skeplin

Trinket Box Collection

2010-02-06T12:48:00.004-05:00

Since the purchase of my first metal trinket box while on vacation in Michigan, I've been watching eBay auctions looking for similar pieces. So far, I've purchased 4 additional boxes to add to my collection.

From what I can tell, the boxes were made sometime in the 40's or 50's. One of the boxes is stamped with "JB" on the bottom which I've found to stand for Jennings Brothers -- a company that made cast metal boxes from 1891 to 1950.

Racing Wheel Stand - Continued

2010-01-25T18:16:00.006-05:00

With warmer temperatures (up into the high 40's), I was able to get out in my garage workshop and cut some plywood. I kept to the overall design with minor modifications to the top (it was off-balance). I also added a carpeted removable base for the foot pedals with the thought that I may eventually hinge it and add pins to adjust the pedal height for shorter drivers.

Above all, this project proved that I can use Google Sketchup to mock up my wood projects. The biggest advantage was the ability to print the model and measure components. While it's not 100% accurate, it's close enough to work from.

Next step: paint.

New Project: Racing Wheel Stand

2010-01-20T19:12:00.005-05:00

I purchased a force-feedback steering wheel so I can better experience racing games on my PS3 -- specifically Grand Turismo.

Unfortunately, I've been unable to find a suitable mounting solution. I tried to rig a stool with a couple of clamps and also tried mounting it to a lap-desk. Neither method worked well.

SO...using Google Sketchup, I designed a stand:

So far I've managed to get all of my cuts done, but the cold weather has forced me out of my garage workspace. I'll post more pictures when my tools thaw!

Log cabin ... with the logs cut perpendicular

2010-01-15T17:59:00.002-05:00

Two-Thousand and Ten

2010-01-04T22:00:00.003-05:00

May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art -- write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself.

...I hope you will have a wonderful year, that you'll dream dangerously and outrageously, that you'll make something that didn't exist before you made it, that you will be loved and that you will be liked, and that you will have people to love and to like in return. And, most importantly (because I think there should be more kindness and more wisdom in the world right now), that you will, when you need to be, be wise, and that you will always be kind.

--Neil Gaiman

RC Aircraft + Fireworks

2009-12-29T18:41:00.002-05:00

Amazing video of an RC airplane with a camera mounted onboard flying through exploding fireworks.

Acorn Puzzle Box

2009-11-24T17:22:00.002-05:00

I love small trinket boxes and Japanese puzzle boxes. Here's a neat idea: an acorn puzzle box:

Papercraft Animation

2009-11-22T19:17:00.003-05:00

Wood Project: Pine Onion / Potato Bin

2009-11-19T18:04:00.005-05:00

For the first time I've built and sold a piece of furniture -- an onion / potato bin. I used 3/4" pine and bead board with chicken wire mesh on the doors. The doors are held in place with magnetic latches.

Another fun and rewarding project!

Inventing Games

2009-11-15T21:59:00.004-05:00

The kids and I invented a new game today. It started with me on one side of the street and the kids on the other bouncing a racket-ball back and forth. Eventually, the game led to us trying to land a ball in the mailbox (and succeeding). The mailbox was 50 points, the newspaper slot 100 -- a much harder target.

A perfect mix of skill and luck, the kids already asked if we can play the game again next weekend (since it gets dark around 6:30pm.) Perhaps we can make our own "goals", although hitting the mailbox just right makes a satisfying "thunk-thunk-thunk".

Stacking 117 objects on a Lego block, then knocking it over.

2009-11-15T20:22:00.003-05:00

Stacking 117 objects on a Lego block, then knocking it over.

Artist Walter Wick stacks 117 objects on a single Lego block, then sends little wind-up creatures toward it to knock it over. Fun! (Via Gurney Journey)

Amazing Fountain Light Show

2009-11-10T18:30:00.002-05:00

As I watch this I can't help but think about the power and precision on the pumps and the program they wrote to synchronize everything to the music. Be sure to watch in HD -- definitely worth it!

Happy Hallowe'en!

2009-10-31T21:01:00.003-04:00

Scary!

More 30 Second Horror

2009-10-10T23:04:00.003-04:00

The girls had so much fun making the first 30 second horror movie that they made their own. My third daughter, Molly, directed the second movie "The Closet":

From that footage, I was able to put together a funny "Outtakes" video:

Quothe the Mythbusters

2009-10-05T21:08:00.000-04:00

Jamie: "...The core of what we’re doing is, we’re playing with the world. And our curiosity in doing that is what we are most proud of and what we like to put out there. It’s sort of a mental attitude about critical thinking and curiosity. It’s about mindset of looking at the world in a playful and curious and creative way."

Latest Cabinet Project

2009-09-09T18:57:00.002-04:00

I had a lot of trouble with the finish on this cabinet. Originally I had stained and poly'd it, but for whatever reason (more than likely too much sunlight) the poly finished didn't turn out right. To save the project, I just painted a flat red over the outside. Overall, I'm happy with the outcome.

30 Second Horror

2009-08-05T21:32:00.006-04:00

The challenge? Produce a horror movie that delivers suspense or drama in just 30 seconds. I had this idea a couple of years ago after watching some funny horror movies online. It wasn't until this previous weekend that I was able to sit down with the kids and my Creative Vado and record some footage.

It seems that 30 seconds of footage = 1 hour of recording = 4 hours of editing. Overall, I think it came out OK for a first shot. Special thanks to The FreeSound Project for providing some awesome sound effects.

2009-07-24T20:04:00.002-04:00

I came across this great Slashdot thread about what to do with "great" ideas. The comments are the best part: the basic gist is that you should not keep your ideas to yourself but rather socialize and spend your time and effort on figuring out how to collaborate with others to get them done.

"Got an idea for a better mousetrap? Build it and see if it really is better. Talk is cheap and action speaks louder than words."

http://ask.slashdot.org/story/09/07/23/2110205/How-To-Vet-Clever-Ideas-Without-Giving-Them-Away

Sugar Squirrels

2009-07-19T21:03:00.003-04:00

Found this news clipping about sugar squirrels. Weird.

Trinket Box Mystery

2009-06-23T19:48:00.007-04:00

While vacationing in Northern Michigan last week, we came across a large antique "barn" in Beulah. Among the tons of bottles, cans, fishing reels, and furniture I came across this box in a locked cabinet. I liked it so impulsively I bought it.

So at this point, I'm not really concerned if it's really an antique or not, I just want to learn a little history about it. How old is it? Are there others like it? What's it really worth? The box is made of brass (I think) and about 3.5 inches wide x 1.5 inches deep x 1 inch tall. On the bottom, it's stamped with "Made in Japan" and a symbol that looks like a globe with "K I" in the middle.

Checkerboard

2009-06-06T16:26:00.007-04:00

I've had some 3/4 inch ash boards sitting in my garage for a few months and finally decided what to do with them: I built a checkerboard set complete with a magnetic drawer to stow the pieces.

Tornado Warning

2009-06-01T19:16:00.003-04:00

The other night a series of storms rolled through the tri-state area and spawned tornados in three counties in Southwestern Ohio. I happen to live in one of them and while I don't think I caught of picture of a tornado, what I did catch shocked me enough to freeze me in place. It wasn't until my wife reminded me that I should be in the basement that I went inside.

"Madness"

2009-05-17T15:29:00.005-04:00

I've always liked to draw, I think it was the only thing that got me through High School. One of the drawing habits I developed was to put a bunch of small drawings and patterns together on one page to make one big mass of...well...madness. I have several iterations of "madness" -- here is one of the more recent versions.

Drysink with Matching Shelf

2009-05-13T19:17:00.002-04:00

My wife had me build a shelf to match the dry sink. Overall I think it turned out pretty good.

Project Complete -- Mostly

2009-04-25T16:32:00.003-04:00

The poly is still drying on the drysink project but it's mostly complete. All that's left to do it figure out how to put the shelf back in and rough up the corners a bit. Now it's on to my next "assignment".