Five-Connected is the second of my kinetic pieces. I built it to participate in the show commemoration the tenth anniversary of the College of the Redwoods Fine Woodworking program, focused on the craftsmanship of James Krenov. This show was open to former students and staff, and I had been an assistant instructor the first year.
One of the characteristics of the Krenov style is tight fit around the drawers and doors. The result is that there is a little air compression when a drawer or door is closed. I decided to accentuate that quality.
Each of the five little drawers slide in pockets lined with formic, giving a smooth surface. The back of each drawer has a gasket, so moving the drawer acts as a piston. There is a positive stop on each drawer, which prevents it from coming all the way out. When the center drawer is pulled out, the air flows through one element of a pitch pipe, sounding a note. When that drawer is pushed in, a different note sounds.
When any of the four corner drawers is pulled
out, a third note sounds. But when this drawer is pushed back
in, the drawer on the opposite corner pushed out! The air passages
are plumbed through holes drill in the connecting parts. The drawers
can be closed by pushing on both corners, and yet a fourth note
sounds.
