Making Things Move DIY Mechanisms for Inventors, Hobbyists, and Artists

8Combining Simple Machines for Work and Fun

For hundreds of years, engineers and designers have been coming up with ways to convert rotary motion into useful work. You already know how to choose a motor and attach something to it, but maybe the output you’re looking for isn’t a simple rotary motion.

In this chapter, we’ll explore how to convert rotary motion into more complicated motions by combining simple machines. First, we’ll go over some general mechanisms you can use, and then we’ll cover the basic types of motion and ways to convert between them. Finally, we’ll look at some examples of combining simple machines to create kinetic sculpture and mechanical toys. Whether you combine simple machines for work or for fun, the applications are ...