No Counterweights, Just Physics

Movement time: 5-6 Minutes

Description:

The Balancing Bird was a classic toy (a plastic eagle at the time) for me growing up. In fact, the cheap plastic version was the thing that made me want to start making all my balancing designs and learn how to do it! Instead of a plastic mold with little weights in the wingtips, my solid steel design relies on the entire structure itself for proper balance.

Most of my designs use counterweights or a balancing rod. Sometimes, designs like this, are able to balance on their own! As with all my other designs, this one will balance on any surface - including your finger tip! The beak tip is carefully polished to minimize friction. In order to be balanced right, I had to hammer the wings open in a very even and symmetrical way. I am also able to shorten, heat and bend the beak tip and make subtle changes to its position and shape to get it all just right!