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Matthias Wandel's DIY Automatic Baby-Rocking Machine

It's made from an old drill, parts from an 8-track player, and wood

By Rain Noe - August 31, 2015

in Product Design

Woodworking inventor Matthias Wandel is a newly-minted father, and we Wandel-watchers have been wondering when he'd incorporate the new baby into a project. Years, we figured, and we were wrong: He's already devised a DIY contraption to help soothe the baby come naptime.

Wandel pulled apart an old drill, pulled some belts out of an 8-track tape player and got to work. Check out his surprising (and surprisingly effective) creation:

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Ryan Miller

9 years ago

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As a juvenile product designer I am cringing as the sight of this motorized bassinet project. There is so much wrong, i don't even know where to begin.

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- Brian Cade
  
  Ryan Miller
  
  9 years ago
  
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  Such as? It definitely seems to work. Is it a danger thing or something else?
  
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  - Ryan Miller
    
    Brian Cade
    
    9 years ago
    
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    1. exposed transformer and wires
    2. exposed gearing and pulleys for siblings and pets to get caught in
    3. known over heating issue, worst case scenario the unit could catch on fire while the is unattended sleeping - it is a sleeping product
    4. violent rock setting
    5. the baby was placed in a box, really a box, i am sure that is not in the manufactures instruction manual
    6. adding rocking feet to a bassinet that was not intended to rock. all juvenile products must pass all applicable ASTM safety standards specifically the bassinet stability test
    
    it is a creative use of materials and mechanisms, however the risk of injury is not worth injuring your child. there are plenty of motion machines (4 moms, nuna, graco and etc) and multi-directional swings on the market that can safely rock your child to sleep.
    
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Liam Dewhurst

9 years ago

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I know several parents whose newborn children were happiest in a cardboard box (though I almost fell off my chair when I heard about it).

But aside from that, we can't be afraid to rework products that we purchase. Why shouldn't you re-purpose to suit your own needs? As an in-house product designer I find that you always have ideas for a v2 when a product is frozen for manufacturing, there's always room for improvement. There's furniture through my house that I have trimmed, re-painted and turned on its head to better suit my needs.

**As long as you are aware of the risks and understand the responsibility now rests with you, not the manufacturer.

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