Caterpillar Automaton
In the works! Steampunk mechanical caterpillar inspired by "Alice in Steamland" book
Completed!
This whimsical and unusual character was commissioned by a private collector and was requested to follow a similar style to the fictional character "Absolem" from "Alice in Wonderland", except with the twist of being actually fashioned in the style of the steampunk version pictured in the adaptation, "Alice in Steamland", as pictured above.
CHECK OUT THE VIDEOS BELOW!
Videos of automaton in production so far!
Early production Video
(click picture below to watch basic movements and smoke)
Check out another video below of me making a base from old propane tanks! Click below!
Now Available exclusively at
NOMA Gallery in Ocala, Florida!
This mechanical creation is made from many salvaged and recovered metal objects and hardware and is driven by a hand-built upgraded rotisserie motor which turns a cam system. The rotating cams move various levers that create the various animations, and also activate multiple switches that activate various circuits and timers to generate smoke and air flow, as well as determine the beginning and end of each animation and cycles. This mysterious creepy crawly will blow a fragrant apple-cinnamon smoke after puffing on his hookah bottle.
The tight space within the frame in which to create mechanisms made 12 moving legs a bit too much , but all 8 pseudo legs will move in sequence in a "wave". Both upper front arms also move. The eyes move as the mouth and head move around. It took a final design that uses 2 different voltages in the sculpture, both DC and AC, and a high torque motor(AC) moving a rotisserie gear box with a ratio of 1000 to 1, and a low rpm gear reduction motor (DC) that moves the eight rear appendages.
A separate smoke generating circuit , 12vdc, is controlled by an industrial asymmetric cyclic adjustable DPDT DIN mount timer relay in the base. The setup will generate smoke with either typical glycerin, or mineral oil, which is stored in a steel container in the base.
A little detail in the mushroom base, is a door with a window and a small animated mouse looking out the window, also featuring a backlight.
Cycle timing will allow a single push of the start button to produce 2 full cycles of animation at 26 seconds each.
UPDATE on PROGRESS
