joe freedman's cycloid drawing machine

The Duograph is a Cycloid Drawing machine that creates mesmerizing infinite geometric shapes right in front of your eyes.

duorgraph [Image Source: Joe Freedman]

The Duograph is a Joe Freedman's fourth and finalCycloid Drawing Machine.Freedman has created Cycloid machines in the past, but his motivation to create a new one was drawn from his curiosity to see if he could engineer a smaller, more compact design that would not require you to clear off an entire desk just to use it. The dimensions of the DuoGraph are 14-1/2 inches x 6-3/4 inches, which is small enough to fit on any desk surfaces.

The machine works on a turntable that has 60 teeth which are attached to a drive gear with 30 teeth that powers the drawing machine. An additional prime number gear for the fulcrum that holds the pencil changes the drawing into a non-repeating line and eventually creates a unique pattern. The Duograph has the ability to interchange the gears so the shapes that are created can be changed and modified. The penholder can also be positioned at different places creating an infinite amount of variables and pictures to create.

The base of the device is constructed out of Roseburg FSC plywood made in Oregon, with the rods and the penholder being made from maple hardwood harvested and milled in Michigan. All of the parts are crafted with durability in mind to create a toy that lasts for years and will provide tons of fun. Freedman hand assembles the assembly himself to ensure the quality of the product is top-notch. The Kickstarter web page has already raised USD$21,000, $19,000 more than the pledged goal of $1,750. Unfortunately, Freedman is only manufacturing 100 this year due to the sheer amount of time each device takes to craft. All 100 machines have already been preordered. However, keep an eye on his website and perhaps when his next run of devices comes out, you too can pick up one of these magnificent devices. You can check out some of the magnificent works below and also check out Joe Freedman's Kickstarter page.

Duograph 4 [Image Source: Joe Freedman] Duograph 1 [Image Source: Joe Freedman] Duograph 3 [Image Source: Joe Freedman] Duograph 2 [Image Source: Joe Freedman]