Doing a project? Journal it here! [Archive]

Xaqtly

2012-03-05, 02:56

The thread for creative projects you're doing, so you can keep us up to date and journal it and/or post photos.

This weekend I fixed a nasty eyesore of a problem - the chrome front grilles on my car. :lol: I'm not much for chrome. I don't like it on wheels, or on cars in general. Cadillac is, I think, still trying to appease older drivers while beginning to make new and exciting cars for younger drivers, so they figure they'll just slap some chrome on there and it'll be all good. Well I wasn't having it.

I am not a fan of making cars look stupid, and I really enjoy subtlety rather than obnoxious loud colors, stripes, 22" chrome rims etc., but something had to change.

So when I started, my car looked like this. This is how it comes from the factory, with chromed grilles up front.

http://xaqtly.com/ctsv/dip1.jpg

http://xaqtly.com/ctsv/dip2.jpg

http://xaqtly.com/ctsv/dip3.jpg

I thought that chrome was doing a disservice to the looks of the rest of the car, with its black (stock) wheels, and dark tint. I didn't want to make it look stupid, or overstated, but I really dislike the chrome. So the answer was to make the grilles match the other parts of the car, with black contrasting the diamond white, just like the stock fog light enclosures and the wheels do. If done correctly, it would look good but still be subtle and not look like an aftermarket modification.

I decided on using Plasti Dip, as it was going to be easier to apply it without having to take the grilles out of the car. Since it acts like rubber cement before it cures, it would be easy to simply rub off any accidental overspray if necessary without having to worry about actually spraying black paint onto the body.

So we filled the space behind the grilles with newspaper to avoid spraying the heat exchanger and the radiator, used 3" painters tape to mask off the surrounding body, and got to work.

http://xaqtly.com/ctsv/dip4.jpg

http://xaqtly.com/ctsv/dip5.jpg

http://xaqtly.com/ctsv/dip6.jpg

http://xaqtly.com/ctsv/dip7.jpg

http://xaqtly.com/ctsv/dip8.jpg

http://xaqtly.com/ctsv/dip9.jpg

After doing the grilles, I decided that the side vents, which were similarly chromed, needed the same treatment. So we masked them off and did the same thing.

http://xaqtly.com/ctsv/dip10.jpg

http://xaqtly.com/ctsv/dip11.jpg

http://xaqtly.com/ctsv/dip12.jpg

http://xaqtly.com/ctsv/dip13.jpg

http://xaqtly.com/ctsv/dip14.jpg

Suffice it to say I am extremely pleased with how it came out. It's exactly what the car needed, in my opinion. It still looks factory stock... just better. :lol:

turtle

2012-03-05, 07:28

Nice, I like the black over the chrome in this case too. Well done, and I'm not one for modifying stock in most cases.

drewprops

2012-03-05, 08:52

I like how he got the black paint all over his fingernails! :lol:

#gothrockpaintjobz

:D

...

Xaqtly

2012-03-05, 11:49

Haha, those are my gf's hands, and the nails are black on purpose... not for goth reasons, but more for star warsian dark side reasons. :D

Xaqtly

2012-03-19, 13:17

I drove down to LA this weekend in hurricane force winds and then rain... the winds before it started raining were throwing tumbleweeds all over the road, and my car took a tumbleweed to the face. The plastidip was a casualty, as a large section of it peeled up where it was hit.

But it's still all pretty much good news; the plastidip protected the underlying chrome, and then it's pretty easy to just pull up a section, re-mask and re-apply. So I'll be doing that this upcoming weekend, hopefully.

Mac+

2012-03-19, 14:09

I meant to post when I first read this Xaqtly - I admire what you did. I'm not much of a handyman/tinkerer, so take it for what it's worth, but I think you and your gf did a great job with this.

murbot

2012-03-23, 12:36

Wow, that looks really good. Much, much better than the chrome. Were you a little scared before pulling the trigger on that stuff the first time? I think I would be. :)

Awesome job.

Xaqtly

2012-03-23, 13:23

Sort of, but I had watched some videos and done some research. We were pretty careful with the masking, and ultimately the stuff does come up pretty easily if you want it to, before it cures all the way.

I would not have done it like this if I had been using actual paint. But since this stuff just kind of rolls up and pulls off if you want it to, I wasn't too worried. That's me, as long as it's not dangerous in any way, I'm all for it! :lol:

Xaqtly

2012-03-25, 18:35

So to repair the plastidip that was torn up by the tumbleweed, I just removed the damaged bits from the lower chrome lip surrounding the upper grille, which was easy. It just pulls up, it's sort of elasticky. Then I masked out around that lower lip section with painters tape, and covered the rest of the area with newspaper.

http://xaqtly.com/ctsv/redip3.jpg

Then it was just a matter of respraying 4 coats, letting it dry a bit, then removing all the tape and newspaper, plus the overspray strip. I also redid the side vent because it had torn in a couple spots.

http://xaqtly.com/ctsv/redip1.jpg

http://xaqtly.com/ctsv/redip2.jpg

Brad

2012-03-25, 19:28

Man, that looks really nice, much better than the factory look. Very professional work.

Robo

2012-03-26, 00:16

So to repair the plastidip that was torn up by the tumbleweed, I just removed the damaged bits from the lower chrome lip surrounding the upper grille, which was easy. It just pulls up, it's sort of elasticky. Then I masked out around that lower lip section with painters tape, and covered the rest of the area with newspaper.

http://xaqtly.com/ctsv/redip3.jpg

Wait a minute. Is that...

...is that...

3 for $1 avacados? ZOMFGimissvegas.

Man, that looks really nice, much better than the factory look. Very professional work.

Idunno, I kind of liked the chrome. But we've long established that I have no taste nothing can be loud/bright/garish enough for Robo. *punkrockhorns*

In any case, it was very nicely done, and it does probably suit a respectable Cadillac wagon better than the factory look. Even if that wagon has roughly three million horsepower. :D

Well done, Xaqtly! :)

Xaqtly

2012-03-26, 01:39

Man, that looks really nice, much better than the factory look. Very professional work.

Thanks! I like how it looks too. Normally I'm not that bent on changing a car's appearance - in fact I've never done anything like this on any of my previous cars - but the chrome grilles just had to go. :)

Idunno, I kind of liked the chrome. But we've long established that I have no taste nothing can be loud/bright/garish enough for Robo. *punkrockhorns*

In any case, it was very nicely done, and it does probably suit a respectable Cadillac wagon better than the factory look. Even if that wagon has roughly three million horsepower. :D

Well done, Xaqtly! :)

Thanks. It's just a personal taste thing, there are plenty of other CTS-V owners on the Cadillac forums who like the chrome just fine. It's just not my style I guess. I have no plans to change anything else on the car, visually anyway. I think Cadillac did a good job on the design overall, it's pretty striking.

Xaqtly

2012-03-31, 15:02

I bought a Nest thermostat (http://www.nest.com)! In case people don't know who Nest is, it was created by iPod and iPhone designer/creator Tony Fadell after he left Apple. So what? Well Fadell did exactly what Apple does - he identified a market that desperately needed an overhaul, and created a solution. Exactly like both the iPod and the iPhone. Nest is basically what a thermostat would be if Apple designed one. It's beautiful, it's simple, it's massively functional, and it changes how you think about thermostats.

Why are thermostats so laborious to use? You can program one to have set temp changes across a week, but it involves going through a badly designed interface to set static times for each day of the week. You know what would be great? If you could just change your thermostat to the temp you want it, whenever you want it, and it would simply remember it and program itself. If your thermostat knew what day of the week it is, whether it's the weekend or not, knew if you were in the house or not, what the outside weather is like etc., and just took care of it for you. If you could check up on it via an iPhone app or through a web site, and make changes remotely.

Enter Nest. As stupid as it is to get excited about a thermostat, it's no less stupid than getting excited about the original iPod after getting your hands on one and realizing what a game changing device it was. Like Jobs and Ive, Fadell understands that simplicity is at the heart of a successful user interface, and Nest delivers in spades. It's simple to install, it's simple to set up, it's simple to use. At the same time, the interface is beautiful - absolutely Apple-like in its genius. They really thought about every aspect of this thing and it shows.

It even comes with a little screwdriver unit with 4 magnetic tips, perfect both for removing your existing thermostat and installing the Nest. It's so cool I'm going to keep it in my toolbox and keep using it. It's the sort of thing Nest could make money from if they sold it by itself. It's that "way above and beyond" attention to detail that has always been a part of Apple culture. Here are some pics of the install, which only took me maybe 30 mins.

http://xaqtly.com/nest1.jpg

http://xaqtly.com/nest2.jpg

http://xaqtly.com/nest3.jpg

http://xaqtly.com/nest4.jpg

Maciej

2012-03-31, 18:33

Sweeet!

Xaqtly

2012-03-31, 20:21

Just realized the Nest also has a motion/proximity sensor, so when you walk by it, the screen fades on and shows you what it's set to as well as what the current temperature is.

turtle

2012-03-31, 21:40

That is very cool. I'm considering it for my home....but not sure I'm ready to spring for that since my wife and kids do stay home.

Speaking of kids..... Enter my project!
http://turtle2472.com/an/swing1.jpg
http://turtle2472.com/an/swing2.jpg

And the finished project:
http://turtle2472.com/an/swing3.jpg

Yeah, we know the grass needs cutting, but it's been raining so much here you can't tell it was cut last weekend!

Anyway, it was a fun project for the most part. My mom was over helping me out with it and the kids don't even know it's up yet. We hope they don't see it until later since it's for a surprise for them next week. Now was the best time to get it up though.

I did, however, put the top bar on upside down the first time. That was not fun. Had to undo everything just to roll the bar over. Not a top quality project to say the lest. But it was what I spent most of my time rowing today and it was fun. Can't wait to see the faces on my kids when they see it. :D

Brad

2012-05-11, 19:43

Here is one of my recent creative projects. No real-time journaling for this one, but I will (partly) for the next one...

This here is a shield for a Dark Link costume I made for work recently. I ended up having to go without a proper back scabbard and boots due to a time crunch (thanks to having to work in the office over the weekend when I was going to do the costume), but otherwise it turned out well. I'll have to put on the chainmail, black gloves, black hat, and black tunic for a fully suited pic later.

http://applenova.com/etc/brad/artsandcrafts/2012-darklink/shield.jpg

Obligatory bathroom mirror self shot:

http://applenova.com/etc/brad/artsandcrafts/2012-darklink/shield2.jpg

It's probably not clear in the pics, but this shield is actually nicely curved unlike the flat one I made for Halloween some five years ago.

Post-completion journaling progress!

Sketched out the patterns onto newspaper.
Cut the newspaper patterns and transfered to poster board.
Ever-so-carefully curved a full sheet of black foam core board. This takes extreme care and patience. Basically, you soak one side of the board with hot water and slowly apply pressure, making the wet side concave. In this case, I used a dish towel by the sink to keep wetting the one side with hot water, and I gently pressed it into the side of the bathtub bit by bit. You have to take this very slowly, though, or the board will snap and you'll get a big ugly wrinkle/crease. Once allowed to air dry, the board holds the curved shape.
Cut the main shape from the curved foam core board.
Used a fat paintbrush to coat the convex side with Mod Podge. This both acts as a sealer/strengthener and gives the surface a wood-grain appearance.
Cut the various detail patterns from black craft foam.
Brushed (finely) a couple coats of gesso on the craft foam parts. This both acts as a sealer and gives a smoother appearance. Craft foam is naturally spongy and refuses to take paint well, but the gesso fills the pores and creates a much less porous surface for the paint to stick to.
Spray painted the gessoed craft foam with chrome spray paint.
Spray painted the chromed craft foam with a light coat of matte acrylic sealer.
Elmer's glued the various craft foam parts onto the main board.
Cut a few lengths of 3/4" PVC for the handle behind the shield (not visible).
Hot glued the PVC to the foam core board.
Duct-taped (yes, at this point I was rushing and rapidly cutting corners :lol:) an extra strip of pleather for the arm strap behind the shield.
Done!

The second project I've been working on I'll post shortly in situ.

Brad

2012-05-11, 20:32

Second recent project!

I actually started this one before the Dark Link outfit, but this one didn't have as pressing of a deadline and had to be put on hold for a while.

This other current project is a full-size recreation of the Goddess's Harp (http://www.zeldawiki.org/Goddess's_Harp). I've never made a prop quite like this before and it posed all sorts of new challenges to me. Things I've made before we're typically boxy or could be deconstructed to a series of boxy shapes (like the Ghostbusters proton pack). This thing is all curves, though!

http://applenova.com/etc/brad/artsandcrafts/2012-goddesssharp/0.jpg

I started by finding lots of in-game screenshots. I fired up Inkscape and made a pretty good facsimile of the general shape.

http://applenova.com/etc/brad/artsandcrafts/2012-goddesssharp/00.png

I took my template and cut out the main shape from foam core board. I cut a 1/2" wooden dowel for the top neck of the harp. I paused for a day or two trying to think of a way to add depth to the body, and I finally decided to build up from the base board starting with a perpendicular strip of poster board.

http://applenova.com/etc/brad/artsandcrafts/2012-goddesssharp/01.jpg

I also pondered for a while how to make the strings. I found this great gold cord from the craft store that I decided I would tie to the neck with a cat's paw hitch and sink into holes in the lower base.

http://applenova.com/etc/brad/artsandcrafts/2012-goddesssharp/02.jpg

Marking the base holes and adding some fins to the structure to give a basic shape:

http://applenova.com/etc/brad/artsandcrafts/2012-goddesssharp/03.jpg

Cutting the holes and preparing sides to cover the gaps:

http://applenova.com/etc/brad/artsandcrafts/2012-goddesssharp/04.jpg

The final skeleton:

http://applenova.com/etc/brad/artsandcrafts/2012-goddesssharp/05.jpg

Again, I paused for a while to consider how the skin would work. I considered poster board, but I figured I'd never be able to calculate the right curved 3D shape from a flat sheet. I considered craft foam, but I faced the same problem even though it would be more flexible and forgiving. Finally I realized papier-mâché would work. I hadn't papier-mâchéd anything since 6th grade some 18 years ago oh god how that makes me feel old. :( :( :(

So, the first layer of papier-mâché went on!

http://applenova.com/etc/brad/artsandcrafts/2012-goddesssharp/06.jpg

I've since plastered on several more layers to each side, and this evening I decided it was time to move to the next step: smoothing it out. I reached for the gesso and started brushing it on thick.

http://applenova.com/etc/brad/artsandcrafts/2012-goddesssharp/07.jpg

Once this has dried thoroughly, I'm planning to sand down some of those big bumps and imperfections. I'll slather on another layer of gesso, and repeat until reasonably smooth!

More to come later. :)

Robo

2012-05-11, 22:30

Bad. Ass.

Artap99

2012-05-12, 11:42

I was curious about the rigidity of papier-mâché as a medium and then realized that I have a box fashioned from it that would probably hold up if sat on.

Xaqtly

2012-05-12, 17:44

Holy awesome!

Brad

2012-05-22, 22:53

Updates to the Goddess's Harp! :)

I've been pouring hours into this thing over the past couple of weeks. Gesso, dry, sand. Gesso, dry, sand. I lost count along the way, but it has at least 10 thin coats across the whole body. I was finally satisfied enough that 90% of the lumps were gone, realizing that getting that last 10% to perfection would take an ever-increasing length of time of careful brushing and sanding over and over. Time to move on.

The final round of sanding used 180 grit sandpaper. A fine powder coats everything in my home office. The stuff just floats and doesn't like to sink. Cleanup is going to take a while.

http://applenova.com/etc/brad/artsandcrafts/2012-goddesssharp/08.jpg

The final product is going to be gold, but I've done enough projects like this to know that I should have a dark primer before laying on any metallic paints. I gently sprayed on a layer of black paint, taking distant wide sprays to avoid the trademark "splats" that spray-painting tends to produce.

http://applenova.com/etc/brad/artsandcrafts/2012-goddesssharp/09.jpg

I was a little disappointed that the dried black spray paint actually felt rougher than the well-sanded gesso. So, I tried something I'd never done before: sanding after spray painting. This turned out to be a genius move, as this round of sanding delivered an even smoother surface! This time I went for the finest sandpaper I could find at the local hardware store: 600 grit. The surface actually feels like glossy plastic afterwards. I tried to capture some of its smooth sheen in this pic under a desk lamp.

http://applenova.com/etc/brad/artsandcrafts/2012-goddesssharp/10.jpg

Next was time to re-drill the sink holes for the cords. The holes had shrunk a bit as I layered on the gesso. Pretty straightforward, albeit stressful, to hold the drill steady at just the right angles.

http://applenova.com/etc/brad/artsandcrafts/2012-goddesssharp/11.jpg

More pics to come later! I've just now given the harp its first coat of metallic gold spray paint. After it dries, I have only a few more steps to go…

RowdyScot

2012-05-23, 00:25

Holy fuck, Brad! This is simply astonishing!

Xaqtly

2012-05-24, 14:53

Man, what an awesome project. I can't wait to see the finished product.

turtle

2012-05-24, 16:02

No kidding, that is going to be one well done project Brad. Thanks for sharing!

Yontsey

2012-05-24, 16:38

Xaqtly, how are you liking that Nest thermostat?

AWR

2012-05-25, 10:26

Holy fuck, Brad! This is simply astonishing!

:lol:

You took the words out of my mouth!

Nice work.

Xaqtly

2012-05-25, 13:06

Xaqtly, how are you liking that Nest thermostat?

I really like it a lot. I don't interact with it much these days, but that's because I don't need to. It totally learned my schedules and now it starts cooling the house down when I get home, when I go to bed, it puts itself in away mode when I leave the house, it's awesome. Because my dog is in the house when I'm gone I set it to not let the house go over 75 degrees in away mode, and that's been working great.

I can get pretty detailed reports of the energy usage per day via the iPhone app, the web site or right on the Nest. For example, yesterday it ran the AC for a total of 4 3/4 hours, and I have a detailed breakdown of exactly when it was running and for how long. It looks like it ran a few times during the day, like at 10 AM it ran for about 10 minutes. I just got that info from the iPhone app. It's also smarter than my old thermostat in a number of other ways, like it can control the fan independently of the AC condenser, so while it's cooling the house down it runs both but then it will turn the condenser off but keep the fans running to maintain the cooler temp for a while without needing to run the AC. Smart.

And it uses local weather conditions via my wifi network to determine how and when it needs to turn things on and off, in addition to the built in sensors. One thing that surprised me is how much better a job it does at getting the house to a comfortable temperature than my old one did. It's not just cool from a nerd perspective, it is seriously better at keeping the house where you want it. Whatever sensors and software it's using to determine how to cool and when are obviously a lot better than most default thermostat units. With this one you get the sense that when you set it to 70, the house is *exactly* 70.

It's obviously kind of expensive for a thermostat but I can't recommend it enough. It does so much, and does it so much better than normal thermostats.

Brad

2012-05-25, 21:29

Thanks for all the compliments, guys. :) This prop is turning out almost as well as I'd hoped (I have stupidly high expectations of myself). This Goddess's Harp is actually part of an ensemble for my wife who is going to be dressed as Skyward Sword-version Zelda tomorrow for Animazement (http://animazement.org/). I have a costume I'm also working on for myself (hint: it's not Link) that I'll be wearing tomorrow too. I haven't taken step-by-step pics of it, but I'll be sure to post something here when it's done too.

(She went as Yotsuba last night and Misty (from Pokémon) today, and Sunday she'll be the lesser-known Papa Sato (from Poyopoyo Kansatsu Nikki).)

Okay, gotta get crackin'! I only have a couple hours left!

Robo

2012-05-25, 23:47

I have a costume I'm also working on for myself (hint: it's not Link) that I'll be wearing tomorrow too.

GROOOOOOOOOOOOOOSE!!!! :D :D :lol: :p :lol: :lol: :D :D :cool:

Post pics :))

I like the harp and the shield and the harp thou

Oh

Go back

Gah stupid screen oh we'll

NOT DEUNK.

ok drunk haha

Buy I. Really do like it!,, really!m

And Xaqtly I like the nerd wgn and turtle I like the playground but mainly the nerd wagon

Because

WAGONN,,,,,,,!

Happy mememorial day weekend everybo dy!mM! I am going to go grill things

FOR FREEDDOM,,!!

709

2012-05-26, 00:10

I really really want a video of Robo painting his toenails. With audio...

No face, just bad camera work. That would be fantastic.

OR. If toenail painting isn't a thing, then

Brad

2012-06-03, 18:24

NOT DEUNK.

ok drunk haha

Buy I. Really do like it!,, really!m

And Xaqtly I like the nerd wgn and turtle I like the playground but mainly the nerd wagon

:lol: Glad to see Robo finally stumbled into this thread!

OK. So, I'm a week overdue for posting the final steps. It's go time. Last we left our stalwart crafter, he was drilling holes into the body of the harp…

Next step was to give the smooth black harp a light coat of gold spray paint. After painting, I wet sanded the body (apprehensively, too, as this was my first time ever wet sanding anything) with the 600 grit paper. Even though I was careful, the underlying bumps were still pronounced enough that I managed to sand right through the black paint in some spots.

http://applenova.com/etc/brad/artsandcrafts/2012-goddesssharp/12.jpg

I took a black sharpie to those spots that were completely worn through.

http://applenova.com/etc/brad/artsandcrafts/2012-goddesssharp/13.jpg

I then took the first step I regretted in this project. I'd read great things about using Rub 'n Buff on crafts to give them an authentic metallic look. Well, that may be the case with some materials and shapes, but definitely not this harp. Ugh. I didn't even bother taking a picture. I evenly coated the harp with a fine layer, rubbing in small dabs exactly as described in the instructions and tutorials I'd seen, but the whole thing looked splotchy and, for lack of a better word, dirty.

So, the next day, I took it back outside and gave it a couple layers of gold spray paint to even it back out. No pics here, either. After drying, I wet sanded with the 600 grit paper again, but this time I was so gentle as to barely touch the surface. This did the trick nicely. The harp retained the metallic gold color and sheen and lost the gritty feel of fresh spray paint.

With the body largely done, and with a few more days to go before it needed to be totally finished, I decided it could use some embellishments. Back to Inkscape!

http://applenova.com/etc/brad/artsandcrafts/2012-goddesssharp/14.png

The in-game harp has these shapes on the body, and I think they're supposed to be holes or depressions or something. It's hard to tell from the low-res graphics. Well, I decided to add these shapes to the body instead of subtracting them. I printed them onto card stock and set them down for a test look.

http://applenova.com/etc/brad/artsandcrafts/2012-goddesssharp/15.jpg

Seems about right! I then transfered to craft foam, cut them out again, taped them down to a scrap of poster board, and painted on a few coats of gesso.

http://applenova.com/etc/brad/artsandcrafts/2012-goddesssharp/16.jpg

More black spray paint, more gold spray paint, and then plucking a few down onto the harp to get a feel for final placements.

http://applenova.com/etc/brad/artsandcrafts/2012-goddesssharp/17.jpg

Glue time! No going back now.

http://applenova.com/etc/brad/artsandcrafts/2012-goddesssharp/18.jpg

Looking good! Final step: strings. I cut the gold cord into the various necessary lengths and tied each one in what I think is a cat's paw knot (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat's_paw_(knot)). I think I used one less twist than the official technique, but whatever close enough. I cut the final cords a final time after knotting, squeezed hot glue into each hole, and promptly fed the cords down before the glue cooled. Doing them one at a time, I held each cord for several minutes to ensure a solid seal.

And here we have the final product!

http://applenova.com/etc/brad/artsandcrafts/2012-goddesssharp/19.jpg

And into the hands of miss Zelda:

http://applenova.com/etc/brad/artsandcrafts/2012-goddesssharp/20.jpg

DONE.

Now, where the heck am I going to keep this thing???

Brad

2012-06-03, 19:02

GROOOOOOOOOOOOOOSE!!!! :D :D :lol: :p :lol: :lol: :D :D :cool:

Post pics :))

Only because you asked so drunkenly nicely!

Photo montage without all the wordy explanations!

http://applenova.com/etc/brad/artsandcrafts/2012-groose/01.png

http://applenova.com/etc/brad/artsandcrafts/2012-groose/02.png

http://applenova.com/etc/brad/artsandcrafts/2012-groose/03.png

http://applenova.com/etc/brad/artsandcrafts/2012-groose/04.jpg

http://applenova.com/etc/brad/artsandcrafts/2012-groose/05.jpg

http://applenova.com/etc/brad/artsandcrafts/2012-groose/06.jpg

http://applenova.com/etc/brad/artsandcrafts/2012-groose/07.jpg

http://applenova.com/etc/brad/artsandcrafts/2012-groose/08.jpg

http://applenova.com/etc/brad/artsandcrafts/2012-groose/09.jpg
(taken after a long day of wear and having fallen apart a bit)

So, last Saturday (2012 May 26), wifey and I went to "Animazement 15" here in Raleigh as Groose and Zelda. I had started working on a pair of boots and fingerless gloves for my Groose costume, but I spent just a little too much time on perfecting that Goddess's Harp, and I never quite finished them. Oh, and I forgot to paint the "L" patterns on the sleeves of the shirt. Gah! And in the rush to get out the door, I also forgot to put on the necklace that I'd finished the night before! I felt a bit of a dunce afterwards for having only a 75% costume, but 75% was good enough for me.

I didn't get any pictures of us with my own camera, but lots of other people wanted to take their own pictures. I've only found a few crop up on the internets so far, but my eyes are peeled for more.

http://applenova.com/etc/brad/artsandcrafts/2012-groose/2012-animazement-15-groose-with-zelda-3.jpg

http://applenova.com/etc/brad/artsandcrafts/2012-groose/2012-animazement-15-groose-with-fan.jpg

http://applenova.com/etc/brad/artsandcrafts/2012-groose/2012-animazement-15-groose-with-zelda.jpg

Chinney

2012-06-03, 22:32

That's great Brad. Nice project. It looks like much fun was had by all.

turtle

2013-03-31, 20:17

So I have this entertainment center that just was covered in clutter. It's in a playroom that's been covered with toys and stuff so it's not normally an issue. Thing is we are starting to really purge stuff that the kids don't play with. This made my entertainment stand look really bad. Here it was:
http://turtle2472.com/s/20130331_205206.png

Notice the Apple TV sitting on the Xbox and off center so it doesn't block the vents? It was too much for me. So I set out to make a good change. In the process of starting this project my TV died too. Sad really, not I'm borrowing a 32" that doesn't fit on the articulating wall mount from the former 55" that was there. So I'm watching a much smaller TV now. Anyway, The articulating mount means we can't put the TV but so close to the wall. This left a bit of space that was unused back there. I set out to hide the Xbox, PS3 and other devices. None of them require the device be visible, though the sensor bar for the Wii or the Kinect do need to be in line of sight.

I took two 1"x6"x28" and four brackets and made shelves. I then added vertical supports to protect the gear and ensure it can't fall forward. I'm unable to tuck the wires like they will be since I don't have a TV mounted to the mount, but you get the idea. The PC in the upper left is going to be changed out with a Mini and it will be hidden where the power strip is right now on the shelf to the lower left. I'll also move the Network drop up to the area behind the future TV so you can't see the ethernet or coax connectors. Basically, the idea is no wires or anything visible around the TV other than the sensor bar and Kinect.

Here are the finished images. Yeah, I used my iPhone because it was easier:
http://turtle2472.com/an/IMG_0415.png
http://turtle2472.com/an/IMG_0416.png
http://turtle2472.com/an/IMG_0417.png

This image is to give you a better idea of what it's going to look link once I have a TV to make the connections perfect for. The wires will be run along the arm to ensure no pinching and the perfect length.
http://turtle2472.com/an/IMG_0418.png

turtle

2014-07-27, 21:45

So my next little project today was to build a spice rack. One whole cabinet in my kitchen was nothing but spices. It was so bad that we forgot we had some because they were behind others! That is no longer a problem:
http://turtle2472.com/an/IMG_1741.png

This is 1" x 3" x 8' pine boards cut into two 6' boards and the cross boards being 23.75". We then had .25" x 1.5" x 24" slats to be the little lip to keep them on the shelf if the door is slammed to hard. I could have put more shelves in this, but this seems like enough for now. The whole thing is screwed to the wall with 4 2.5" screws. It's not going anywhere. It's also in my "utility" room with the water heater and washer and dryer. This means it didn't have to be finished or very pretty. Not bad if you asked me!

Also, I used screws to put it together rather than nails. I did your brads for tacking the strips on the front though.

Brad

2014-07-27, 22:15

Looking good!

Aside: I can never allow myself to buy the Red Robin seasoning or else I'll just eat fries 'til I die or run out of seasoning, whichever comes first.

Also, thanks for reminding me that I have a long list of projects I need to get started on! :p

Robo

2014-07-27, 23:43

OMG I somehow hadn't seen pics of Brad as Groose

or maybe I just didn't remember for some reason…

But: Wow! Nice job on the costume(s?) and props, Brad! I know this is like two years late, but still! I never knew Groose and Zelda could be such a charming couple :D

turtle

2015-03-23, 23:22

Hey Brad, here's a shield (https://youtu.be/4DGCoQwZeEw) that you might enjoy. :D

drewprops

2015-03-24, 00:04

Who the hell is "Brad"??

...

Ebby

2015-03-24, 03:16

I'll contribute a little car project I'm working on. It has been a slow project, but I make a little progress when I have some free time. My dad has a 1971 Toyota Celica that sat for 30 years. Back then he had a smog check snafu with the California DMV, blah blah, 'nough said if you ever dealt with CA DMV. Anyways, turns out it didn't matter whatsoever and we could re-register it! If only it ran...

https://69.181.126.27:443/~Brad/photo/webapi/thumb.php?api=SYNO.PhotoStation.Thumb&method=get&version=1&size=large&id=photo_43656c6963612050726f6a656374_494d475f3331 32372e4a5047&rotate_version=0&thumb_sig=43656c6963612050726f6a6563742f494d475f33 3132372e4a5047&mtime=1427182798
Exhibit A: Open the hood for the first time in 30 years.

Long story short, complete engine rebuild! Yahoo what a learning experience!

https://69.181.126.27:443/~Brad/photo/webapi/thumb.php?api=SYNO.PhotoStation.Thumb&method=get&version=1&size=large&id=photo_43656c6963612050726f6a656374_494d475f3735 39342e6a7067&rotate_version=0&thumb_sig=43656c6963612050726f6a6563742f494d475f37 3539342e6a7067&mtime=1427183275
Exhibit B: Engine block on stand, pistons coming out and most everything removed. The cam bearings were destroyed so the shop has to take them out when the block is boiled.

- Photo Album - (https://69.181.126.27:443/~Brad/photo/?t=Albums/album_43656c6963612050726f6a656374#Albums/album_43656c6963612050726f6a656374) If you are up for that kinda thing. :)

_Ω_

2015-03-24, 03:57

Who the hell is "Brad"??

...

Is he related to Alice?

turtle

2015-03-24, 12:04

I love the engine work! Makes me miss working on my old Mustang. I'm thinking I just might find an old car to make a fun hobby again.

turtle

2015-12-22, 21:26

My latest creation....that was mostly Mrs T's creation:
http://turtle2472.com/an/bannananut20151222.png

This is no ordinary Banana Nut Bread. This has vanilla protein powder in it along with coconut sugar and Matcha tea. All of that topped off with homemade organic vanilla extract! These things are so good.

kscherer

2015-12-22, 23:45

where's mine?

turtle

2015-12-23, 00:35

Come on over and have one or four! We made 93 of them and have plenty left right now. :D

Brad

2015-12-23, 00:41

Oooh... Looks good! I've never thought to use protein powder in baked goods. Is this your first time using it like this? I wonder what chocolate protein powder would do for a brownie recipe. Hmm...

turtle

2015-12-23, 13:44

It is not our first time thought we've only done it recently, as in the last few months. It really does make an improvement on the taste and doesn't seem to effect the texture at all either. You can't even taste the matcha tea in it but that's supposed to be packed with so much goodness we had to try it too.

Chocolate protein in a brownie mix sounds awesome!

kscherer

2015-12-23, 13:58

You freaky-ass hippies!

:p :D

Windswept

2015-12-23, 20:11

It's great looking at these projects. They probably inspire lots of the rest of us to get busy on something of our own.

I took a university-level cinematography class once, and our semester assignment was to make three short films: a short drama, an instructional film, and a third that I can't remember at the moment, but was probably an advertisement for an original product.

My instructional film gave directions on how to build a piece of furniture without the use of power tools. It was a very simplistic project (*not* using boards and bricks, thank you very much! :p ), showing kids as the builders; but I just wanted to get it done. It was fun. I thought of it as I read through Brad's amazing harp project. Wow! The harp and the grille were pretty spectacular. I've never seen such an immaculate engine in my life!

This is, again, an inspiring thread. I could almost taste those cookies. Double yum. :)

Unfortunately, I have about a million projects that need doing. *sigh* :err:

Ryan

2016-07-17, 00:03

I saw this quote on Twitter this evening and decided I needed it as a poster.

http://i.imgur.com/HcqswHTl.jpg

Perfect thing to hang above my bar cart.

Ryan

2016-07-23, 19:57

And here it is!

http://i.imgur.com/YOcSt8y.jpg

Brad

2016-07-23, 20:26

:lol: Nice! The matted frame is a classy touch.

alcimedes

2016-08-04, 16:04

turtle

2016-08-04, 22:09

Cool! Looking forward to seeing your handy work. Might be enough for me to break out my 30 gallon tank again.

alcimedes

2016-08-05, 10:14

Day one.

Put the stand and tank into approximate position.

http://imgur.com/cyjMpld.jpg

Start breaking out the components I bought, and cleaning them up as needed.

The lights (which are fantastic custom LED lights) were pretty dusty. Spent almost an hour just cleaning these out.

http://imgur.com/dHABilI.jpg

http://imgur.com/lBEcvjW.jpg

Started to work on the plumbing, but either I'm stupid or I'm missing two pieces. Stop by the hardware store this afternoon to stock up. I have a guy in the area who's selling live rock for $1 a pound. Cheapest I can find it anywhere is $4 - $8 a lb. So picking that up tonight, so time to really get moving on this tank.

My freshwater tank has gotten super overgrown.

http://imgur.com/CAPjpP0.jpg

turtle

2016-08-05, 11:37

Man you have got to keep posting this. It really is making me thing hard about getting my 30 gallon tank back out again. Maybe I'll try live plants in it. Right now I have a beta that my sone got for Christmas and that is it.

Elysium

2016-08-06, 11:34

After 25+ years of doing nothing but freshwater tanks, I'm dipping my toes into the world of saltwater tanks.

Hoping to have everything set up and plumbed by this weekend, if I manage to take photos I'll try and keep track of it here.

Welcome to the club. Best advice I can give for saltwater tanks (especially if you go the reef route): nothing good will come of going fast. :)

alcimedes

2016-08-08, 13:31

So, got the tank set up, added the live rock from someone who was breaking down their own tank.

Still haven't plumbed the sump yet.

Brad, random question. Can the forums be upgraded to auto-size image that are too large inside the img tags? I'm too lazy to shrink them down but they blow up the threads.

Here were some hitchhikers that I removed. I'm sure I missed some bristle worms though.
http://imgur.com/iIYaPaD.png

The live rock was picked up from a local hobbyist. I got to anemones and a hermit crab along with it as hitchhikers as well.

http://imgur.com/BP0T6UP.png

Little hermit crab.

http://imgur.com/Sc4KvNU.png

The ghostly white anemone.

http://imgur.com/07VdvMF.png

I think a green bubble tip.

http://imgur.com/OaWtV3A.png

Tank right now. Still need to plumb the sump, and figure out final placement and how I want to hang the lights.

http://imgur.com/UbnYV2M.png

alcimedes

2016-08-15, 11:54

So, I have no idea what I'm really doing, but here's what it looks like now. The camera can't take a shot with the blues on, so I turned them off for the four side shots.

http://imgur.com/uuID8L1.png

I've been going a bit slowly since I'm new to the hobby, but got the lights done this weekend.

I'd plumbed the sump but after an hour found some very slow leaks on my connections, so fixed those up and will give it another shot after work. Once the sump is hooked up the heater and wavemakers will come out.

Side 1:

http://imgur.com/373mP0W.png

Side 2:

http://imgur.com/4yXNRke.png

Side 3:

http://imgur.com/4AZDInb.png

Side 4:

http://imgur.com/XsA89Dg.png

I haven't hooked up the skimmer yet, need to get a proper sized pump for it and then that should be ready to go.

If anyone feels up to helping me ID some hitchhikers, I've posted in the Reef Central forum a few days back and haven't heard anything yet. Just wanted to verify whether or not some of the new critters should stay or go, but didn't see a specific place for that.

Happy to take any advice on rock placements too.

Elysium

2016-08-15, 17:28