Turn any bike into a audible horse simulator

Trotify is a a wooden device that sits on the front wheel of your bike and makes it clop like a horse. This is the kind of simple mechanical whimsy that we need more of in the world.

Here is where you can learn more or order your own Trotify kit.

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The Topsy Turvy Clock by Andy Clark

Andy Clark of The Workshop Shed blog made this, The Topsy Turvy Clock, after being inspired by a kids TV show, featuring a clock with numbers in the wrong places.

Andy Clark explains:

I saw a clock with the numbers in a Topsy Turvy order and wondered if I could actually make it work. After concluding it would be too much of a technical challenge to make it entirely clockwork, I decided to use stepper motors and software control. I wanted it to look like an original mantel clock so the brass mechanism and style of numerals were key. I had the numbers laser cut in card by a company who normally make wedding table decorations so the what I call "antique white" is actually "champagne". I started planning in late November last year so it's been a long build with mechanical, electronic and software challenges. I finished it just this week after a month of fine tuning and completing the software.

Here is where you can learn more about the Topsy Turvy Clock. It's also been entered in the Atmel Simply AVR Design Contest, so be sure to vote for it!

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The Unwelcome Dinner Guest automaton by Dug North has a new price for the holidays!

I've changed the price for The Unwelcome Dinner Guest for the upcoming holiday season. I've also decided to include one of the original pencil sketches I created when designing the piece. Here is a gift you cannot get anywhere else!

The automaton depicts a backyard scene with a picket fence, doghouse, and birdhouse mounted to a pole. Apparently the dog has recently been fed because his bowl is overfull with food. Sadly for the dog, his leash has become wrapped around the birdhouse pole and he cannot reach his food bowl. This situation provides the perfect opportunity for the local bird to enjoy a big meal, free of charge. All the poor dog can do is wag its tail, jump, and bark at the bird.

An article I wrote on how to make the piece was featured in a magazine called 'Gizmos & Gadgets' (shown at right).

Here is the page on my site the shows the video, images, and purchasing details for The Unwelcome Dinner Guest by Dug North.

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Automaton of feasting raccoons by Al Conquergood

The Lee Valley woodworking newsletter this month features the automaton art of Al Conquergood of Etobicoke, Ontario. Here is one of his automata titled, Urban Terrorists. The miniature book is an especially nice touch!

From the video description:

This piece features two raccoons, Boris and Ursula fine dining in a local galvanized garbage can, the norm before modern recycle bins. They each turn their heads, move their eyes, open their mouths, waggle their tongues and move their arms and wag their tails. Boris waves a rotting grape around excitedly and clutches a wiggling fish protectively in his hand and hiding it from Ursula who seems a little more casual about dining. Occasionally a mouse "lounging" on a piece of fresh cheese rises to the can's brim to survey the neighborhood. Dinner is served amongst a wide variety of garbage including banana peels, decaying grapes, bottles, rancid tomatoes, a pop can, bones, rotting apples, a broken gear, washers and a discarded instructional book on building automata.

Here is where you can see more automata by Al Conquergood.

[ Thanks Charles and John! ]

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