Someone came to me recently and asked if I could make a automata of someone looking a little insistent, frustrated and anxious. They sent a photo of themselves as well as a photo of their favourite jams world shirt. This is little project is the result!

If you are a lowly mouse it is sometimes hard to find ways to have real fun. It's bad enough that the mouse you idolize has giant theme parks in Florida, California, and France, but as a mouse you live a life of limited resources and travel to these places may well be beyond your lifespan! As a mouse you've seen the famous teacup ride in Disneyland on TV and in magazines and your heart aches. So some mice have to make their own fun.

These industrious guys have taken over the local china shop after hours and they created their own version of Disney's tea cup ride. What could be better?  For a few moments they are in heaven, spinning, twirling, and squeaking; a real tempest in a teacup; mice full of mayhem!

 There is still some work to do, but things are getting close to being done. Here is a sneak peak at the fun. More to follow of course!

Time to reveal the principle characters of the current automata project, a group of mischievous mice. They are awaiting the application of a little fur with the wood burner and then of coarse a little paint.

Keep watching.

I had an idea for what I thought might be a cute automata but I realized that I was short of skills on a key element of the design. I didn’t see tabling my project until I acquired some new equipment and developed these skills myself so I reached out a fellow woodworker.

JIm Lang is good friend, accomplished woodworker, and member of the Woodturners Guild of Ontario which meets in the east GTA. I hit him up to do a turning for my project and he agreed. So it will be first for me, maybe not in the automata world, but Jim and I are collaborating on this project!

No reveal today, so you will to watch this spot for developments in the near future.

You can visit the Woodturners Guild’s website at https//www.wgo.ca