I find it rather odd that an object that is created from a VERY dynamic
process -
the wood spinning, the cutting tool pivoting off the tool rest as it's
rotated this way and that, shavings or chips flying fron the cutting or
scraping edge, the person on the other end of the tool swaying and
rocking, perhaps the whole lathe vibrating or actually trying to walk
away
- ends up being
- STATIC
- usually just sitting there - to be LOOKED AT.

Now don't get me wrong - many turned pieces are really nice to look at
and some provoke - or evoke - all sorts of thoughts and feeling - which
can change over time. But they're almost all LOOK BUT DON'T TOUCH. God
forbid that you drop them, or get fingerprints on them or break
something. You want to see the back of the piece? Well walk around it
- if you can - and have a LOOK - BUT DON'T TOUCH.

Oh, BTW, what you see - is only light reflected by the OUTSIDE surface
of the piece. OK - so there are carved and pierced pieces that let you
see some of what's INSIDE the piece - but you're still seeing just the
reflected light. Either way, the light source is EXTERNAL - sunlight
through a window bouncing around before it gets to the piece, maybe a
dedicated light bulb "spotlighting" the piece.

Viewer and Viewee - one dynamic, one static - one looks, the other gets
looked AT.

But WHAT IF - the piece could have a more active role?

WHAT IF - it could sense your presence -"see" or "hear" or "feel"?

WHAT IF - it could act, either independently - or interactive WITH you?

WHAT IF - it could change what it looked like - by changing some of its
color?

WHAT IF - it could MOVE - perhaps rotating slowly - or - rocking gently
- or had parts that swayed gracefully?

WHAT IF - it didn't have to just sit there - static and quiet -
passively?

The answer to all those questions is:

- IT DON'T GOTTA BE
- static
- passive
or
- quiet.

There are these little things called "stamp controllers" - small battery
powered
little mini-computers - some a bit smaller than a Zippo lighter, half
the size of a woman's "compact" - or smaller. And with a few of the
many types of little electronic "sensors" to tell the little computer
controller that something has happened, other little electronic "things"
can be told by the controller to do things
- light up, blink, flash, fade on and off, and even change colors as
they do
- make sounds, play a melody, speak words, sing and even change based on
what YOU do - through a little speaker the controller controls
- make the piece rotate left or right or left and then right, or have
one or
more parts of the piece move left/right, up/down - either
preprogrammed
of reacting to what YOU do.

I picked up an Arduino Duemilenove (Italian for 2009) at a Makers Faire
a while back and have been playing with it - and some sensors, LEDs and
a little speaker. With some example programs (they're called
"sketches") I downloaded off the net, O've been playing with this
THING. And it looks like the possibilities to incorporate ACTUAL
MOVEMENT, and light and sound, in a piece CAN be done without having to
climb a steep learning curve. I'm not saying that there's NO learning
curve, but it's no steeper than any of the learning curves most turners
have already climbed. And the entry level price of admission isn't much
more than the price of a couple of decent gouges or chisels. You do
need a home computer or laptop to do the "sketches" on - and you need a
USB cable to connect the computer to the "controller" - but if you're
reading this you've already paid for it.

There are turners who are already playing with "stamp controllers" and
making "sketches" to do THINGS. And as they find each other and begin
sharing "sketches" and ideas, the learning curve for them will begin
flattening out. And what one might do with a set of "parts" and a
"sketch" could be completely different from what someone else may do
with the same "parts" and "sketch".

What are your views on kinetic/interactive pieces?

"charlie b" wrote in message
...
I find it rather odd that an object that is created from a VERY dynamic
process -
the wood spinning, the cutting tool pivoting off the tool rest as it's
rotated this way and that, shavings or chips flying fron the cutting or
scraping edge, the person on the other end of the tool swaying and
rocking, perhaps the whole lathe vibrating or actually trying to walk
away
- ends up being
- STATIC
- usually just sitting there - to be LOOKED AT.

Now don't get me wrong - many turned pieces are really nice to look at
and some provoke - or evoke - all sorts of thoughts and feeling - which
can change over time. But they're almost all LOOK BUT DON'T TOUCH. God
forbid that you drop them, or get fingerprints on them or break
something. You want to see the back of the piece? Well walk around it
- if you can - and have a LOOK - BUT DON'T TOUCH.

Oh, BTW, what you see - is only light reflected by the OUTSIDE surface
of the piece. OK - so there are carved and pierced pieces that let you
see some of what's INSIDE the piece - but you're still seeing just the
reflected light. Either way, the light source is EXTERNAL - sunlight
through a window bouncing around before it gets to the piece, maybe a
dedicated light bulb "spotlighting" the piece.

Viewer and Viewee - one dynamic, one static - one looks, the other gets
looked AT.

But WHAT IF - the piece could have a more active role?

WHAT IF - it could sense your presence -"see" or "hear" or "feel"?

WHAT IF - it could act, either independently - or interactive WITH you?

WHAT IF - it could change what it looked like - by changing some of its
color?

WHAT IF - it could MOVE - perhaps rotating slowly - or - rocking gently
- or had parts that swayed gracefully?

WHAT IF - it didn't have to just sit there - static and quiet -
passively?

The answer to all those questions is:

- IT DON'T GOTTA BE
- static
- passive
or
- quiet.

There are these little things called "stamp controllers" - small battery
powered
little mini-computers - some a bit smaller than a Zippo lighter, half
the size of a woman's "compact" - or smaller. And with a few of the
many types of little electronic "sensors" to tell the little computer
controller that something has happened, other little electronic "things"
can be told by the controller to do things
- light up, blink, flash, fade on and off, and even change colors as
they do
- make sounds, play a melody, speak words, sing and even change based on
what YOU do - through a little speaker the controller controls
- make the piece rotate left or right or left and then right, or have
one or
more parts of the piece move left/right, up/down - either
preprogrammed
of reacting to what YOU do.

I picked up an Arduino Duemilenove (Italian for 2009) at a Makers Faire
a while back and have been playing with it - and some sensors, LEDs and
a little speaker. With some example programs (they're called
"sketches") I downloaded off the net, O've been playing with this
THING. And it looks like the possibilities to incorporate ACTUAL
MOVEMENT, and light and sound, in a piece CAN be done without having to
climb a steep learning curve. I'm not saying that there's NO learning
curve, but it's no steeper than any of the learning curves most turners
have already climbed. And the entry level price of admission isn't much
more than the price of a couple of decent gouges or chisels. You do
need a home computer or laptop to do the "sketches" on - and you need a
USB cable to connect the computer to the "controller" - but if you're
reading this you've already paid for it.

There are turners who are already playing with "stamp controllers" and
making "sketches" to do THINGS. And as they find each other and begin
sharing "sketches" and ideas, the learning curve for them will begin
flattening out. And what one might do with a set of "parts" and a
"sketch" could be completely different from what someone else may do
with the same "parts" and "sketch".

What are your views on kinetic/interactive pieces?


Is a sundial static?

Lobby Dosser wrote:

Is a sundial static?

Nope. AND - it's solar powered! Would have to be an outdoor
piece though ; )

"charlie b" wrote in message
...
Lobby Dosser wrote:

Is a sundial static?

Nope. AND - it's solar powered! Would have to be an outdoor
piece though ; )


Not quite. Was making a dish one time and broke through the bottom. Turned
away most of the rest of the bottom and then followed up with some drum
sanding. Sawed a flat base on it. The grain went through the hole in a
spiral and looked much like the photos you see of sedimentary rock
formations in Bryce Canyon. Set it where the sun came through the hole and
changed its position now and then for different views.

On Tue, 22 Jun 2010 12:20:53 -0700, charlie b wrote:

Or, you could raise and train hamsters...

I find it rather odd that an object that is created from a VERY dynamic
process -
the wood spinning, the cutting tool pivoting off the tool rest as it's
rotated this way and that, shavings or chips flying fron the cutting or
scraping edge, the person on the other end of the tool swaying and
rocking, perhaps the whole lathe vibrating or actually trying to walk
away
- ends up being
- STATIC
- usually just sitting there - to be LOOKED AT.

Now don't get me wrong - many turned pieces are really nice to look at
and some provoke - or evoke - all sorts of thoughts and feeling - which
can change over time. But they're almost all LOOK BUT DON'T TOUCH. God
forbid that you drop them, or get fingerprints on them or break
something. You want to see the back of the piece? Well walk around it
- if you can - and have a LOOK - BUT DON'T TOUCH.

Oh, BTW, what you see - is only light reflected by the OUTSIDE surface
of the piece. OK - so there are carved and pierced pieces that let you
see some of what's INSIDE the piece - but you're still seeing just the
reflected light. Either way, the light source is EXTERNAL - sunlight
through a window bouncing around before it gets to the piece, maybe a
dedicated light bulb "spotlighting" the piece.

Viewer and Viewee - one dynamic, one static - one looks, the other gets
looked AT.

But WHAT IF - the piece could have a more active role?

WHAT IF - it could sense your presence -"see" or "hear" or "feel"?

WHAT IF - it could act, either independently - or interactive WITH you?

WHAT IF - it could change what it looked like - by changing some of its
color?

WHAT IF - it could MOVE - perhaps rotating slowly - or - rocking gently
- or had parts that swayed gracefully?

WHAT IF - it didn't have to just sit there - static and quiet -
passively?

The answer to all those questions is:

- IT DON'T GOTTA BE
- static
- passive
or
- quiet.

There are these little things called "stamp controllers" - small battery
powered
little mini-computers - some a bit smaller than a Zippo lighter, half
the size of a woman's "compact" - or smaller. And with a few of the
many types of little electronic "sensors" to tell the little computer
controller that something has happened, other little electronic "things"
can be told by the controller to do things
- light up, blink, flash, fade on and off, and even change colors as
they do
- make sounds, play a melody, speak words, sing and even change based on
what YOU do - through a little speaker the controller controls
- make the piece rotate left or right or left and then right, or have
one or
more parts of the piece move left/right, up/down - either
preprogrammed
of reacting to what YOU do.

I picked up an Arduino Duemilenove (Italian for 2009) at a Makers Faire
a while back and have been playing with it - and some sensors, LEDs and
a little speaker. With some example programs (they're called
"sketches") I downloaded off the net, O've been playing with this
THING. And it looks like the possibilities to incorporate ACTUAL
MOVEMENT, and light and sound, in a piece CAN be done without having to
climb a steep learning curve. I'm not saying that there's NO learning
curve, but it's no steeper than any of the learning curves most turners
have already climbed. And the entry level price of admission isn't much
more than the price of a couple of decent gouges or chisels. You do
need a home computer or laptop to do the "sketches" on - and you need a
USB cable to connect the computer to the "controller" - but if you're
reading this you've already paid for it.

There are turners who are already playing with "stamp controllers" and
making "sketches" to do THINGS. And as they find each other and begin
sharing "sketches" and ideas, the learning curve for them will begin
flattening out. And what one might do with a set of "parts" and a
"sketch" could be completely different from what someone else may do
with the same "parts" and "sketch".

What are your views on kinetic/interactive pieces?


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

"mac davis" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 22 Jun 2010 12:20:53 -0700, charlie b
wrote:

Or, you could raise and train hamsters...


They'd unionize!