On Doing Da Vinci
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I’ve been out of action for several days, suffering from what may seem like an awful case of conjunctivitis, or extremely dry eye, most likely related to the presence (and recent growth) of scar tissue on my cornea as a result of a chemical burn I suffered a few years ago while working with strain gauges. It feels worse than it sounds, believe me! It also comes and goes, never lasts more than a few days and then I’m fine again, but you can bet I’m not precisely fun to be with while it lasts, because during those days I can’t even stand the light and it certainly feels as if I had rubbed chili peppers on my eyeballs. Today I’m feeling much better, and I’m thankful that my husband recorded for me a new show from the Discovery Channel that I was curious about: Doing Da Vinci.
Have you seen that show? I find it very interesting. Basically, you have a team of guys who are experts at building all kinds of stuff and gadgets (think gadgets for special effects in movies and such) trying to bring Leonardo’s never before built designs of war machines to life. So it goes like this: Dr. Pevsner, who has devoted a great deal of his life to studying Da Vinci’s work, challenges the team with a particular machine and also provides the sketches and information about the design as they appear in Leonardo’s notes. Next, the engineer of the team takes the sketches and information available and creates a 3D model (using Autodesk Inventor), blueprints and instructions for the rest of the crew to actually build and assemble Leonardo’s invention. Of course, it’s not that easy… For instance, they try to keep the selection of materials as close as possible to what Leonardo would’ve used to build the prototype of his invention, but they still have to make choices along the way, and facilitate their work by using machines that Leonardo probably didn’t have laying around in his shop, but that he may have liked had they been available back then. In the episode I watched, for instance, the engineer decided on adding ball bearings to Leonardo’s design of a war tank, even though most of us are almost sure they didn’t actually exist back then, but Dr. Pevsner justified his choice by arguing (with pictures and all) that Leonardo may have actually invented the very first bearings way back then. Of course, when later on they brought in the CNC machine after the engineer managed to break the blade of the saw they were previously using (why is it always the engineer that breaks things?), my husband and I joked that it was probably a valid choice because it was likely that Leonardo invented the CNC mill, as well.
Jokes aside, I find this show extremely interesting because it’s not precisely a show about design, like in the case of Prototype This, but about what happens after the design phase is complete. See, the design phase already took place hundreds of years ago, and this is now about how to take that design and make it a reality, and it’s interesting because this is precisely what a great deal of people that work with SolidWorks and other 3D modeling software need to figure out every day. While it’s true that a few will be actually inventing something new for a living, most will be working on bringing someone else’s idea to life, just like the engineer in the show, creating the 3D model out of Da Vinci’s sketches and notes, and pouring out of his own experience and common sense in selecting materials and making a few adaptations to it while staying as close as possible to the original design.
Some time ago I had asked another SolidWorks blogger who has his own business and who usually works with inventors and other particulars doing precisely that, if he could write about it, about what he does for his clients, about the process involved and what part he plays in it, and he told me there was not much to say about it, that sometimes there were sketches, sometimes just a few doodles on a napkin, not much to say about it… I think there is a lot more to say about it. While it may not seem very romantic for some, because there’s not actual design taking place here, it’s interesting just the same, perhaps even more so because it involves reality and that’s precisely what I think is sometimes missing for many of us engineers: the bridge between the idea, the design, and the world of reality, of what’s practical, of what can really be built and what it will take to do it. Of course, in this case it is even better because it’s not just any design, it’s Leonardo Da Vinci’s! Great show, I still wish they had chosen SolidWorks for their solid modeling, though… J
Leave a Comment
May 22, 2009 at 7:49 am
I think what really gets people aggravated about this show and the team members is the reality TV spin on it. The focus on the drama rather than the intended purpose of the show is where everything hits the fan.
The big problems I have with Flash are his sloppy craftsmanship standards and his general disrespect to others.
His sloppy craftsmanship is a safety issue. The majority of the inventions that they have built are lethal in nature. Flash’ sloppy work can open the door for catastrophic failure, thus potentially injuring or killing a member of the team or film crew. We have all watched the episodes and seen the rest of the team’ focus on accuracy in the build process and how they fight with him to make sure everything is done safely and correctly.
May 22, 2009 at 1:50 am
sorry for a double post but do any of you know what they do with all the things they make do they go to a museum or are they just sitting in a field?
May 22, 2009 at 1:47 am
i also agree flash should be cut out, fired, forced to retire. i don’t care how but he needs to be gone. i own and run my own business and if i put out work like he did i would not have any customers and my family would be out on the street. and if i had a employee that had the work ethics flash has i would fire him. tony campanale you need to put your self in a different thought. try to think if you hired flash to remodel your home “if your old enough to own one” your probably 12 or something. but try to think about it OK? now how would you feel if you had him build you a deck on the back of your house and you wanted to put a hot tub on it. but with how flash cuts ALL not some but ALL his wood every piece would be 1″ up to 7″ off. now just think do you think a hot tub the J-480 spa has 570 US gallons or 2,158 liters that is 4748.1 pounds and that’s not counting the tub it self. “do you really think it will hold or would you take him to court? now just think if your wife and kids were in it? his work ethic is not healthy to the show and if he dose not go soon i will stop watching the show as so many of my friends have all ready…
May 15, 2009 at 2:00 am
tony c- why are you driven to attack benjamin b? You complain about him having a grudge- yet this is your post 4 or 5 of you bad mouthing him with nothing to back up your claims- seems like lots of people agreed that flash is a boob- btw you really should tell everyone that you and scott and flash are good buddies.
May 9, 2009 at 7:43 pm
Once again you can’t answer direct questions.
Get over your need to feel more important than you are, maybe a dating service will help.
May 8, 2009 at 10:04 pm
Mr Campanale,
Wow, Sounds like you have a unfulfilled need to create fantasies with little or no basis in fact! By the way, who or what is the Sykes Posse?
May 6, 2009 at 6:38 pm
Wow! Sounds like you have a personal vendetta against Flash. Do you really believe that the producers would waste the resources or put cast & crew in jeopardy? If you don’t like him that’s one thing, it’s television. My suggestion to you is to calm down and not blame the rest of the world because you can’t get cast on a show. By the way, How is the Sykes posse?
May 6, 2009 at 3:36 am
I was wondering which engineering program is the most common/best used for conceptualizing. I am somewhat familiar with Pro Engineer, and I would like to take a CAD/CAM cert; which do you recommend? Pro/E, SolidWorks, AutoCad Inventor?
May 5, 2009 at 11:06 pm
In my opinion, Leonardo da Vinci was a unique wonderfully talented Man! It is hard to comprehend how far ahead of his time he was. He truly was a Master of many different disciplines. Examples of his brilliance are still being discovered today!
I was excited and looking forward to viewing Discovery Channel’s latest program “Doing Da Vinci”! So Far, in my opinion, “Doing Da Vinci has not lived up to my expectations. Doing Da Vinci still has the potential to be a great program! Provided they remove one member of the cast who, in my opinion, is destroying the show!
One would think the producer would have gotten qualified experts that reflected the values of Leonardo Da Vinci. Instead they hired Flash Hopkins, in my opinion, a Loud Mouthed Buffoon with no sense of quality nor craftsmanship! Pride in workmanship is a concepts which Flash has a zero understanding! In my opinion, Flash Hopkins is everything Leonardo da Vinci was not
Flash Hopkins, in my opinion, is a sloppy, uninspiring, “EXTREMELY DANGEROUS” individual in a Carpentry and Metal Shop Setting! His knowledge of the proper utilization of the tools and equipment and materials is very poor! If someone is not seriously injured as a result of his “Bull In a China Closet” attitude and actions, before the series is completed, I will be very surprised!
I could not believe how poorly he used the Table Saw during the “Machine Gun” episode! When he was making the angle cuts. The Blade was crank up to what appeared full height. Exposing at least two or more inches of Saw Blade ready to cut off fingers. Anyone with the least bit of safety training or for that matter “Common Sense” with a Table Saw knows to expose as little of the blade needed to fully complete the cut(not over a quarter of a inch.) Another example of his poor safety practices is the manner he was using the Hole Hawg Bit to remove excess material off the crotch of the wheel spokes. Besides not being “designed for”, “nor effective in” doing the task. The Bit could have grabbed and the drill torque could have easily caused a badly sprained wrist or broken a wrist! I could cite numerous other examples! In my opinion, Flash Hopkins should be sent down the road as fast as possible. Additionally, Flash Hopkins should be cut out and removed entirely from the already completed Shows!
All the other members of the Design and Construction Team seem to have a real positive caring attitude! However, I have already began to switch channels to other programs when the self-important loudmouth “Flash Hopkins” is spouting off. I’m afraid, if you continue to utilize “Flash Hopkins” and his “Wham Bam”, throw it together, know it all, attitude. I seriously doubt I will watch any reruns nor would I recommend the series to others. Further unless removal of Flash Hopkins occurs soon. I am totally convinced the series will not live up to the high goals and expectations as was originally offered and promoted!
Respectfully Submitted,
Benjamin J. “Joe” Browning
April 15, 2009 at 6:02 pm
Wow! Glad you reminded me of when Uncle DaVinci’s birthday was. I keep on forgetting.
Actually it is a great tip to check out. Read your latest blog, Gabi. Sorry to hear about those eyes of yours bothering you again. We both seem to have similar problems. I also went to see your clarification note and I agree with you on what you wrote there too. The Inspirtech company has been a great resource for me to help prepare me to teach either a class or a teacher in our school district that will eventually bring SolidWorks into the class rooms here. I’ve been very fortunate to know both of you because you have both increased my knowledge in this amazing program. Let me publicly say thank you to you both. I also have no monetary gain for what I am learning and teaching. I don’t want anything either. It feels good to help spread the knowledge around especially to those youngsters out there. Take care Gabi and take care of those eyes. Bye.
April 15, 2009 at 11:19 am
Hello! Ever visited Peterman’s Eye? Today’s discussion is Leonardo DaVinci…come celebrate his birthday today!
http://www.petermanseye.com/curiosities/news/642-davinci-day
Cheers!
April 15, 2009 at 11:27 am
Wow! Thanks! I wasn’t really aware it was Leonardo’s birthday today! Great timming!
April 15, 2009 at 3:54 am
I saw an British show that is similar, recreating Da Vinci, and they built one of his “hang glider like” flying machines. Fascinating in that they very closely matched his design and construction as the only real modernisation was a control bar that didn’t appear on the orignal. It not only flew but did so surprisingly well. While I admired the research, design and construction it was the brave test pilot who really got my respect. It was on a slope, so not too high, but was literally a leap of faith.
April 15, 2009 at 7:55 am
I knew they couldn’t be that original! The American producers copy from British, and the rest of the world copy from America.
Oh, I wish they recreate a flying machine for this show too! But, yeah, that would be a really brave pilot to fly on it or someone with a lot of faith on the genious of Leornardo. It was interesting to see the way they interpret the design is a bit biased because it is Da Vinci. At some point they found out that something wasn’t quite right in the mechanism that transferred power to the wheels, but instead of assuming it was an error, they all agreed it was intentionally placed that way by Leonardo himself to discourage those that tried to steal his design. Interesting…