Contraptions begin with the force of a mousetrap and end with the force of a mousetrap. What you do for at least 30 seconds in a 2' high x4' wide x6' long space on the table in between is up to you. We made a piece of the chain some years ago, and if I can find the photos, I will post them.
When we first became aware of the FAT chain, since we're all big Rube Goldberg fans, we went on youtube to see what kinds of projects had been done. There were lots of K'nex, legos, blocks and little cars, but the thing that jumped out at the three girls was that everything looked so boy oriented. And so the planning began.
It was a project that took a couple of months. I'll be the first to admit that the girls were, let us say, not consistent in their interest or involvement. One or the other of them would work on it for a while, but I was the one keeping time for the deadline. As we got close, we got incredible assistance from our friend Lee, who helped construct and troubleshoot, and Audrey, who sewed the ballgowns. Stay with me.
It's worth adding to the suspense that we had to deconstruct the whole thing, bring it to Thanksgiving at Grandma's in Connecticut, and that while we were there, we reconstructed it for practice, took video and photos that are now misplaced, and ran it twice: once perfectly, then when we brought people out to see it, a total fail. The next day, Friday, we ran set it up at the MIT gym and ran it once. Fail. However, the three girls were now totally into it. They set up the Barbies. They wrote a sign, "No Barbies were harmed in this FAT chain." They gave mini-tours as the crowd gathered, ending by saying that our table was physics and fashion. They gleefully overheard parents telling their kids that if they got lost or separated, they would all meet at the Barbie table.
It ended up as a wooden structure, painted pink and covered with glitter. It began with a mousetrap pull that caused a Barbie in silver leggings to shoot down a ramp in a little car. When she flew off the side, a string caused pink glitter sand to pour into tiny champagne glasses on a see-saw, and when they got full, they tipped another Barbie. Ball bearings were rolled. Magnets were pulled off. A Barbie ball-gown on a tiny hanger slid down a string and upset a tube of plastic jewels. Those started a chunky domino fall, and that ended with a mouse trap clap which started the next link in the chain. And arrayed all around the structure were spokesmodel Barbies, each one wearing matching pink ballgowns, each with a tiny pearl necklace and a Miss America-style sash that said "Barbie @ MIT."
The chain started with the vibration of a cell phone. We were about halfway around the gym. And when it was our turn, when it really counted, the Barbies pulled through. Not a single glitch. It was spectacular.
In fact, the only drawback, besides the fact that I cannot find the photos and video we took, is that the following year we could not for the life of us, conceive of a worthy act to follow. I suppose if you start epic, it's fine to end right there, when you're still epic.
Go forth, and make things move. Oh, and to inspire your girls, check out the Goldiblox add as well.
That was such fun!! Maybe a farm oriented one, with a lot of chickens, for next year?
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