Wood automaton depicts the waves from a droplet of water

Check out his wood automaton that depicts the splash after a water droplet hits a body of water.

From the video description:

The object of this project was to produce an Automata [sic] that was inspired by the work of Reuben Margolin. All components were hand made the aim was to recreate the reaction of droplet as it impacts a body of water.

The machine was made by Dean O'Callaghan. Here is where you can see more by work by Dean O'Callaghan.

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Artist Chris Fitch gives an in-depth explanation of the mechanics of his incredible swimming fish kinetic sculpture

Artist Chris Fitch took the time to of put together a video in which he explains the mechanics of his limited edition piece titled, Tantalus Mackerel. I don't need to say much more here, because his explanation is so good.

As for the piece, here is what Chris Fitch as to say about it:

The story of Tantalus has been, since its Greek origins, a consistently applicable metaphor for the human condition. Tantalus angered the gods by trying to feed them the flesh of his own son, passed off as ambrosia. For this, he was chained to the bottom of a lake that reached to his chin. With luscious grapes drooping from vines above his nose, starving Tantalus was unable to enjoy either food or drink, as they were pulled away whenever he reached. I won't go on about how I think this relates to American culture today, which suffers from a kind of self-inflicted hunger from unrealistic expectations. Nor will I attempt to make any connection between the story of Tantalus and our current global problem with mercury levels in deep sea fish, and how we are our own gods and are punished by our own actions when we poison our own food supply. Let me just say, instead, that this piece is about a frustrated fish trying to catch a bug.

It's an incredible piece in every way: the narrative, the artistry, the mechanics. He only made three of these beauties, and (as of this writing) one is still available. For more videos and photos of sculptures by Chris Fitch, visit http://www.chrisfitchsculpture.com.

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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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How do you say "Steampunk Fish" in Russian?

Shown here is a mechanical sculpture titled Ferrum Fish. The piece is made of oak, lime, copper, forge steel, glass, sea shells, and other materials. From what I gather, this mechanical fish and several others like it were created by a collective of artists that go by the name Art Mechanicus or perhaps ArtMechanicus.

Sorry I can't say more about this amazing mechanical sculpture. The site is in Russian. At least I think it is; I simply can't read it.

Whatever the language, there are more photographs and videos to see if you head on over the ArtMechanicus.com.

[ Thanks David! ]

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Attack of the Killer Tomato - an automaton by Kieth Newstead

I posted earlier this week about a Keith Newstead automaton that was in progress featuring a man-eating tomato. The piece is called Attack of the Killer Tomato and will serve as a donations box for Occombe Farm, Devon, UK.

Here it is in full color. The painting turned out fantastic! The plant has an interesting reflective green texture and the tomato really shines. I also love the pattern of the man's flannel shirt. Actually, everything looks good including the man's hair, the watering can, the flower pot. My favorite thing would be the plant's spiked yellow teeth.

If you are interested in making your own, here are some books on carving figures in wood and on how to construct marionettes.

See more automata by Keith Newstead on his web site.

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Giant killer tomato plant attacks gardener!

You read that right! A giant killer tomato plant attacks a helpless gardener...in this wood automaton. The video is of an automaton in progress by artist Keith Newstead. A man diligently waters his garden with a watering can. The tomato plant has grown so well that it has a really big appetite! The jointed figure of the man moves in lovely organic way. I love the huge cam visible in the front of the piece too. Though I expect it will be painted, I love the uniform natural finish of the wood at this stage also.

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Kinetic sculpture uses water, air bubbles, and a toilet flush mechanism

Take a look at this fantastic sculpture by Andrew Smith titled Exhaler V. The piece features an enclosed water tank inside of which a capsule is slowly lifted by a stream of air bubbles. Upon breaking the surface of the water at the top, a toilet flush mechanism is triggered, causing the capsule to descent again so the process can be repeated. Very inventive!

See more sculptures by Andrew Smith on his web site.

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Automaton depicting the end of Moby Dick

Check out this nicely made automaton by Tim Donald. Titled Ishmael's escape in a coffin, the piece is based on the end of Melville's book Moby Dick.In addition to some lovely carving, the piece features a crank, several pulleys, a bell-crank, and some clever linkages. I also love the old sailor turning the crank below decks.

See more automata and whirligigs by Tim Donald on his web site.

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Monster Head Study No. 4 - The Aquatic Creature

Dug North's Monster Head Study No. 4

Yet again, it's been a while since I shared with you one of my little monster head studies. For a little background, here is where you can catch up on my posts about Monster Head Study No. 1 and Monster Head Study No. 2. and Monster Head Study No. 3. This one would be No. 4.

As with the other  monster heads thus far, this one started out as a 1 inch diameter hardwood ball. These come in packs of 12 and are free of knots. They are quite hard and difficult carve with a carving knife or gouges. Whereas for Monster Head No. 3, I used Kutzall carving burrs in a Dremel rotary tool, this time I took a different approach altogether. Actually, for this head I didn't really "carve" at all! The entire thing was shaped on a 1 inch belt sander. Mine is a sturdy homemade unit that my friend gave to me. It belonged to his grandfather, who was an engineer turned toy-maker. Not only is it a great tool (the motor is bigger than most), but I enjoy the thought that it has been used to make mechanical wooden things for three generations.

As you can see, the head is basically a sphere with a number of flat planes sanded into it. Even the mouth was shaped on the sander. By using the edge of the sanding belt, I could notch into the wooden ball. It's not the most detailed mouth ever, but it gets the idea across.

I cut a tiny wooden spool in half and those became the ears for the monster. The eyes were drilled into the front of the face. Into the resulting holes, I placed glass beads tinted just a little bit blue-green. I finished off the eyes by pressing small brass grommets into the eye sockets and securing them with a bit of cyanoacrylate glue. I tend to use Krazy Glue Advanced Formula Gel. It dries just a bit slower than regular Krazy Glue and can be spread easily with a toothpick. I drilled two small holes into the roof of the monster's mouth. I cut the heads off of two short brass brads and glued them into the holes to form a pair of crude fangs. I used an awl to press tiny nostrils into the front of the face. Finally, I sanded a curve into a 1 inch wooden disc using a 1/4" drum sander (see right). This formed the crest that I glued to the top of the monster's head.

I made this one very, very quickly. The overall effect suggests that this is some kind of aquatic monster. I never start out with a plan for these little guys, so this was a surprise -- even to me! While I like elements of this one, it's not quite as sinister or dangerous looking as some of the others. It almost looks friendly! GASP!

I hope you liked learning a bit about this little carved monster head. There are many more to come so stay tuned.

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Laminar water jet powered clock in stainless steel

Did you see the novel water-driven pendulum clock a while back? The creator, Nigel Loller, has a new clock -- this one that is powered by a laminar jet of water that shoots over the the top of the mechanism. Very clever and very dramatic. This clock makes use of a tidy pin wheel escapement.

From the YouTube description of the clock:

Water clock, made from polished 316 stainless steel and acetal. The power for this clock comes from a laminar flow water jet which 'arrives' in collector with an overflow bypass tube and is then directed onto the right hand side of the escapement pin wheel. The foam band around the escapement wheel holds the bypass corrected weight of water (30 grams) to allow the clock to run easily, but not to supply so much power that the escapement is 'hammered'. The shape of the clock is arranged to catch any splashes, to support the lam-jet, and to fit the pump and 10Ltr of water all while having to look beautiful!

Indeed! This is a very impressive bit of engineering. The clock took three weeks to construct.

See more water-driven wonders by Nigel Loller on his YouTube channel.

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Unique water-powered pendulum clock

Sure, pendulum clocks have been around for hundreds of years. Water clocks have been around for thousands of years. But this -- a water driven pendulum clock -- is quite unique as far as I know. This timepiece invention is the work of Nigel Loller.

The Pendulum itself is driven by the weight of the flowing water landing in the T-shaped tube which is divided by a baffle. As the pendulum swings, the water is forced to flow into one side causing the pendulum assembly to tip that way. Having shifted, the water then flows into the opposite side, causing it to become the heavier side. The resulting alternating movement powers the clock by via a ratchet and pawl mechanism.

This clever arrangement allows for a very simple gear train (as far as clocks go, anyway). Here's how Mr. Loller describes it:

The Clock 'ticks' at 46 beats per minute and therefore the escapement wheel has 46 teeth...from there on it is simple to gear the minutes and hours. Apart from the obvious water power (small pond pump in base), the other unique thing is the drive from the escapement (not a true escapement as it only drives the clock and isn't regulating the drive from the pendulum in any way) to the minute (60 tooth) wheel is by effectively a one tooth gear, having a single peg which only engages once per revolution and does away with one complete 60 to 1 gear train.

The white parts are machined from acetal plastic and the metal ones are stainless steel. The most amazing thing of all is that this is his first attempt at building a clock! Kudos!

To learn more about the history of timekeeping, check out the engaging book titled Time's Pendulum: From Sundials to Atomic Clocks, the Fascinating History of Timekeeping and How Our Discoveries Changed the World.

[ Thanks New Gottland! ]

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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 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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Automaton depicting life-saving invention

Here is video of another history-based coin-operated donation box automton created by Carlos Zapata. This one depicts Henry Trengrouse and his life-saving apparatus for ships wrecked near the coast. The device used a rocket to fire a line from the shore to the ship. Incredible!

See more about this automaton on Carlos Zapata's web site.

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Vintage motorized drinking bear automaton

Here is a motorized drinking bear automaton believed to be produced around 1932 by the Decamps firm. The bear measures about 14 inches tall, and is somewhat atypical in that it has white fur rather than brown or black.

The bear sure looks like it is drinking, but in reality, there is hole in the the bottom of the cup. A tube starting at this hole runs down the arm, across the back, up the right arm, and into the bottom of the bottle. The motion of raising one arm drains the liquid into the other, allowing the bear to drink endlessly. It's an ingenious design.

From the eBay description of this drinking bear:

The Decamps electric Dinking Bear is a fun automaton and one of a very few that uses water. Switch on his electric (120v AC) motor using the roller switch in the cord and the bear will raise his right arm pouring water out of the bottle and into the cup in his left hand. Then he raises his right arm, tips back his head bringing the cup to his mouth and “DRINKS” the water, and then tips the cup just a bit more as if trying to get the very last drop! You could color the water to your favorite drink color for a little extra fun!

Here is the full ebay listing with many photographs and a lengthy description of this vintage motorized drinking bear automaton

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Ingenium: Five Machines That Changed the World

In his book Ingenium, physicist Mark Denny examanes five devices -- the bow and arrow, the waterwheel, the counterpoise siege engine, the pendulum clock anchor escapement, and the centrifugal governor. The author combines narrative, illustrations, and even equations to cover the history of each device. As a physicist, he is able to explain the physics behind each machine, how it was used, how it changed over time, and the impact they had on the world.

Here's where you can learn more about the book Ingenium: Five Machines That Changed the World

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Hyper-beading nano-technology water fountain

It's not often that I get to point out mechanical toys that make interesting use of water. Well, here's one! The Aqua Dance creates an strange motion effect using a specially designed surface that causes water to "hyper-bead". And hey...no batteries!

From the ThinkGeek.com Description

Simply fill the tank on the top of the Aqua Dance with water then push the pump a few times to pressurize. Turn the lever beneath to control the size and speed of the water beads as they drop repeatedly out of the tank. With the reduced friction the natural surface tension of the water takes over to create some unusual liquid dynamics. You'll find beautiful patterns in the water that are different each time. The ridges and funnels on the surface scatter the water in unpredictable ways as it zooms like quicksilver to the bottom.

Here's where you can order or get more info on the Hyper-beading Nano-Technology Fountain.

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6-foot long remote controlled reproduction Titanic

At six feet long, this must be the mother of all remote control boats. Priced at $2,500, let's just hope it stays afloat better than the original.

From the product description

This is the 6' long, remote controlled reproduction of the RMS Titanic that includes authentic period details for the most discriminating nautical enthusiast. Painstakingly reproduced at 1:150 scale and involving over 400 man-hours in its assembly, the model is constructed from over 300 individually handcrafted pieces, including sculpted cedar strips that overlay the molded fiberglass hull, white maple planks (stained to replicate the color of the originals) for the decking, and mahogany for various superstructures.

Here is the link to Hammacher Schlemmer's Authentic 6 Foot Remote Controlled RMS Titanic.

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Remote controlled underwater manta ray toy

Here's a novel twist to the remote control toy: an underwater manta ray. The really cool thing about it is that you can perform tricks and moves in three dimensions (like a plane) but with much less concern for crashing the thing into the ground at high speed!

From the product description:

Forefinger triggers on the underside of the remote enable independent pitch for each thruster, providing control for steep, powered dives to the bottom of pools and rapid ascents. Thumb toggles on the topside of the remote allow for independent thrust operation of each shrouded propeller, providing the ability to move forward, backward, make left and right turns, barrel rolls, or complete underwater loops--even intricate submerged Immelmann turns.

I have no idea what "Immilmann turns" are, but the range of motion sure sounds like a lot of underwater fun.

Here is a link to more info on the Remote Controlled Manta Ray.

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The kinetic wave sculptures of Reuben Margolin

Here is a wonderful profile of kinetic sculptor Reuben Morgolin from the new Make: Television program.

You can learn more about Reuben Margolin at http://www.reubenmargolin.com/.

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