I love automatons, and this one is no exception. Check out the worm gear at 0:17, not bad for a first attempt at automata. Don’t miss the link to the flickr photo set of the build. The concept illustrations are great!
This is my first humble attempt at an automata, constructed mostly from a piece of nice plywood, along with dowels, sticks, brass tubing, wire, lead, and glue. My primary tools were a band saw, a hand drill, and a disc sander.
The finished product is referred to as The Little Man around the house, though the official title is Sisyphus in Training. Since these crank-operated automata inherently cycle through their action, I liked the idea of a task that’s never finished, like Sisyphus and his stone.
More about Automaton: Sisyphus in Training
More on our Designing Automata Kit
Back-to-School Sale – 10% off every order, free Maker’s Notebook with every order of $25 or more.
Use code CRZYDAN for the discount, the Maker’s notebook will be added automatically. Ends 9/30/08 midnight PST
ADVERTISEMENT