• Constant Force Springs - New Challenges

Constant force springs have the same qualities as a weight drive, that is almost constant torque over the full wind of the spring. They are small and can be incorporated just about anywhere in a sculpture. No longer would I have to think about a weight drop path or design complicated pulley and string suspension systems. Soon after learning about them, I started using the springs and never looked back. 

The springs opened up another world of things to try. I made small freestanding pieces, like Dyad and wall pieces like Tapestry. Every design now incorporated a spring and in all of these pieces I was able to reduce the mechanism and feature the motion, furthering my design evolution away from a mechanism focus to one of creating motion patterns.

 

Constant Force Spring closeup on kinetic sculpture by David C. Roy of Wood That Works

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