Man builds working bicycle almost entirely out of cardboard

We've seen time and again here on The Automata Blog that amazing mechanical things can be made out of unexpected materials such as paper and cardboard. Building a small mechanism that doesn't have to support much weight is one thing, but you can't build anything out of cardboard that takes a lot of weight or shock. Can you? This excellent film by Giora Kariv shows that you can. Follow along as Isreali inventor Izhar Gafni pursues his solitary quest to build a working bicycle from cardboard. He was inspired by a story he had heard about a working canoe made of the same material.

The literature on how to work with cardboard in this way was, shall we say... lacking, forcing Gafni to experiment with different fabrication techniques to see what the material could do. The secret to the strength of the material lies in folding the cardboard. With enough folds, the material becomes quite strong. We also see him dip parts in some type of liquid during his experiments. Whatever the liquid is, I'm sure it helps.

In the end, he sums up the creation well:

It's strong, it's durable, it's cheap. What I like about it the best? It's made out of cardboard!

He accomplished this feat after being told by three engineers that it was impossible. Let this be a lesson to all of us: if you have an idea, a passion for it, and a willingness to experiment and work in the face of doubt, you can accomplish things that have never been done before. Now...go invent something.

[ Thanks Bob! ]

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Walking cardboard animal sculpture kits seeking Kickstarter support!

Kinetic Creatures are walking cardboard animal sculptures which use the clever mechanical linkage, popularized in Theo Jansen's Strandbeest. By turning the wire handle the creatures come alive with a simple mechanical motion.

They also offer gear kits which allows the animals to be powered by a small electric motor and laser-cut wooden gears.

The Creatures -- Elly the elephant (above), Rory the rhino, and Geno the giraffe -- are made up of cardboard pieces that you assemble using tabs-and-slot construction.

The creators have been seeking support on Kickstarter in order to cast the patterns onto die-cut-tools at a local cardboard manufacturing facility. Using a die-press, the time-per-kit will come way down. That means they will be able to share the Kinetic Creatures with hundreds or thousands of makers!

They have already reached their Kickstarter goal, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't pledge in order to get one of these creatures for your own! Here is the link to the Kinetic Creatures Kickstarter page.

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The Wrebbit Medieval Clock kit

I spotted the The Wrebbit Medieval Clock kit in a store a couple of years ago. I was tempted to buy it, but decided not to since at the time I had a half-built wooden clock project to finish. I also wondered if a cardboard clock would work. After seeing this video, I now know that it runs. I'm not sure how accurate it is, but that doesn't matter to me very much. This would be the next stage in my self-education. It's also just beautiful to watch. Now that my wooden clock is done (and working), I can reconsider this one!

From the product description:

Build your own medieval clock, and it works! Discover the fascinating clockmaker's art. Craft kit, easy to assemble. Finished clock measures 13 1/4 inches wide, 21 inches tall, 7 1/2 inches deep. This magnificent clock, rooted in medieval art, is a remarkable tribute to ingenuity and precision. Though it is made entirely of sturdy cardboard, it actually works and tells time without fail.

Here's where you can order your own Wrebbit Medieval Cardboard Clock Kit. Apparently, they make more than one model of carboard clock as shown by this assortment Wrebbit Paper Clocks available on ebay.

P.S. If you really want a challenge, you can forget about the cardboard and try Paper Clock Book With Pendulum. That's right, a clock made entirely out of paper!

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