5 Things to do with a Really Big Hand

I’m not just talking about a really big hand here, but rather an incredibly-large mechanical appendage that one man has made out of metal.

This DIY project was started back in 2007 by Christian Ristow, an artist and former animatronics designer for the movie industry. Christian has designed a 27-foot-long steel hydraulically actuated five-fingered hand. This mechanical human paw can rotate its wrist 90 degrees and individually move each of its finger joints. The enormous hand is powered with a 4-cylinder diesel engine and can be controlled using a glove by the operator. This high-fiving invention recently won Christian top prize in Popular Mechanics 10 Incredibly Cool DIY Projects.

You thought Wii was cool? This dude combined video gaming and Myth Busters. Check out this demo and an interview with its maker Christian Ristow.

Why would this guy want to create a large mechanical hand? I have a five reasons why I may spend my next long weekend constructing a new appendage of my own:

1. Wii Boxing. What you loose in coordination, you make up for in presence.

2. Hand signals. You know the signals I’m talking about…  the ones you learned in drivers education.

3. Itchy and Scratchy. I don’t know about you, but when I get an itch on my back it’s always in a spot that’s hard to reach.

4. Awesome handshakes. When two men shake hands its more of a competition of who has the firmest grip than it is a formal greeting.

5. The “get over here” finger. The next time you give someone the “come hither” signal, you can actually grab them at the same time.

What, you had a better reason?