So, what can we make at the Manufactory?
Anything we can dream up. Here are a few ideas.
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1) Build Your Own Aleutian Iqyax (pronounced ik' yah), the world's most agile water craft
Having led many traditional Unangam (Aleut) skin boat building projects in small villages in the Aleutian and Pribilof Islands of Alaska since 1993, we now look forward to sharing that experience with others. These skin boats, called iqyan and uluxtan by their Unangam inventors, represent over ten thousand years of continual development and refinement. Even in the present era of carbon fibers, cross-linked polymers, and space-age composites, these traditional vessels are considered to be the "state of the art" in high performance, resilient watercraft.
At Mind's Eye we will be organizing classes in which a small number of students will each build his or her own iqyax based upon their body size and personal design wishes. And it is our hope that some of our Unangax friends from Alaska might join us for some of these classes.
Pictured here are the rough-fitted pieces of an iqyax bow (front end of the kayak). These parts are carved from driftwood "crooks" that match the required curves. Note the grain sweeping through the piece. This gives the piece great strength.
The same iqyax bow after some finish shaping and a coating of linseed oil and pine tar. Next, a "skin" of extra tough Dacron fabric is sewn over the lashed and pegged framework, and then shrunk taut. The skin is saturated with a translucent, flexible coating.
The bow of the iqyax after "skinning" and coating. This design detail was developed over thousands of years of constant use and refinement by the Unangan people, and serves a very important hydro-dynamic function. The lower portion of the bow is narrow, and forms a sharp cutwater entry for the vessel, while the upper flaired portion provides buoyancy and a planing surface. This upper bow portion helps prevent plunging of the bow when paddling in rough or choppy seas.
And here is the finished iqyax, tailor fitted to its maker's body size and aesthetic taste. It is an ultra-light (35-40 lbs.), ultra-quiet, and extremely seaworthy vessel, unmatched by any production-made sea kayak.
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We have a long list of visiting "artisan-teachers" who are eager to lead specialized classes such as:
*Building a Norse Faering (traditional planked rowing/sailing boat from the Faeroe Islands)
*Sculpting in Stone
*Blacksmithing
*Bronze Foundry Work
*Building a Traditional Birchbark Canoe
*Flintknapping and Primitive Technologies
*Electric Vehicle Development
*Unangam (Aleut) Bent-wood Visor Making
In addition to these classes we'd like to explore some of the projects below:
2) Build a medieval trebuchet and host a "hurling" demonstration
Imagine rolling this marvel of physics out of the shop and down Main Street to hurl large objects out across a local field!
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3) Create a Tesla Coil
What laboratory would be complete without one?
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4) Build a fleet of wherries
The Wineglass Wherry
This outstanding rowing wherry comes in kit form from Pygmy Boats in Port Townsend, Washington. Of all the kit boats I've seen, this one really shines. In addition to being stunningly gorgeous, the user reviews speak of easy rowing, comfortable stability, and good tracking. Builder reviews rave about the high quality of the CNC-cut parts which make it easy to successfully get through the building process.
At 90 pounds, the Wineglass Wherry is easy to carry, and car-top-able. Length: 14 feet, Beam: 48 inches
We plan to conduct wherry-building classes during which 4 or 5 students at a time can each build his or her own wherry, detailing and finishing it out as they wish. Over time, we'd like to host "wherry-ing" excursions and maybe an annual rendevouz.
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5) Make wood and tissue ornithopters
Using proven plans, we can build working models of DaVinci's wing-flapping flying machine out of balsa wood and tissue paper.
...and they fly beautifully!
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6) Re-articulate an animal skeleton
We can clean up, study, and re-assemble the bones of a fellow mammal. It's fascinating to see that we (vertibrates) are really much more similar than we are different. We all have basically the same equipment, arranged in slightly different ways!
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7) Make a traditional sea chest/ tool box
Dovetailed corners; braided beckets; personalized design. Create a toolbox or sea chest worthy of holding your finest treasures.
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8) Help build Mind's Eye's Umiaq "Mother Ship"
These Native Alaskan watercraft are marvels of ingenuity and resourceful engineering. They are light enough for a few people to carry, yet seaworthy enough to have carried entire villages across the Bering Sea. Traditionally covered with split walrus skin, we now use super-heavy nylon fabric and a polymer coating. Same look, less maintenance, and the walruses appreciate it.
We will be building an umiaq in the 30 foot range, capable of taking larger groups of adults, youths, and children out onto the waters of Humboldt Bay and the Eel River. With a quiet and nimble umiaq, we will be able to explore freely and gain experiences unknown to those confined to the shore.
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9) Dream up and carry out your own project
Let the artisans, artists and instructors at Mind's Eye guide you through a project you've been longing to create. Whether it involves woods, metals, stone, glass, textiles, plastics,or nearly any other material, we provide access to all the right tools and the expertise to pull it off in fine style. We'd like for you to think of Mind's Eye Manufactory as your own personal workshop.
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10) Sand-casting molten bronze
Make your mold in the afternoon; watch the pour the following morning. Take your piece home that day.
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We have a never-ending list of ideas for fantastic hands-on classes and projects, more of which will be posted here...soon. We'd love to hear your ideas, too.