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Erich Schatt |
Wood machine |
E-Mail: emschatt@bluewin.ch |
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A fantastic machine sculpture is being created in Erich Schatt's workshop |
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Is it a sculpture or a machine? If Erich Schatt climbs in his machine sculpture and puts the machine into movement with man power (to pedal) or with electromotor, in any case, it reminds of the works of Jean Tinguely. It is a real pleasure to hear and see how the gear wheels, chains, transmission and universal joints rotate and rattle. All components with the exception of the engine are made of wood, made personally by Erich Schatt in years of work. His machine honours him as an outstanding artisan who also masters the laws of the mechanics. If one sees Erich Schatt standing next to his precision machine whose innumerable components are all thought-out and finest handcraft, one could think that in any case his talent for the material wood is of outstanding excellence. He also would like to fill others with enthusiasm about it. It is also his aim to show interested people the drive and the power transmission of chains and gears. |
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Wood an unusual material to work with Already as a child collecting and working with wood was his hobby. Early it was already clear that Erich Schatt has a great passion for wood and this will be his future profession. At that time he has already been into condemned houses and removed the beautiful old floors, wood walls and everything one could still use. Dirt does not bother him because underneath the most beautiful wood which was stored well for years was hidden. An enormous amount of old stuff accumulated which he then sold again and bought new tools and planes. Old wood connections and ancient furniture have always fascinated him. He learned the profession as a furniture carpenter and worked as bench and customer carpenter and machinist in different enterprises. Later he was looking for an employment as ancient carpenter and has specialized in the restoration of ancient furniture. His desire to work with solid wood was fulfilled for him. |
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Much reminds of a bicycle Erich Schatt has already invested innumerable man-hours into his wood machine. He works in his workshop for about six hours every Saturday. His hobby which takes up a great deal of time started with the fascination of sprocket wheel and chain. He did not get away from the thought, that somehow it can also be created with wood. So he started with his large work with a model chain made of wood which he made 8 years ago (1998). Chains and engines have always fascinated him. He took a bicycle chain as a sample and manufactured it from wood. Therefore he calculated the sprockets and a part came to the other. He had the idea to build a wooden machine approx. 9 years ago. The beginning of the today's machine (more than 2 m high, 2 m long and 1 m wide) was first quite small. Erich Schatt had his idea how the wood machine exactly should look like at the end. He invested his whole leisure time and a part of his holidays to build his machine. In addition to the great number of man-hours needed, it required also calculations, technical know-how and much patience until each part fitted into the other. After 7 years the machine was ready and he could exhibit it for the first time. |
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Already the first exhibition was a complete success Erich Schatt could exhibit the machine publicly at the annual convention of the sawmill association (Sägereiverband) in Schaffhausen (CH) for the first time on October 26th, 2002. On this event it showed to its best advantage. The experts in Schaffhausen showed great interest on Erich Schatt’s work. Again and again, Erich Schatt gets inquiries from interested persons at home and from foreign countries, whether the wood machine would be available for exhibitions |
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The 2nd wood machine is already in work There is hardly anything which Erich Schatt has not made of wood. A look into his photo book shows that he has good solutions for almost everything made of wood. Beside furniture of any type, toys, games, lanterns, attaché case, guinea pig stable he manufactured also a model of an American Truck which is 2 m long. Offers were already made a few times to him for this truck but Erich Schatt could not part with him at that time. Actually Erich Schatt wanted to build a second trailer and put on it a tank with two chambers from which red and white wine should flow at company celebrations. He never lacks ideas. The second machine on which he is already working for one year will not become as big as the first one but be more intricate. The machine consists of a planetary gear system which has 80 cm of diameter. It is driven similarly to the first machine by a wood chain. One sits on a wooden saddle which is slipped back and forward in a swallowtail butterfly guide rail. His new machine probably will be ready within approx. 3 years on the whole so that she can be shown to interested people. |
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