Box opening ‘automata?’

[David Stanley]

Not sure if this is truly an Automata. It is a sculpted, steampunk style box.

The lid of the box has built into it, a crank driven mechanism constructed from various timbers. The mechanism, by an over complicated series of movements, in an inordinate amount of time, performs the simple task of opening a hook latch on the front of the box, while a series of linkages move a carved question mark piece, very slightly, over some embedded jigsaw puzzle pieces on the box lid.

the box is constructed from meranti and the mechanism from various timbers and purpose made plywood. It is finished with one coat of wiped on, thinned polyurethane,subsequently polished to dry with rottenstone on a cloth. Artist’s oil paint glazes have been applied for accents prior to a final wax polish

480582 480583480584480585480586480587

[ARealBoy]

That is fantastic. You are very clever. Any chance of a video of it working?

Mick.

[Cklett]

That is an absolutely fantastic piece of art.

Yes, we should get a video if possible.

Love it!

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

[David Stanley]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eo1vPM9i3Sw

Here is a video showing the mechanism in action.

[cava]

That is fantastic! :2tsup:

Are there any plans available for this?

[David Stanley]

No plans as such, designed on-the-fly. The mechanisms used are from ‘507 Mechanical Movements’ Dover Publications also on line ( printable diagrams and animations) 507 Mechanical Movements (http://507movements.com/) and https://woodgears.ca/gear_cutting/template.html suitable movements and gears can be printed from these sources and cut on a scroll saw ( there are other methods ).

The side linkages for the lid we’re located using cardboard templates and trial and error (and error and error and error... quite a trial!) thus no plans. The same side linkages after being decoratively shaped were scribed onto the box sides to be housed into the box sides, carving and shaping the pieces ‘let-in’ to the sides disguises the inevitable gaps.

The box itself began with the simplest box joint for the sides and a rebate for the ply bottom, to form a simple thick sided rectangular box - All too simple to need a plan - The simple rectangular box was then shaped variously with rasps and dowels wrapped in 80 grit, all by eye and pencilled in lines to suggest the location of sharp curved arises and soft rounded forms. The sculpted
forms of the box sides now give an apparent complexity to the joints in spite of their actual simplicity.

No plan can be used for this sculpting of forms as the work has to be viewed from all angles as you work to get fair curves happening all over. After a good dusting down to remove stray grit, details are refined with carving tools before the process of working up through the usual list of grits until the raw timber gleams in expectation of the final finish.

So this is the process in lieu of a plan, a different result every time, with a result commensurate with effort spent and errors rectified — All the best with this ‘plan’.

[xpro]

David,
A nice piece of work, irrespective of what it might be labelled ! Like it very much, and, keep 'em coming !

Cheers,
Gus