As a brief re-introduction to my project, I designed and fabricated a wooden escapement mechanism to act primarily as an art piece for my apartment. I wanted to mimic the aesthetics that are present in antique clocks and wooden kinetic sculptures. This means that I focused on complex geared systems, using different woods to differentiate…

Anchor Escapement – Wikipedia Antique Escapement Mechanism – RF Cafe Since the prompt for this project, creating a dynamic artifact, was so board, I knew I wanted to incorporate mechanical design into the focus of aesthetics. I have always really enjoyed clean mechanical designs with intricate gear systems. Their complexity has always impressed me, and…

I have finalized my CAD and begun work on actually fabricating my escapement mechanism. I spent several hours working on the aesthetic of the gears, pendulum, and the front panel so that they would all appear cohesive within the larger construct. I decided to include both more traditional gear designs as well as more organic…

For my project I am creating a wooden escapement mechanism modeled after the aesthetics of antique clock internals and wooden kinetic sculptures. I really wanted to work on my mechanical design skill in parallel with my aesthetic design skills. I also wanted to create an interesting artifact that could be displayed as a kinetic sculpture.…

An important part of the creative process is to identify specifications and potential constraints. This can allow engineers and designers to help benchmark their designs and begin to work around areas that could hamper the process. For my project specifically, since it is a bit ambitious for the amount of time available, I wanted to…

Hummingbird Kinetic Sculpture – Derek Hugger Antique Escapement Mechanism – RF Cafe My current main project aesthetic is highly inspired by the design of kinetic sculptures and antique clocks. Potentially the most apt description of the aesthetic that I have in mind is steampunk with a heavy emphasis on wood and mechanisms, such as escapements,…

A design element that I have always found to be particularly interesting is exposed gearing. Something about how intricate and detailed exposed-gear designs are has always fascinated me! So, as I had this at the back of my mind for my final project I was drawn to escapement mechanisms. For those who are unfamiliar, escapement…

One designer whose work has recently struck me is Guillermo Del Toro. Del Toro is a Mexican filmmaker whose work is heavily inspired and influenced by a “dark fairytale” aesthetic. While he may not immediately jump to mind when thinking of influential or inspirational designers, I think that he more than meets the mark. Beginning…

My inspiration for this design comes from several sources. Primarily, however, my inspiration comes from seeing 3D topographic maps and the industrial aesthetic. Both of these things have appealed to me for quite some time, so I though I would try to incorporate them into this project. Large sources of inspiration were the topographic relief…

My Upcycling project has been proceeding with mixed success. I worked to determine the area I wanted to focus on, and decided on Long’s Peak and the Dream Lake area of Rocky Mountain National Park. After working hard to generate STL files using topographic data by setting the size, setting a z-scaling factor, and determining…

It actually took me quite awhile to decide on a project aesthetic. From the outset, I had the idea to create a 3D topographic map or relief, but I struggled with how to actually incorporate a more clear aesthetic. I was initially drawn to minimalism because it seems fairly prevalent in the topographic reliefs I…

I chose the industrial chic or industrial aesthetic because I have always enjoyed its look. Something about the exposed brick, ductwork, and metal has always drawn my attention. While this aesthetic is most commonly associated with interior design, it can just as easily be applied to a variety of objects. This can be done primarily…