Today I tried to build a kinetic sculpture for my kids. I remember seeing pictures from South Africa, where kids build wire car push toys called draadkar. I figured it couldn’t be too hard to make something similar. Classic blunder.
I decided on making a little figure riding a tricycle instead of a care. After consulting my middle child, it was decided that the little person would be Gonzo from the Muppets. I grabbed some old wire hanger for the project.
I actually think the tricycle worked out pretty well. The wheels are almost round. The front wheel and handlebars move well. I figured if I connected the legs to the peddles, I could make them look like they were peddling. This would be the kinetic part of sculpture.
To increase traction for the front wheel I reused an old inner tube from a real bike. I also found I needed some blue embroidery floss to bind up loose ends. Overall I thought it looked good, but I couldn’t get the legs to not bind when the tire turns. I need to work on the legs, but I like the look. I know I need to play with it a little, then to attach a push handle for the kids. An update will be posted if I ever get it to work.
