Trurl’s Machine
2021 was in Poland a “Year of Lem”. Therefore, I decided to create something related to his work as one of our school tasks. My choice fell on the “Trurl’s Machine”, from one of the tales in the collection The Cyberiad. As a result of analysis of the text experimental music instrument was created.
Collaborator / Client:
School Project
Technology & Materials:
Plywood, mdf, wood
Year & Place:
2021, Warsaw, Poland
Development
Starting point
It is (…) the stupidest intelligent machine in theworld, and that is no small thing! To build it deliberately would not be easy, on the contrary, I think it would be impossible for anyone.
~Klapaucjusz on Trurl’s machine, The Cyberiad
This quote was main challenge I put in front of myself – to create something complicated yet not working on purpose.
Process
The Trurl’s Machine is an experiment, so was the whole process of building it. It has had many different stages – from reasarch about instument-making, through cardboard prototype, to learning new solutions in wood-working.
Sketches
Cardboard prototype
Plywood transportation
CNC Routing
Gluing the side
Bonding the stiffeners
Connecting front- and backside
Gluing thresholds to the centre piece
Mounting of string keys
Mounting of the additional threshold
Fixing of gear holders
Connecting centre piece with acoustic box
Attaching gears and crank
Result
Final project
The result of quite chaotic process was an installation/objet – a music instrument. The way it works is relatively simple – by turning the crank, we move the gears that are under the strings. The pegs attached to the gears touch the strings and produce a sound. However, due to the different sizes of the gears, it is almost impossible to play specific sequences. Thus, I have achieved my goal – complicated machine has been created and at the same time it’s imposible to play it as any other instrument.
Contests & Exhibitions
Poznań Design Festival – exhibition 2021
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