The Inventor’s Notebook #30 – Automata

The Inventor's Notebook #30
Automata
Karl Rabe

This edition of The Inventor's Notebook takes a diversion from the usual topic of magic…. sort of… it is about an Automaton I built for my Sister Joan as a Christmas Present.

An automaton is a mechanical devices that imitates human actions.

au·tom·a·ton

noun

plural noun: automata

1. a moving mechanical device made in imitation of a human being.

First watch the video of the Automaton in action...

The performing of magic is a topic that has always been popular in Automata going back as far as Ancient Greece and Egypt. Here are some examples of Magicians that all perform a magic trick when activated.

More recently "Contemporary" automata has become popular. One of the more prolific creators is Paul Spooner. These whimsical works or art combine humor, art and mechanics to entertain and bemuse. Below are some examples and you can see more at the Cabaret Mechanical Theatre - The Home of Contemporary Automat, Hastings, East Sussex, UK.

Cabaret Mechanical Theatre is a collection of contemporary automata founded in 1979. We have been entertaining and inspiring visitors & makers since 1981. Now based in Hastings, UK we have exhibitions all over the world.

: Barecats

: Spaghetti Eater in Bath

Being a woodworker, tinkerer, inventor and builder it is no surprise that I became enamored with automat. It was about 9 years ago that I got hooked on the idea of making a piano player automaton of my sister Joan. I liked the idea of a piano player automaton and my Sister has a baby grand piano in her living room which she frequently plays. Drawing her name for Christmas 2025 was the impetus I needed to complete the project after only 9 years of procrastination.

Automaton Joan was constructed from scratch by Karl Rabe from wood, brass, a modified music box movement and miscellaneous hardware. It was inspired by Timberkits “Pianist” automaton.

The piano itself is constructed of poplar, pine and oak using glue and small dowels. Piano keys are wooden clothes pins which are weighted with brass acorn nuts. A shaft with wooden pins rotates to actuate the keys at different intervals. A pin on the shaft also actuates a lever to operate the pianist movement.

The music box movement is a modified hand crank movement with the addition of a belt drive wheel. The drum and comb were replaced with Johann Sebastian Bach - French Suite No. 5 BWV 816 IV. Gavotte.

The oriental rug is a mouse pad and Joan’s hair is gray embroidery floss.

Amazingly, this was built mostly with things I had laying around the workshop. Granted the things I have laying around are not exactly that usual.

: All sorts of Music Box parts for automation

: Pulleys, gears, bearings and belts

: All sorts of brass stock

: Tiny screws and spacers

: The sides of the keyboard were cut from this piece of scrap moulding salvaged from my wive’s mother’s china cabinet

I bought this Sankyo 18 Note Music Box Movement in 2017. It is the only movement with a Bach tune I have ever seen. My Brother-in-law is a huge Bach fan so the piano had to play Bach. I thought I could drive the piano with the wind up movement but it wasn't nearly strong enough. I ended up adding a hand crank to the piano and moving the drum and comb from the windup movement to the hand crank movement. I then cut off the handle on the hand crank movement and added a pulley. Changing the drum out was kind of dicey. I had to resort to some JB Weld to repair a broken ear.

: Wind up movement with Bach tune

: Hand crank movement

: Movement converted to pulley drive. The belt was replaced with a more flexible o-ring after this photo was taken.

I'm pleased with the results. Welcome to the world of Automata.

Read more about music box movements and their use in magic in "The Inventor's Notebook #20 - Tiny Dancer".

Ann Arbor Magic Club

IBM 210 - SAM 88

The Inventor’s Notebook #30 – Automata