The
Pumpkin-Go-Round October 2005
Quick
Fact:
Chicago
is home to more pumpkin-go-rounds than all other places in the world.......
combined.
The
Pumpkin-Go-Round was invented in Chicago in 2005, primarily for the fun and
the challenge, but partly out of necessity. (We needed a Pumpkin-Go-Round.)
Matt Binns and Erik Newman, pictured left, designed and constructed the PGR
from parts scavanged from behind junk yards, lumber yards, alleys and jewelry
stores. The recumbent exercycle was purchased by our man Pete at a thrift store
for 25 bucks, There's a diamond broach in the bike chain.
The way it works is simple. Peddle the bike, engage the clutch, and the pumpkin
platform starts spinning . Each pumpkin has been scooped out from the bottom
of the pumpkin and then carved into a pattern and then positioned over a small
section of pvc pipe, then tied to the center of the PGR to keep from flying
off. Sixteen pumpkins fit around the platform, and each pumpkin is a filmstrip
frame from an early 1930's animation created by Oskar Fischinger, from Germany.
As the platform spins and picks up speed, it triggers a stobe light positioned
beneath the platform, aimed into the pvc pipe and synchronized to flash into
the tube, thus creating animation.
I know, it sounds so easy, and anybody with the same access to the junk yards,
lumber yards, alleys and jewelry stores that Binns and Newman had, could do
the same thing.
Well, then. Just watch this:
Link to Beth's documentary
