In my humble opinion

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This piece has gone through several revisions. The one above is a custom made version with a carved lime wood head. The bottom one, below was the first version and the version immediately below I made as a piece that can be reliably made without carving to enable me to make a plan.
The plan is available on the plans page.
This was the first piece that I made and the set up forms the base of most of my other designs.

Plans are available for £9.99. They are a good base for making many other automata.
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This version was made to a client's brief as a caricature of a family member. The head is carved from lime wood.
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The handle has a brass axle with a nylon bushing. My first automaton with a handle that rotates.
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The first automaton that I made. The head is carved from pinewood. This wood plots easily and is difficult to carve in any detail.
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This version has a simple carved lime wood head.
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This head is easy to make without any carving skills and instructions are in the plans.
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The first automaton that I made. The head is carved from pinewood. This wood plots easily and is difficult to carve in any detail.
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I made this as an automaton that can be reliably made without carving to enable me to make a plan.
The plan is available on the plans page and serves as a good basis for making your own designs, see pictures on the plans page.
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The first automaton that I made. The head is carved from pinewood. This wood plots easily and is difficult to carve in any detail.