Progress of sorts

Man, my projects eat me alive.

So I'm working on power carving a wooden skull, and managed to completely burn out my black and decker rotary tool (think off brand dremel).  I still have a dremel, but I'm afraid that the tool isn't up for the task to I bought a more heavy duty rotary tool rated at 1/4 horsepower and bought a few different wood rasp tool tips to work on the details.  I was also having a hard time visualizing how the jaw connects so I bought a model skull.  All of that should be arriving today or tomorrow.  I'm not super sure of when I'm going to get back into that project, but the parts are here.

I 've been working on making a false bottom for my mash tun using the base of an old keg.  I burnt through the only cut off wheel I had on hand so I had to get some more, and didn't have a spanner wrench (I've been using the ghetto pliers method of unscrewing the nut) so I got a spanner wrench and a flap wheel to smooth the whole business down when I'm done shaping it.  I'm reasonably sure I may end up back at that hardware shop to help with my stand off's or at the very least a handle for the thing.  I'm also going to need a carbide bit for all the holes I'm going to drill in this damn thing.  The cut lines are mostly marked, but I need to decide on a design for legs to hold it off the bottom of the mash tun.  I'm reasonably confident that I'm only about 4 hours from done on this project, now I just need 4 hours to work on it.

I'm also working on a CNC machine.  I've come to the conclusion that since I don't have a functioning mill or cnc to do the work on I'm going to outsource the fabrication of my motor to drive shaft couplers so I need to get out the calipers and design the part so I can get it ordered.

What about you, what things are you doing to waste your free time?

Art is suffering?

So apparently art is suffering.  I started working on an art project not on the weekend that just finished but last weekend and I'm still borderline cripple from the experience   It started off innocently enough with an approximately 25lb block of wood and a dremel that progressed into neck muscles spasmed so badly that I missed a week of work trying to recover.

If that sounds pathetic, it totally is.  Ice, heat packs, Vitamin I (Ibuprofen), methocarbamol, and now flexeril. I've seen two massage therapists (at this point even my wife is giving me shit about happy endings, so feel free to pile on), and I'm looking for a chiropractor.  My stuff is messed up, Flexeril is potent enough my parents cannot get out of bed the next day when they have a 1/4 pill and I had a full pill. I still woke up at 4 am sore and tried to ice my neck again.  In my defense I handle my narcotics damn well, but still I was nervous.

In any event here's a picture of the damn thing that is killing me.

Video Profile of Doug North

I fancy myself a bit of an artist, and really identify with what the artist featured in this profile says about not yet finding that thing that clicks.  I like some of the mediums that I've worked with, and have aspirations of doing something really interesting with paint, prose, electronics and wood, but I haven't found that thing yet.  I'm an artist in search of his medium.




Via Makeblog

Fucking internet I swear

That's it internet, you and I need to have a little talk here.  You creative bastards out there need to stop making new shit until I have some time to finish some of the really awesome damn projects I've already found.

Seriously it's getting out of hand.  I don't have 40+ hours a week to play with projects, or even 10 hours for that matter!  It feels rare that I have even 30 minutes a day to push the ball forward on various projects any given day.  Between cooking, and taking care of my child and a little video gaming mixed in I don't have time.

Alright, so on that note I give you this bit of internet glory:  Making rings out of coins.

This video doesn't have a "How-to" but shows you what they can look like.



This video gives you some insight into how to actually do the work, but the guy is annoying and whines about the quality of his tools most of the time.

Turntable Art

I saw this article on Makeblog the other day, and really enjoyed the outcome.  The art generated by the two turntables spinning and playing their record out reminds me of those sand art sculptures that where popular in the 80's.

Image via Makeblog

Anybody else have one of these Sand drawing Pendulum's as a kid?

Image via Amazon[?]

Drawing Cartoon Characters

If you don't follow Gizmodo, I totally understand.  Everytime I get close to unsubscribing from the feed, they post something that just captures me and keeps me coming back.  Today's post on drawing Classic Looney Tunes characters just floored me.  Wax nostalgic or whatever, but man I love watching animators work.

Exploded Flowers

Via Fong Qi Wei

This is really kind of brilliant, and the link to this person's website and you will see several flowers blown to bits.  As far as art goes this is really a different take on your standard flower picture, and I love the deconstruction.  There is art in the the way this person chose to present these flowers and I think I've said enough about them so go on click over and see them.

Are your hands this useful

The video and music are dramatic, the viewpoint romanticized, but damn it here is a guy just freaking doing it. That is exciting.

Made by Hand / No 2 The Knife Maker from Made by Hand on Vimeo.

Music Poster Speed paint

It's okay, that is just the sound of your mind being blown.




Explosions in the Sky - Poster Process from DKNG Studios on Vimeo.

Wood Carving

I have a real post scheduled for later, but I had to share this. Gizmodo posted a link to this site Maskulllasserre. The things that the guy is interested in carving are a little morbid, but they are done amazingly well. I have a soft spot in my heart for woodworking, and even knowing that this was done with a Roto-tool I find it to be very impressive work. The sites navigation is really unfortunate so sorry in advance, but seriously give it a look. The guy's recent work is out of this world.

This is not my image, and I am posting only to convince you to go this his site.