Announcing Project B.Y.O.B.

Build Your Own Bob, of course.

I’ve begun putting together a (hopefully) simple to follow process to building a Bob skeleton. I’ll put the full thing up HERE once I’m done with it, but if you are anxious to follow along as it goes, you can do so over here.

I’ve decided it was more important to work on this project, due to the number of requests I’ve received, instead of some of the other things I had planned. There’s always time for that stuff in future years.

Anyhow. Floor lamps for the lab.

Part of my push to make this thing more modular, and therefore more easily transported included dealing with the lighting. I think these will work MUCH better than the 10’x10′ massive framing system we had last year.

Simple and effective being the order of the day. I’ll slap some black lights on these as well for when that first switch is thrown.

From Lab

Just PVC and PVC connectors on top of a planter urn base…

From Lab

I love the style of the light socket for the lab, but I’m thinking I may etch the glass to hide the lightbulbs…

From Lab
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A rough idea…

Been a WEE bit busy around here….

Here’s a rough idea how it’s all coming together.

I’ll be making a list of improvements needed later…

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News and reviews.

The Jacob’s Ladder is getting it’s final touches.

From Lab

Of course, it will look much better once the gorgeous clear tube is in place.

From Lab

Then, Monday night, we headed out to Lagoon, yet again. I got some flash photos on the Terror Ride. I got the ‘no pictures’ moan from the dark. (really, a moan, the guy was trying to stay in character as they sometimes walk behind cars to scare them) So, we’ll get a few more at a later time.

First is this great wall.

From An UnOrthOdOx Halloween

The gate creaks back and forth, and a couple of the spines move around as you drive by. THIS is something relatively simple to re-create for a home haunt.

Second are these guys (there’s actually 3 of them)

From An UnOrthOdOx Halloween

These guys are perplexing, as they are opposite a lit display and hard to see, but their head turns as you pass. Turns the WRONG way, too. Instead of their gaze following you, they turn to look behind you. ??? Easy to see the mechanism with the flash.

ON TO TONIGHTS REVIEW.

RUSTOLEUM UNIVERSAL HAMMERED FINISH SPRAY PAINT.

From An UnOrthOdOx Halloween

As you might be aware, I’m painting quite a bit of ye olde plastic these days. And, anyone who has tried to spray paint plastic knows it doesn’t like to stick well. Well, having been pleased with the Krylon Fusion hammered finish on the generator, but it didn’t QUITE cover the whole thing. And, Lowes doesn’t carry Krylon, and this Rustoleum was the only hammered finish rated for plastic in the store. I bought 2 cans, one copper, one black.

The Rustoleum cans have a nice spray trigger, and spray out in a very nice narrow fan that makes application easy and controlled.

I sprayed the copper into the inside of the cat-sand buckets on the generator to give a nice finish for the lights to reflect off. And…it looked like crap. The ‘hammered’ finish was more like pock-marked as any dimples just showed the white of the bucket. A second coat did little to help matters. But, it was INSIDE the thing, no one was going to be noticing.

It DID adhere exremely well. And makes a nice, tough coating on the plastic. I figured the color issues must be from the plastic, however, and a standard color would probably be fine on plastic, just avoid the textured finishes. So, I decided since the Jacob’s ladder is WOOD, we’ll use the black THERE instead of finishing the generator with it.

Again, the hammered finish pock-marks show the white through.

From An UnOrthOdOx Halloween

Sure, they’re TINY on the wood, and no one is going to notice, but it bugs me. Also, these cans really don’t seem to go quite as far as the Krylon cans do. Overall, I’ld suggest avoiding the Rustoleum Universal hammered finishes.

For a comparison, this is the Krylon fusion hammered finish over the red wine barrel of my generator.

From An UnOrthOdOx Halloween

Strides.

Ya know, it’s funny. A lot of work has been done on the new control panel.

This weekend I needed to…repurpose…a few items out of the lab last year.

I just had to snap a shot of last year’s control panel before I re-claimed the extension cords.

From Lab

We placed a lot of work this weekend into the generator as well. The stand still needs some tweaking, but it’s coming along great.

From Lab

The Jacob’s ladder is nearing completion. Got the tube in place, and the support structure all set. Once the glue dries, a coat of paint, and it’s done!

Busy, busy weekend.

From An UnOrthOdOx Halloween
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It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…

I know a lot of Halloween nuts who get all upset when Christmas starts invading the stores before Halloween is over.

I just view it as more opportunity for props.

And, with the control panel being the Christmas box from my childhood, it’s only right it gets some Christmas lights back into it.

A lens from a CRT tube, a tissue, a little paint, and a string of Christmas lights, and the first gadget is on the control panel.

1 down…

The 300 light string I used to get the video is a tad bit of overkill. I have some 60 light LED strings somewhere, if I can find them. If not, Hobby Lobby already has their Christmas stuff out.

I’ve been thinking on this whole lab. Last year, there were 2 switches, and a couple lights…

It’s not even going to resemble that this year…

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