The Whimsical World of Joseph Herscher’s Absurd Machines
Summary
Joseph Herscher has captured millions of hearts on social media by building insanely complex machines that simplify his life. He creates machines that turn newspaper pages, cut his hair, and even serve him cake. In an era of computer graphics and slick edits, his single continuous shot videos stand out for their intricately kinetic, lo-fi whims. Herscher’s fascination for problem-solving and mechanic started at a young age. Today, he sketched his machine’s idea, sources materials, and builds his fantastic machines in a tiny apartment in New York City.
Table of Contents
- The Inception of Joseph Herscher’s machines
- How Joseph Herscher creates his machines
- The challenges of building the machine
- The payoff of a month-long hard work
- The future of Joseph Herscher’s machines
Introduction
Have you ever thought about finding an easier way to do something, no matter how absurd it may seem? If you have, then you and Joseph Herscher share that same wavelength. Joseph Herscher, a mechanical mastermind, is the man behind the viral Youtube channel Joseph’s Machines. He creates machines specifically and solely designed to solve his everyday problems. Beyond their weirdness and absurdity, watching his mechanizations is a rollercoaster ride of dark humor, tactful choreography, and precision.
Q&A:
The Inception of Joseph Herscher’s machines
Q: What inspired Joseph Herscher to create these absurd machines?
Answer: Joseph Herscher’s fascination for problem-solving machines started at a young age, growing up in New Zealand. One of his childhood memories is watching the cartoon show “Tom and Jerry,” where a cat and mouse’s natural will to survive inspired Herscher’s unique problem-solving ideology. Over time, he has continuously sought to find an easier way of doing things, no matter how strange it may seem. For example, his first machine was to solve his problem of not wanting to get up out of bed in the morning to turn off his alarm. He then built a Rube Goldberg, which led him to the discovery of the absurd machines, which made sense in his world view.
Q: How does Joseph Herscher come up with the idea for machines?
Answer: Joseph Herscher comes up with the idea of his machines almost organically. He often checks with himself what mundane problems he can afford to solve. When stuck, he turns to brainstorming with friends or with people around him, often getting inspiration from everyday objects such as toothbrush, food utensils or furniture. Once he has an idea, he visualizes the machine, getting hand-drawn sketches of how the different parts will fit together.
How Joseph Herscher creates his machines
Q: What is the process of building a machine?
Answer: Once Joseph Herscher has an idea for a machine, he primarily works on the sketches, ensuring that the different components fit together correctly. After he has a good sketch, he starts sourcing the different materials that he needs. He prefers using items that are readily accessible, and nothing is too far-fetched for Herscher- from a toddler’s toy to a dog gate. Sometimes, he may have to order some parts online. After sourcing the materials, he then sets out to build the machine, which takes him approximately a month.
Q: What is Joseph’s tool kit like?
Answer: Joseph Herscher uses standard DIY tools such as drills, glue guns, and handsaws. He prefers using a handsaw over a jigsaw, which can be rather loud and sometimes scares his neighbors. He also utilizes specific tools like a Dremel, which helps him carve wooden parts to fit accurately.
The challenges of building the machines
Q: What are some of the challenges that come with building these machines?
Answer: Building these machines comes with a myriad of challenges. Sometimes he has to wait for some of the online ordered parts to arrive. Once he has started building, he must get each part of the machine to work rhythmically to make the machine function as a whole.
Q: What happens when one part of the machine fails to work?
Answer: Sometimes, one part of the machine may not work correctly, and this may mean having to dismantle the machine to start again. Joseph Herscher admits that some of his early failures were pretty epic, which went into the process of creating a good machine. He also appreciates the element of surprise when building machines, as sometimes he ends up with new ideas when one of the components does not work correctly.
The payoff of a month-long hard work
Q: What makes Joseph Herscher do the work despite the challenges?
Answer: Joseph Herscher sees the payoff of spending the better part of a month building these machines to see them finally come to life – work efficiently, and achieve the intended goal. He has always believed that innovation must begin with the smallest problems.
Q: What is the reaction towards Joseph Herscher’s machines?
Answer: The response has been tremendously positive. He has amassed a considerable following on his YouTube channel, with his videos’ viewership running into millions. His unique brand of dark humor has left his followers continually yearning for more.
Conclusion
It takes an exceptional individual to think of and build machines that not only serve a purpose but also has a sense of humor. Joseph Herscher has stamped his place as an essential figure in the field of mechanical engineering, illustrating its versatility and creativity through his absurd machines. His machines are more than a solution to problems; it is a showcase of innovation and brilliance paired with humor. His creations have not only delighted millions, but he has also inspired many to start looking at their problems differently- just as he does- a quirkily absurd solution to something inconvenient.
