An innocent enough question to my Grandson- "Is there anything you'd like Grandad to make for you?". "I'd like a dragon Grandad". Sounds simple. What have I let myself in for? Against all my Engineeri

Hello ALL I am too easily side tracked. I have some difficult painting tasks on the horse and rider (photo attached), and rather than risk messing them up I took up another project. I came across a pi

I loved Marc's article on the November edition of the magazine (Vol 2, Number 6, 2020) on his gravity powered mechanism that uses a fly-fan governor to control the speed. So I tried to make a version

I'm in the process of creating an automata that needs a crankshaft. The links are 3d printed and then spray painted with a texture paint. The axles are wood dowels. The joints have been joined using 5

The scale is good or else I think it would have jumped out as odd. Sorry I'm rather wiped tonight, but I don't have any of the artist's work that you mentioned. The spark art I'd never seen. A series

I collect and exhibit toy knife/scissors grinders and ephemera. Almost all of the toys feature flints in the “scissors and knives” that are being “sharpened” which gives off sparks when the grinding w

When people post 'what's on my bench' I enjoy seeing the literal bench and surroundings almost as much as the project. One thing I know for sure - I'm far messier than most of you! I'd be really inter

I’m sharing three work spaces that I use in my basement for all kinds of projects, large and small. Currently the automata have captured my project/passion time. The photos of my workspaces are not cl

Dear friends and practitioners of automata, Please join the folks at Pucker Gallery to see and hear Pat Keck & company, talk about her work. Reminder: Pat Keck is on the cover this month’s AUTOMATA MA

The motivation for all my automata projects have been to celebrate an important occasion of a family member or friend. I did not know I was making “automata” until recently! They were toys with moveme

Good morning... I've been thinking about this post and considered titling it "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly". In my mind I've got an automata created...however it includes techniques that I've not c

Good evening... I approached Marc about 1-1/2 years ago and suggested this forum. After discussion, the forum was put in place and it became active in August 2019. While I continue to think that this

Dear Marc and contributors, The past issue of AUTOMATA MAGAZINE is a visual and informative volume to be read, studied and appreciated. Congratulations to all who contributed to this work. I like the

I would like to share my first original Automata... it's turned out pretty much as I planned, although it expanded in the building to include an extra figure. I say 'turned out' - it's probably not fi

I've been working on a design that needs four objects to rotate synchronously. I wanted to use a 2GT timing belt as a alternative to gears. Gears would cause a change in rotating direction, so I would

Greetings from San Diego. The automata that I am working on right now is for my Jim's Gym series. These Jim's Gym automata are operating exercise machines, typically that lift marbles up so that they

Where are you getting your plywood from? The box stores don't seem to have good quality. It seems like every time I try to make something from it I hit a void. I would like to find some good quality 3

Hello All Currently, I am trying to make a rider on a trotting horse. So far, the action is pretty good. Hopefully the rider will hold rigid reigns which will cause the horse’s head to nod. There is q

I do hope the forum continues. It is reassuring to know people all over the world are beavering away making all kinds of nonsense. Where else would you raise questions concerning automata? Regards to

Very saddened by the announcement of the passing of Keith Newstead. A tragic loss for his family and all of us who loved his work. Will be sorely missed!