Building a replica of "The Man" for 2014

[brianw21]

I am looking at building a scale replica of the man including lighting for the 2014 burn as a personal art project. My thought was to build him to about 7' tall. I would assume he isn't built free form every year, and there must be plans that I could use to build and scale from.

At night, I'm going to put him behind a two way mirror that hides him as someone approaches, then lights him to reveal him when the participant is right in front.... a reflection of him in themselves.

Any help or contacts to the team that builds him would be appreciated.

Brian

[Savannah]

A friend of mine built a very good replica of the man's head. The following are from the email I sent him when I was trying to help out. From what I could tell, the Man's specs are not actually made public, but depending on your ability, you may be able to create something you really like.

An article about the building of the man's head:
http://blog.burningman.com/2008/07/buil ... ourselves/

Two 2-dimensional replicas made by Steve Boverie, a.k.a. Dr. Glowire of the Man's build crew:
http://galleries.burningman.com/artifac ... r=boveries
http://galleries.burningman.com/artifac ... veries.610

Overall height of the man usually varies between 40 and 50 feet, not counting the pedestal.
http://www.burningman.com/whatisburning ... eline.html

Here's a 3-dimensional picture from 2003, when the man was just 32 feet (not counting pedestal)
http://galleries.burningman.com/photos/ ... odom.13017

An article about the ribs of the Man, which are cut by hand.
http://blog.burningman.com/2009/07/buil ... nging-man/

Don't forget to use a push stick!
http://blog.burningman.com/2009/07/buil ... nger-loss/

[TomServo]

Like this?

[Sham]

In 2007, when the Man burned early on Tuesday morning, I was in amazement when a "new" Man was delivered and hoisted into place on Thursday of that week---complete with neon tubing. There must be an explanation, but I would rather keep that one of the BRC mysteries that should never be revealed!

[gaminwench]

Attn: SHAM ...spoiler alert!

The explanation, as I understand it, is that DPW and ManCrew (pissed as all get out) voted to rebuild CharMan, and did. They worked round the clock and gave up their 'fun burn time' so that we could still have the Saturday burn.

or, there's 10 years' worth of 'men' already built and stored at the Ranch, they just ran over and got a replacement.

you decide.

[Savannah]

You are correct . . .

Around the time of the eclipse, an arsonist set the Man on fire endangering the lives of several people who were underneath the Man, including two participants who had fallen asleep while watching the lunar eclipse. The perpetrator was apprehended by the Black Rock Rangers and turned over to the local Sheriff. The Man Crew volunteered to rebuild the Man on-playa and completed the monumental task in 35 hours so the Man could burn safely as scheduled!

[BBadger]

When Larry dies he'll be buried with an entire army of terracotta "Man" statues.

[Bounce530]

Here's the free-form bamboo mini-man I built for the just past event.

I did F/B stalk Tom Servo, and eyeballed his mini-man.

[theCryptofishist]

When Larry dies he'll be buried with an entire army of terracotta "Man" statues.

ha!

[trilobyte]

I'm giving this a nudge over to the Q&A board, since that's a better fit for general playa project Q&A.

Regarding the quick rebuild in 2007... No, they don't keep (nor have they ever kept) ten years' worth of men in storage at the ranch. Post-2007, there are likely enough replacement parts kept on hand locally to effect a quick rough version rebuild. But back then it was completely unprecedented. However, there were some spare and backup parts in storage in Burning Man's warehouse in San Francisco, and I believe that a couple full size man head pieces were in circulation (I recall seeing one on the roof of the old NIMBY space). Teams scrambled to get parts sent in from San Francisco and then lots of hard work was done in order to get 'er done in time for Saturday night.

To answer the OP's question, you'll have to do as others have done and reverse engineer your own from pics, stories and videos. The plans and schematics aren't either open source or published. But by making your own interpretation of it, you create your own unique and awesome art (check out Bounce530's and TomServo's great pics to see what I mean.

[phil]

>SNIP<

Regarding the quick rebuild in 2007... No, they don't keep (nor have they ever kept) ten years' worth of men in storage at the ranch. Post-2007, there are likely enough replacement parts kept on hand locally to effect a quick rough version rebuild. But back then it was completely unprecedented. However, there were some spare and backup parts in storage in Burning Man's warehouse in San Francisco, and I believe that a couple full size man head pieces were in circulation (I recall seeing one on the roof of the old NIMBY space). Teams scrambled to get parts sent in from San Francisco and then lots of hard work was done in order to get 'er done in time for Saturday night.

>SNIP<

Here's a video of some of the final reassembly process.

[media]

The neon was done by a shop in Reno on an emergency basis, as I recall. Will Roger testified in Paul Addis's hearing that it cost more than $30,000 to rebuild the Man; I believe he had receipts to prove his claim.

[Ratty]

Side note. Every time I use a wine opener with the handles on the sides, I chuckle to myself. It looks just like 'the man'. Turn his head and his arms raise. Push his arms down and the cork comes up. The reason I chuckle is because every burner thinks the same thing each time.

[Savannah]

Side note. Every time I use a wine opener with the handles on the sides, I chuckle to myself. It looks just like 'the man'. Turn his head and his arms raise. Push his arms down and the cork comes up. The reason I chuckle is because every burner thinks the same thing each time.

I certainly do.

[danibel]

Side note. Every time I use a wine opener with the handles on the sides, I chuckle to myself. It looks just like 'the man'. Turn his head and his arms raise. Push his arms down and the cork comes up. The reason I chuckle is because every burner thinks the same thing each time.

I certainly do.

Me too!

[Ratty]

I had to stick him in a thermos to hold him up but you get the picture.

[theCryptofishist]

Side note. Every time I use a wine opener with the handles on the sides, I chuckle to myself. It looks just like 'the man'. Turn his head and his arms raise. Push his arms down and the cork comes up. The reason I chuckle is because every burner thinks the same thing each time.

I certainly do.

Me too!

Ah, I don't. I just push the cork into the bottle. Doesn't make me think of the man at all. It makes me think of throwing dead convicts into the ocean.