An Intricate and Messy Rube Goldberg Machine That Takes Five Minutes to Pass the Pepper Across the Table

Kinetic artist Joseph Herscher (previously) of Joseph’s Machines invited fellow machine maker Lyle Broughton over for dinner. The two sat at each end of a very long table. When Herscher asked Broughton to please pass the pepper, he started an intricate Rube Goldberg machine that ran the length of the table and took over five minutes to reach the other end.

Use this foolproof method for completely safe, germ-free passing of condiments across the table.

Please Pass the Pepper

The two chain-reaction artists spent over two months collaborating on this project. Broughton explains how this machine was made in a helpful behind-the-scenes video.

For the past 2 months, Joseph and I have been collaborating and building these nine clips for Pass the Pepper. There was a lot of work that went into creating these machines, and in this video, we’ll reveal all the secrets!

In 2019, Herscher asked fellow machine maker Sprice Machines to please pass the salt with similar results.

Pass the Salt Josephs Machines

Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.

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