the wheel
i succeeded in making a mess.
DESIGN
it's just a flat grid of 10 rails, each rail consisting of 12 arcs, cemented three dimensionally into a ring by the assistance of 48 cross bars. the radius is 44" and the diameter is 88" and the circumference is somewhere around 276." it's 24.25" deep or wide, depending on its stature. it used about 22 pounds of cardboard, and 39 sticks of hot glue.
PROCESSING
first i drew the image of the ring about 59 times before i figured out the right dimensions. obsessive maybe, but it just didn't seem perfect until i had done the calculations that many times. i also drew the ring and made divisions in illustrator multiple times. it was cut entirely on the laser cutter, with no single piece measuring longer than 26 inches. here's how i tried to assemble.
IT STANDS
i was very glad it stood as well as the prototype i built, which at this moment i realized would have functioned just as well as the newer model.
strapping for reinforced centrifugal/tripital/centric force?
STILL
and it didn't get out the door and the composite i attempted really did a disservice to the lasercutting pressfit. but then i'm back at the first project, so maybe i'll start the whole course over again.
(ps--it doesn't have an electronic component, but i might add a functionless on/off switch just to be a little more contemporary.)