is ebony and gilt bronze and the movement itself is iron and brass. What a find!

From the video description:

Probably drawing inspiration from contemporary prints, the clock portrays the Roman goddess of the hunt, Diana, on a chariot pulled by two leopards. Precious clocks like this were collaborative enterprises among goldsmiths, sculptors, clockmakers, engravers, and even cabinetmakers. They were important status symbols in European courts, representative of the most cutting-edge technology of their time, and they were often used as diplomatic gifts. This clock—which has been recently restored and is now on view in the European art galleries—is also a table carriage, a lavish form of tabletop entertainment during banquets. This short video unveils the highly sophisticated inner mechanism of the clock, delicate parts that are otherwise hidden from view and are remarkably still in tact.

In the video above, we get a sampling of the movements and sounds the clock makes when wound and set running, including the Diana figure shooting her bow. Rare and valuable devices such as this were often used as entertainment by the elites of time. This one may well have been incorporated into a game played at the dinning table.

On loan from Yale University Art Gallery, the automaton clock is part of The Luxury of Time: European Clocks and Watches exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Via a post on Hyperallergic

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Pathfinders Leonardo DaVinci Aerial Screw Wood Kit

Check out this great kit from our friends at Pathfinders! This time they've designed a wooden kit that allows you to make a replica of Leonardo da Vinci design for the world's first helicopter.

From the kit description:

One of Leonardo's most iconic images, the Aerial Screw (also known as the Helicopter) illustrates the ingenuity of da Vinci, and indicates his obsession with flying. While this idea may never have got off the ground, for some basic technical reasons, it gave us an insight into the different ways in which Leonardo considered the challenge of human powered flying, and defines him as an inventor well ahead of his time. While it is often referred to as a helicopter, the premise of the lift to make it rise is more like archimedes screw than the rotors of a helicopter.

The kit comes complete with all pieces pre-cut and ready to assemble. Even the glue included!  Just follow the easy-to-understand instructions, and in a few hours you will have a completed kit. Mind you, it doesn't fly, but it's wonderful fun to turn the crank, watch the pinwheel gears and see the helical screw spin. A great project for young and old.

Here is where you can order the Pathfinders Leonardo DaVinci Aerial Screw Wood Kit

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Blast from the past: aging an authentic wood catapult kit, part 2

This is the second in a two part series reviewing the working wood catapult model made by Pathfinders. In the the first part, I reviewed the the kit and gave you some assembly tips. In this part, I'll tell you how I went about making the catapult look like it truly belongs on a medieval battlefield.


What is the Kit and Where Do You Get It?
The catapult kit is sold various places, but can easily be found from Amazon as the Pathfinders Medieval Catapult Wooden Kit.

Getting Ready to Get Old
Once the kit is assembled, you should have a bit of fun testing it out. I recommend throwing small grapes at a pyramid of empty aluminum cans. If you would like to make your catapult look old, read on. For this process, I used the following tools and materials:

* Carving knife
* Small wire brush
* Furniture finish touch-up markers
* Coarse twine
* Elmer's glue
* Sandpaper - 100 grit
* Minwax wood stain - Early American
* Round wooden disks
* Wooden wheel pegs
* Popsicle type "craft" sticks
* Soldering iron with wood-burning tip
* Gun bluing
* Portable hand drill
* Ball-peen hammer

None of these things are essential. You should feel free to use whatever tools and materials you have on hand or can obtain easily.

Making the Catapult's Wood Beams Look Old
The first thing I did was removed the string and washers from the model.

I used a carving knife to take the corners off of the straight edges of the wood. I didn't remove a lot of material because I didn't want to compromise the strength of the wood.

I just shaved off small, irregular shavings to make it look a little less perfect and perhaps as if the beams had been hand-hewn. I also rounded the spoon-shaped end of the throwing arm.

Next, I added the wood knots to the beams. I have a set of three wood finish touch up markers. I used the second darkest color. By gently resting the very tip of the marker on the unfinished wood, pigment from the marker is drawn into the wood fibers in a way that looks something like a real wood knot. Use the underside of the model to perfect your technique.

The knots may look a little too dark at this point, but don't worry. After placing knots of various sizes on the beams, I gave the entire model a coat of Minwax wood stain. I used "Early American" simply because I had some around. You can use whatever color you like, so long as it is considerably lighter than the knots you have made with the marker. This allows the knots to show through the stain. At this point, you should give your catapult some time to dry.

Later, I used a wire brush to give the catapult some scratches and wear marks to make it look like it had been used for years. I also used a wood-burning tool to add some grain lines and cracks to some of the beams. Make sure these lines follow the grain of the wood so that they appear natural.

I dipped the the string that comes with the kit in the Minwax and wiped the excess off with a rag. This makes the "rope" look old too.

Adding the Twine to the Crossbar and Throwing Arm
I am not sure if it is authentic or not, but I thought some cordage wrapped around the throwing arm and crossbar would look good. I also figured this would provide a bit of cushioning. I used a coarse three strand twine for this. I unraveled the strands so that I had a single strand. I tied one end of twine around the crossbar.

Next, I spread some Elmer's glue on the section where the twine was to be placed. I then wrapped the twine in a tight coil around the crossbar. I tied off the end and put a drop of glue on it to keep if from coming off.

This process was repeated on the throwing arm where it meets with the crossbar.

Making the Wooden Wheels for Your Siege Engine
I purchased a set of round hardwood discs that are 2 - 3/4 inches in diameter. I also purchased some wooden toy axle pegs and some craft sticks -- really they are just Popsicle sticks. All three items can be found at craft stores.

I used a soldering iron with a flat wood burning tip to create parallel lines on the wheels to make it seem as if they were constructed from individual planks. I also burned the edges of the wheels a bit to simulate wear and wood grain.

Next, I glued two short lengths of Popsicle sticks to the outside of each wheel to model the boards that would hold the wheels together.

I drilled a 1/4 inch hole in the center of each wheel and in the four corners of the catapult base. I sanded flat sides on the axle pegs and darkened them with marker.

Using the toy axle pegs, I mounted each wheel to the catapult. I glued only the holes into which the pegs go, so the wheels can move freely. Finally, I gave the wheels a coat of wood stain.

Finishing Touches to The Antiqued Catapult
The catapult was starting to look pretty old at this point, but the bright metal washers on the outside ruined the effect. I used the rounded end of a ball-peen hammer to dent one face of each washer. I then rubbed some gun bluing on the surface to give it a dark, oxidized look. DO NOT get this stuff on your tools.

In the end, I spent 30 to 40 minutes making the basic functioning catapult kit, and 4+ hours making it look old! I had a lot of fun doing it.

Where to Get the Kit and Other Supplies
Most of what you need can be found at your local hardware store, craft store, or hobby shop. If you have any difficulty finding these items locally, here are some online sources:

* Pathfinders Medieval Catapult Wooden Kit
* Wood carving knife
* STEEL SCRATCH BRUSH
* Sharpie Touch up Markers - 3 pack
* Sisal Twine
* Elmer's Glue-All
* 100 Grit Sanding Sheets
* Minwax Wood Finish - Early American
* Wood toy wheels
* Wood toy wheel axle pegs
* Cuisipro Frozen Pop Sticks
* Woodburning and soldering tool set
* Perma Blue, liquid gun blue kit
* Cordless drill
* Ball peen hammer

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Did anyone design better wooden machines than Leonardo da Vinci?

Here is some video showing part of an exhibit that was at the California University of Pennsylvania titled Leonardo da Vinci: Machines in Motion. In it, we see the breadth of Leonardo's genius. There is a large-scale wing designed for human flight, a pillar lifting device, and a water-powered saw mill. This, of course, just scratches the surface of what he created, but it gives you a feel for the ingenious way in which his mind worked on a both practical and fanciful problems.

If you are as fascinated by Leonardo's machines as I am, you might want to check out the book Leonardo's Machines: Da Vinci's Inventions Revealed which gets a 5-star rating on Amazon -- no small accomplishment.

From the book description:

This unique volume combines work from the original secret, coded, notebooks along with modern computer imaging, to piece together over 30 of Leonardo da Vinci's mechanical inventions into a sensational set of never-seen-before artworks. From Leonardo da Vinci's descriptions and drawings - and by using digital imaging - armoured ships, hydraulic machinery, winches and machines destined for use in war, work and pleasure emerge fully equipped and functional in stunning 3-dimensional, computer-generated artworks.

Also of interest may be a different book, Leonardo's Machines: Secrets & Inventions in the Da Vinci Codices. This one explores what Leonardo's inventions would have looked like if his sketches were brought to life in three dimensions. Sadly, we can't preview the inside of this book on Amazon, but the reviewers like it. Let me know if you have it and like it.

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Pneumantic chirping birds automaton by the ancient Greeks

The design of this piece is usually attributed to Hero of Alexandria, though the web site from which this comes attributes it to another great inventor form antiquity, Philo of

About the owl and bird automaton:

For the operation of the automaton, water from a spring was driven inside the upper airtight container forcing the air to leave through a pipe. Because the pipe-flute led to water, the oscillating wavelength produced a chirp with notes of different frequency. Then when the water level exceeded the curved siphon of the container, it emptied through it to the intermediate container, diverting a yoke to the side. This forced the built-in rotating shaft supporting the owl to turn towards the birds that then stopped chirping. When the water level exceeded the axial siphon of the intermediate container, it emptied through to the lower container, diverting the yoke towards its counterweight, which caused the owl to turn away from the birds that then began to sing again, etc.

This is quite a beautiful reproduction!

See more great inventions on this site about ancient Greek technology.

[ Thanks again, Thomas!]

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3D video animation clearly shows the workings of the Antikythera Mechanism

Have you heard of the Antikythera Mechanism? If so, you will enjoy this beautifully done 3D animation that shows its component parts and functions.

If you haven't heard of the the Antikythera Mechanism, it is an ancient artifact currently housed in the Greek National Archaeological Museum in Athens. The mechanism is a thin metal object that was found by divers in the wreckage of a ancient Roman ship off the coast of Greece in 1900. It was clearly a sophisticated instrument of some kind with a surprisingly modern style gear train. That alone was a startling discovery, but the exact purpose of the machine remained a mystery for a long time.

Recent studies, advances in imaging technology, and painstaking reproductions have led scholars to believe that the device was a form of mechanical computer. The elaborate gear train was used to calculate the movements of stars and planets for points in the past and the future with great accuracy. Scientists and scholars believe it was build around 87 B.C. -- making it one of the most sophisticated ancient devices in existence. According to an article on the Antikythera Mechanism in the journal Nature, its mechanical sophistication would see no equal until mechanical clocks appeared in western Europe in the fourteenth century.

For a more complete story of the Antikythera Mechanism, check out the book Decoding the Heavens: A 2,000-Year-Old Computer--and the Century-long Search to Discover Its Secrets.

[ Thanks Joseph! ]

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Wooden Chinese South-pointing chariot kit

Some time ago, I posted about the ancient Chinese mechanical marvel that is the South-pointing chariot. I followed up a year later with some video of a working model of the South-pointing Chariot. It's an incredible invention. Whichever way the figure on top was set initially -- usually pointing toward the imperial city -- it would continue to point that way regardless of where the chariot was pulled. It wasn't done with a magnetic compass. In reality, is was a very early (probably the first) example of differential gearing in history.

Given its rich history and marvelous design, I was thrilled to find this the other day: The Ma Jun Navigation Chariot kit, a 1/10th scale working model of the South-pointing chariot.

More about the South-pointing chariot kit:

Invented in 225 A.D. by mechanical engineer Ma Jun during the Three Kingdoms period, the chariot's differential gearing system provided solitary cardinal direction centuries before the magnetic compass. Romantically known as the "South Pointing Chariot," it is considered by antiquarians as one of Ancient China's most complex inventions, yet it's dragon finial will point in any direction to which it is initially oriented. Made from poplar, the kit's 37 pieces snap out from three backing boards. Detailed written instructions guides builders through construction with clear pictures.

The kit is made of Poplar -- a clear grained, fairly soft wood that is easy to sand and finish. To make the kit you will need some basic woodworking tools: a utility knife, a flat and round file, sandpaper, wood glue, and clamps. If you're looking for a place to get this stuff (or anything else), Woodcraft has it all! Highly recommended.

Here is where you can order the The Ma Jun Navigation Chariot.

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Build a working miniature wooden ballista

It is no secret that I like ancient siege engines both large and small. In addition to making a trebuchet that can launch 5 pound pumpkins, I've also written a detailed reviewed of a catapult kit and created a list of 10 model siege engine kits here on The Automata / Automaton Blog. Given this history, I am pleased to present this Roman Ballista Kit.

From the kit description:

Each Wooden Ballista Kit is laser cut for easy assembly. Just follow the full color illustrated instruction manual and you'll be firing the included wooded bullets in no time. And we mean FIRING! See, this Wooden Ballista Kit makes a Ballista so powerful, you'll be launching the included wooden bullets around 30 feet or more!

The Wooden Ballista Kit features laser-cut hardwood pieces. Precision cut parts (shown below) and and full color instructions should make this a fun and easy kit for anyone interested in history, machines, or throwing small pieces of wood across the room.

Here's where you can get the Wooden Ballista Kit.

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The Scribe Clock: amazing water clock by al-Jazari

A short time ago, we posted about the amazing Elephant clock by the ancient inventor and engineer, al-Jazari. This video demonstrates the workings of a simpler, but nevertheless ingenious water clock.

Like most water clocks, also known as a clepsydra, the flow of water measures the passage of time. In this clock, al-Jazari placed a float on the surface of the water. Though buoyant, the float does have weight. As the water level falls, the weight also falls. Ropes (probably fine chains) and pulleys transfer the the linear pull of the weight into the rotary motion of a vertical axle. A scribe figure attached to this rotating axle will then spin slowly, the rod in his hand pointing to the hour of the day.

Several things make this water clock interesting. First, the use of the figure places it in a category with automata. Second, standing at 1.5 meters high the clock is large -- and no doubt heavy -- but still portable. That's most useful. Third, the reservoir that holds the water has been tapered in an effort to keep the flow of water at a constant rate. This would have made the clock more accurate than a straight-sided tank. Finally, this was designed 800 years ago!

You can learn more about water clocks, as well as other ancient forms of time-keeping from this volume of The Time Museum, a book which also covers sand-glasses and fire-clocks.

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Video of Gianello Torriano's monk automaton

A few months ago, we posted about a 400 year old monk automaton. While that post has a great embedded audio story about the monk, it did not have video of this incredible creation in action. Here you go. There is no sound, so there is no need to try to fix your speakers.

This automaton figure of a monk dates to around 1560 and is believed to have been created by Gianello Torriano -- an Italian engineer and master clockmaker. The automaton currently resides at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC.

Here is a web page featuring a detailed article about the monk automaton by Elizabeth King.

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Hero's automatic wine dispensing machine

Hero of Alexandria (aka Heron of Alexandria) created many amazing machines. In addition to his work on pneumatics, he also had a treatise on automata. Shown here is one of the many inventions he is credited with: an automatic wine dispensing machine. Though the narration is not in English, the graphics are so good it hardly matters what language you speak.

Here is the basic idea: A cup at one end of a balance is placed below the spout. A counter weight is removed below the cup and the opposite end of the balance becomes heavier. As the opposite end of the balance descends, it causes a stopper to lift and allow wine to flow out of the vessel and into the empty cup. Eventually, the cup fills with enough wine to tip the balance back to the original position, closing the valve. The weight below the cup is replaced and a pre-measured portion of wine taken away with the cup! Some have argued this is an early form of systems control.

To read more about Hero and other early engineers, the book Ancient Engineers comes highly recommended.

The video is by Omid Ameri.

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Video describing Al-Jazari's elephant clock

Last year, we posted about an amazing ancient engineer you may not have heard of, al-Jazari. Among the many incredible machines described in his book Book of Knowledge of Ingenious Mechanical Devices is the elephant clock. It was a joy to see this very clear video describing this enormous water-clock with automata.

[ Thanks to Thomas Kuntz for sharing this find! ]

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Book about Ancient Greek Gadgets and Machines

This 152 page book, printed in 1966 (paperback) and again in 1975 (hardcover), covers the inventions attributed to the ancient Greeks. It includes both drawings and photographs of the subject. Of particular interest is the section dedicated to the design for the first steam engine created by Heron of Alexandria.

From one Amazon Reviewer:

Basically, the book keeps what the title promises: it is a brilliant account of ancient Greek gadgets and machines, focusing both on the explanation of the most important inventions and on the famous inventors they are attributed to. Further, Robert S. Brumbaugh gives concise and enlightening descriptions of different Greek philosophers' attitudes towards machines. This, combined with Brumbaugh's absorbing writing style, makes Ancient Greek Gadgets and Machines a most rewarding read.

The author, Robert Sherrick Brumbaugh, wrote extensively on the subject of ancient Greece.

Here is where you can pick among used editions of the book Ancient Greek Gadgets and Machines.

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