Gear generator tool allows you to design full gear trains and see them in action!

This new online Gear Generator tool can be used to simulate sets of spur gears. You can plug in all kinds of a parameters, and then animate the gears at various speed to demonstrate working mechanism. You can also download the final results in SVG format. The tool allows you compose full gear layouts with connected gears to design multiple gears system with control of the input/output ratio and rotation speed. The gears are of the involute type which is what most of the world wants -- except perhaps for the clockmakers. This tool is fantastically useful and very well designed too!

Here is where you can check out and use the free online Gear Generator tool.

To learn more about gear design, check out these great reference books such as Dudley's Handbook of Practical Gear Design and Manufacture, which provides comprehensive information on the design and manufacture of gears for the expert and novice alike. Topics include: Gear Types and Nomenclature, Gear Tooth Design, Gear Reactions and Mountings, Gear Vibration, and The Evolution of the Gear Art.

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The Automata Blog -- 8 years of mechanical goodness

June almost slipped by without me wishing The Automata Blog and its good readers a happy 8th birthday. It has been, and continues to be, a fascinating mechanical diversion. Thank you for visiting. Thanks for reading. And, finally, thank you for your letters and support!

All the very best,

-Dug North

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Free plans for a charming cat and mouse autoamton by Christopher Blasius

Check out this really nicely made video showing step-by-step how to make a cat and mouse automaton. The narration is in German, but the video is so clear it hardly seems to matter. (Incidentally, if you turn on the YouTube CC function, English subtitles are shown.) This charming automaton was created by Christopher Blasius.

You can download free plans for the cat and mouse automaton from his web site.

[ Thanks Charles! ]

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Downloadable plans for action toys at PlayfulPlans.com

Woodworker and author Kevin McGuire has a web site featuring downloadable plans for vintage-inspired wooden playthings. The devious little toy shown in the video above is one of my favorites. On his site will also find plans balance toys, rolling toys, gravity toys, games, and more. His plans include step-by-step instructions, illustrations, and photos of the finished project.

Here is the site's intro video:

Here is where you can check out Kevin McGuire's action toy plans at www.playfulplans.com.

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10 Handy Tricks for Woodworkers & Automaton-makers

The latest installment of my column on automaton-making is now live on the Cabaret Mechanical Theatre web site. This one focuses on little tricks that help with automaton-making and woodworking in general. You'll find tips on how to make your own transfer paper and wood filler, some unlikely sources for tools and materials, and a handful of other useful gems. The image above shows a jeweler's ring clamp being used to hold a small piece of brass. This makes filing the piece much easier.

Here is where you can read Dug’s Automata Tips, Techniques and Tricks No. 12 featuring 10 Handy Tricks for Woodworkers & Automaton-makers

I hope at least one of the tips proves useful to you!

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YouTube Channel by Nguyen Duc Thang is brimming with awesome mechanical models in action

Nguyen Duc Thang is a mechanical engineer with doctorate located in Hue City, Vietnam.

He has used Autodesk Inventor 2008 to create all a YouTube channel FILLED with animated mechanisms. Shown above is his model for a barrel cam mechanism in which a rotational motion is converted into linear reciprocating one.

He has models for things I've never even glimpsed as a static image, much less a moving model. Check out this Archimedean spiral gear and pin gear (below). How on earth would you accomplish something like this another way? It not only reduces the speed of the rotating axle, but does so nearly in-line with the original input motion -- and all with just two interlocking parts!

He has modeled interesting cams, gears and linkages as well as, complete machines and machine tools. This is a treasure trove for the mechanically minded. Check out Nguyen Duc Thang's YouTube Channel.

[ Thanks Michael! ]

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Web site dedicated to the book '507 Mechanical Movements' with animated mechanisms

So by now you must have realized how much I love the little book titled 507 Mechanical Movements: Mechanisms and Devices. Here is a review of the book I wrote years ago. I stand by it to this day. I will just go ahead and say it: buy one today!

Here's a web site dedicated entirely to this fine little book. What makes it truly interesting is that some of the diagrams are animated and there is the promise to animate more of them. This really brings the mechanisms to life and their usefulness apparent. The thumbnails in color are the ones that currently have animated versions. Can't wait to see the rest!

[ Thanks Aaron! ]

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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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Douglas Fisher now offering Golden Age automata, singing birds, and musical boxes

The firm of Douglas Fisher of London has launched a new web site which offers Golden Age automata, fine singing bird boxes and cages, and unusual cylinder musical boxes.

The list of offerings features many examples from the most renowned makers: Vichy, Roullet-Decamps, Griesbaum, Bontems, Phallibois, and others. Every piece they offer is shown in static images, video with sound, and in a 360-degree view. According to their web site, the majority of thier pieces can be viewed at their gallery at 75 Portobello Road in London. They will also be exhibiting at various fairs in Europe, USA and Asia.

Here is the web site for Douglas Fisher Antique Automata Ltd.

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Too Much Coffee - download and make this paper automaton

Need something to do on a cold February weekend? Why not head over to the web site of paper enginneer Rob Ives and download the entertaining paper automaton shown in the video?

Too Much Coffee is an paper animation kit that you can download and print out from your computer. To do this project you will need to have some thin card stock paper, scissors, and some Elmer's glue. A cutting board and an X-acto knife will also make things much easier. The Too Much Coffee kit comes with two files: a full set of illustrated, step-by-step instructions and a file containing all the parts that you will need to print, front and back on six sheets of card stock.

Here is where you can purchase and download the Too Much Coffee paper animation kit. If you think you may make more than a couple of these models, you might want to consider getting a membership to RobIves.com.

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How to make your own pulleys and belts for small mechanical projects

The latest installment of my quarterly column, Dug's Automata Tips, Techniques and Tricks is now live on the Cabaret Mechanical Theatre site. To celebrate two full years of Tips, we'll have some fun with pulleys and belts. I show you exactly how to make small wooden pulleys for automata and other small mechanical projects, drawing on my previous article on How to Cut Wooden Circles for Your Automata Projects. I also show you what an O-Ring Splicing Kit looks like and how you can use one to create belts of any size to go with your pulleys. This should be all the information you need to start using pulleys and belts in your projects right away. I hope that it proves useful to readers.

Here is where you can read Dug’s Automata Tips, Techniques and Tricks No. 9 on Making Pulleys and Belts for Automata Projects.

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Insane deals on skeleton dial mechanical wrist watches

I've known for some time that Amazon sells watches. Though I can claim no expertise on the subject, every now and then, I will post about a nice looking watch. It fits the mechanical theme of The Automata Blog and mixes things up a bit. It has recently come to my attention that Amazon is selling some of these skeleton dial watches at an astronomical discount. Think I'm exaggerating? Check out this example:

This is the Invicta Men's 1090 Russian Diver Mechanical Skeleton Dial Watch. Nice watch, right? This seems to be backed up by the positive reviews and product description:

The Invicta Men's 1090 Russian Diver Mechanical Skeleton Dial Black Polyurethane Watch is a functional fashion statement all on its own. Its stylish skeleton dial design adds a trendy feel to your collection. This watch begins with a prominent 52mm 18k rose gold-plated stainless steel case with a rounded rose gold-plated stainless steel bezel with a textured coin edge. The right side of the case features a large crown with a screw-down cap attached to the case with a link chain.

At $175, the price seems reasonable -- until you take a good hard look at the retail price and discount (see image below):

I don't know if this is right, but it says you save $1,219.63, which is 87% off the cost of a $1400.00 watch! Whoa. I'm suddenly thinking about getting a watch.

This is just one of at many good deals on skeleton dial watches. To save some time, I've added them to a new skeleton dial watches section in my Amazon aStore. You can also just hop on over to amazon and search for skeleton watches in the Watches Department.

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Gizmos & Gadgets magazine featuring automaton plans by Dug North

It's here! Gizmos & Gadgets is a the new magazine that features my article showing you how to make a wood automaton from start to finish.

The magazine is a special edition issue put out by the publishers of Scroll Saw & Woodworking Crafts magazine.

About Gizmos & Gadgets:

From mechanical marvels to marvelous marble machines, Gizmos & Gadgets has something for everyone. From the simple to the complex, from the decorative to the functional, this issue will get your creative gears turning and your pride beaming when you see the smiles these hand made treasures will bring to the faces of those around you.

If it is not already at your local bookseller, it will be very soon. In the meantime, the Gizmo & Gadgets issue can be purchased online.

Stay tuned for more info about the magazine and the projects within!

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The Automata Blog reaches 2000 posts (not counting this one)!

Happy 2,000th Post!

Yesterday's post was officially the 2,000th post ever published to The Automata Blog! That's over 6 years worth of (almost) daily posts about automata, books, videos, plans, toys, exhibits, tools, and artists. Here are some ways you can explore the posts on this blog:

Use the Archives

The archives are located midway down the page in the site sidebar on the right side of the page. This is a chronological list (newest to oldest) by month. Each link will open all the posts for the selected month. Be patient; the page is loading 20 to 30 posts at once. This is a great way to stumble upon interesting random things.

Use the Labels

One or more labels are associated with each post. These are the links found just below the gray horizontal line at the very bottom of each post. Usually they are just a word or two. They are assigned when the post is written. They are a good way to search for items that have some quality in common. It's a loose form of cross-referencing. Labels are really good for finding all posts related to a specific person.

Use the Search

The search box is located in the upper section of the site sidebar on the right. The search is powered by Google, but will only search within the posts on The Automata Blog. Just enter a term and hit the gray button that says "Search". You will be directed to a new page that contains all of the search results. This is a good way to find very specific things.

I hope you will take some time to explore the blog. The posts are typically short, so you can see a lot of new things in a short time. I appreciate your visits and your support. Have fun!

-Dug North

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Laser-cut Stirling engine kit runs on a single tea candle

Check out this lovely Stirling engine. As you can see in the video, it runs very well on a single small tea candle. In addition, the diaphragm material is easy to replace. The parts are laser-cut Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF).

This Stirling engine will be available as a kit from the nice folks at Bustedbricks.com, who also offer supplies the models, model engineering, and other hobbies.

For more info on Stirling engines (until you get the kit shown here, of course) check out the book Eleven Stirling Engine Projects You Can Build, which includes detailed reviews of 4 existing Stirling engine kits, several original engine designs by the author, and a few classic designs from the web. Many of the design in the book can be made with materials scrounged from around the house.

If you simply can't live without a one, this assortment of Stirling engine kits should keep you very busy. Enjoy!

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A new name! A new look! Same great-tasting automata!

I warned you a few months ago that changes were coming. Indeed, they have come. I'm dedicating more of my time to automata these days. Mostly, that means an increase in the time I spend in the workshop creating things. It also means a bit more time to attend to this blog.

I started my blog back in June of 2006. I knew I wanted it to be about automata for the most part, but struggled with what to call it. Which word would be better: "automata" or "automaton"? I decided to use both. So, the somewhat awkwardly named "The Automata / Automaton Blog" was born.

I'll confess: in an actual face-to-face conversation, that is a mouthful! I could also see that the good folks who link to my blog on the web also struggled with what to call it in their links. Sometimes they linked to "The Automata Blog", sometimes to "The Automaton Blog", sometimes to the full title. Making the name shorter started to seem like a good idea.

I've also become increasingly concerned that the title of the blog has led people to believe that the words "automata" and "automaton" are one and the same. Not so. I get a lot of email from excited, enthusiastic people who love my blog and want to show me what they've made. More often than not, they will refer to one automaton as "automata". It's a tricky work, for sure. For the record, here's how it breaks down:

Speaking of only one? Use automaton.
Check out my very first automaton!

Speaking of more than one? Choose either automata or automatons.
I love looking at all of the automata Paul Spooner has made over the years!

That said, welcome (or welcome back to nearly 25% over 30% of you) to The Automata Blog. I chose this title so as not to create undue confusion with the excellent blog titled Automaton -- IEEE Spectrum's award-winning robotics blog. If you like slightly higher tech things than what you find here, I encourage you to check out their news, articles, and videos. Great stuff.

The new shorter name can also be used to find the blog. Simply type AutomataBlog.com into a browser and you're there...um...here.

I thought the new name deserved a new look -- something beyond the simple black template I've been using for years. I can draw reasonably well, but I found the task too daunting. I had a dozen things in my head and no idea how to get them into a header graphic. After 5 years of avoiding the job, I knew it was time to hire a professional. The award-winning Canadian illustrator and cartoonist, Eric Orchard, created the image you now see at the top of the screen. My thanks to Eric! I couldn't be happier with the illustration.

Stay tuned for more changes in the coming months, including more of a behind-the-scenes look at the things I make. I also have a few other new things in mind for you. I hope you will come back often. I appreciate the on-going support that comes in so many forms: return visits, links on your sites, references in written work, word-of-mouth recommendations, invitations to tour exhibits, reviewer copies of books, the use of the Amazon links on this site, tips on things to post, and all of the kind email messages. Thanks for all of it. I'm honored to be part of this dialog.

All my very best to each of you!

-Dug North

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Rob Ives on working out the locus of a crank

Rob Ives has a new post on his blog in which he shows a method for experimenting with the locus of a crank-slider mechanism.

A bit of background from Rob Ives's blog:

The locus is the technical name given to the line that a point traces out as it moves. In mechanisms the locus is often not the shape that you would predict. Changes in variables, such as the lengths of the pieces or the position of hinges can make a big difference to the locus.

His experimentation method is simple and ingenious. He uses a few pieces of cardboard, some split pins (the kind that hold papers together), a pencil, and paper. The results are interesting and worth trying for yourself.

Here is where you can read the full article on experimenting with the locus of a crank.

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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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How to make wooden joints for puppets, automata, and posable figures

My latest column on automata-making is now available on the Cabaret Mechanical Theatre web site. This installment provides step-by-step instructions and plan drawings for making a wooden leg joint. The joint is a little more complicated than some, but it has a few big advantages:

From the article introduction:

To depict a realistic human motion, it is helpful if the figure's joints only bend the way real humans bend. Joints that only move in the correct way give you more options for providing the necessary input motion also. This, in turn, creates a greater range of resulting motions from which to choose.

In the article, you will learn how to create a wooden joint that mimics the motion of a human knee. The joint is suitable for elbows and a few other types of joints as well.

Here's where you can read Dug’s Automata Tips, Techniques and Tricks No. 8 on Creating Wooden Joints for Automata Figures.

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Automata Blog turns 6! Thank you and...onward!

The Automata / Automaton Blog turned 6 years old last Sunday!

Thanks to all the readers for tuning in. A special thanks to those of you who send great stuff my way to share with everyone else; you make my job quite a bit easier and everyone's day brighter. Thanks also to those of you who who support the site by using the Amazon link in the upper right corner and elsewhere. Those pennies, nickels, and dimes help keep this project going! If you purchase woodworking tools or materials, consider using the Woodcraft links found at the bottom of the page and elsewhere. Even using the eBay links help me out in a small way!

The coming year will see some changes. Don't worry -- nothing drastic and all good. I plan to share a bit more of my own creative process with you. You'll be seeing more of my bench, hands, tools, and creations. I may also occasionally experiment with some different types of posts that mix things up in an interesting and informative way. Finally, you'll see some cosmetic enhancements that I am very excited about.

All the best and thanks again,

-Dug North

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