Leonardo DaVinci's Cam Hammer
Leonardo DaVinci invented many uses for rotating cams. In his portfolio known as the "Codex Madrid", a drawing of an automatic, cam-operated sledge hammer was found. This model is inspired by that drawing. It is a perfect application of three of the six fundamental machines, combined into one working machine. It is a wheel with a wedge wrapped around it, and a class-1 lever being moved by the wedge.
We believe that he developed the idea of an automatic hammer to help blacksmiths and other professions of his time who used repeated blows of a hammer to do their work - usually in the process of forging heated metals.
The strength required for constant lifting and swinging a sledge could have limited the work of otherwise talented blacksmiths, so the invention of an automatic hammer was a brilliant innovation. This concept is so useful, it's still used in machines and tools today.
This is a museum quality model kit we designed for anyone who admires Leonardo DaVinci and his work. It is easy to assemble, and all parts are included. All you need to supply are glue, scissors (or wire cutters) a little sand paper and small clamps or rubber bands to hold the pieces together while the glue dries.
For a museum-quality display model, you can stain it an antique color and paint the hammer and strike-pad black to simulate carbon steel. It's a beautiful and fun project for anyone! Recommended for age 8 and up.
