We did get the flywheel assembled and I'll post pics of that maybe later tonight. But I just read about something that I felt the need to post here, since it made me start thinking about ways to alternatively fuel the flame effect on The Contraption. I fully intend to learn more about this.
Jim Mason, who's work inspired me a lot to compile old equipment into a new invention, is the one who's name caught my eye in the CNET article and made me dig deeper into the Mechabolic projectmentioned therein. I'm blown away at the idea of this on such a scale and think that it could be incorporated, not only into The Contraption, but into my day to day living within the Louisville area fire-arts scene.
I'm going to stay on task for the project for '07, since I think it will take all I can muster to simply get it done as planned. But post event, I fully intend to take what I learn in the desert and put it into action in my own stuff.
I have approached The Contraption from the idea that it would entice interaction and play, and spawn creativity within my own local community, within the eplaya/tribe community, and with on playa friends old and new, so this quote, from the above webpage really struck a chord with me (underlined for emphasis):
The Mechabolic is a broad collaborative project, bringing together a variety of local provacateurs, who share the goal of artistically recasting the technology and cultural associations of alternative energy scenarios.
Where energy has usually been assumed to be a zero sum game of background "need fulfillment", we intend to recast it as an idiom rich in opportunities for creative self-expression, social discourse, and general sensual pleasure.
that's some great work, especially in pic 3. 