Parts cut out for Quiet Contemplation of a Sandwich, ready for finishing and fitting.
Great satisfaction comes from designing and making a smooth running mechanism.
The crank handle is an important part of the piece as this is where the interaction occurs. I like to make the knob out of yew as this has a beautifully smooth finish. Here the crank is made of cherry.
Anatomy of an Automaton
Birch ply used for strength in intricate parts
Beech used for strength in small parts an weight in counter weight parts
Premium pine for frame, dovetailed for strength and trueness
Cherry for crank handle because I like the wood
Yew used for handle for colour and smooth finish
Lime used for carved parts for detail and ceramic like finish
Dovetailing of frame
The frame is joined with dovetail joints. The dovetails take time to cut but are worth the effort as they form a strong joint even without glue and allow the frame to be assembled and dissembled during construction of the automaton.
Gears are made from pins wheels driving geared cogs. They would not work in a food mixer but are beautifully reliable on a wooden automaton.
Pin wheels can also be used as cams to save space..
Pin and toothed cog gearing from automaton in construction
Cams hold information like the grooves on a gramophone record. I always use hinged cam followers which act like the stylus on a record player, accurately reading the information on the cam with no tendency to stick. The followers drive either linkages or push-rods.
The cogs are large to make the mechanism robust but I like to fit them into as small a space as I can making the mechanism a fascinating part of the piece.
Cams and followers from automaton in construction
Intermittent movement is made possible with the use of a Geneva Wheel. This gear enables cams to be engaged on every nth turn of the handle. In the case of Quiet Contemplation of a Sandwich this enables a 40 turn cycle.
Figures are carved from lime wood which allows good detail. Skin tones are left as natural wood and acrylic paints are used for colouring.
Parts cut out for Quiet Contemplation of a Sandwich, ready for finishing and fitting.
Backboards give context to the piece. Hand painting with acrylics takes a steady hand!
The backboards give a excellent opportunity for customisation of the piece. Any background can be commissioned.
Assembly can be time consuming as subtle movements demand fine tolerances.
This picture shows the primary cam set for Quiet Contemplation of a Sandwich.
