CLOCKWORK KALEIDOSCOPE

This kaleidoscope is made of bubinga. It was my attempt to produce a piece that would "knock them dead" at the annual kaleidoscope makers/collectors convention in Louisville several years ago. It is weight-operated and, having been wound by a crank, will start the object case in motion when a lever is operated. The gear train and governor allows the rotation to proceed at a very slow and steady speed.

The scope itself is polyangular, which means that a knob can be turned which will vary the shape of the mandala from four to twelve points. I worked out methods for making kinetic, mechanical parts from wood some years ago while making wood works clocks. The trick is to produce small gears and other parts that are strong and dimensionally stable.

To accomplish this I make my own plywood from veneer and epoxy with a vacuum table. The resulting material is very strong since the veneer plys are at alternate 90 degree angles; it's also virtually moisture proof. I have a wooden-works skeleton clock, which uses a Harrison grass-hopper escapement, that has been running continuously for more than ten years in Ohio's wildly varying humidity.

The scope received much gratifying admiration at the show and was purchased by one of the other scope makers for his personal collection. The most satisfying question I can receive about the things I build is, "How did you do that?"