Get a similar sculpture here: Desk Dynamic Art
Balance Mobile: four balanced rods with weighted ends connected in equilibrium under gravity, with balance points engineered such that the rods are horizontal and parallel to each other. The strings are slightly elastic allowing the rods to rotate back and forth after a slight push by hand, or interacting with a slight breeze.
Get this fun 3D puzzle/physics toy here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Biplane 3D Puzzle
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Biplane Balance: this cute kinetic biplane model, complete with pilot, is actually a 163 piece 3D puzzle. When assembled the plane + counterweight form a system with a center of mass below the pivot contact point, creating a situation of stable equilibrium about which oscillations can be induced, trading kinetic and potential energy until friction damps the system to rest. A fun build made by ROKR puzzles.
This set can be found on auction sites:
From eBay: Search NOW: X-Wing Balance of Power
“Balance of Power”: Star Wars kinetic balance sculpture features an X-Wing targeting a TIE fighter in this display from the 1997 re-release of the original trilogy. The center of mass of the two ship structure is designed to be under the balance point providing stability for rotation and oscillations. Made by Galoob Micro Machines.
Get this well made piece of kinetic art here:
From Etsy: BUY NOW: Kinetic Balance Mobile
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Balanced Mobile: five uniform wooded rods are connected to be in equilibrium under gravity, with balance points engineered such that the rods are horizontal and parallel to each other. The strings are slightly elastic allowing the rods to rotate back and forth after a slight push by hand, or interacting with a slight breeze. A mesmerizing kinetic sculpture by Luke De Aguilar of West River Design.
Get these tiny toys here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Small Balacing Birds & Stands
Get a "standard" balance bird here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Balance Birds
See other balancing toys and sculptures in my collection
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Micro Balancing Birds: how small can a balance bird be and still work? More mass towards the wing tips creates a center of mass below the beaks of these birds, making systems that are in stable equilibrium. Bonus- they are fluorescent under UV! Obviously no magnets used- instead the magic comes from engineering the center of mass to be outside the body of the object and below the balance point. These tiny birds and conical stands are sold on Amazon as party favors- and they work great (although an obvious choking hazard for little kids).
Get this charming and inexpensive balance toy here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Balance Sculpture
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Balance Twirl Fun: two stick figures twirl and dip in this low center of mass kinetic art sculpture (no magnets!). These balance toys have the curious motion of a 3D physical pendulum- a complex motion which can be broken down into oscillations along two dimensions and rotation about the point of contact. The metal stick figures (plus counterweights and bar structure) is designed such that its center of mass is few centimeters below the contact point when at rest. When the sculpture is tipped the center of mass swings under the pivot point in this stable equilibrium condition- no magnets needed to create this physics magic.
Get this Kikkerland brand balance pen here: Acrobat Pen
See my other amazing balance toys
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Kinetic Balance Pen: a sleek ball point pen finds balance in this desktop sculpture from Kikkerland as the "Acrobat Pen". When the pen is placed in its cap the center of mass of the system is below the pivot contact point, creating a situation of stable equilibrium.
This vintage item often available here:
From eBay: Search NOW: Bobile Balance Art Toy
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Bobile: balance + mobile— all components have a skid resistant rubbery coating which provides for static friction to allow for many interesting configurations. I obtained this fun toy from the SF MoMA gift shop a few years back- made by Hog Wild Toys LLC where a blurb on the side of the packaging claims “Where the science of physics is applied to the creation of art”.
This vintage art often found here:
From Etsy: BUY NOW: John Anderson Kinetic Art
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Kinetic Balance Sculpture: two ribbons of aluminum balance on a third in equilibrium with gravity- but free to rotate about pivot points above each system’s center of mass. A vintage find from 1974 by artist John W. Anderson.
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From Amazon: BUY NOW: Tipsy Metal Balance Bird
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Brass Balance Bird: weighted wing tips create a center of mass below the bird's beak- making a system in stable equilibrium. No magnets! This bird and stand are made of steel with a polished brass finish- a work of art- and useful too.
Get this amazing stand here:
From Etsy: BUY NOW: Balance Wine Rack
Or 3D print it yourself:
From Thingverse: Balance Wine Rack by Kenneth79
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Zigzagging Balance Wine Rack: serve your guests this season with a dash of physics magic! A carefully engineered 3D print version of a famous unstabel equilibrium demonstration- a balancing act where the center of mass of the rack/wine bottle system is directly over the base. A 3D print design by Kenneth Hansen which looks metallic and fantastic in shiny PLA. Suspended here is Educated Guess by Roots Run Deep, an excellent cabernet sauvignon from the North Coast.
Get one here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW Balance Bird
Balance Bird: weights in the wing tips create a center of mass below the bird's beak- making a system in stable equilibrium. No magnets!
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Many models and colors to choose from, available here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW
Heng Balance Lamp
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Heng Balance Lamp: magnetic suspension sculpture and light- with two neodymium magnets on cords suspended by their mutual magnetic attraction. In this design by Zanwen Li, the bottom cord engages the light switch.
Another wonderful desing by BinDesign- get one here in black or natural wood:
From Etsy: BUY NOW: Bin Design Balancer Puzzle
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Balance Stacking Sculpture: a series of torques in unstable equilibrium complete this Calder-esque structure. As each component is added its weighted end balances all the others before it, with the initial small piece weighing about a gram or so. Remove the end piece and the whole structure comes down. Another wonderful design by artist Bin Xu.
This elegant design comes ready to assemble in your choice of four colors:
From Etsy: BUY NOW: Chil Balance Bird
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Chil Balance Sculpture: the mass and orientation of the wings creates a center of mass below this sleek bird's beak- making a system that will rotate and oscillate about a stable equilibrium. No magnets! An elegant sculpture by artist Bin Xu of BinDesign that comes ready to assemble complete with stand,
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From Ludus Ludi in Spain: Nivana Balance Toy
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Arch Balance Toy: this elegant sculpture toy seemingly defies gravity- a careful placement of the pendulum will locate the center of mass of the arch + pendulum system directly above the 1cm wide foot of the arch, creating a state of unstable equilibrium. No magnets used or needed for this physics! Hang and balance your favorite object from this arch. Made in Spain by Pico Pao, the Nirvana balance toy come with an old fashioned throwing top as the pendulum bob.
Get one here!
From Amazon: BUY NOW Balance Pteranodon
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Balance Pteranodon: weights in the forward wing tips create a center of mass below this pterosaur's beak- making a system that can rotate and oscillate about a stable equilibrium condition. No magnets used or needed for this physics! Usually this toy is found in the form of a bird (direct dinosaur descendent). Pterosaurs are not dinosaurs, but are the largest animals to ever fly, and powered flight has only evolved four times: bats, birds, pterosaurs, and insects- in reverse order.
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From Amazon: BUY NOW Balance Cups
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Balance Drinking Vessel: physics meets design in this stainless steel cup- when empty the cup tilts to one side, but when full it stands straight. The walls of this spherical vessel are hollow, asymmetric, and weighted, designed with the center of mass displaced from the symmetry axis such that the empty cup rests in stable equilibrium at a 23 degree tilt. The addition of mass (pouring a drink) within the offset interior of the cup places the center of mass (cup + contents) onto the symmetry axis allowing an upright stable equilibrium. Designed by Katja Hoeltermann for Carl Mertens design of Solingen Germany.