There’s always some little test going on at the house.
The green fire is coming along nicely.
I still need to figure some way of making it renewable. Soaking paper in the solution burned up too quick and was overpowered by the orange flames too quick. The next idea comes in the form of soaking wood chips.
Half-assed soaking of a lava rock gave a satisfying green burn for a surprising length. But, as it does not get consumed, it’s really not plausible to keep piling on more and more rocks…
The second experiment will likely begin this evening.
As spoken of previously, we’re looking for a means to make some nice suitable clothing for Fred. And, the first trial there was based on following the tutorial linked to over in the how-to section on the sidebar.
However, I’m a little wary of the fact that I don’t really have the pond water specified, and it may not rot quite as well.
Then, when looking up info on my grasses, I found this tutorial on clearing out grass for a flowerbed.
Sheet composting. Specifically the following section caught my attention.
“Sheet composting under a tarp works because the tarp traps both moisture and heat. Hot, dark moisture is one of the very best conditions for rotting.”
Hmmmm….that sounds aweful usefull…
Since we’re clearing a section of the backyard for a patio anyway, I may as well run a couple tests. I’m going to grab some more clothes, and run a test on what I belive will be the best depth for this rotting of the clothes. But, I also have a bunch of pants of Alec’s that no longer fit and have holes in the knees. We’ll place them at varying depths for testing purposes.
So, come fall, I’ll have 2 sets of clothes for Fred, and a bunch of pants. I’m sure we’ll have a difinitive answer as to the best means of rotting clothes by then.
And just who is this Fred I keep mentioning?
He’s been hanging out in the garage for a while now. Needs lots of work still. If you get the joke with the name, good for you. If not, you’re not missing anything.
Then, we have the Crystal Skull experiment going on in the garage…
This is THE most insane mold I’ve ever tried. If it works, it’s likely to be the only full size one I make, just from cost of the acrylic resin. But, here’s the redneck mother mold in all it’s glory…
And finally…
I was in Michaels this last weekend, getting the aforementioned acrylic resin. I always check the Model Magic just in case it’s on super special price or something. And, there on the shelf next to it was this “new” tag, and a bucket of Crayola Air Dry Clay. The stuff was much cheaper than other airdry clays, so I picked up the small tub.
First test, I just rolled a coil and let it dry overnight. It was pretty solid in the morning, but not completely dry. Jen tossed it out, and I can’t blame her for thinking it was just trash.
The second test was using it to add in a bit on a new model for yet another mold I’m making. Adhered great, pleasure working with it, but thinner portions cracked. Fortunately, the model in question, cracks just will add to the end item.
Now, the stuff is superior to model magic in that it’s cheaper, dries stronger, and tools and works like a traditional clay. However, it is a touch heavier when dried, and more prone to cracks, and might shrink a tad more.
Meanwhile I look at my ole powergrab. Needs a base to apply onto, cannot sculpt from the ground up. Strong and flexible…
The wheels are turning…Clay + power grab kneeded together….hmmmm….results coming soon…