Abacus Bracelet

Posted on October 15, 2014 by

The bracelet is made from layers of bubinga veneer, glued around a form one layer at a time.

The first step was to make a form for the bracelet. I drew out the shape in Illustrator, printed it, then spray-mounted it to a scrap of 2×4. I cut around the edges with the band saw, then smoothed it right up to the line with the belt sander.

To make the bracelet I spread some glue on a strip of veneer, wrapped it around the form with the glue side out, then wrapped another strip around it. Hose clamps held its shape until it dried, then I added another layer, let it dry, added another, and so on until seven layers were built up.

When I glued on the last three layers I passed a piece of guitar string back and forth through each channel to keep it clear.

I cut each wire shorter than the width of the bracelet so that it would be inset in the holes, then filled the holes with a paste made from super glue and sawdust from the bracelet.

Now, that’s what I call retro…

Via Haha Bird for the full description of how it was made.

Breakaway Packagingless Hexamine Pencils

Posted on October 14, 2014 by

Laurence Grégoire created a unique and sustainable way to package (colored) pencils. By using the product itself as the packaging, she was able to eliminate waste and create something visually beautiful.

The wooden pencils are lined up and bound together requiring the simple act of breaking them apart for them to be functional.

Very clever. Eliminating packaging costs while at the same time making something somatically engaging like this is very clever indeed.

Laurence Grégoire via The Die Line.

The Rodafonio

Posted on October 8, 2014 by

From the magical world of inventions comes Rodadonio. A big wheel through the streets carrying in her womb five blessed metal crew, who join her to give movement through music.

Did the music moves the mechanical or mechanical moves music?

Via Factoria Circular. Translation from Spanish by Google Translate.

Ceramic Tea Chemistry Set

Posted on October 7, 2014 by

Designed as a service set for Russian chemists/patriots and adorning the traditional Gzhel pattern.

I can think of quite a few people in my life would commit unspeakable acts on pigeons to get their hands on this. Tragically, it does not seem to be in production or otherwise available for sale.

By Art Lebedev. Via Yanko Design.

The Shock Bracelet to Break You Of Your Bad Habits

Posted on October 6, 2014 by

[A] wearable band that can zap you with electricity is now up on Indiegogo, with its designer hoping to raise $50,000 to develop more features and to begin mass production.

In order to train yourself to stay away from bad habits or continue doing good ones, you’ll need to program the Pavlok app [including] possible software tie-ups such as instructing the wristband to zap you if you send a message to an ex, to beep loudly and embarrass you whenever you step into a McD’s with the help of a navigation app, or to remind you to walk more when paired up with an exercise app.

If you didn’t happen to get the sly reference in the name of the project, check out the article on Pavlovian conditioning on Wikipedia.

Pavlok on Indiegogo via engadget.

Tipu’s Tiger

Posted on October 4, 2014 by

Tipu’s Tiger is an 18th-century automaton or mechanical toy created for Tipu Sultan, the ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in India.

Tipu Sultan identified himself with tigers; his personal epithet was ‘The Tiger of Mysore,’ his soldiers were dressed in ‘tyger’ jackets, his personal symbol invoked a tiger’s face through clever use of calligraphy and the tiger motif is visible on his throne, and other objects in his personal possession, including Tipu’s Tiger.

The carved and painted wood casing represents a tiger savaging a near life-size European man. Mechanisms inside the tiger and man’s bodies make one hand of the man move, emit a wailing sound from his mouth and grunts from the tiger.

In addition a flap on the side of the tiger folds down to reveal the keyboard of a small pipe organ with 18 notes.

The tiger was created for Tipu and makes use of his personal emblem of the tiger and expresses his hatred of his enemy, the British of the East India Company.

Mechanica as a vehicle for political propaganda is an intriguing idea.

One wonders what might have happened had, say, the Greeks tried this with the Colossus of Rhodes, or perhaps the French with the Statue of Liberty…

Via Wikipedia.

Belgium’s Underground Beer Pipeline

Posted on September 29, 2014 by

The medieval town of Bruges has approved plans to install an underground beer pipeline to reduce the number of delivery trucks rumbling through its streets.

Speaking to Belgium‘s Het Nieuwsblad, the brewery’s CEO Xavier Vanneste said: “The beer will take 10 to 15 minutes to reach the bottling plant. By using the pipeline we will keep hundreds of lorries out of the city centre. This is unique in the brewing industry with exception of one German brewery that has installed a similar system”.

Better beer than mayonnaise. No, I still haven’t forgiven the country of Belgium for its appalling habit of slathering mayonnaise on fries.

Via the drinks business.

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Category Archives: Gadgets

Abacus Bracelet

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