Marching In Heels

My entry for 2008 toys designed by artists show
at Arkansas art center. Series of four, all sold.

Magnetic Gear Box

5-inch diameter steel plate with 3-inch tall black anodized aluminum legs. 30 brass gears 9/16 inch diameter that rotate on magnetic spindles. Move spindles to change patterns; turn crank to spin gears... reduces efficiency: $310 (See catalog)

Dream Machine

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Wave Generator

A weapon system: this is a model of a mobile unit - action is simulated using a treadmill. A full scale generator could be mounted on a vehicle or towed on a trailer; might be used in battle or a parade. The waves are not synchronized but they can be measured by the tuner in front. Measurement is in borg scale as noted. The back shows counterweights and a viewing port allows one to monitor the delicate kinematics within. 2007 entry for Toys Designed by Artists Show at Arkansas Art Center

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Wink Machine

A one-of-a-kind interactive sculpture-toy made of steel, aluminum, brass, plastics, and doll eyes.
Turn the crank to make it wink! 2005 entry to Toys Designed by Artists Show, Arkansas Art Center.

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Ball Screw

Aluminum and brass. Crank the handle, watch the balls go.
Archimedes invented the screw in the third century BC to move water uphill. It has been a popular item ever since. Our desktop version of this industry workhorse is intended to reduce efficiency. Turn the handle and draw the ball bearings uphill where they drop into a path which returns them to the bottom starting the process over. This could go on forever. One becomes Sisyphus, who was condemned forever to roll a boulder uphill, always having it slip away and roll back to the bottom requiring him to start over. But this is the twenty first century and it is a ball bearing not a boulder and the task is made simpler [and maybe even soothing] by using Archimedes' simple machine. $230 (See catalog)

Lamps

3" diameter steel, parchment shade, low voltage. $300 to $500

See catalog for lamp details.

Typewriter Bell

Press a button, ding a bell with typewriter action.

Discontinued

Gear Box

Aluminum and brass: 3"×3½"×2". Twenty brass gears that rotate when crank is turned; add and remove gears to make cool patterns. $210 (See catalog)

Cyborg

Made Aug., 2005 as entry for the "Toys Designed by Artists"2006 show at the Arkansas Art Center (Little Rock). Show runs Nov.10-Dec.31, 2005. Made from aluminum, brass, steel, dolls eyes; 15in by 3in by 4in; turn crank, which operates crank shaft operating rack and pinion reversing mechanism used to operate legs. Actions above the waist cause the arms to swing, mouth to open and close, and eyes to move back and forth.

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Futility Machine

Steel, brass, aluminum. Sitting in traffic, waiting on hold. Futility. This desktop machine is a mechanical metaphor for the seemingly unrewarded effort that goes into everyday life. At four to the negative tenth, it requires 1,048,576 revolutions of the first gear for the last gear to go through one complete revolution. No need to hurry, no one will notice the difference. $390 (See catalog)

Fashion Bug

2008 Windup toy. Billiard balls, dolls legs, constant torque spring, Pickering type centrifugal governor. Wind it up and it will roll across the floor, legs swinging back and forth. Video on YouTube.

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Killing Looks Cutting Words

2009. Prototype weapon system. Turn crank one direction to rotate head to locate target. Reverse crank direction to fire eyes and tongue [which move in and out]. Made using composite dolls head [bondoed, sanded, milled, painted], with parts from a hand brace and bathroom scale, as well as Bakelite, gears, clutches, among other things.

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Windup Car

2009. Powered with a constant torque spring motor. Centrifugal governor from an 8mm movie camera. Chrome body from a bathroom scale. Rack and pinion steering. 2010 entry to Toys Designed by Artists Show at Arkansas Art Center

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Eye-Hand Coordinator

2012. Testing and training equipment. Grasp hands to move eyes, tests eye-hand coordination. If subject is deficient, can use to improve coordination. Made from camera bellows, dolls eyes, cast bronze hands, hard rubber developing tank, leveling feet from precision scale, other stuff.

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Galley

2011. Turn the crank and the oars row the aether. Utilizes spooling screw as a reversing mechanism [from level wind baitcasting fishing reel]. Cams control the raising and lowering of the oars, chains and gears control the motions. Made from aluminum, yew wood, cast aluminum hands, fishing reel parts, gears, miniature roller chains, clutches, shafts and other stuff.

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Stapler Cars

2012. My entry for the 2012 Toys Designed by Artists show at the Arkansas Art Center.
One stapler makes two cars. Both for $650