Well, we did a little brainstorming and came across a fun art project for the magical process.  But first we needed to hit the lab and see if we can make something actually work.  After a few iterations of testing, we arrived at this version:

Don’t worry, I’ll have more information about what our setup looked like before too long.

The idea was to utilize some existing counter top pieces from IKEA.  They were relatively cheap, easy to finish, and I could focus on an interesting frame to hold them up.  I started with some 1 1/2″ steel tubing from the local metal place.  I drew up a plan on a napkin and started cutting, cleaning, and prepping the steel for welding.  I drilled holes in the frame so I could easily bolt the wood down to keep everything sturdy.  For each bolt I put a small hole on the top and a large hole on the bottom of the square, so I could use a drill gun to tighten the bolt.  It was much easier to measure and drill everything before I welded things together.  It’s extremely difficult to steady a table frame on the drill press!

To solve the problem of legroom, while still allowing for leg supports at the bottom of the legs, I made some interesting looking 45 degree pieces and attached everything together.  The key was doing some trigonometry to get the angles just right as the square tubing was getting joined together in non-right angles.  Once I figured out the dimensions and angles of the cutouts I marked the tubing with a sharpie and removed the offending material with a cutter on an angle grinder.  Once I laid it out on the ground I was able to fit everything together beautifully.

For the feet of the table I used some adjustable 5/8″ threaded feet.  This way I don’t have to worry about getting the entire thing 100% level.  Our floors aren’t level anyway, so that wouldn’t have helped.

I finished the steel with some Johnson’s Paste Wax, too keep it from rusting.  It’s an indoor table, so the finishing can be light.  I finished the counter tops with Tung Oil and put them on top.  I also left the pieces separated by about an inch so electrical cords can be run up the middle to help keep a tidier desk for computers.  The result is a useful, sturdy, elegant, and gorgeous table.  I’m definitely proud of it.

One of the ideas that we came up with was a very simple one. Put as many buttons on the wall as possible and let people press them. Of course, it’d be better if they lit up and responded. Without any particular game in mind though, we knew that people will love these things. Fact: people love to press buttons. So, we started construction on a few “Button Walls.”

The general design is simple: put the buttons on the wall, use a microcontroller to monitor them and make them light up. However, there are always complications, including some we create ourselves. In an effort to use as few parts as possible, we use multiplexors to light up the LEDs and monitor the button switches. Wiring all of the buttons takes quite a bit of patience. (Special thanks to Eliot for helping us out and making these pretty!)

Of course, we made this version a pair of fun gears. (A quick nod to Matthias Wandel for his gear generating software!)

And if you build a couple of interlocking gears, they absolutely must turn. Unfortunately, this isn’t negotiable. But, how do we get these gears to turn and not tangle up the wires? Well, wireless works wonders in getting the signal to a server so these button walls can interact. But power is more difficult. Some of the installations for these things are permanent, so we better come up with a better solution.

The answer, of course, is a slip ring. These slip rings were available from Adafruit.

We mounted it to a wooden board, which connected the gears to the lazy susan bearing we picked up from VXB Bearings. The end result is a pair of interlocking gears that can rotate easily. You’ll notice that the gears are a little bit separated so we don’t have to clean up as much spilled blood when people inevitably put their hands in there.

Here’s a video of it in action:

What has Bob been up to lately?  Well, he’s got a show going on right now in Jakarta, Indonesia (or is it in Dubai?).  http://www.artdubai.ae/2013/galleries/edwins-gallery  Bob tells me that there was a scary moment when they plugged his 110V motor into a 220V socket!  Luckily the docent was fast and unplugged it before the motor fried itself.  Be careful with the standard voltage sources if you’re showing electrical art pieces worldwide!

Bob has also told me about a documentary that features the Old Timey folk band he was in, Highwoods String Band.  There are a few snippets of interviews with Bob in this, but it’s all about his fiddle playing, not about his other amazing talents.

Here is the result:

The transformer is rated for 6200V * 82mA = 508W. We’re actually pulling ~80A (off my ammeter scale) at 110V = 8.8kW! The coils of the transformer felt a little warm after just a few cycles. I’m not surprised at all, but it means I need to find a good way of reducing the input current. I’m going to wind my own choke on the input to try and limit the current going in.

Stay tuned!

While we were putting together the Feast and getting it ready for Burning Man, we knew that we had to involve some fire art.  I was slammed with rebuilding the entire rear-end drivetrain of the Feast as we had completely over-torqued the transmission.  However, one of my volunteers, Bill, was very enthusiastic about a fire chandelier, and heavily encouraged me to get it done as well.  He went so far as to invite a copper artist down from Oakland to fly down and help.

I don’t like to stand in the way of enthusiasm, so I ordered some copper spheres, some copper flower parts, and started testing some flaming nozzle ideas.  Wind resistance is very important for Burning Man and the reliability of any fire art, frankly.  I got a single nozzle roughly working right before Ken Griswa showed up to put it all together.  Bill, Ken, and I discussed our vision for the chandelier and immediately jived.  I set Ken up with the tools I had and he quickly got to work.  What an amazing artist!    After a day he had put this shiny copper masterpiece together:

We used bronze wool to keep the flame lit during a gust of wind.  The flame goes dim and jumps to the “sheltered” side of the puff of wool, but it quickly relights when the wind subsides.  Even during the harsh dust storms of Burning Man it held up great!  The Fire Chandelier did a fantastic job of setting the mood for a decadent meal on the playa.

 I realized that the fire chandelier would work great for setting the mood during an outdoor party as well.  I built a stand that utilized the “shepherd hook” of the Feast and would hold the chandelier for the guests of a party.  I could see utilizing this in the backyard just as easily.

In fact, if you’re interested in a fire chandelier for your backyard or any other outdoor venue, please let me know.  Ken and I would love to put some more together!  It can run on propane or natural gas with no problems.

We got picked up in the blog Yo Venice, to boot!

More photos below the fold.

The amazing night photos are by Roy Persinko, who just happened to be walking by that night.  Thanks Roy!

On Sunday, October 7th, we put the tablecloth on A Moveable Feast, hung the chandelier, and headed out for a nice pedal through the streets of LA for CicLAvia!

We set out at 10:30 or so with 6 pedalers.  We had no problems crossing the LA river bridge and train tracks into downtown proper.  The biggest obstacle we faced was a steep hill from Spring up to Broadway into Chinatown.  We pedaled hard and with gusto and were able to mount the hill without having to get off and push.  This was our first major hill since the new drivetrain, and I was definitely impressed!

CicLAvia was alive with thousands of bicycles in the streets.  Everyone was waving, cheering, and smiling as we pedaled through.  We must’ve raised our glasses to hundreds of cell phone cameras throughout the day.  Everyone wanted to talk to us about the project and give us their complements.  We were tickled pink.  It’s always a great feeling to have other people truly enjoy your creation.

We had to stop a couple of times to take a break and refill our crystal and silver water containers.  But, spirits were high and we weren’t as tired as I thought we’d be.  We met up with Catherine who brought her magic camera.  She always takes jaw dropping photos, so I’m definitely looking forward to the results.  After a short stop at the Down & Out for some hydration and simple carbs, we hopped back on the Feast.

We decided to turn around once the route turned on 7th street.  However far we pedaled that day we were going to have to pedal back.  We didn’t want to get home late at night, so we decided to start the slow trek back home.   Surprisingly all of the gearing, chains, and sprockets stayed functional without so much as a chain needing to be re-attached.  This was the first time that no one had to crawl under the table to get their hands dirty re-aligning some chain.  Is the Feast getting actually reliable?  I couldn’t be happier.

Many people took some photos of us, but most don’t know what the thing is called.  So, usually they’re lost to the anonymity of the internet.  However, I was able to find a few photos online.  Here are some links:

Red Kite Prayer

Larchmont Buzz

Los Angeles Magazine

If you find more photos out there, let me know in the comments.