This week’s selection is the fabulous Codename Colossus kinetic toy by Machination Studio.
This item appears to be a war machine of some unknown type, but what is it really? Machination Studio explains:
An artisanal, made to order, kinetic toy line set in Europe in an alternate history during The Great War. Codename Colossus is made from over 400 specially designed 3D printed and laser cut pieces. Each piece is individually hand painted and assembled. Servos, motors and LED drive the electronic and mechanical motion.
The “HMC Boudicca” prototype recently revealed is largely composed of 3D printed components. Evidently some 435 pieces were required to build it, each made either by 3D printing or laser cutting. Clearly the majority of the body is 3D printed, as you can see here in this closeup view.
We also find the finishing of these pieces to be very well done. In this view you can see the battle-damage detail that’s achieved through careful cleaning, sanding and painting.
Incredibly, Colossus can also walk! The 50cm tall prototype is seen striding slowly in this video:
Will you see an “HMC Boudicca” in the shops soon? Probably not, as the company intends on being the “antithesis to mass production toys”. In other words, each kinetic toy will be custom-designed and hand made for buyers.
No word on price, but you can bet it will be a lot more than you’d pay for most toys, as the price of the 3D printed parts alone could be significant.
