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Over the Top |
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This "furniture" project began years ago with a vague idea of a
Ferris wheel consisting of a rotating beam with a rider at each end,
perfectly balanced. When I happened upon some discarded yellow seats
from a nearby Subway shop, the final design started to take shape.
 Even
as I started building, though, I still didn't realize the best part:
the device can be self-propelled by the riders' weight shift alone.
It was serendipity; I stumbled upon the idea while mocking up the
hanging chairs. The intrigue of it saw me through the project, a
300-hour endeavor. Other than a steel shaft with ball bearings at
each end and an assortment of nuts and bolts, this machine is built
entirely from about a dozen sheets of AC plywood. It stands 19 feet
tall.
In operation, ladders are wedged up under each chair for loading,
and barbell weights are added to the lighter rider's seat to balance
the beam. Once the ladders are removed, the rear rider shifts his
weight forward by pulling against the beam. This starts the beam
rotating and sends him "over the top". The other rider follows in
turn and they gather momentum. Riders decide whether they want to
glide along leisurely or go grippingly fast.
Six months and hundreds of riders later, I would love to know if any
other inventions like this exist...and I would love to find a good
home for it. |
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