XyloVan

  • The ferns – Finishing the remodel

    The ferns – Finishing the remodel

    I worried when I started this final phase of our 2nd-floor gut-remodel that my lighting plan was going to look corny or fail structurally. Now that it’s installed, I like the way it turned out. When I designed the remodel, I figured that we would want recessed, dimmable lighting of some kind that comes on…

  • Old->New gong array

    The trick with scrap-aluminum gongs is that you just can’t tune them. So I built this basic array by ear (back when I decommissioned XyloVan), choosing disc gongs that would resonate well together. This past month, I upgraded the whole thing to get it ready for visitors to Seacompression to bang on and enjoy. Weather…

  • A gift

    I spent quite a few hours finishing this for Jack, the bit, friendly genius/nice guy of a home builder who finished the last major step of our 2nd floor remodel this afternoon. I engraved two gongs that sound good together, mounted them on a chunk of the butcher block that I milled from scrap left…

  • The ferns – Finishing the remodel

    I worried when I started this final phase of our 2nd-floor gut-remodel that my lighting plan was going to look corny or fail structurally. Now that it’s installed, I like the way it turned out. When I designed the remodel, I figured that we would want recessed, dimmable lighting of some kind that comes on…

  • Old->New gong array

    The trick with scrap-aluminum gongs is that you just can’t tune them. So I built this basic array by ear (back when I decommissioned XyloVan), choosing disc gongs that would resonate well together. This past month, I upgraded the whole thing to get it ready for visitors to Seacompression to bang on and enjoy. Weather…

  • A gift

    I spent quite a few hours finishing this for Jack, the bit, friendly genius/nice guy of a home builder who finished the last major step of our 2nd floor remodel this afternoon. I engraved two gongs that sound good together, mounted them on a chunk of the butcher block that I milled from scrap left…

  • Rebirthing the XyloVan gongs

    Long, long ago, in a city far, far away (2010, Los Angeles), I made this crazy thing with the help of my loving and endlessly tolerant family. XyloVan – the only musical instrument I know of that got 8 miles a gallon downhill in a tailwind – played and ran for many years at Burning…

  • Assemblage pins assembled

    I’ve had dozens, if not hundreds of intriguing little pieces of stuff kicking around the shop for years. Faucet handles, wood scraps, crystals, bits of string. I decided to throw a few of them together and put pinbacks on them before Christmas, but then the family decided this would be a no-gifts Christmas so we…

  • A couple of laser lamps

    My first try using a laser cutter. These came out pretty much as-advertised, from templates I bought on Etsy. I’m taking these as a training round – and inspiration for working on my own designs.

  • Techno-tribal mask for Luminata

    Every fall, Seattle holds “Luminata” – a festival of lights with a parade around the Green Lake in lighted costumes. I built this from scrap plywood, found hardware, chicken wire, and added a light array in front, and wore it with a black robe. You could *just* see through the slit across the bridge of…

  • Lamp for the future

    This was scratch-built from 3mm birch plywood, transparent red acrylic rod, patterned sheet plastic, and an assortment of hardware including metal strap and hog rings. I leaned hard on influences from the art deco age, where something warm and futuristic was always in the corner, lighting the room.

  • Gong Fights at Seacompression 2022

    Once again, ladies and gentlemen: the brutality, the majesty, the stupidity of Gong Fights. (What???) This session was at Seacompression a few weeks ago. @findthecoretruth (parading the round numbers around the ring), our good friend Lara (in referee garb, judiciously scoring the fights and calling the winner of each round) and I (the robed announcer in…

  • Gong Fights at Burning Man 2022

    I wanted to bring something fast, loud, and stupid to the playa this year. Something that was portable, easy to make and use, and memorable. (photo gallery below!) You know the sound a steel mixing bowl makes when you strike its edge? I love the round, BONGing resonance of it. So: Equipment: I built two…