Freike and Jim_mex's balancing dragonfly

[jim_mex]

Well, three weeks have passed since my visit to Frieke's home in Belgium and I've finally put to bed the joint collaboration project we hatched together.

The small video shows the actual project balancing and spinning on a cup and the flash presentation details more photos along with the background to making the project and my comedy of disasters in pulling my part of it off.

The presentation is not obligatory reading but apart from describing how I solved the technical problems associated with the project it gives a good insight into just how things can go wrong with a project when you are developing an idea at the same time as you are making it. It also shows how important it is to know how to cover your mistakes! Hopefully it will bring a smile to the face of anyone reading it.

I don't think any of my projects has produced so many swear words and moments of frustration as this one and at the same time has motivated me so much to get to a satisfactory end result and been so much fun in between the disaster moments.

I mentioned in the presentation that once I'm back home in Mexico I aim to make another one of these critters using natural wood colours. I'm also toying with the idea of simplifying the design and construction method to offer this project up as a challenge on the forum if there are sufficient folks interested in having a go at making one.

It's definitely a neat project and one that is sure to grab the attention of friends and family.

Before signing off I'd like to publically give a big thanks and a hug to Frieda (Frieke) for kindly taking a 'virtual' forum friend into her home over Easter, for giving me a complete run of her house and workshop and for sharing with me not only her incredible artistic talents but the warmth and real friendship of her family - Eric, Nikita and Naomi and her good friend Patrick.

Freida, you are a lovely lady and it was a real pleasure to meet up with you and I hope we can get together again soon in the future.Just no more dragonflies eh!

Enjoy the project folks!

Comments, criticisms and tasteful sarcasm welcome as always

Click the image to see the presentation in flash .swf format or download and open it up in any flash supported media player or internet browser



Click here for the video - mp4 format

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Update 28 April

For folks having problems reading either or both of the two files formats I posted try using these links

Presentation and images in PDF format

Video in Windows Media Player format

Hope this helps!

[Greenfield_Bob]

That's pretty neat, Jim & Frieke

Bob

[Wood Dog]

Well done.....if I wore a hat it would be tipping to congratulate you and Frieke. Wings look great burned like that. Certainly looks like a fun challenge project to me......now that you've got all the kinks out. Is it a compound cut?
Thanks for taking time to make the video, and writing the narration.

[DWSudekum]

How neat is that. Thanks for sharing that interesting piece of work with us. You both did a great job. Is a pattern available yet?

DW

[oily]

Pretty Cool. You and Mom done good.

[scrolling_grandma]

I'm impressed! I used to have a little plastic bird that balance the same way. It rode on the dash of my car for years. Not sure what happened to it, but perhaps you could expand your balancing act to include other balancing creatures. I would love to see this as a challenge and i would certainly give it a shot. I just bought a wood burner and following Frieke's lovely example perhaps i could even wood burn the wings. Great collaboration project. I love it!
I also enjoyed tha naration and that you are so willing to share your expierences in physics with us. I laughed a bunch!

[Harmony]

What great project!!

Design to completion, you two did a wonderful job.

Looking forward to your sharing this with us to make.

Dave

[jim_mex]

Hi Folks - thanks for looking in on this bit of fun. To answer the questions:

@Gloria - not really a compound cut but could be developed that way now I know the shape to make and its certainly something I thought about after producing this one as it would assist in shaping the body.

@DW - I will produce a pattern later and throw this into the open once I've made some adjustments to make the balancing easier. This first attempt was very much a development prototype. The only parts I have drawn up at the moment are the wings and the plan profile of the body. The rest evolved along the way.

@Tammy - I've already thought of some more balancing ideas. Butterflies, bats and dragons spring to mind as well as a spaceship or two. The possibilities are endless.

Thanks to all for the comments

[stephenD]

Freike and Jim, that is super!
I think I would like to try the challenge.

[frieke]

Thank you so much Jim, for being our guest and friend...you're always welcome at my place! For those who don't know....Jim has a great sence of humor... we could write a book about the dragonfly....and about camera's...glasses...lol
After all the mails I got from Jim and knowing everything what could possibly go wrong with the dragonfly...I'm sure I can finish mine one day... I know all the do's and don'ts now...And look at it now!!! In the end it became really great Jim! Thanks for sanding the wings of mine... you spend some hours on them!
I hope to make you proud!
Cross my fingers and hope to see you again one day... I'm sure you'll have another project in mind....
But first...start with packing your suitcase!!! You're family is waiting for you...totally excited! Ciao my friend x

[tony coleman]

well done too jim and frieda,
i take my hat off too ye,a great project,and a great presentation jim,definetly a fun project,

[JimSawyer]

That was one great adventure Jim...
..and a very cool project...!!!
I must admit. I tried not to laugh, but then came the masking tape portion of the story. Actually I first thought, 'oh no', then laughed with amazement at everything it took to make this little guy.

I'm with the rest. I can't wait to see the design specs on this guy....

[Wood Dog]

Jim just a thought, do you think you will have trouble taking the dragon fly on a plane?
With that lead in its body, I'm sure it will show up in the x-ray machine.
I would hate to think they will want to confiscate it from you.
They may think it is a small Drone or something.

[jim_mex]

Jim just a thought, do you think you will have trouble taking the dragon fly on a plane?
With that lead in its body, I'm sure it will show up in the x-ray machine.

Hey Gloria - thanks for that info. Because of its fragility I was thinking of taking it in my carry on luggage but you can't be too sure these days and I'd sure hate to lose it's head yet again! Ok, you have me thinking that this weekend I'm going to be carving out its profile in a sheet of styrofoam to fit it in and then sandwich this between two thicker sheets to put it in my check-in luggage along with half of the Dewalt I bought whilst out here in Italy. That should do the trick! 'Preciate your thoughtful comment.

I tried not to laugh, but then came the masking tape portion of the story.

LOL! Jim - I think you would have to be a very serious person to not raise a smile at my antics - and I know you ain't that!

Thanks again folks for all the nice comments.

As to a challenge. Well I think I can safely say that this will be on my list of things to organize once I've got past the first stages of the 'welcome home honey, here's what needs urgently doing around the house' list!

Cheers!

[jim_mex]

Hi again -

I've been informed by a couple of friends that they are having trouble opening the presentation and video I posted at the start of this thread. To make things a little easier I've added two new links - one in Adobe Reader pdf format and the other in Windows Media Player.

I hope that this sorts out the problems...