DaVinci's Ball Bearing Machine
In Leonardo DaVinci's folio known as the "Codex Atlantico", there are drawings of many mechanical devices including cage-gears and ball bearing schemes. Modern machinery like bicycles and electric motors would probably not exist if ball bearing had not been invented. And it's debatable whether DaVinci himself actually invented them or if he was merely studying the concept. In any case, this model is a manifestation of the drawings he left for us to study.
Here we have a turntable display stand, with a hand-operated crank using DaVinci's cage-gears and ball bearing technology. The platform is stable and can support several pounds of weight while remaining easy to turn.
We've also included a friction bearing -- just lift the table slightly to remove the balls, and replace them with the friction cap and see the difference between rolling friction and sliding friction!
The finished model measures eight inches wide, eight and a half inches tall and three inches deep. It's a fully functional, museum quality model kit we designed for anyone who admires Leonardo DaVinci and his work. It is easy to assemble, and all parts are included. All you need to supply are glue, scissors (or wire cutters) a little sand paper and small clamps or rubber bands to hold the pieces together while the glue dries.
For a museum-quality display model, you can stain it an antique color and paint the balls and gear-teeth black to simulate carbon steel. It's a beautiful and fun project for anyone! Recommended for age 8 and up.
