Here's a nice little gift for the person who likes gears, levers and things that move, they're called MechaniCards, from Brad Litwin of Kinetic Works. A little paperboard, bits of wood, metal and plastic and all in something about the size of a greeting card. I like the radial engine the best. You can get them assembled or as a DIY construction kit. Pretty cool. Link: … [Read more...]
Gordon Calder’s Motorcycle Engine Gallery
Photoshop is often abused, ever see one of those supermodels before the computer magic? Yikes! On the other hand, sometimes photos just need a cleaner background or a few blemishes removed to bring out what's hidden in plain sight and that's where Gordon Calder's talent lies. He finds motorcycle engines the perfect subject, wrapped as they are in the surrounding frame and … [Read more...]
Female Mechanics Calendar 2009
Sarah Lyon just let me know her 2009 Female Mechanics Calendar is available. I mention this every year because I think it's a neat project. This is the 3rd year for the calendar showcasing real female mechanics, not the swimsuit clad babes with a wrench, these are women fixing everything from motorcycles to Ferraris to tugboats and commercial jets. Sarah started doing this … [Read more...]
Kinematic Models – Mechanisms in Motion
Most of you are probably interested in all things mechanical, not just motorcycles, the term gearhead is a badge of honor around here. With that in mind, you might want to check out the kinematic models website at Cornell University. The site has a lot of photos and diagrams of every sort of mechanical movement you can think of, anything that moves, usually while connected to … [Read more...]