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Malcolm Tibbetts
05-20-2007, 7:37 PM
Sorry for the necessary lengthy description…

This “tangle” celebrates “Spaceship Earth’s” never-ending journey through the cosmos. As our planet and its adjoining heavenly bodies careen through space, its rotational axis does not remain uniform. Like a rotating toy top, the direction of our axis has a slow wobble – a very slow wobble. A complete journey through the galaxy requires about 25,920 earth years or what is referred to as a “Great Year” and during that trip our axis only aligns perfectly with the center of the Milky Way twice (every 12,960 years) – quite a rare event. Over the years, astrologers have made many predictions and assigned much significance to this special alignment event. The coming of the next magical alignment is soon and it announces the “Age of Aquarius” – supposedly to be a period of true enlightenment, because of our axis alignment with the center of the Milky Way. Will the Aquarian “light” saves us?

This “tangle” is comprised of 12,960 pieces of wood. Each multi-curved pentagon-shaped ring is comprised of 180 small rings (to do a 180 is to turn things around). Each small ring is made of 12 segments (representing the 12 ages of the Zodiac) for a total of 2160 pieces in each large ring (representing 2160 years, one Zodiac “age”). Specs: 21” overall diameter, 2 ¼” tube diameters, Walnut, Jarrah, Blue Mahoe, Canarywood, Mahogany, Lacewood, and Birdseye Maple, finished with General Finishes High Performance Satin (water based).

Pete Jordan
05-20-2007, 7:40 PM
I never know what to say!

It is mind boggling!

It is a joy to watch your journey.

Shane Whitlock
05-20-2007, 8:25 PM
I'm speachless ... Malcolm this piece is just amazing!!!
I wouldn't even know how to begin to attempt something like this ... WOW!

Happy Turning,
Shane Whitlock

Ron Erickson
05-20-2007, 8:39 PM
Simply unbelievable. Thanks for sharing.

Nancy Laird
05-20-2007, 8:43 PM
I'm also speechless. Your creativity never ceases to amaze me.

Nancy

Joseph Peacock
05-20-2007, 8:59 PM
DANG!!!!!!! That's nothing I have ever seen, and it's beautiful!!!!!!;) :D :cool:

Curt Fuller
05-20-2007, 9:05 PM
I liked your explanation of this incredible piece. And it really is incredible. But my first impression was of the "machine" that was built in Carl Sagan's book "Contact". A much better interpretation than the movie. Not only is it hard to imagine how the astronomers, physicists, and mathematicions figure out all those things, But I can't begin to figure out how you get all of those thousands of glue joints in the right place, at the right time, and in the right sequence to make something like this come together.

Malcolm Tibbetts
05-20-2007, 9:19 PM
But my first impression was of the "machine" that was built in Carl Sagan's book "Contact".

Curt, it's funny that you should mention the movie Contact. I made this piece, titled "Cosmos", back in the mid '90's about a year of so before that movie came out. I had fun jokingly telling people that Hollywood copied my design.

Jim Becker
05-20-2007, 9:48 PM
That may be a galactic journey, but I'm tongue-tied....WOW!!

John Miliunas
05-20-2007, 9:51 PM
And yet another usual "Big mouth" at a loss for words! Simply magnificent, Malcolm. Both are truly captivating pieces. :) :cool:

Craig D Peltier
05-20-2007, 10:20 PM
Wow, thats cool. Amazing explanation also.

Bernie Weishapl
05-20-2007, 10:23 PM
All I can say is WOW. That is awesome Malcolm.

Steve Schlumpf
05-20-2007, 11:55 PM
Absolutely stunning! I want to ask how?.... but at my level of woodworking I do not honestly believe I could grasp it. Thanks for posting!

Patrick Taylor
05-21-2007, 12:01 AM
Wow. That's it. Just "WOW." :o

Jeffrey Fusaro
05-21-2007, 10:08 AM
malcolm--

your talent, vision and creativity are truly remarkable, and humbling, to those of us fortunate enough to see your work.

did any of your ancestors contribute to the creation of stonehenge, the pyramids at giza or the pyramids at chichen itza?

you are amazing!

Jonathon Spafford
05-22-2007, 1:45 AM
Kinda lost me in the description :D:D ... but the piece is phenomonal... I have know idea how you made it so perfectly! It is simply amazing... how did you plan to have a certain number of pieces... computer software? Anyway, awesome work!

Steve Trauthwein
05-22-2007, 7:40 AM
Okay Malcom, now you are making us dizzy on several levels!

Regards, Steve (AMAZED!)

jeremy levine
05-22-2007, 8:24 AM
Once again, unreal. WOW

Ken LaSota
05-22-2007, 11:40 AM
Fantastic.
Ken

Belinda Barfield
05-22-2007, 11:59 AM
This is truly an amazing piece, and I also appreciate the thought that went into the making of it. Interesting that Jeffery asks if your relatives were involved in building the pyramids. It has been postulated that the Sphinx was built to herald the Age of Leo, just as you have created your masterpiece to herald the Age of Aquarius. Let's hope enlightenment is just down the road!

Bill Wyko
05-22-2007, 1:26 PM
Malcolm you've done it again. I find it very enjoyable to analyze your methodology. It's also great that your work is also accompanied by a wonderful story. You're an inspiration.:)

Malcolm Tibbetts
05-22-2007, 4:27 PM
how did you plan to have a certain number of pieces... computer software?

Jonathon, figuring out how to build it using an exact number of pieces was the easy part - a little "if, then" using ms excel. Using exactly 180 rings per large ring was the tough part. The tapered angles of all the small rings had to be near perfect; one ring, plus of minus, would have changed the total number. Each large ring had to be pretty close to an exact in order for the configuration to “tangle”. This project more than satisfied my search for challenge.