- Gurstelle, William.
Adventures from the Technology Underground.
New York: Clarkson Potter, 2006.
ISBN 1-4000-5082-0.
-
This thoroughly delightful book invites the reader into a
subculture of adults who devote their free time,
disposable income, and considerable brainpower to defying
Mr. Wizard's
sage injunction, “Don't try this yourself at home”.
The author begins with a handy litmus test to decide whether
you're a candidate for the Technology Underground. If you
think flying cars are a silly gag from
The Jetsons, you don't
make the cut. If, on the other hand, you not only think
flying cars are perfectly reasonable but can
barely comprehend why there isn't already one, ideally
with orbital capability, in your own garage right
now—it's the bleepin' twenty-first century,
fervent snakes—then you “get it” and will
have no difficulty understanding what motivates folks to build high
powered rockets, giant Tesla coils, flamethrowers, hypersonic
rail guns, hundred foot long pumpkin-firing cannons,
and trebuchets (if you really want to make
your car fly, it's just the ticket, but the operative word
is “fly”, not “land”). In a world where
basement tinkering and “that looks about right”
amateur engineering has been largely supplanted by virtual
and vicarious experiences mediated by computers, there remains
the visceral attraction of heavy metal, high voltage, volatile
chemicals, high velocities, and things that go bang, whoosh,
zap, splat, and occasionally kaboom.
A technical section explains the theory and operation
of the principal engine of entertainment in each
chapter. The author does not shrink from using equations
where useful to clarify design trade-offs; flying car
fans aren't going to be intimidated by the occasional
resonant transformer equation! The principles of
operation of the various machines are illustrated by
line drawings, but there isn't a single photo in the
book, which is a real shame. Three story tall
diesel-powered centrifugal pumpkin hurling machines,
a four story 130 kW Tesla coil, and a calliope
with a voice consisting of seventeen pulsejets
are something one would like to see as well as read
about, however artfully described.
February 2006 