While some people are happy with a simple coffee table to hold their snacks while watching Star Trek reruns, others want their furniture to go where no furniture has gone before. [Olivier Gomis] has definitely satisfied this need with his Wormhole Coffee Table. [YouTube]
The complicated shape and curvature of a (3D representation of a) wormhole isn’t easy to create, but [Gomis] managed to carve one without the aid of a CNC or 3D printer. Starting with walnut planks and maple veneer laminated together, he created a grid stackup to replicate the common representation of spacetime as a 2D grid. Using various arrangements of these grids, he built up the central section of the wormhole which looked like a low poly vase before he put it on the lathe for turning.
The lathe work on this build is simultaneously impressive and terrifying. Turning down the central portion of the wormhole required working between two large spinning squares of walnut, which [Gomis] admits was “scary.” Multiple custom jigs were required to keep parts flat and deal with the extreme curvature of the inside of the wormhole’s opening. If that weren’t enough, if you look down the wormhole, he has installed a set of LED lights that show the spacetime grid continuing on to parts unknown.
If you’d like to see another impressive wormhole, check out this Amazing STARGᐰTE With DHD And Infinity Mirror Wormhole.
That’s glorious. Nice work. The lighting effect is a nice extra touch.
And he’s a braver guy than me on the lathe.
I’d lose a beer or two down the wormhole pretty quick though, so a glass top would come along in short order if it were in my house.
This is stunning. I second the pane of glass idea and would consider a soft light at the bottom of the wormhole. Regardless this is truly magnificent as is. Awesome work.
He did light the bottom of the wormhole, if you watch the video to the end.
This needs to be replicated with a mobius curve. A klein table of sorts. . .
“Can you put this on the top of the coffee table?”
“Uhh … no?”
“The thing’s hollow – it goes on forever”
“Oh my God! – it’s full of stars”
Impressive woodworking skills !
Agree with the glass panel too…
HAH and here was I thinking the individual pieces were machined then glued together sans lathe still amazing though =)
Woodworking takes time and space … and turns it into a coffee table.
After finishing a cup of brew you just throw it in the wormhole, NO MORE DISHWASHING!
To paraphrase Mehdi…
“This coffee table is a beautiful work of art, very pleasing to the eye… the only problem is it won’t support a cup of coffee.”
Person on the other end of the wormhole: “Where the heck are all these coffee cups coming from???”
LOL!
(Thanks for the laugh!)
Crazy impressive
Now that’s deep. ^^
It would have been interesting to see the illumination go through all the grid lines, rather than just the lines within the tunnel portion.
I’m still not sure how useful it is to have a table with a curved surface leading to a hole, but it looks line an interesting conversation art piece nonetheless.
So, if you do lose a beer or coffee down the wormhole, does it reappear in another place in the universe?
Yes, under the table.
B^)
I’m glad I’m not a relative or close friend of that guy. Seeing him use that band saw it gives me all kinds of anxiety..
But yeah his dedication and efforts are impressive, and his skills in woodworking seem almost matched by his skill in video making, I can’t deny envy.
And having seen this video I think if he sells it he should by rights get something in the order of half a million easy for it in my view. I mean there are countless billionaires and they need their decoration too, so come on.
That looked easy. Let’s see him make another!