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One of the big projects for me in March was something that I didn't talk a lot about here because it was a custom piece I was making for ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
ladyaraia's use in the Spring Mysteries Festival and the big reveal belonged to her. She needed a representation of fire as a stage prop, something that would look good outside during the day. After toying with the idea of an arc lamp (which would have severe thermal issues and require a backpack-mounted battery array), I naturally went for a mechanical device with lots of gears and brass. I mean, of course!
The basic mechanism is three cranks which are turned via a series of re-purposed clock gears. These move three connecting rods, which make the flames on the top move. This was the first time I have used random old gears instead of ordering new ones. It's a lot cheaper this way, but much harder to get the drive train correct. I ended up making my own hacked-up gear depthing tool, about which I should really make a separate post. The entire thing is controlled using a switch recessed in the bottom plate.
The flame shapes were all designed byvixyish. The moving flames on top I heat-treated to get the added color.
(Yeah, SMF was a few weeks ago, but then I needed to get some good pictures, which meant coordinating withniac. Well worth the wait! All pictures are links to full resolution copies of his most excellent work here.)
ladyaraia's use in the Spring Mysteries Festival and the big reveal belonged to her. She needed a representation of fire as a stage prop, something that would look good outside during the day. After toying with the idea of an arc lamp (which would have severe thermal issues and require a backpack-mounted battery array), I naturally went for a mechanical device with lots of gears and brass. I mean, of course!The basic mechanism is three cranks which are turned via a series of re-purposed clock gears. These move three connecting rods, which make the flames on the top move. This was the first time I have used random old gears instead of ordering new ones. It's a lot cheaper this way, but much harder to get the drive train correct. I ended up making my own hacked-up gear depthing tool, about which I should really make a separate post. The entire thing is controlled using a switch recessed in the bottom plate.
The flame shapes were all designed by
vixyish. The moving flames on top I heat-treated to get the added color.(Yeah, SMF was a few weeks ago, but then I needed to get some good pictures, which meant coordinating with
niac. Well worth the wait! All pictures are links to full resolution copies of his most excellent work here.)
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