Sometimes “engineering” is better than run-of-the-mill contemporary sculpture. The marble machine depicted below is created by xeniaguy2 (I could not find out his real name) and it looks like it is something he is making as a “hobby”. Even though it is easily described as a “Rube Goldberg” contraption, it displays a sense of grace and a power of invention that enthralls, intensifying its significance beyond its apparent means.
Also, it is an example of “open source” in the real three dimensional world, since it lays bare its mechanisms and their principles. It shows you how it is doing what it is doing and teaches along the way. (Ironically much of our created environment, before the digital, is “open source”).
So, three cheers for xeniaguy2. I look forward to more installments, as he continues this amazing project.
Thanks for the glowing report about my work. I am a 78 year old retired engineer who loves woodworking. In particular, wooden machines, and machines involving marbles. At the New York world’s Fair in 1939, I saw an amazing marble machine which I vividly remember to this day. This inspired me to do what I have done in life. (It helped a lot that my grandfather was a master carpenter.) On Youtube, I am xeniaguy and also xeniaguy2, and have posted 4 videos of my marble machines. I’m still working on machine 3, and hope to finish it someday. I’m working on several videos of other stuff I’ve built, and hope to get these on youtube someday.
Richard Browne
browne-one@roadrunner.com