#wood glue tube

[2wo-knav3s]

constantly thinking of the chapter of adam savage's book where he just lists his favorite types of glues in order based on their use cases

[tremendouscreationperson]

Part 2 of this

Next part here

Stan hadn't been able to help it. He had asked for your address to keep in touch.

He was able to now.

Able to send and receive letters. There had been a few instances when he was on the road that he dialed your number and your ma or pa answered, he had pretended to be a wrong number for them.

He was too chicken to talk to Ford why did he think he could talk to you?

But letters were different.

He could do letters.

You'd explained how you moved to California for college and loved the area so much you decided to stay. He had known you wanted to go to college but the three of you had always said you'd stay near New Jersey.

He wished so much that he kept in touch but his life was shit. He made things shit. He was shit.

His dad had been right.

He wasn't even worth turning up to a funeral for.

Stan paused mid sentence. Maybe he shouldn't be exchanging letters with you, maybe he should just stay away.

But a letter couldn't hurt.

He wouldn't have to change his voice or wear gloves or pretend he had smarts.

He could relax.

If something seemed off in the letter he could restart it.

And so the correspondence continued.

~~

It took a year and a half before you suggested coming down to see Mr Mystery himself.

Ford explained that his Uni grant had stopped so he was relying on good ol' fashioned tours of his labs to make money, only the real science didn't interest the resistance so he had to be creative.

You were sure he bored his patrons to death by explaining the rays and dials and tubing he had before coming up with the idea to sell to his clientele.

If only Stan was here. He'd be able to come up with good monsters and ghouls, just like in school.

You were able to find some sketches he gifted you (from a comic he was determined to publish) to send in your letter. Hopefully Ford could use them for ideas. It was a little bittersweet to part with them but ultimately it was for the greater good and you could always ask for them back.

So, now, here you were merely proposing a meet up but it felt... Well it felt wrong? Yeah, Ford and yourself were mates but Stanley was always the glue that kept you together.

Despite the mixed emotions you pushed on and signed your name before shoving it into an envelope and sending it off.

~~

The journey to 'Gravity Falls' - brilliant name - was not awful.

It took a solid 6 hours of driving but you knew it would be worth it. Knew it had to be done.

You would keep your friendship with Ford alive for Stan. You'd be the honorary sibling.

Once you were in Oregon you pulled up the map he had sent and followed the instructions he scratched onto it. 'Don't turn by the Horse Scarecrow go further to the Pig', 'There's a big boulder by the town sign be careful, I swear it moves', 'left by the tree that looks like Dolly'.

They were odd instructions but they were perfect. The town was definitely unique.

It was 9 when you finally made it to the 'Mystery Shack' and you had to admit it was cute. There were homemade arrows pointing in all directions and a copious amount of question marks dotted about.

The sign on the door read "closed" but you could see at the back there were lights on.

Climbing out of your car you twaddled over to the back door, rucksack slung on your shoulder, the soft sounds of a TV wafted through the door as you knocked.

The TV stopped and you could hear wood creaking as Ford approached. The door opened and revealed him wearing a suit with a large question mark tie.

He smiled down at you, gesturing for you to enter. "Hi."

"Hey." Your eyes scanned the room, mostly homemade wooden furniture with the odd trinkets or pop of colour. There were a few sciency looking gadgets but otherwise this was a humble home. "It's really cute in here."

Ford scratched the back of his neck. "Thanks."

The silence was slightly weird but you anticipated that it may be a bit weird at first. Just have to push through it.

"Have you eaten?" He asked.

"No but to be honest I'm zonked." You chuckled. "Long journey."

Ford clasped his hands. "Of course, well, you can have my room. I'll take the couch."

"Uhm, I can't kick you out of your room." You didn't realise that he would have to vacate his bed for you to visit. "I'll stay on the couch."

"You take the bed, I won't hear anything else about it." He added the last part as your mouth opened to argue.

~~

Staying with Ford was odd.

He was more casual than you remembered.

Gave fewer lectures.

But otherwise your stay was pleasant.

You helped him in the Shack; printing t-shirts, manning the register, flicking the lights on and off, making spooky noises when needed. It was fun.

You enjoyed your time here because it was silly. You were able to let loose whilst watching some suckers gape at a wax figure or a crudely put together unicorn.

After leaving it really didn't take long to decide on coming back.

Spending every other weekend up in Oregon became your routine. Yeah, the drive was shitty but it was worth it.

Ford loved it. Or well.. if he didn't he didn't say anything.

Eventually you were gifted a cot upstairs and you considered staying for longer.. perhaps even for an indefinite amount of time. It was quite conflicting wanting to stay with Ford.

You still loved Stan. You'd always love him but you saw so much of Stan in Ford it was ludicrous.

The way he'd swindle and trick, his Mr Mystery persona, and whenever a patron was a little handsy, the way he'd threaten them.

Ford never did that. He outwitted people. He was the brains.

But maybe that changed in the time you spent apart. His father had made the two of them box and from Ford's ears he'd kept up the sport.

~~

Through all your time at the shack there was only one thing that truly bothered you. It was a teeny tiny detail but it drove you insane.

Ford never removed his gloves.

He was always wearing them.

Everyday, every night, every meal, everywhere.

You'd seen his hands before.

Everyone back home had.

They were just hands!

Maybe he didn't want the town to think they were real, wanted them to think he was a fraud because being a freak was worse?

It didn't matter in the grand scheme of things but it was agitating you.

~~

"Put teeth on it." You suggest, sitting on the floor with your back leaning against the wall.

Ford made a face but nodded, prying the crows beak apart. He wandered around the shop, opening cupboards and drawers. "I'm sure I had som-"

"The blue cabinet." You pointed.

Ford opened it and voilà he produced a jar of teeth. You didn't bother to ask if they were real, either of the answers would be weird. Yes = weird. No, where did he get such realistic teeth? = Weird.

You observed Ford positioning the teeth, he waited for your approval which you gave and began gluing them.

It was late in the evening and he had promised the town and its tourists something big. So crow with teeth and a skunks tail it was.

He was precise with the glue gun but still stopped to talk with you, ever the gentleman. How had their father made them?

You hated their dad with a passion.

He was an absolute asshole.

You'd tell him that, too.

He didn't even come to the funeral. You'd assumed he had passed but Ford told you he didn't want to come. His parents were starting afresh with Shermie.

No, you wouldn't include Caryn on that. She was lovely but Filbrick...

Filbrick was something else entirely. In fact, you remember first meeting him, he glanced up at you over his newspaper before returning to the words. Stan had reassured you that that type of behaviour meant he liked you but you knew differently. You knew, even at age 10, Stan was covering for his father.

Ford hadn't experienced that. He never knew what it was to disappoint his father and you felt for Stanley. You were even present once when Ford tried to explain that Stan seemed to take short cuts and maybe that was why Filbrick was disappointed. It was later in the week when Stan confessed that he had to take short cuts, of course he did, because how else could he possibly keep up?

"Ah shit!"

Your eyes shot back to Ford who was shaking his left hand. Quickly standing to assist. "What happened?"

"Just a burn, it'll be fine." Ford brushed you off, resuming the task at hand.

You scoffed. "Ford, take the glove off, you idiot."

"It's fine." He insisted.

"You're sticking to things!"

Ford grumbled but didn't reply.

"I've seen your hands before. There's no one else around. Why are you being weird?"

"I'm not weird." He huffed turning away from you. "Don't look."

You rolled your eyes before turning away. "Fucking hell, if I didn't know any better I'd say you were Stan pretending to be Fo-"

It hit you.

All the stupid chats, all the late night beers, all the jokes, the lame costumes, the zero science talk, the scams, the lies, everything.

Your body had turned without your brain catching up and you were face to face with a Stan. Not 100% sure which one.

Stan's eyes were wide, gloved hand clutching his ungloved one. You took three steps to him, invading his personal space, to place your own hand on top of his. Slowly you tugged on it and revealed the five digits.

Wh-what did this mean?

This was Stan?

Stanley?!

Where was Ford?

Why?

Why did Stan need- what was he doi- where wa-

His palm gripped yours. "I can explain."

.

.

.

Part 3

@breadandbiscuits @aratheegreat @sp00kyfr0gs @doggosnoodles12 @50shadesofwinchesters @living-in-a-veil

[fabled-fiction]

Maybe a Hobie Brown x Mabel-Pines-Type!Reader? Older obviously, with just like, her personality and fashion sense? A Chaotic Sunshine meets Chaotic Rebel type thing.

If not interested, just ignore. But I look forward to whatever you write!

Starstruck (Hobie Brown x Fem!Sunshine!Reader)

Summary: You’re Jess Drew’s gal in the chair (in training), and when you have to make a quick trip the spider society you happen to catch a certain punk’s eye.

Word Count: 2.3k

Warnings: MINOR SPIDERMAN ACROSS THE SPIDERVERSE SPOILERS, use of (Y/N)

A/N: I hope this meets your expectations!! I had alot of fun writing this!

EARTH-1618

KINGS, NEW YORK CITY

Your desk was more glitter than wood at this point.

It was hard to tell where the stickers stopped and where the wood of your desk started.

Especially now, as you squeezed glue on top of whatever artpiece you were currently working on. An array of different paint tubes and what looked like glitter bombs were spread about your work area, dangerously close to what looked like very expensive monitors and pcs. Though it was kind of hard to tell based on all the string worms and star stickers pasted on any surface that wasn’t a screen.

The project, which could only be identified as an oversized button pin upon closer inspection, was coming together nicely. Atleast in your eyes.

It read “BEST SPIDER” with a cute doddle of a spider surrounded by loads of blue, yellow, and red glitter. Currently you were putting your finishing touches on it by attaching color coordinated ribbons to the bottom ruffles.

The craftsmanship alone of it was indeed impressive, you just needed to look past the blinding reflectiveness of it.

It was for your mentor, Spiderwoman.

Who had taken you under her wing for the past two years, “training” you to be the best. Well, best in the sense of “gal in the chair”. At first it didn't make a whole lot of sense to you, but neither did the world you were thrown into. She apparently saw something in you from all the way across the multiverse.

The rest was history.

“(Y-)..(Y/N)...(Y/N)!”

The glue bottle currently in your hands spun in the air, a chaotically beautiful cascade of glue spewing in the air and (thankfully) somehow none of it landed on you. Slowly turning your head, you gave a small wave as you saw said mentor on the screen staring down at you.

“Jess! Hey…did you..did you try calling my watch?”

“What do you think?”

Spinning your chair across the room, you snatched your multiversal watch and flicked the screen on.

You did in fact have about five missed calls from her. You could feel her iced stare from across the room, hell from across dimensions.

“But it was getting in the way of my creative liberties!”

“I don’t care! As the second half of a spider person you need to be available 24/7! Your future spider will need to be able to rely on you.”

Slipping the watch onto your wrist, you shot yourself back over to your desk and smiled widely at her. She knew that whatever scolding she gave you would only have about a few moments effect. Sure the message would stick but she always had that nagging feeling in the back of her mind of how long it truly stuck.

“Well, You have me on the horn now! What's up? Who do I need to aid with my technological wonders? My sleuthing skills? I'm ready to Sherlock it up!”

After a few more long blank faced seconds, Jess reached up to pinch the bridge of her nose.

“We actually need you here. Our resident Spider who usually deals with all of our technological deals is having some connectivity issues.”

Your heart stopped for a moment, but only for a moment before you were shooting out of your seat and whooping. Jumping around your room, you threw your fist in the air before a sudden realization dawned upon you mid air.

It was almost comical how you seemed to pause mid jump.

“Oh my god…I have to change. I can't show up to Spider Society looking like this!”

“(Y/N) there's no time! Grab your bag and get here now.”

Standing in shock, you huffed as you watched your computer screen clip off.

She was crazy if she thought you weren’t at least gonna put on some body glitter.

-

“Jess said to meet her here…do you think she got lost?”

Hobie shrugged, shoving his hands into his vest pockets. His fingers found themselves fiddling with whatever computer chip or part he had nabbed as he leaned against what could be considered a front desk.

“You know ‘er best. She usually punctual?”

Gwen looked up from her watch with an exasperated look. That told Hobie all he needed to know as he leaned his head back with a sigh.

“Listen! I've never met her in person! She’s one of Jess’s other trainees! I just know she's not a spider, and that despite having worked with Jess for two plus years she's never stepped foot in Spider Society!”

“She’s a chair?”

Pinching her nose, Gwen nodded. ��Yea. A pretty good one too. She is a bit…eccentric though. And loud…I think she blew my eardrum out one time. I had tinnitus for like a week...”

“So she’s got some vocals on ‘er aye?”

“Thats all you picked up on? C’mon Hobie help me look for anyone who looks lost we’re supposed to chaperon h-”

Usually the portals that opened here were the usual semi-chaotic reality altering ones. But for some reason the one that just opened in front of them was nothing of the sort. No..this one opened with a loud tear; Everything and everyone in the vicinity was enveloped in a neon pink hue.

It was hard to tell who came stumbling out of the portal, as Hobie feared that if he moved his hand he would temporarily blind himself. But as the portal closed, and everything returned to its normal color palette, he finally dared to move his hand.

Maybe he shouldn’t have moved his hand.

Cause he was only met with a very different, blinding sight.

You had just fully stood from what he could only assume was a clumsy entrance. You wore what could only be described as almost every color of the rainbow but someone you pulled it off. There was absolutely no way you could move silently, as you were adorned in a plethora of kandi bracelets, pastel chains and pins. Your hair was adorned in a multitude of clips that matched the ones on your bag. 

Was your smile an accessory too? Hobie was sure it was, cause it was blinding him just as much as the body glitter that was spread over your legs and arms were.

His hand slowly reached up to clutch the chest of his jacket, in hopes that it would remind his heart to beat.

It wasn’t until Gwen had elbowed him in the side (hard enough to bruise might he add) that he remembered to breathe.

“Don’t stare, it's rude.”

He didn’t want to look away.

“Hi! Im Gwen…Stacy! We’ve talked a few times over coms?”

You smiled even wider as you grabbed Gwen’s hand and shook it rather violently (or enthusiastically it could have been confused for either). When she removed her hands from your drip it was left brighter than before for only a moment.

“Hi! Its nice to finally put a non-masked face to the name! Im (Y/N). And you are?”

Your sneakers squeaked as you took a sharp turn to face Hobie fully.

“Im Hobie Brown. Quiet the entrance you made.”

He holds his hand out, and is relieved when you shake it for just as long as you did Gwen’s. He watches as it glowed then returned to its normal saturation.

“Yeaaaa. Apparently my Earth is like WAY brighter than most. I would’ve brought sunglasses if I had known that would happen. Anyways…can you show me to the computer lab..hub…wherever this Spider-Byte normally operates?”

Gwen had taken it upon herself to lead the charge, and include a quick run over tour of whatever facility you all happened to pass on the way to the lab. 

Everything was so bright, but what amazed you more were the amount of Spider people that were just casually walking about. Either they were coming back from patrol, returning from break or coming for the first time.

You were sure your neck was gonna hurt or have a permanent crook in it from how much you were whipping your head around and turning to take everything in. You weren’t sure when the next time you would be here would be, so you wanted to take it all in.

“And here is where all the computer magic happens! You uh…know what you’ve gotta do from here right?” Gwen awkwardly raised her hands as if to present the lab.

“Yup! Im TECHNICALLY supposed to monitor your guys software and stuff and blah blah blah but I actually connected with Layla on the way here-who is super sweet by the way-and Im actually just gonna fix Spider-Byte’s connectivity issues here so she can get back to it. Y’know since she’s more knowledgeable with everything here. I would probably just mess something up.”

Despite the fact that you spoke about a mile a minute, and it was obvious Gwen was struggling to keep up, Hobie hung onto every word.

You moved like you had been here before despite this being your first time even stepping foot on the premises. You just moved with this sense of self confidence that had the aura of the room commanded by your presence alone. If you hadn’t told them your Earth just naturally saturated Hobie would have just assumed your essence was just too potent that it leaked off you and onto whatever you touched.

You were leagues above him when it came to the coolness factor.

Watching as you moved around the consoles via spinny chair (when did that get there?), each screen popped up and immediately began to run code. Hobie liked to pride himself on being a tech wiz, but this was levels beyond what he knew how to do. Maybe he could learn a thing or two from you.

But as he watched your hands, he noticed…were you TAKING code off the computers too?

Oh, that just brought a smile to his face.

As Gwen wandered over to the other side of the console to watch the miles of code run across the screen, Hobie took the opportunity to have a moment with you on the opposite side of the room.

Right when you went to shoot across him (and might he add it was almost like you had spider like reflexes with how you moved around on this thing), his hand went to grab the back of your chair.

Pulling the chair back, he watched as you rubber banded back into the seat and stood straight up. He leaned over your shoulder to look at the screen in front of you both. His hand reached over to tap a few keys and pull up the results onto just this screen.

Ignoring how his spider senses were shooting down his spine at an all time high with how close he was to you, he looked at you with a smirk.

“Did you just ‘alf inch some of our code?”

“Im sorry?”

Leaning in closer, he pulled the thumb drive out of only this terminal and held it up. Your cheeks turned a dark red in realization to being caught, and you crossed your arm as you started at him.

“You know wha’ I said”

Turning quickly, you pulled ANOTHER flash drive out from your pocket and stuck it into the port. The downloading resumed, and much to Hobie’s surprise you stood and snatched the thumb drive from him.

“First of all, I am part of the ‘’our’’ and second of all…it's none of your business.”

Suddenly multiple of the screens, well practically all of the screens in the room flashed green. With a pat of his shoulder, you rolled over to every computer and pulled out each flashdrive. Hobie counted…12!

He covered his mouth, trying to keep his cool disposition as he watched you quickly shove each one in your bag. You little grifter you…he would definitely have to find out what Earth you were from…

With the push of a button, you turned to them with a smile as you placed your hands on your hips.

“Alrighty! My work here is done…wait..,”

Turning around, you pressed the enter key on the computer behind you only to whip right back around smile as all the screens returned to normal.

You had been here all but twenty minutes and you managed to do solve all of their problems and then some.

“Now Im done! Gwen, you have my contact coordinate. Call me if you need me at all.”

Your eyes raked over Hobie, and you couldn’t help but feel a flutter in your chest as he watched you carefully. The hair on your arms stood when he had leaned over you earlier. You could tell from his punk aesthetic and impressive hair that he was definitely anarchy incarnate…

He intrigued you. You were sure the data files you had picked up from the archives would barely answer every question you had about him.

You would have to push off your paper mache project for tonight…

“It was nice meeting you Hobie! Hope we can meet again sometime. Im like, basically free all the time…Later!”

Signing off with a peace sign, your neon portal opened again and closed in an instant as you fell into it.

“See what I mean, eccentric.”

“I thought she was pretty cool.”

Walking over to where you just stood, Hobie ran his fingers over where you had last touched hoping to catch some of the light leftover.

It was then he noticed you had left behind one of your thumb drives. It was definitely yours, a bright neon yellow covered in white glitter that fell off as he picked it up. His other hand came down to pick up the tag on the string connected to it.

‘Oops! Guess I left behind this VERY important thumb drive. Mind returning it to me? I like really need it for super duper important chair stuff…Earth 1618, Kings, New York City things y'know.

– (Y/N)’

[guttednights]

(𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻) 𝓫𝓾𝓲𝓵𝓭𝓮𝓻𝓶𝓪𝓷

warnings: none, just older boyfriend Simon, being older boyfriend Simon.

I can't stop thinking about older boyfriend Simon being like, a dad in the way that he LOVES to craft. Like when you guys bought a new house together he literally told you "It has to have a garage". hell, you didn't complain. whatever kept him busy and happy while he's home on missions is fine with you. And besides it was kinda fun watching him make the garage into some kinda little workshop, with all his expensive tools, toolboxes, saws, woods, metals, honestly whatever was hanging out at his dad's place from when he was younger he was putting in this damn garage. give it 2 days after being home from and mission and he's already having to fix something (which he acts grumpy about it, but he loves doing it). Like most recently when you realized that your favorite shelf in the bathroom had split in half :(. you told him when he came home and a day later he was in the bathroom taking the shelf off the wall and walking to the garage to fix it. he put some wood glue on it, held it in place, and waited a day or so, then boom looks like brand new as he drills it back into place in your bathroom a day later. Fuck if you complain, you think it's hot, the way he can just fix almost anything, and not only that will build almost anything you ask him. And I like to think he is also good with lighting and plumbing, maybe his dad was a plumber and electrician and just taught Simon how to do everything in case one day he has "a pretty little wife to keep care of", and well be it, he did, he had you. One day after he came home, literally was home for like 4- hours before the sink in the bathroom started to flood. you were simply washing your hands when water was everywhere, you panicked and ran to Simon. Hands still sopping from washing them "Baby! The sinks flooding!" of course his natural protective instincts kick in, immediately drying you off first, and pulling you away from the bathroom. he then ran outside and got his wrench and other things to fix the bathroom. fast forward 20 minutes later and he's laying on the wet floor, wrench in hand tightening the faulty tube that has come loose under the sink. "all okay now doll, m'fixed it" *he said getting up and putting his tools back in his small toolbox. he helped you clean up the water with some towels and kissed your head lightly. And of course, on Valentine's Day, he brings you a rose bouquet and hand-built shelves (or whatever you want).

I dont know where this thought came from but I just had to write about it

(PS) i do not know anything about plumbing so please don't roast me if it is not correct thanks

[komakesthings]

One of my earliest Labyrinth prop replica projects was making Hoggle's fairy sprayer, as seen in the very beginning of Labyrinth. Redoing projects is always a really nice ego-boost, as I get to directly contrast where I came from with where I am now. And safe to say, I'm really happy with this new version of my Hoggle sprayer. Not just in terms of the actual prop rebuild, but in regards to the photos of the build itself!

My sprayer was built using a balloon pump, various cardboard tubes, a copious amount of wood filler, foam spheres, and sculpey clay. The backdrop bricks were made out of pink insulation foam, the "Dirt" are two yoga mats covered in alternating layers of glue and sand, and the fairies were actually just one fairy that I photographed over and over (Who's wings were made out of iridescent film ironed over wire, which were glued to a spherical LED light). I'm a bit crunched for time today so I'm not gonna include a write-up on the construction of the sprayer, but feel free to click the "Keep Reading" to see the very un-glamourous "Behind the scenes" picture of this particular photoshoot.

[remnantglow]

can you talk about how you made the costume please 🙏🙏🙏

:D sure!!! putting it under cut bc it's a lot lol

when i got the idea i had absolutely No clue as to how people even go abt cosplays like this, so step 0 was obviously One Billion Youtube Tutorials (this one - it's in polish but has eng subtitles - was my best friend <3 but there's really sooo many for every little aspect of making armor cosplay i owe them my life)

anyway. proceeding. assume every step takes a fuckton of trial and error and at least 3 failed attempts

REFERENCES:

collected all the covers where u can see mb's suit well, some fanarts that interpreted it in ways i liked, the 2 previous mb cosplays i found

PLANNING:

little to no planning (bad idea. btw.)

MATERIALS:

regular long-sleeved shirt+pants+cycling gloves+fanny pack. (sorry murderbot. but the armor piece over its crotch literally looks like a fanny pack)

the armor's made out of smth called EVA foam (similar to yoga mat in terms of texture/stiffness), had to order it from a cosplay-specific online shop

heat gun (i was lucky bc my dad's an amateur handyman and turned out to already have one) bc EVA foam's much easier to form+less absorbent when heated

contact glue (also known as contact cement) for glueing the armor pieces whole, superglue for details here and there

straps (the kind u use in backpacks etc)+plastic buckles+velcro. so much velcro. i'm never hand-sewing thru velcro again

wood glue+smth called glossy universal lacquer (p sure it's just car paint.) for painting

transparent plastic mask + rit dye for dyeing it (bc i couldn't find one that was already dark 😔)

tape+cling wrap for patterns

MAKING PATTERNS FOR ARMOR:

okay so. you wrap [Given Body Part] in cling wrap (yeah just regular kitchen cling wrap). put tape (i used duct tape at first but switched to masking tape bc it's cheaper) all over. draw, roughly, the shape you want the armor piece to be. cut urself out, cut away the excess edges, bam! pattern. like these:

(the chest piece was the tough part. i wanted the characteristic rounded shape so i didn't use cling wrap there, it was a lot of trial-and-error with cutting shapes out of paper, putting them against my chest, adjusting things, rinse&repeat.)

(also, the helmet - for the face shield i got these v cheap plastic masks that were advertised as lawn mowing masks (???), then tried to dye them black with Rit Dye for synthetics. that was a Whole Ordeal & my best try still turned out too see-through & more orange-tinted than i liked, but i was out of time so (shrug emoji). & for the pattern, i put on the mask + a beanie before wrapping my head in cling wrap dkjfgn)

i cut the patterns into shapes that could be flattened & copied them onto paper (to be able to transfer them onto foam more easily):

ACTUALLY MAKING THE PIECES:

the annoying part: outlining all patterns on the foam and cutting them out with a box cutter. This Sucks. then, shaping them with the heat gun. This Doesn't Work As Well As It's Supposed To. then, glueing the pieces together with contact glue. This Takes Ages.

(& it's like. near-impossible glueing them so the seams don't look terribly obvious 😭 i'm sure there's a way to cover it up well, but the method i tried (foam clay) worked Eh at best)

oh right also the. thingy around the neck. that's just a tube made out of some leggings i was gonna throw out. filled with a bunch of cotton i stole from a pillow. improvise adapt overcome

ATTACHING IT ALL:

That's Velcro, Baby 👍 it's either glued onto the foam or sewed onto the straps Everywhere. it's how the forearm & thigh & lower leg pieces close, how the chest & back pieces connect, how the face shield's made removable. Velcro All The Way Down.

the 2 exceptions: the thigh pieces are attached to a belt with some straps bc they kept sliding off; & the tiny armor pieces on my feet have a loop of string glued on the inside that i just pulled my shoelaces through

PAINTING:

the issue with EVA foam is that it absorbs stuff v easily, so before painting it i had to prime it (aka cover it in 2-4 protective layers of wood glue). then for actual painting, i sprayed all the pieces with 2 layers of universal lacquer (outside on some cardboard ofc). here it is all drying in the garage (bc it stank 💀):

and that's it!!!! done!!!! a bit over a month of work in total :]

[desperatelyseekingcannibals]

A Real Boy (Hannigram) - shortfic

Explicit // M/M // Hannibal Lecter/Will Graham // Tags: Can be interpreted as AU or post S3, I think this might be a dead dove? non-con, dub-con, dollification (kinda), body horror, loss of bodily autonomy, blow jobs, anal sex, rough sex, very rough sex, physical injury, pain, painful sex, whether this is a happy ending or not depends on whether you are Will or Hannibal. WGA prompt fill.

A fill for the upcoming WGA Server Halloween fest. My prompts were:

Halloween prompt: doll

Bottom Will prompt: raw sex

Hannibal is an amazing creator and Will loves to watch him work.

A Real Boy (2.9k):

Will’s eyes hurt, unable to blink. He was focused on the way Hannibal moved around the room. So precise and purposeful. He always was when he was crafting, so caught up in what he was doing. 

His hands were one of the things that Will liked the best about the man. They were so skilled and strong, he seemed to be able to turn them to anything, including the most delicate task. As now, whilst Will watched him create what looked to be some kind of bangle. A beautiful open bud of a flower with a hole at the centre, made from the soft wood of a cherry tree. The whole workshop was filled with the scent of the tree and the dust created as Hannibal filed and whittled.

And that scent brought back so many memories as Will watched. He’d seen Hannibal create so much. They had spent this time together in the workshop bonding over these beautiful things that now sat on the shelves around them. Hannibal was a creator in the truest sense of the word - God-like in his mastery of pulling form and function from a tree no longer living. 

Hannibal held the wood up to his lips and blew softly - the floating remnants glinting like stardust against the afternoon light that spilled through the window behind him. 

“This seems perfect,” Hannibal marvelled. And that was another thing Will liked too - no false modesty. Hannibal knew he was talented and he knew when he had created exactly what he had aimed for. And yes, at times he was unsatisfied and started over as he strived for perfection, but he also acknowledged his own skill and took pride in it. As he should. 

Will marvelled with him, his own pride there too. Another part completed in this project Hannibal laboured so hard over. Will would miss these moments when it was done, but equally looked forward to a time when Hannibal might rest. Take a break from this obsession.

His mind had drifted a little in those thoughts but came back immediately to Hannibal when he noticed he had moved onto something else. Will thought he would be done for the day, but now he picked up a small box and set it on the workbench. 

Will was curious, but content to watch and see what new and interesting thing was about to be brought to the table - literally. 

Anticipating something rarified, like the slice petrified stump Hannibal had purchased not so long ago, he had to admit he was baffled and surprised when the item pulled from the box appeared to be man made - perhaps plastic or rubber, it was difficult to see from the otherside of the workshop. 

Hannibal rarely worked with man made materials, preferring everything as natural as possible. So he had to have good reason. 

As Hannibal turned it over in his hands, he frowned, as though trying to puzzle something out. And when he picked up the beautifully carved ring of wood, he held them together, and frowned some more. Will watched with deep curiosity as Hannibal set both pieces down and then picked up a tape measure. He went back to work on the ring, using the chisel before going back to the more refined tools to finish and polish the piece to perfection. He measured again and this time seemed satisfied. 

“Ah, perfect,” Hannibal commented as he placed the items together and they practically slot in place as though made to be a pair - a wide, short tube topped with the beautifully carved ring. By the time Hannibal finished tinkering, a little glue here and some filing there, the daylight was almost gone and the only remaining light was the dull overhead strip lights and the excessively bright desk lamp on the workbench. 

Will chuckled inwardly as Hannibal’s expression creased in concentration - the way the light cast shadows over his face he looked almost like a mad scientist. 

“Well, Will, I think we’re finally finished.” Hannibal turned and looked at him, that absolute adoration that Will felt deep down into his gut. It was always so overwhelming that Will almost wanted to look away.

Hannibal collected the complete piece and came over to the side of the workshop where Will had been sitting quietly. He set it down on the long, empty bench before turning to Will. 

“Ready, my love?” Hannibal asked, but he didn’t wait for an answer as he took Will into his arms as though he weighed nothing at all. Moving quickly, Hannibal placed Will on the bench, laying him out with such deft speed that Will felt a little dizzy. 

He felt the chuckle in his chest. 

It was lodged there. Unable to go further. Unable to make it to his mouth and out into the world. 

Will tried to open his mouth, but he found that impossible too. 

“You’ve been so patient,” Hannibal murmured, his voice low and seductive. It made Will shiver internally, a sensation that turned to anxiety in the pit of his stomach as he realised it was internal only. No internalised sensations reached the external. 

Will jolted, his body tugged slightly but he was unable to look down to see what was happening, unable to move his head. He could feel Hannibal’s hands on him but even that felt strange and distant. 

“This shouldn’t hurt,” Hannibal reassured and Will felt his legs being spread and hooked over the end of the bench. 

He could feel Hannibal’s hands on him, running over the thick and hard appendage there, feeling almost alien to him. And then lower, feeling a space, an emptiness waiting to be filled. 

Hannibal grunted as he pushed something into the cavity.

Will was wracked with a shock of pain that would have had him leaping from the bench but he couldn’t move, he had no control over his limbs. He felt every movement as Hannibal pressed the tube into him, turning it until it slotted into place - every moment agonising for Will.

“There,” Hannibal stepped back. Will knew because he could now see him from the corner of his eye, and the pain had stopped. 

Hannibal stepped to the side of the bench and looked down at him, he stroked a finger down Will’s face, which felt numb - he knew there was a finger on his cheek, but the sensation was muted. 

The realisation hit Will then - he’d been drugged. Hannibal had given him something to paralyse him, but leave him aware. He could feel everything that was being done, even if it was somewhat dulled, but he couldn’t move. 

He wanted to cry out but that was impossible. 

Continue on AO3

[stuffmakesthings]

the gnome house (process)

I had the idea to make a little room in a tree stump, and decided a Pringles tube would be the right size to make a good base. this also gave me an excuse to buy and eat Pringles

I traced the base of the can on paper, decided what furniture I wanted and worked out a scale

the inside wall is a piece of card painted with a vague wood effect  

the floor is lollipop sticks trimmed and painted, stuck to a piece of card and cut to size and glued in place

the shelf is based on scaled measurements of a shelf in my home, I did a mock-up with paper then made it from basswood or balsawood glued together. the table is wood and matchsticks, with a scrap of fabric

used the technique from making RoLife Sam’s Study for the books - little squares of wood with covers of paper which I decorated. The book on the table is a strip of paper concertina’d, again with a cover of paper. I liked making the little books, if they were going to be more visible I could print out proper book covers in future projects. the picture frames and clock are various paper/card/wood, and the flowers are paper and wire in a polymer clay cup 

the rug is felt, I think it’s a bit too textured, so I would maybe try something different another time

the toadstools, gnomes and bugs are polymer clay. I think the ladybird and snail came out pretty cute

for the tree roots and bark I made papier mache using PVA glue, decoupage medium, paint, water and loo roll. turned out better than I expected

the moss is torn up bits of sponge, again mixed with paint and glue. I was meaning to buy fake foliage/flocking but didn’t get round to it, but I like how this looks

Overall I’m happy with how the house turned out. I wanted to try an electric light and I could have added more little details, but decided to limit how much time I spent on it

The main thing I’m not pleased with is mostly just lack of planning on the gnomes. I only eyeballed in the armature length, and then did that thing like with pasta where it looks the right amount but you forget how much it expands. I only had a fairly thick armature wire, and as they’re a kind of chubby chibi-ish build they ended up a lot bigger than the wire. I then also didn’t make an effort with where the joints would be on the armature, so their little legs don’t sit very well and the arms may not be the same length. but yeah they’re just way too big. In future I’d find a similar sized figure to reference and/or make a paper cut-out to follow

[lucyvaleheart]

hey lulu~

tell me about your swords?

hhhhhh oh my god- um. um. h-hi.... I. I see you saw my tags about, ah.... T-that nickname......

... Um. S-swords!! Yes!! I. I have many. I have so many swords. Oh this is gonna be a long post I can feel it in my bones let me slap a readmore on this.

............hhhhh g-goddess above that nickname- um. a-anyway.

Swords!! I have a bunch of them, though most of them are display pieces- the ones that aren't are made of either wood or a super durable plastic polymer thingy and are mostly training swords!!

Sadly I do not really have the budget or energy level to have and care for a proper real, actual metal combat sword... Maybe one day!! But for now-

My best of the best!! This is my longsword, or bastard sword, or hand and a half sword!! What name you use depends on the grip you weild it with- both hands on the hilt proper is a longsword grip, and you get more power from your swings at the cost of control and speed!

Putting your non-dominant hand on the pommel (that little flange at the very top in the picture) is hand and a half grip, interchangeable with bastard sword grip, and you sacrifice some power for significantly better control over your swings and much faster movements!

This baby is made of that plastic polymer I mentioned, and it's durable enough to very easily shatter concrete without taking a scratch. Frankly I bet it could beat back a proper metal sword and only take some nicks, though a true master would be able to cut through it easily im sure... But the average layman with just your standard training and experience would have a lot of trouble pulling that off especially in the heat of combat, so it can very easily double as a "shield" (though you'd definitely be better off with a buckler and shortsword if that's how you fight)

Next up- some display pieces!!

I really need to do a proper inventory of my armory and get quality photos of each individual piece.... But anyway!

In order, that's the buster sword (from final fantasy), ichigo's bankai (from bleach, don't @ me if I got that name wrong I can't remember what the swords are called at which stages it's been years since I watched it), and the Tetsaiga (from inuyasha)!

(.... Don't @ me if I spelled Tetsaiga wrong too I'm doin my best)

The buster sword was my first ever sword I got with my own money- from a renn fair almost fuckin... 20 years ago now jesus. I didn't know it was a buster sword at the time, I just saw "ooo sword bigger than I am I want it" and bought it! Painted it myself.

The handle snapped off at some point and I found a friend's blowdart tube, he said he didn't want it, so I snapped that in half and shoved it into the slot where the swords handle used to be. Wrapped it in a ton of tape, spray painted it black, I think glue got put in at some stage, and bam, you can barely tell it ever broke! hehe

(yes you can but to be fair I was 15 when I fixed it. Was like 7 when I bought it. Or something.)

The bankai there is much newer, got it at a convention in 2020 about a month before the pandemic started; it's made of mostly particle board and kinda feels a little flimsy in places but it's REALLY sturdy when wielded and the paint work on it is phenomenal!! I need to get it some kind of hook to hang out on the wall with.... Same with a lot of these, hehe~

The Tetsaiga is similar to the buster sword- I got it at the same renn fair, though about 5 or 6 years later (before the buster sword broke) and it came fully painted like that <3 it's a REAL hunk of fuckin wood, not meant for combat but against another wooden weapon it'll hold it's own. I don't think you can tell in that picture but there's a ton of bumps and bruises on the edge of it from where I've swung it against other swords 👀 thing is fuckin.... HEAVY

(... Just like in canon! :3)

This is another display sword- foam, chainsaw blade, from Warhammer 40k! Got it on Amazon for like 30-40 bucks!

And let me tell you, this thing.... FUCKS.

This is like. The most well balanced sword in my entire collection somehow, it's sturdy as hell for a foam weapon, even with those little chainsaw protrusions; and my god does it feel good to swing. The plastic encasing the foam or whatever the material is (some kind of hardened paint? I'm not sure) is amazing, it's held up for years and years of abuse and mistreatment and my god I don't know how this thing is so good. For so fucking cheap? I feel like I ripped somebody off. I probably did. But goddamn is this sword cool as fuck.

Double picture feature here; this is my best wooden practice sword. By far one of the sturdiest things I own, only outclassed by the concrete breaker at the top, the full-body picture was taken before I put that sticker on it. Sorry I know it's a video I have a gif somewhere but I forgot to categorize it in my weapons album-

Anyway!! This thing is my most used, cuz it's sturdy enough for real combat but light enough that I can use it against most other wooden weapons without damaging either it or the other one; and it can be used by and against those with a little less upper body strength than me (not a dig at anyone, I'm fucking... Really really strong. Like almost too strong. And the concrete breaker is fucking heavy pfff)

I got it at, again, that same Renaissance fair, from a shop who's name I can't remember but will try to find later! Their claim to fame is that their wooden weapons will never break against another wooden weapon. And let me tell you, I fucking believe it.

Another from that same renn fair, same wooden weapon shop! A war pick! It's so fucking satisfying to hold and swing, so nicely balanced and feels so wonderfully intimidating. I really hope that shop has a spot in the Minnesota fair cuz I moved and I really want more of their stuff. This one doesn't get much use sadly, by its nature its hard to use in sparring against someone without a shield or who's any level of inexperienced...

I think I'm running out of images so I'll try and do some group ones-

This is I think my favorite picture of my swords to date, I fucking loved that rack I wish it didn't break (it was really cheap) but it was so worth it while I had it.

On the top is a metal keyblade- really unwieldy honestly but cool as fuck on display; you'd realistically be better off swingin a crowbar at someone at that point and at least it wouldn't have the weird spinning handle guard but then where's your fuckin flair? Your audacity? The GAY ASS CHARISMA?? It's a poor replica of.... Uh.... Fuck, I can never remember the name, oath breaker? Maybe. Someone will know. @catgirlarson was the first person to ever name it correctly instantly and that includes me.

Below it is another concrete breaker plastic polymer- though it's not nearly as thick and bulky as the longsword, it's a much lighter one so while it won't take a scratch from being struck against concrete you'd have to put some serious force and get just the right angles to actually break any hehe

Below THAT is another, same material, little less light- it's a scimitar of the stuff, bit easier to break concrete with but light enough to be used in sparring against, say, the katana from the earlier picture! That one I really like for easy home defense, it's my metal baseball bat beside my bed; real light real sturdy really intimidating to see a giant naked woman rushing you with a fucking sword swinging fast as shit :3 I can be very scary, hehe~

4th down is wood, painted black- it's a proper practice sword for kendo, matched with that bamboo one on the bottom (though it's heavier than the bamboo and thus a little harder to get control with)

The bamboo one is really really fucking good for beginners, light and easy and really fucking satisfying to hit with, makes a nice whap sound without actually causing much real damage unless you're really trying to hurt someone

Between the two are 3 foam swords, two display one combat-the green one is just a nerf sword but it feels really good in the hands and its nice and light and fits well on the rack

The silver one is an Excalibur replica from Fate- so is the bigger one beside it, and while I gave away the smaller one in the rack, i still have that big one to this day! It was a gift from my ex, @applebottom-aobooty - he got it for my birthday I think and it's still top 3 of my favorite swords. The tip of it came off but it's a clean break and I just have to glue it back on 😭 I can fix it I swear!! A little gorilla glue or superglue!! I obsessively make sure that tip doesn't get lost so I can eventually glue it back on, I just need to find time....

Anyway!!

That last display foam one, the black one, is obviously the Elucidator from Sword Art Online! The show is fine. It's not the best in the world but it's very enjoyable and I like it plenty. I ain't here for discourse I'm here for cool fuckin swords and SWORD ART online has some cool fuckin swords. Its also super super sturdy. Really nice to swing and very lovely.

.... Gonna give a few honorable mentions before I leave off this post here-

Rainbow metal energy sword from halo, rainbow metal brass knuckles, and hand tooled leather gauntlets feat. @applebottom-aobooty 's cat Captain jack.

The energy sword is horrible for actual use but FUCK it looks so cool!! I need to hang it....

Brass knuckles- not a sword, technically, but I carried those all the time. I still have em. They're so fucking nice. Fit real well and could do some SERIOUS damage.

The gauntlets also not a sword, but fuck they're so nice and make for amazing guards. Expensive as hell, 300$, same renn fair, but I love them so dearly.

................ty for reading. whoever you are getting to this point I love you and also specifically Cara ty for asking about my swords >//////<

[potchatok-art]

On the opposite side of the continent, the culture of Kāwnukujur’ tries to survive. Historically on Earth, hunter-gatherers are more healthier and successful than any agricultural societies. Other sutviprra of Tofur’akuiwer call them Nyzgöts for their smaller size, both because of their diet and islander ancestry. To protect themself from unfair adversaries, some tread into the mountain valleys, but lowland sutviprra become more organized and engineering, changing entire landscapes to prevent being overrun. The technology demandes unearthed new demands and issues - much like humans, sutviprra were not designed to be smart and tool-using, and while their anatomy supports them, it strains. Sutvipra have a very heavy head and bones and muscles of the spine do support it, it gets really tenuous, when they need to lift or drag something by their tentacles. An uncomfortable move may lead to serious injury and even paralysis from the neck down (though this term is inacceptable for sutviprra). Another weak point is the breathways, that go from the nostrils to all the front of the mussel, protected by nothing but superfluous cartilage. If you know, how an elephant would take a log - for sutviprra that may result in serious damage.

Kāwnukujur’ relationship to their disabled members is diverse, but generally they are preserved and respected. Some subsections raise their disabled status to the Kāsur’ - not necesseraly the ruling class, but those who are responsible for accounting of resources, jobs and plans for the community. While disabled kawār’ lose their ability to work, their ability to observe, count and think is put to good use and for it they are taken care of not just by their families, but by anyone in the town.

The accommodation for disability and agriculture - nōhākuj, though mutated and domesticated since the times from before Nyrrawās, makes it difficult to travel and escape the reading from the Wodiakukār’ - bigger sutviprra of the same region. The Kāwnukujur’ have to build some kind of fortifications, while accounting for inadequacies of their anatomy. After a lot of trial and error they figured out implements, comparable to the wheel in it’s significance - Kakukfurr’nys - mussel corset, a wooden or boney plate fastened to the head, protecting the breathing tube from the weight, allowing common workers to lift heavier weight. While very helpful, reducing traumatic incidents dramatically, this doesn’t solve the problem of spine connection - this requires more sophisticated construction of a much more complex structure. Luckily, another domesticated plant in their repertoire is a Koenys tree, which’s resin and fruits, after certain procedure, rubber-like substance is produced - Ojēnynonukujur. While still hot, the substance is poured into the wood-carved forms, gets cooled and utilized either like a glue or made into elastic belts and fastened onto the bone axes and the entire construction is fastened onto the back, providing additional force and dissipating stress - outside construction is more likely to break by the accidental design, saving the carrier. Operators of Ojēnynokujurran are more risky and yet more regarded, as traumas are still not averted completely.

Innovations in accommodation and demand for organization startet up so far unprecedented development of towns and even substantial cities. Mostly, such cities spring on the cities of the river Nōfur’nuch and Tonuch. Another river in the region, Rakāwardanuch is notorious as it is a natural border for Kāwnukujur’ from the Wodiakukār’, and therefore on it’s shores cities are closer to fortresses and kawār’ who live there are more militarized, even developing a woodwooven shield and a tricky martial art, relying on it.

[i-am-a-megalodon]

So, you wanna channel that Harry Potter nostalgia in a way that doesn’t involve buying official merch? I got a solution for you: obtaining your own custom wand.  You can make it, or you can buy it.  I have done both.

How to make your own wand:

Start with the base.  You could use a stick from the woods, as long as you clean it.  You could use a wooden dowel.  You could roll up some construction paper into a thin tapered tube, like I did.  If you use that method, be sure to seal off the ends with hot glue.

Add shape to it with hot glue. Give it lumps and bumps.  Add spirals and vines.  The sky’s the limit.  

Paint it with acrylic paint.  If you wanna make it look weathered, a sponge brush is a good tool.

I will not post my example here, but here’s a tutorial.  This may be the exact tutorial I followed.  I don’t remember.  I made that wand around 8 years ago.  https://www.instructables.com/Make-an-awesome-Harry-Potter-wand-from-a-sheet-of-/

If you wish to buy a high quality, unofficial wand, go to a ren faire.  I guarantee you there will be a woodworker selling handmade wands that have nothing to do with Harry Potter but are clearly inspired by Harry Potter.  The one at my local ren faire even takes it a step further and offers hollow wands that come with a custom core.  I asked for a hippogriff hair core and I watched him stuff the ‘hairs’ inside the wand.  It was magical.

Also, there are several places online where you can get a custom wand.

[r-chaics]

#𝙾𝙿𝙴𝙽 𝚂𝚃𝙰𝚁𝚃𝙴𝚁

who: any / volunteers / workers / kid’s parents etc ! ( assume connections )  where: hopeful light art shack when: after may 17th

wrapping up one of his free art classes, aang meticulously packs up his supplies. though "art class" was a generous term; there was no structured instruction for the children during his volunteering. he knows he's nothing but a glorified babysitter, and while he loves art he recognizes he is in no position to teach about it. in fact, his classes embraced the opposite philosophy. he often reiterated his personal mantras to the kids, “draw what you love! paint how you feel! scribble what doesn’t make sense to you!” consequently, the back wall was adorned with a vibrant menagerie of gifts they had made him, each piece drying and awaiting its place on the bulletin boards outside. like leaves on a fall branch, they swayed in disharmony on a fishing line of twine and whatever other resources the shack had.

he turns his attention to a box of watercolors and paint tubes, methodically sorting them by color to be stored in the closet. his mind begins to drift to taka and the pets, who would soon need his attention. perhaps he should hurry to surprise them with gifts on his way home?

however, a particular painting catches a stranger's eye—a more haunting piece that demands both of their focus. walking up to them, his footsteps reverberate through the little art shelter. irises glue themselves to the black and brown scotches on canvas paper. it’s a portrait inspired by a recent news report, depicting a creature with bat-like wings. aang bites his lip as he speaks about the painting. “scary, isn’t it?” a frown tugs at his lips. “a lot of detail, but kind of sad that they picked, you know… that subject.” he hesitates to name the creature, fearing that uttering it aloud might summon it, or worse, threaten his family back in winter wood. after a moment of silence, he asks, “do you think they’re real? or just figments of our imaginations?”

[diymechanic]

Homemade Solar Panel: Repurpose Old CDs for Energy

Do you want to join the renewable energy revolution without breaking the bank?

With just a few simple materials, you can repurpose old CDs to make a photovoltaic solar panel that can generate up to 12 volts of energy.

You'll be amazed at what you can do with a homemade solar panel - power LED bulbs, motors, and even water pumps!

So let's get started and make a difference.

Gather Materials

To make your own solar panel, you'll need some recycled materials. These include aluminum foil, PVC pipe, wood, screws, washers, cable, and used CDs. By using recycled materials for DIY projects, you can benefit from repurposing old CDs and create a sustainable and eco-friendly solar panel.

Here are some tips for building a solar panel at home:

Start by disassembling the frame and use a piece of pipe to make a support that is inclined at 45 degrees.

Then, mark the position of the CDs and drill the holes.

After that, cover the frame with aluminum foil and stick it with adhesive tape.

Add the cables and screw the plug on the rear.

Finally, place the CDs and connect them with the electrodes.

Now you have a 12-volt solar panel!

Crafting a Solar Panel

Now, let's start crafting our own solar panel using recycled materials!

To do this, we will need:

15 used CDs

A piece of PVC pipe

Aluminum foil

A piece of wood

Two screws

Two washers

A piece of cable with terminals

A frame

With these materials, we will be able to make a 12-volt solar panel that will be able to sustainably power a variety of applications.

Here's how we'll do it:

Turn the frame over and mark where the PVC pipe will go.

Heat the end of the pipe and flatten it.

Mark three holes to screw the pipe to the wood.

Secure the support by screwing the pipe to the wood.

Cover the surface with aluminum foil and secure it with transparent adhesive tape.

Attach the cables and the CDs, making sure to connect the electrodes to the aluminum foil.

Place the frame and the glass protector to complete the solar panel.

With increased solar panel efficiency, our DIY solar panel projects can be great sustainable energy solutions!

Adding the Conductive Parts

You will need to cut a 60-centimeter piece of paper into three pieces and two 40-centimeter pieces. Mark a hole for the cable to come through.

Now, with the two 40-centimeter pieces, fold them to create two conductors.

Then, with the three 60-centimeter pieces, fold them to create three conductors.

You will then use these conductors to form the conductive tracks on top of the CDs.

To secure the tracks, use a transparent adhesive tape. This will ensure that the electrodes of the positive cable make good contact with the silicon layer of the CDs.

Experiment with different conductive materials to see what has the greatest impact on the solar panel's efficiency.

Creating the right conductive tracks will help to maximize the power generated by the solar panel.

Creating the CD Matrix

Start by gluing the CDs together in the center with hot glue.

Explore alternative materials, enhance solar panel efficiency, and design a compact solar panel.

Take the time to mark the position of the CDs and carefully drill holes.

Use heat to flatten the tube and secure it with the screws.

Cut the paper into 2 x 40-centimeter pieces and 3 x 60-centimeter pieces.

Place the pieces on the wood and mark a hole for the cable.

Put aluminum foil on the frame and attach it with adhesive tape.

Screw the bracket plug from the leg to the back.

Put the screw in the center of the holes and insert the cable.

Place the electrodes on the CDs and connect it with the cable.

Secure the CDs with hot glue and add a glass protector with an aluminum frame.

Testing the Homemade Solar Panel

Connect the voltmeter to check the voltage the panel is giving you. You can see it is providing a consistent 12.5 volts.

To test it further, you can also connect a 12V light bulb to the cables and it will turn on without any issues.

The fact that this power is coming from just a homemade solar panel is amazing and can be used in a number of ways. For instance, you can power a motor, a water pump, or even light your home. You can also charge your phone with it.

Comparing with commercial solar panels, it is just as efficient and cost-effective as the store bought ones.

However, the performance of the panel can be affected by weather conditions, so it is important to keep that in mind.

Summary

You can now enjoy the benefits of renewable energy without breaking the bank with your homemade solar panel!

With 15 used CDs and a few simple materials, you can generate up to 12 volts of energy. It's an easy project that can power LED bulbs, motors, and water pumps.

The best part is that you can save around 80% on your energy bill.

So, start the project today and get ready to reap the rewards of renewable energy!

[cyberr-v0id]

Things I ate as a child

✨that I really shouldn’t have✨

A small stone. When I was four I used to get really bored sat on the carpets in class, and would put small rocks in my mouth. One time o accidentally swallowed one. I never told anyone, but that day I swore to never eat rocks off the floor again. It didn’t last long

Road salt and grit. I discovered this during my ‘eating rocks and dirt off the floor’ phase, and was kinda addicted to it

A slice of cucumber with road salt on it. Yes. Hand seasoned by yours truly

Toilet paper. Not used of course. I just used to stuff toilet paper in my mouth and chew it, and sometimes swallow. This one girl called me weird for it even though she was way worse than I was about it

Glue. Specifically pritt stick that I had turned into sludge

Blue tack. Muy delicioso y muy rico

SOAP. I went through a phase of creeping to the bathroom at night to blow soap bubbles from my mouth into the sink using the hand soap, and I kept accidentally swallowing it

Tooth paste. Like I was straight up getting tooth paste out the tube and eating it

Actual paper

Leaves

Mud

A fly (does it count if I then vomited ? I was walking in the woods with my family when I flew down my throat)

Grass

Yeah. I was a weird kid. There is probably more that I ate that I shouldn’t have. BUT my cousin swallowed a two pound coin and used to shovel sand into her mouth, so ig it’s a family thing

[musekicker]

journal entry 3

I've talked about the thought of experimenting with some paper clay. Something I would had done by now if I could find where the paper clay I thought I had is. At this point I'm thinking I have to just buy more. So something I'll do after the holidays. Just watch. I buy the new package of paper clay and I find the old one.

Besides paper clay, looking into paper mache art too. Looking up glue recipes that don't have flour in it's mix. I hear that can attract bugs and easily form mold. So I'm looking at recipes that use something like wood glue in the mix instead possibly? Mixing that recipe and some tutorials and tips i've seen from a channel on youtube called ultimate paper mache (( the person who makes the videos there has all sorts of useful techniques and seems very nice and general. I suggest giving them a look if you're interested in paper mache.)

So wood glue is also on the list of things to buy.

Things I'm doing in the mean times...

A old experiment I had done before involving rolling up paper bag strips to make tubes. I have a finished piece with that idea, the tubes used for the grass/hill section of the piece. The piece involved right here.

Last time I glued the tubes right down to the canvas. This time I cut out a paper shape (in this case a boat shape) and glued the paper tubes to it to give it a interesting texture. I found pressing down on it too helped with it's look. And then painted it red.

It's looking cool. I might make the sail out of small bits of scrap paper glued down to a sail base. I'm wondering if a cut bits of paper or torn bits of paper would look better? Another experiment to try.

Finally I one thing I'm working on is trying to sketch out some thoughts for a art piece for a zine. First time I've ever tried to do something with a zine but I'd love to give it a try this time. The zine subject being a clown with the theme of "punk". I have some thoughts but we'll see how it goes.

As always, open to any thoughts, tips, or questions. Always down to talk about art.

[eden-regained]

Dolores. A Fairytale. - Chapter 1 - "The Morning routines and other very ordinary rotes for very ordinary knights" (C:tD!AU)

(TW hints of abuse. I didn't like my first chapter 1 draft at all and decided to start from scratch. There's first hints in here as to what Arts and Realms Dolores practices)

Let me tell you, toothpaste is quite the thing.

It's meant for plain old oral hygiene, usually it tastes like an almost obnoxiusly chemical imitation of mint or, more rarely, like almost nothing at all, and that's a shame, really, for toothpaste can fool you into thinking that, sometimes, it's a mystical ingredient to a long forgotten potion, like coagulated unicorn blood, sparkling dark red. Other times it's striped in bright greens or cyan and pointing the little blot upon your toothbrush towards the light makes them glow ever so faintly.

And at other-other times, it may resemble colorless craft glue. I remember that many a year ago when I was a girl, I hated that barely-opaque toothpaste type as it could conjure up that thought in me, the grizzly mental image of a perfectly sealed shut mouth unable to make a sound no matter how hard it tried.

Yes, wouldn't it just be horrible to never be able to scream, for no soul around to hear the muffled whimpers trying to pry themselves free from that poor, abused orifice in hopes of anyone to realize they've been called to action, "Someone save her, a maiden in grave danger!" Lord, how I had wanted to scream and cry until my throat was so wounded it would spill blood like a fountain, dark red and glittering maiden's blood.

And, at last, toothpaste can look and smell like an herbal tincture. Some remedies and glue are quite similar in that they're both supposed to "patch up" something, be it paper, wood or severed skin. They also, wouldn't you know it, both taste horrible (like toothpaste) It should be noted, though, that Betaisadona is quite pathetic at making a table leg stick to its top, likewise you should not smear actual glue on your wounds. Then again, modern medicine may have a few tricks up its sleeve that I, a wayward fairy, could not have imagined with my education frozen in time from all the decades I've spent near-immortal in freeholds where no self-respecting Nocker would've touched a bottle of gorilla glue with a ten-foot pole.

For now, toothpaste would have to suffice. Last night I'd fought a horned dragon Chimera which had attempted to do unsavory things to a helpless little thing in her sleep, and as unbelieveable as that may sound, it did manage to leave me with some cavernous slashes all over my torso which, while chimerical in nature, still hurt, and even a knight as experienced as myself does not enjoy the ache. I'm no Siegfried and yet that dragon could very well been a Fáfnir, with fiery breath and fiery loins.

So I, the toothpaste obsessed, silly dollar-store-Sigfried, smear nearly the whole tube all over my bare, no longer clad in rose-gold Voile chest and abdomen, invoking Heather Balm with all my might and lo and behold! The glamourous tincture is working its magic and, almost like a fata morgana, the wounds begin to flicker more and more, they waver and fade like a trick of the light until suddenly they just disappear, leaving clean, unscarred skin in their place. Mostly unscarred.

"Aren't you just a fine doctor?" I ask myself, short of striking a gallant salute when I remember that, no, Dolores S. may be a decent chirurgeon but also that she's most certainly a terrible dentist; I embarrassingly haven't actually gotten around to brushing my teeth yet. Not just a knight but a jester, too, it seems.

A half-nude jester with faded-pink hair standing in her dingy studio apartment, covered in gluey balm, more akin to a madman than to fairy nobility. I should hasten, my guitar won't play itself, lyrics need a voice to give them life, and what is a street musician without their daily penny or two?