We've served up dozens if not hundreds of machines with a practical purpose, but we are always interested in machines like those [Steven Laurie] makes, which serve no other purpose than looking impressive, spewing smoke, leaving tire marks, and making a lot of racket. We'll give you the scoop on Steve's motor art after the break.
[Steven Laurie] is a native of Whitby, Ontario, where a local art gallery called the Station Gallery is exhibiting his motor-powered artwork. There [Laurie] demonstrated his Posi-Track Burnout Machine, which looks something like a souped-up lawnmower sitting on top of a car axle. Instead of being pushed along the grass, though, the burnout machine revs against the pavement creating skid marks on the asphalt as it pulls forward against the grip of the driver.
Another of Laurie's machines, the Handheld Rubber Burner, does much the same thing as the Burnout Machine, except instead of making long skid marks, it is intended to create user-designed skid marks. This custom machine is small enough to be held and directed using two hands. He also designed a similar device called the Stationary Rubber Burner (also called the Donut Machine) with the same purpose in mind, but it can only create circular skid marks since it pivots around center post. All three machines create skid marks, but the true art is in the performance, with the tires squealing, the engine revving, and the smell and the smoke of burning rubber fill the air.
For the pure visceral sensation of revving engine sounds, Laurie created the Boom Tube. It is a lawnmower engine mounted on a stand with an exhaust tube jutting upward. It does nothing more than idle and create a distinctive sound.
A slightly more interactive take on the concept is his Stationary Revving Machine. It is little more than an engine with a gas pedal, but like his other creations, it is intended to evoke the sounds and smells associated with muscle cars.
Laurie is nothing if not thorough, as evidenced by a smaller revving machine he named Wild Thing. It's just a chainsaw with a large exhaust tip and no cutting ability.
Two other machines, the Ape Hanger Rumbler and the Grass Ripping/Grave Diggin' Machine are also part of the exhibit. Even though we know you like machines that do practical things, we recommend that you contemplate your gear lust at this exhibit if you're in the Ontario area. If not, check out [Steven Laurie]'s Flickr stream.
1. It's cool in its own way but honestly, its the most useless thing I've seen today. Actually, a motor on a stand is kinda just that to me, a motor...on a stand.
Posted at 9:32PM on Jun 9th 2008 by Eric