Our favorite mechanical master of woodworking, [Matthias Wandel], is at it again, this time making an endless staircase for a Slinky. Making an escalator out of 2×4’s and other lumber bits looks fairly easy when condensed down to a two and a half minute video. In reality a job like this requires lots of cuts, holes, and a ton of planning.
The hard part of this build seemed to be the motor arrangement. There is a sweet spot when it comes to Slinky escalator speeds. Too fast, and you’ll outpace the Slinky. Too slow, and the Slinky flies off the end of the escalator. Keeping the speed in check turned out to be a difficult task with the coarse speed control of a drill trigger. The solution was to ditch the drill and build a simple hand crank mechanism. The Slinky now can cascade down stairs as long as your arm holds out.
Join us after the break for 3 videos, the making of the escalator, a 140 step demonstration video, and a followup video (for geeks like us) explaining where the idea came from, whats wrong with the machine and possible improvements.
Thanks to [Jim Lynch] for the tip
Works better than this: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/creatableslabs/project-nesm-never-ending-slinky-machine/description
He should put a small rectangular baking tin at the bottom filled with dirt and grass seed. That would double the watching excitement. Maybe put a dab of bright wet paint on the steps.
Wow, I sound like a dick.
Actually you’re a fucktard – to chickenshit to post with your own avatar name.
No, I am [vonskippy]!
This is what’s happening with Arduino right now.
[TacticalNinja] This is what’s happening with Arduino right now.
Ha!
Wow, wish I could spell.
You won’t be getting a job at Had-It’s-Day with that attitude, young man!
If you think of it like a fountain or a whirligig, instead of a TV, it could be quite pleasing if he got the bugs ironed out.
but,,,but,,,where’s the ardweeny? There’s supposed to be an ardweeny driving a motor to keep it going at the right speed rather than that old fashioned hand crank method. No kid will play with it without there being electronics involved. Sheesh.
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But, I love the woodwork and gears and whatnot just the same!
I have communicated with that Mathias Wandel and just let me say that he is a rude and pompus person. I don’t drink his kool aid but many people do. I believe that he hasn’t had a single original idea in his whole life.
Well since you aren’t submitting your 100% original ideas to the tipline we’re stuck with Matthias’ cool builds.
Actually I have.
I once worked with at a tech company. Brilliant guy, but… wow. You don’t know the half of it.
I can only judge him by the words he has chosen.
last line of the last video is genius: useless crap gets a lot of views on YouTube!
Useless crap is the best kind of crap.
Well that’s one way to exercise your slinky.
Worth mentioning that he pronounces his first name as “Mat – Tie – As”. Love his videos!
Well you’ve got to have some way of counting the steps. Maybe an auto shutoff for when the slinky stops stepping. Perhaps an arm to make it continue after it stops. Maybe a pi too with some object recognition to optimize the speed and perhaps slightly tip the steps to counter the drift. Maybe optical gates or use a metal slinky as a switch…
Now there’s an idea…
Electrify the steps with a tesla coil and use a metal slinky, that could be good fun.
Who said a square wheel does not work?
It’s very satisfying to watch.
Who else has the slinky song in their minds? “It walks a stair without a care…”