STRANDBEEST

[Peter Gillson]

Hi Guys

Not sure if this is the right section of the firum, but I am not sure if any of the other sections is closer.

Apparently this chap makes these very strange creations which can 'walk' along beaches, powered by the wind. This is a scale model one, which should be able to 'walk' if I make it correctly.

Before receiving the pressie I had not heard of him, so this is all new to me, but a bit of a change from busts, so here goes ...

Peter

[Jim R]

Hi Peter
Definitely in for this. Not seen anything like it before. Is the kit just normal styrene or resin?
Jim

[Peter Gillson]

Jim. It is normal plastic the same hardness as most kits

Here are the 'legs'

[JR]

Strange looking beast Peter.
Will follow from a distance to be on the safe side
John.

[stillp]

Pete

[Peter Gillson]

John Welcome aboard.

Peter - I was abou t to post the same link - very strange, but facinating

Peter

[Guest]

What an amazing thing Peter. Watching with much interest.

[Peter Gillson]

The engineering of the full size beasts is quite remarkable, they are so graceful.

[Peter Gillson]

Two blcks of legs ready to join to form the body

[Gern]

Works well with your airbrush set at 30-35 psi

[PaulTRose]

this looks interesting

seen a few vids of that chaps work

[SimonT]

Very clever but they are kind of creepy looking things - first saw them on QI a few years ago. They seem to be getting more and more elaborate

[Tim Marlow]

Millipede technology made mechanical.....looks fantastic even if, as Simon says, a little creepy. Kit should be good..
Cheers
Tim

[JR]

Thanks for posting that video Peter.
A remarkable construction.
John.

[Guest]

Apparently this chap makes these very strange creations which can 'walk' along beaches, powered by the wind.

This is that Belgian artist, isn’t it? (I must have heard his name when I’ve seen those things on TV over the last ten years or so, but names are generally in one ear and out the other, I’m afraid.) IIRC the full-size ones are mainly constructed from PVC electrical conduit. I didn’t know there were models of them too, but going by the box it’s Japanese, and then it suddenly doesn’t surprise me anymore

Incidentally, for any non-Dutch-speakers wondering about the name, it translates as “beach-creature” (I don’t think “beast” is a suitable word here, as it has slightly different connotations in English than “beest” does in Dutch).