Maribelle m211

Mercury-Class Astrobot 211

Maribelle is tall for her class. The inspirational element was a pair a of brass knobs from a broken oxy-acetylene torch. Welding brass is not fun at all: even if you can get it super-clean, it still pops and fizzes and makes a mess. I held into the knobs for years and years before realizing the axles were steel. I carefully welded them to the inside of a couple of coaster brake parts. This makes up her hair.

Another element I love is the grease-port belly button. While I’ve seen many grease ports on vintage bicycle hubs, most of them are plastic. I couldn’t resist.

Her skirt is made from nineteen used thread taps with some sort of brass-colored coating. Her legs are from four drill bits. Wings are from coaster brake arms. Her delicate fingers are from pawls from three-speed hubs.

Delicately applied silicon bronze ‘rivets’ adorn her, including meticulously applied eyelashes and dimples.

21″ tall, 8 lbs, 2oz.

Can be seen in person at 13 Forest Gallery, 167a Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington MA