Platonic solid wireframes pocket83 2015-12-05 | Here's the icosahedron:youtube.com/watch?v=DUyzOyNoxq0Wiring: It's 12/2 NM-B Romex, which is a general purpose residential wiring. It comes in a roll, so you will have to straighten it out after stripping it*****There are five "Platonic" solids:Tetrahedron, Cube, Octahedron, Dodecahedron, Icosahedron.4, 6, 8, 12, 20 sides, respectively. This video is a brief overview of a simple process used to solder and join 12 gauge copper electrical wires together for crafting purposes. I am using a propane torch, because I have found it to be simpler and safer than using a soldering gun. In fact, I've had very little luck using such a tool for this process, and if you want to debate with me about how wrong I am, please make sure that you have prior experience with both methods before commenting. In my experience, internet experts tend to have knowledge of the 'a priori' variety, and as such, these critiques without experience will be swiftly dismissed. Ahem: What is asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence. Historically, these shapes have often been suspected to be at the root of the mathematical structure of the universe, probably because of the complex relationships that they share, both to themselves and to nature. For a time, they were even considered elemental: You know, like earth, water, wind, fire, and aether. Modern physics now considers such patterns and relationships associated with these five shapes to be either nonsense or incidental, but that does not subtract from their inherent beauty.The T,O, and I all have faces made from equilateral triangles, but the cube has faces of squares, and the D has faces of pentagons. Interesting tip: That's where the 3,4,5 is encoded into these shapes, which is a Pythagorean triangle. That means 3 squared plus 4 squared equals 5 squared, which is cool because those are all nice simple integer numbers, so such a triangle is useful to carpenters and the like. The Pythagoreans (and Pythagoras) weren't the only people (besides Plato) who were enamored with these shapes; Kepler was convinced that they were at the heart of the fundamental governing geometry responsible for the motion of the planets. He worked tirelessly to produce a model that was consistent with the five shapes and observation, and despite beautiful and complex attempts, he was never able to do so. Don't feel bad for him- he did eventually provide us with the elliptical explanation for how bodies orbit, which revolutionized our understanding, and secured his name a spot in all future science books. And besides, he was still way more normal than Isaac Newton.
Endless Knot ∞ Finite Wood pocket83 2021-10-30 | The Endless Knot is an ancient symbol that has held significance for many different cultures through history. In this video, one is being made from thin wooden strips. Templates: Endless Knot~ ►postimg.cc/MXLH1TbJ Half Template~ ►postimg.cc/MMTZQ2nGIt's easy to see why the knot was so often used as an adornment. The form has a quiet elegance about it. It's made of one continuous circuit, so it's pleasant to stare at with wonder. Given the perpetual cycles of life and change which surround us, the Endless Knot is at least as useful as a reminding metaphor as it is a wall-hanging. This video is long. Because of the pressures of time and the sake of clarity, many of the details of construction were omitted. To those of you who are truly interested: if you have any specific questions/concerns about the process, please feel free to ask. For as long as I'm still here, I will be responding to you. We have parallel interests, and so I appreciate you in a way that you should try to understand; you, the enthused, are the only reason I continue to post this content. Note about symbolism and religiosity: nothing that the Endless Knot has been aligned with conceptually is being suggested here. Symbols are just that; they are voiceless visuals that contain no piece of information that we do not impose upon them. What a symbol 'means' is only what it will mean to the person who's beholding it. To me, this Knot is nothing more than a beautiful piece of geometry. Please do not assume otherwise. Further, regarding its chirality, neither should you assume that there is a 'right' way to build it in terms of the way it will look in a mirror, because your history—and thus, your meaning—is not mine. No offense is intended here, but if you use this symbol for something else, I owe you no apology. Neither of us can own it. *****Chapters:0:00 Knots1:13 Strips4:12 Templates4:36 Miters 9:28 Connections11:20 Intersections12:21 Tuning13:12 Intersections14:58 Topology17:35 Strips19:42 Connections22:15 Display24:14 Trim25:03 Reveal*****Music:blackSnow by airtone (c) copyright 2021 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/airtone/63513
▲ Triangle Tee puzzle designs pocket83 2021-06-16 | Classic puzzle: easy to make, tough to solve! This video will take you through several alternative build techniques to help spice up the more traditional 15-hole triangular golf tee puzzle, also known as Peg Solitaire or as the Cracker Barrel puzzle. Topics covered include woodworking, polymer clay Caning, and puzzle peg crafting in general. A solution is shown at the end. Triangle template:►postimg.cc/s1gX00NYDrilling straight without a Drill Press:►youtube.com/watch?v=cuO12vkZCUwChapters~0:00 Triangles2:52 Curves3:49 Nails4:51 Caning7:58 Marbles10:16 Finishing12:11 Reveals*****Music:blackSnow by airtone (c) copyright 2021 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/airtone/63513Adult life is the price one must eventually pay for the selfishness of youth; if the price does not seem high, one has not yet outgrown it enough to start the payments.
MORTAL KOMBAT replica: Scorpions wifes garden Kunai. pocket83 2021-05-11 | Recreation of Scorpion's iconic weapon (which was once a garden tool), as seen in the 'Mortal Kombat' film. Multiple screen captures were taken of the prop in order to produce the drawing(s) used here to construct a replica. Template (1 of 2):►postimg.cc/mzFjJsGzGrip art (2 of 2):►postimg.cc/xND5S40sFor construction tips, watch the follow-up video:►youtube.com/watch?v=0JzNWROlcJA"Skill to do comes of doing; knowledge comes by eyes always open, and working hands; and there is no knowledge that is not power." —Ralph Waldo Emerson, from the essay 'Old Age,' which is included in the collection 'Society and Solitude' (1870). A shortened version of this quotation was used in an opening screen seen in the 1995 game, 'Mortal Kombat 3'. The statement remains as relevant as ever. Chapters~0:00 Metal 9:25 Fire10:48 Wood13:58 Grip15:56 Ferrule17:11 Reveal Disappointment is the ripe fruit of expectation. *****Music:The night is calling by Kraftamt (c) copyright 2020 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/Karstenholymoly/62739 Ft: mwic
How to play 40 Bridges (& making a game board) pocket83 2020-12-04 | '40 Bridges' is an original board game by pocket83. The game's likeness, board design, and instructions are entirely free to use and distribute, as long as proper attribution is given where displayed publicly (just don't try to steal it and pass it off as your own creation). Any similarity to other games is entirely coincidental. —40 Bridges printouts—Game board:►postimg.cc/kVbVrkLpRule sheet #1:►postimg.cc/FdzBsVg8Rule sheet #2:►postimg.cc/y3qy4mfFRule sheet #3:►postimg.cc/nCGYgQqD*****Construction notes:~Kraft paper changes after it has absorbed Polyurethane. It becomes dense and plastic-like. You can think of the paper here as being a substrate for the poly; this process is similar to the way that 'Micarta' is just a fabric that epoxy has spread through the fibers of. The change to the paper is dramatic and permanent, so a game-board that has been made this way will far outlast a decoupage one. ~Using decoupage can be tricky. The secret to avoiding bubbles and/or wrinkles is to not add too much at once. The moisture in the adhesive naturally curls paper, because paper fibers will absorb it like a sponge, causing the paper to expand. Thus, go slow at first. You can attach just one end and then move forward across the board, working only a few inches at a time. Just be sure that all of your ends are stuck flat before moving on, and try not to add more to the top. At first, only apply to the top what is necessary to keep your applicator sponge from sticking (of course you can use your fingers! In fact, it might be the easier way). And heat helps; if you don't have a heatgun, a hairdryer and some sunlight will do. ~Additional podge can be applied later. Two or three coats will give you a nice result. Allow some time before adding the first top-coat, though—ideally, wait overnight. As the podge dries, it will 'stretch' the paper a little bit tighter, so the end result will tend to look nicer than it did while you were still working on it. On your final coat, in order to get a uniform finish over the entire board, you can add a little water. Doing this will slow the dry-time enough so that you can spread it nicely without making fingerprints, and since there's now a barrier between the paper, curling is no longer a problem. Note which type of podge you're using for the final coat; matte finishes will give less glare than gloss, so they are better suited to game-play because they're less visually distracting.Iso-path (another game by pocket83):►youtube.com/watch?v=Wz6q03b8R6UHope you enjoy ;)*****Music:Ianiscus by Javolenus (c) copyright 2013 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/Javolenus/41932 Ft: Wired_AntEthereal Space by Snowflake (c) copyright 2011 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/snowflake/33318 Ft: Zep Hurme
The easiest, cheapest hummingbird feeder ever (from soy sauce). pocket83 2020-05-02 | This video is not sponsored. The video describes how to make, use, and care for a simple hummingbird feeder. We have been using a soy sauce dispenser turned upside-down for years now with great success. Included here are a few variations on feeder construction, as well as how-to safely feed hummingbirds. Please enjoy, and feel free to ask any questions.A few cool things about this feeder: ●The printed label on the bottle can easily be removed! This only takes soaking it in apple cider vinegar. I used a pickle jar. Fill the soy sauce bottle with hot water just to keep the label submerged in the vinegar. Next, remove and scrub the print with some synthetic steel wool. It will seem as though it didn't work! Don't worry; soak it again for another two hours. When you remove it this time, the print will rub right off under tap water. ●Baltimore orioles will feed from this! They prefer to have a perch, but they're skillful enough climbers to make use of these feeders as they are. You can also attract these birds with halved oranges or grape jelly. Seems they have a sweet tooth- I mean, beak. Here's the video about making copper chain:►youtube.com/watch?v=byM292kKPhwChapters~0:00 Overview2:13 Wire3:13 Bending5:27 Ants5:57 Upgrade10:22 Windows11:02 Cleaning11:44 Sugar recipe12:41 Closing
PaddleStack! Making game pieces from a 2x4. pocket83 2020-04-17 | PaddleStack is a simple stacking game that's surprisingly fun! This video will show you how to construct a 32-piece set from wood. Play rules are bulleted under the following links.Paddle template:►postimg.cc/K1hVHzVDMore about cove cutting jigs:►youtu.be/rUbCsD1H9J8 ~~RULES~~● Players take turns by placing a paddle anywhere on the game board. ● All paddles must touch at least one other paddle.● Once a paddle has been placed that doesn't touch the board, no additional pieces may touch the board. After this point, if any other piece is made to touch the board, the player whoose turn it is has lost the game. ● Once all 32 pieces have been used, a player will continue their turn by removing any lower piece and placing it somewhere higher on the stack. ~~~~~Music:Energizing by Kevin MacLeodLink: incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5709-energizingLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
DIY Easter egg for presents: Plaster on a balloon- Easy! pocket83 2019-04-13 | This craft is a fun and easy way to make an Easter themed Piñata! Stuff it with candy and gifts, and then smash it to pieces. Use only under adult supervision. *** SAFETY and procedure:Do not touch Plaster of Paris while it is setting up. Clean up with water. Once it has set and dried, egg will be bright white and chalky. If skin contact is a concern, egg shell may then be painted. Do not allow child to eat egg shell. Do not allow egg shell fragments to get into child's eyes. In such cases, flush with water. Do not allow child to sand egg without wearing respiratory protection. Fragmented egg parts will dissolve harmlessly in the grass. Please have fun with this game responsibly.
T-leg workbench: design & build pocket83 2018-08-13 | This video will guide you through making a simple workbench from six 2x4's and a sheet of plywood. The first part takes a look at my tablesaw workbench. The second part is about preparing a top surface using particle board. The remainder of the video is about building a 30”x48”x36” work bench. The T-leg design can also be adapted to make a cabinet or a table. Please enjoy! Printouts:Cut list ► postimg.cc/image/ankc6ef3nDimensions ► postimg.cc/image/9jajcs21vSome pros and cons to using a particle board work surface:Particle board falls apart if it gets wet. And it's not very strong. So why on Earth would I choose to use it? Well, aside from the fact that it's cheap, it's a nice work surface that's also surprisingly easy to repair. I mean, I've kept that piece on my tablesaw for ten years! The secret is to clean up wet spills quickly, and to fill in knife cuts periodically. When you have a thick coat of polyurethane built up, it will resist moisture quite well. But where there are knife cuts, moisture will affect it quickly. Have you ever been scratched by a cat? The skin gets a little puffy right around the scratch: a particle board surface will do something just like that where it has been exposed to moisture. When too many of those little puffy scratches show up, you simply sand the surface down with a block, and then re-coat it with poly. About once every two or three months, I will true the surface using a half-piece of granite floor tile that has some sandpaper stuck to it by spray-adhesive. Then I will wipe down the surface with mineral spirits, and re-coat it with polyurethane. It probably sounds worse than it is ;)*****Chapters~0:00 Tablesaw5:17 Prep7:40 Sheet goods9:56 Top12:25 Plan13:42 Legs16:18 Frame 119:11 Frame 221:32 Details23:25 Surfaces24:16 Design26:37 Scale Model*****Music:"Samba Isobel" and “Silver Flame” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
Iso-path tiles from acid dipped marble pocket83 2018-04-07 | This video deals with making tiles for the board game, Iso-path. Later videos will deal with fashioning a solid-surface game board and carving the eight play pieces from raw minerals. If you would like to see how to make a wooden game board, or learn how to play, watch the following video:► youtube.com/watch?v=Wz6q03b8R6UThe tough part about making an Iso-path set is the game tiles. The tiles featured here are made from a set of Carrara marble hexagons. A mosaic set like this is a great alternative to making your own pieces, because hexagons can be picky and tricky. Most home centers will carry several types of these mosaics in stock, especially in ceramic. Just remember that you will need at least 37 tiles. To the patient, and to young people: the reaction taking place here can be dangerous. But you can also achieve the same weathered marble look in a slower, safer reaction! Old marble buildings, statues, and gravestones have been slowly dissolved by the rain over time. Industry releases stuff into the air which becomes sulfuric or nitric acid in the clouds, and this acid changes the pH of the rain water just a tiny bit. But the Earth is a delicate balance, and even a slight change can be enough to melt rocks! Thus, even mild acids will do the trick with enough time. So if you don't like the idea of working with harmful chemicals, you could try this project by experimenting with vinegar or lemon juice. Try reading about acid rain- it's pretty weird how even tough things have weaknesses. *****SAFETY:Of course, I assume no liability for what you do with this information. Before attempting to work with any acid or base, inform yourself. Use all appropriate PPE; avoid any skin (and especially eye) contact, and use only in a well-ventilated area and with respiratory protection. Remember: dust masks DO NOT filter out acid fumes. In fact, even with the appropriate respirator cartridge, I still hold my breath while around vapors that result from chemical reactions.*****Music:"Truth in the Stones" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
Marble fusion: GIANT octahedron (how to epoxy solder marbles) pocket83 2018-01-20 | This video will show you how to join marbles together in a way that's fast, easy, and strong. You can use this process to make all sorts of projects for very little expense. Give it a shot: most everything you will need to know is in this video! If you still have questions, please ask- but you can also watch these related videos to help improve your technique:Marble fusion (epoxy tips, stand builds, and extra projects):►youtu.be/_ncNHmc3kAw Epoxy casting with BBs! (to make bookends): ►youtube.com/watch?v=-gY6gsWYua8Marble size sorting machine:►youtube.com/watch?v=ya9zTstjOIU*****Buying marbles:DON'T buy them by the bag! I found mine at a discount warehouse that sells them in bulk. Check around those hole-in-the-wall surplus stores, especially where craft stuff, wedding décor, and fake flowers are sold. Good luck. *****Deriving the Pyramidal sequence's formula:youtube.com/watch?v=i7iKLZQ-vCkSphere stacking (interesting wiki page):en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Close-packing_of_equal_spheres*****Music:"The Sky of our Ancestors" and "At The Shore"Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
Epoxy casting with BBs! (to make bookends) pocket83 2017-12-16 | This video is about a casting process using BBs that have been covered in epoxy. The slimy BBs act like a sticky, heavy, honey-like fluid that can be poured as though it were liquid metal. The procedure used here can be adapted to cast all sorts of metal-ish objects, without the dangerous temperatures. Safety note: Epoxy becomes more odoriferous (smells worse) when heated. Be mindful of ventilation, and use a respirator with appropriate filters if necessary. Dust masks and particulate filters do not stop the inhalation of vapors: that means that those pink filters on your respirator are only for stopping DUST. Epoxy vapors can cause severe irritation to soft tissues and scarring of the respiratory tract, so check the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for the product you are using if you plan on repeating this project more than just once. Wire brushing uncured epoxy is also a bad idea without respiratory protection. Wood finish: one of my favorite finishes is labeled as 'Teak oil,' but this name is vague and a bit misleading. Many Teak oils are thin and closely resemble something like kerosene, because their purpose is to penetrate wood deeply for exterior, often nautical, applications in order to prevent rot. This is not the case with the product I show in this video. What I am using here is more closely related to a polyurethane that has been slightly thinned for rub-on applications. My best guess at this unique formulation would be something like, (1) part mineral spirits : (1) part boiled Linseed oil : (2) parts gloss polyurethane. This recipe is entirely speculative; I have not done enough testing to state this conclusively, but I hope to eventually replicate it. The product used here builds up additional coats like a poly, but spreads on with a rag or paper-towel. Depending on conditions, it can be applied up to 2 or 3 times in a day, so it's slightly faster than poly. One coat is sufficient for most little projects, and it can be dry to the touch within a few minutes in the warm sun. This stuff is no replacement for polyurethane on pieces that matter, but it has a good bit of flexibility and versatility. *****Spheres:The crystallization that occurs when spheres pack by taking their optimal position is a sort of perfect organization, even though it leaves some air space. Cubes tessellate space, but unmodified spheres cannot. You can think of it this way: imagine two cube-shaped fish tanks. Fill one with dice, stacked neatly. Fill the second with marbles, also stacked as neatly as possible. Now fill both with water, and tank #1 will obviously hold less. A shape tessellates space when, in theory, no water will fit. Now you can see the picture in your head of all those little dice, and the wire-frame, cubic grid that defines their positioning. It's perfect, like a little map-of-the-cat you can remember seeing in a chemistry book, outlining the parameters of a salt crystal. I'm also reminded of an M.C. Escher lithograph that had an arrangement of vacant-looking fishes in an endless 3D structure, kinda like a skyscraper during construction. But seeing the corresponding framework for a group of marbles might prove a bit different. Lots of angles. If we were to look for that grid, at least in order to understand it, it might be easiest to start with the cubic arrangement first. I will discuss that further in my next video, which deals specifically with such crystallizations; but for now, I must state that my intention here was to deliberately avoid that sort of flawless order. That would be hard-edged, delineated, rigid and geometric organization (Stanford comma omitted on purpose)- but this project was organic and soft, as an intentionally contrasting juxtaposition. We are a dichotomy of art and science, aren't we! We both express and witness. The bubbly, indescript, and non-voxellated appearance of the BB hand was supposed to look like what Job did to the bad guys in 'The Lawnmower Man,' when they started to fly apart into a scattering mess of little matter-balls. Disordered and organic this time, but adherent to an overall theme. Fluid. Forgiving, like biology. Tune in next time for perfect structure, and the mathematical organization that underscores it. Seriously, thanks for reading.-pocket Music:"Desert City" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
Marble size sorting machine pocket83 2017-10-06 | There's not much of a market for high tolerance marbles, so marble size inconsistency is an actual problem for some projects. But aside from using a gravity-fed size sorter to organize your collection, this project is also a simple way to demonstrate some probability distributions! Yay! No, seriously: the Bell curve shows up everywhere- the average size of a raindrop, how many kittens your cat is likely to have, the number of blades o' grass in a lawn, or the approximate amount of rainbows & elephants found in a country- anything that has more than one example can be thought of as a distribution. This type of statistical thinking is not easy for us, because it is often counterintuitive, but it is one of the most useful tools we have to help us make sense of a confusing world. Mathematics lets us see clearly by giving us what we need to make unbiased predictions; it is something that we can actually trust, even when our hearts or eyes may mislead us. Construction notes: The collection trays were not the best way to do this. I improvised them from scrap. I might recommend higher-backed boxes that have a bit more width. If there were 6 compartments instead of 8, I think it might be easier to use, because it wouldn't have such a narrow range per cell. Such a small width is sometimes difficult to calibrate. Just think of mine as a proof of concept, and improve on it. It's hard to justify making more than one of these, when this one works to solve the problem just fine. Music:"Silver Flame" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
BB packing problem on a cylinder (& the water paraboloid) pocket83 2017-08-05 | This video is about using and constructing a spinning tube that can demonstrate centrifugal force, sphere packing, and crystal structure. The BBs will form a lattice around the cylinder when a simple spin technique is applied.More footage of water paraboloids: youtu.be/M5uvAv0qga0Music:"Our Lives Change" by Tryadtryad.bandcamp.com/album/public-domainLicensed by Creative Commons: creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
Triangle hole trick: made 3D from cubes and explained pocket83 2017-06-23 | Also known as the "missing square puzzle," this great little trick is sure to get a reaction at parties- especially from those who haven't had time to think about it before! If you are going to build one, I recommend the cubes over the flat parts: the cubic version is easier to handle, more convincing, and more forgiving. This video first outlines some of the construction process, and then provides a conceptual explanation for what's happening here. Spoiler: there are three triangles, and all three are slightly different- the video explains how. The overall puzzle has an area of ½bh, or ½(13)(5), or 32.5 units^2. The sum of the areas from the four parts is still one unit less, so something is amiss. There is a slight variation to the shapes of the three triangles here, but that is not easily visible to us, especially since we have a natural tendency to quickly make assumptions about the things that we see. I'm not criticizing; sure, this tendency can cause problems, but it's also the source of some great advantage to us. Because we can make assumptions, we can learn from both the world and others readily, which lets us quickly adapt to changing circumstances. There will always be those who consider this trusting trait as gullibility, and as a thing to be exploited, but that is only because dishonesty is so rampant. If it weren't for those selfish fools who are endlessly attempting to swindle the honest with some new snake oil, humanity would suffer much less from lost productivity. Your greed and aims for personal success are the result of a short-sighted, self-oriented evolutionary origin that you should really consider suspect. Our little, harmless personal biases can have lasting social reverberations, which reflect themselves in our so many failed attempts in the political and economic sphere(s) throughout history. Slight numerical differences can have amplifying ramifications as a system becomes larger and more complex; many of these emergent effects are not immediately apparent at the outset, given the small values in differing orientation to the seed variables (the initial conditions), which may splinter and then crystallize into trees of branching potentialities. This is another one of those butterfly effect things, but the point is that details matter. In a more real-life example, using a six-inch pocket level to make sure that an eight-foot bench is level can be disastrous if you're off a bit: there is a total of 16 lengths of 'pocket level' within the length of your bench, so your error will be multiplied by that factor. Thus, ⅛" out of level becomes two inches on your bench. Little mistakes, err, or, error- can be projected; error becomes amplified in affect as time, space, frequency, use, or any other dimensionality is added into the parameters of a given system. Rabbit hole:youtube.com/watch?v=dgmgxtaYEpEMusic:"Desert City" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
Make a pocket rocket plumbus with spinning hurricane balls! pocket83 2017-05-26 | Some of you may be wondering what a plumbus can or will do. This video seeks to explore those questions.*****A few construction points that are a bit too esoteric for the video~-Symmetry pro-tip: each cluster should be made using identical balls. Golf ball brands seem to have some mild variance to their masses. Better balanced clusters spin more smoothly. I wish I would've thought of that earlier, but I use found balls anyhow, so beggars can't be choosers! I'm lucky to ever find four of a kind.-A cotton pull string seems to work better. The problem with making one is that you will have to twist the rope yourself into a size that's suitable. Mine was made from three lengths of cotton twine. I used a rope machine (that I made), but a 40" piece of rope could be twisted, at least in theory, by using some clamps/weights/tape to just hand twist the rope. The forces at work in such a small rope are relatively mild, so it can certainly be done, and cotton twine is cheap. What makes the cotton work so well? Well, aside from its smooth and quiet operation, which lends itself to a tactile pleasure, cotton rope can also be stiffened on the end with epoxy. Cotton fibers will readily imbibe liquid, so by covering the last 5mm of your rope with epoxy, you can add a rigid section to the end of the pull rope (kind of like what a shoelace has), which will make it much faster and easier to insert into the launcher. I didn't actually dip the end; I instead dripped a tiny glob of the warm glue on to a length of the rope, and then I cut through the center of the hard spot after it had cured. -Using epoxy to fasten the tetrahedral golf ball cluster together can be a messy disaster. I didn't film it because I had to work too quickly to be bothered. Be sure that all of your parts are ready to go, because you will have just enough time to get to all six connections and all six of their respective holes. Remember that a heat gun will make epoxy become runny, which helps it to spread faster. There will be squeeze out, but it is manageable with this trick: baby powder. Apply it liberally as soon as all of the parts have been pressed together. The mess will no longer spread, but now there's clean-up: toothpicks and a coat-hanger needle tool will easily scrape away the little squeeze-out globules that have been encapsulated and rendered harmless by the powder. Keep picking at the details and pressing in on the connections for around five minutes, and don't become overwhelmed, because as long as you've used the baby powder, you have this completely under your control. I hope this was a fun one for you. Thanks for reading.*****Music: "Galway" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
Ant-proof hummingbird feeders made from bottles! pocket83 2017-05-08 | This video shows how to make an attractive hummingbird feeder from two used bottles and some copper wiring. Preparing sugar-food:As soon as your water comes to a boil, immediately measure out two cups of it in a glass measuring cup. Add to this hot water 1/2 cup of white household sugar, and stir until dissolved. This is an actual 4:1 ratio by volume; don't measure out your water first, because some of it evaporates as you heat it. Cover and allow to cool to room temperature before use. Do not use red dyes in hummingbird food. A note on cleanliness: A glass feeder that's transparent is very helpful in the fight against bacterial growth. Remember, this is sugar water at rest in the warm spring air, so it will quickly grow life if steps aren't taken. With each fill, I thoroughly clean the feeder and all of its components. I take extra care on the insides, and of course, with those red marbles. I wash with a very tiny amount of homemade cleaner*, and then I rinse by alternating between hot and cold tap water, which is lethal to many bacteria. Although there will be some variance because of temperature and weather conditions, a good rule is that food should not be allowed to remain in a feeder for more than a week. A great trick for cleaning inside of a bottle is to stuff in a few sheets of toilet paper, give it a drop of dish soap, and fill it halfway with water. Then shake until well after the TP has turned into a slushy mess- the paper's pulp will gently scrub the inside of the bottle for you. Afterwards, you can just pour the sludge right down the drain. *The cleaner I recommend is as follows. In a spray bottle (I use an old Windex bottle), add: 200 mL blue Dawn dish detergent, 200 mL white vinegar, and 200 mL water. That's a 1:1:1 ratio; equal parts of all three ingredients by volume. Shake to thicken, and shake each time before you spray. It goes on like a wet foam that will slowly run down vertical surfaces, and it will break down pretty tough oils or dried out messes. If you make this stuff, you will start using it for just about everything. Try it out on the tub, but let it sit for an hour before you rinse it away. Glass and marbles: watch out for some of the red marbles/gems that you might find at the craft stores, because not all of them are actually red glass. Some have a red coating on them that make them not suitable for this project. Certainly, there are also alternatives to adding something red to the food bottle; on one of our feeders, I cut red marbles in half with the wet-saw, and then epoxied them directly to the sides of the glass feeder. That was three or four seasons ago, and it's held up just fine. One last thing: be careful dropping marbles in to a glass bottle- I cracked one of my new feeders doing that. It still doesn't leak, but now it's a ticking bomb. Happy spring, and thanks for reading ;) *****Some of my other relevant videos-How to make copper chain from 12 gage wiring:youtube.com/watch?v=byM292kKPhwBottle cutting using a wetsaw or Dremel:youtube.com/watch?v=sRVrDTMOsIIMaking those sliding plant stands for use on 4x4 posts:youtube.com/watch?v=Rl6OkYopDj0*****Music:Desert City Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
Cheap and easy ball catch latches! pocket83 2017-04-28 | This video shows how to turn a piece of PVC pipe and a golf ball into a great alternative to hook-and-eye latches. These clamp latches have just the right amount of grab to keep a door from blowing shut, but they can still be easily pulled away to close. Materials and dimensions: PVC- 1.5" ID cut to 15/16" in length. Golf ball- drilled to 9/64" and counter-sunk using 3/8" bit. Screws- (two) 1.25" for C-clamp; (one) 2.5" for ball.*Use treated screws for exterior applications. Magnets:Sure, there are such a thing as magnet latches. And they probably work great in many cases. And that has nothing to do with this video. Please don't try to up-sell me on magnetic latches. These latches are cheap, easy, and don't rust. Sunlight:PVC has a long life, even being exposed to constant direct sunlight. These clamps are guaranteed for a decade, which will outlast any latch you are likely to find at the box-store. How do I know this? Look at the greenhouse in the end scene: I constructed that from PVC pipe seven years ago now, and it gets to support a foot of snow every winter. UV degradation here is a less important consideration than rust is, from the screws that you're using. Making it weaker/stronger:This technique can be easily adapted to light-weight doors by just widening the gap in the PVC slightly from the example. Heavier doors may require more clamping strength. There are a few ways to do this. First, you may want to use beefier screws. The most obvious strength adjustment is to close the size of the gap that has been cut for the golf ball. If you do this, you may want to also sand a mild angle on the outer edges of the clamp (in the places that touch the golf ball) to encourage it to snap/roll into place in easier. Lengthening the pipe itself will also make the clamp more rigid. The most drastic mod would be to "cope" the PVC into a shape that better holds the golf ball- think of a monkey hugging a basketball. This closer fit could be made by starting with a PVC part that has a slightly smaller gap, and then using a drum-sander to make a concavity in the center of each of the clamp's arms. *****Addressing problems:I may have called myself lazy, but it's really industrious and practical to improve your surroundings for efficiency, because it will save you time in the long run. I started to notice that I would try to quickly move in and out of the shed hastily in order to complete my task before the peripheral inconvenience of the flapping doors could catch up with me, rather than just accept that the task at hand had certain unalterable minimum time conditions, and that my refusal to accept this reality was irrational. I'm reminded of Wile E. Coyote, who could run beyond the edge of the cliff and onto the air, where he could continue until he accepted the inescapable truth about this condition. Stop avoiding your problems and take time to address them; you will find that most of our stresses require only minor efforts to correct, while pretending not to notice them will have a cumulative affect on us- which quite often robs more of our net time than does the fix.*****Music:Digya Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
Iso-path: game board creation (& how to play) pocket83 2017-04-21 | Most of this video is about how to construct a game-board for playing Hexagonal Iso-path. The final five minutes explain how to play. Alternatives and similarities-The first rule-set for this game was created by pocket83 in March, 2017. Those rules apply specifically to a 37-space hexagonal game board which uses eight game pieces (and two players). They are subject to revision and addition. As such cases arise, this description (and the associated links to the rule sheets) will be amended to accommodate them. This game could also be played on an h5 (61-space) board, or it could be played with additional pieces. I shouldn't have to tell you that such changes add vastly to the complexity of the game, and as such, the version presented here was best suited for an introduction to game-play. This standard version of the game has 22% of the board covered by pieces, which is a comfortable balance between player freedom and large-space tedium. Additional pieces may give variety for experienced players, but we've found that eight pieces per player feels extremely limiting, so no more than six pieces is recommended for an h4 board. There is also a three-player aspect to this game, but it's complicated, so read more about it in the rule-sheet links. Mrs. pocket would like to add that a set of marble hexagon tiles would be ideal. That might sound extravagant, but hexagon-tile mosaics are available online and at most home centers in travertine, granite, glass, marble, and more. Since the game only requires 37 tiles to play, that amount can usually be found within a single, one square-foot tile mesh. That translates to only around 10 or 15$. I would have liked to mention that in the video, but it was getting too long, and I don't really need another game board! There are, of course, many hexagonal board games to be found throughout history, but Hexagonal Iso-path is being presented to you in this form as a standardized, original creation for the exclusive purpose of having a fun and simple strategic capture game. No promises, but I've personally designed this game to be what I want to play in a zero-sum board game. However, any similarities to anything that may already exist is purely coincidental. If (and as) other related games reveal themselves to me, I will post mentions of them here to give credit where it is due. At present, I have no knowledge of the existence of the game design presented here. That said, I like to imagine that some distant years ago, maybe in some quiet and isolated grass-roofed village, there were perhaps already experienced players of this simple-yet-intriguing game. They could have fashioned ornate pieces from light-colored stone. They played in the warm, sun dried dirt of the era that was without time's pressuring imposition; that place before the complexity brought on by our modern fixation with the abstract. To them, I pay homage by admitting that idea ownership is a fool's personal overstatement. Property, intellectual or otherwise, is transient and insubstantial. Either case, mine or theirs, I truly love this game, and I hope that you will too. Please enjoy. *****~Rules~1) Rule sheet 1 of 2:►postimg.cc/Jtn8X4H12) Rule sheet 2 of 2:►postimg.cc/gr6MQffV3) Three-player:►postimg.cc/wtYr7d3C4) Alternative Gameplay:►postimg.cc/qt3LSKFk~Templates~Board template:postimg.cc/HjjJJJJZTiles & Bases template:postimg.cc/Yjj3pCtk*****Music:Cambodian Odyssey Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0Now imagine a day on which the birds are disconcerned with your presence, because their own affairs are seemingly of greater import. You could here recognize your place as a visitor; you are only acted upon in this world, and you do not cause any of this. Why not? Because there is no you. You are only the infinitely small point to which all physical phenomena seem to point, but when we look closely at that spot, there's nothing there. Self implies separation, and both are impossibilities.
Crafting Go bowls from coconuts! pocket83 2017-03-30 | No talking this time! The sounds and visuals were nice enough, so I'm letting those do the explaining here. You will hear more of my soothing Batman/Casteil/Max Payne voice next time, I promise! Until then, I'll be happy to answer any questions in the comments section. A note on coconuts: there is some variation to their color, depending on where they came from. Aside from that, as a general rule, the more you sand them, the more brown-colored they will become. The inside is like a super fine grained hard-wood (two words), so it sands and finishes beautifully. Be warned- sanding it all the way through to the brown 'heartwood' removes all of its striking features and depth, resulting in a dark brown, solid color. The two featured at the end are examples of my recommended compromise. They were sanded to 220, then given three coats of oil; one heavy, two light. *****The board game, Go, is perhaps the oldest, greatest, and most complex game of its type ever to be conceived by human beings. Its range of possible game-play configurations is nearly limitless, at least with respect to the human capacity. The Game can be played on any square grid, but typically the boards are (9, 13, or 19)². It is worth noting that these numbers represent the number of intersections, and not the number of squares on the board. This is because the game is played on the points- unlike Checkers, Othello, or Chess, which are all played using the insides of the squares. The number of points in a row on a square grid is (n+1), where n= the # of squares in the row. In other words, a 19x19 board really has 19x19 active points, but there's only 18x18 squares on it. If you want to play the game on the cheap, just print out a grid of 12 squares by 12 squares (which is known as a 13x13 board). Or play it in the shop on your green cutting mat, like the one I made these on. You can buy bags of colored glass gobs at the craft or dollar store, so you don't need expensive Go stones.So, what is the point of the game, anyhow? Well, it's a territorial competition, where the object is to capture the most space by surrounding as many of the opponent's pieces as possible. It's a zero-sum game, which means that somebody loses if somebody wins. If you like games such as this, or game theory in general (and presumably you do, as you are still reading), then you will be delighted to know that I have two of my own zero-sum board games in the works, and I look forward to releasing them to video. Neither is quite as complex as Go, but one of them has an enormous game potential, and I'm excited to show it to you. We are still testing for ad infinitum, deadlock, and player advantage; I want to be sure the rules cover as much as possible before I release it. With respect to fun, tactility, aesthetics, and originality, I'm super proud of it! So if you like games, look forward to it. Please let me know it if you read this- I really appreciate that, because I don't like the feeling that I'm talking to an empty room. Seriously, thanks for reading ;)Here's a great video about how to learn Go in 15 minutes:youtube.com/watch?v=JWdgqV-8yVgThe game's wiki:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_(game)*****Music:Desert City Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
Building the mosquito in amber cane (from Jurassic Park) pocket83 2017-03-18 | This is a video that has been 65 million seconds in the making! That's right; a million seconds is over 11 days, so Peter and I have been trying to finish this project for over 2 years! In this two-part video, we attempt to reproduce the cane used by John Hammond in the film, Jurassic Park. My part of the project was to make the bone handle, and Peter's job was to reproduce the insect embedded in amber. Companion video:youtu.be/xP1gtXNM844Shop Time w/ Peter Brown:youtube.com/user/kludge1977Music:Interloper Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
Making Kururin: Rolling sticks! (traditional and weighted fidget toy) pocket83 2017-02-19 | Two ways to make Kururin rolling sticks. The first one is the more traditional solid Maple. The second is weighted on the ends to give it a more gentle roll. The Kururin is as much a game of skill as it is a fidget toy. This project is highly recommended!*****Just to clarify, the blue rolling stick at the beginning is different from the one shown in the later scenes. The second one is a refinement of the process after many tries. Its rolling action is incredibly smooth and balanced. Shoe/pad: the ideal traction-foot seems to be the foam. Conveniently, it is also readily available. Rubber feels too hard, and thin silicone is too difficult to attach. I had also considered chamois and cork, but availability and expense were factors. Of the things we've tried, hot glue works second-best. A note on operation: a smooth roll requires a smooth surface and a smooth Kururin. Clean glass or granite are the best surfaces, and the stick should be well-sanded and oiled to reduce friction. The featured blue stick had around three coats of Teak oil to give it that silky shine. Taking your time with crafting it will greatly enhance your ability. I still can't believe how well the (new) blue one works. I also can't believe how much I've improved! *****Template:http://postimg.cc/image/8ek05j93nMusic:Finding the Balance Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
Lathe gouge holders and cheap Cu wire riveting pocket83 2017-02-10 | Another attempt to prove that anything can be made from PVC pipe and copper wiring! This process is mostly useful for Craftsman lathes, but it should work for any lathe that has a metal bar or post in lieu of a flat bed. You could certainly still adapt these tool clips to that style of bed, so please keep that in mind before complaining about how useless this is. Remember: the ideas I present were never meant to be universal; they were only ever intended to help you consider new ways to approach your own problems. This was just a demonstration to help you get ideas ;)*****The following is an explanation of the still frame, since I blatantly favor the literate: it's the island from 'Broken Saints.' You probably have not heard of it, but if you're in the mood for a relaxed, musical, and somewhat creepy contemplative visual experience, you should investigate it. Brooke Burgess, the creator, has a YouTube channel where you can sample it. However, I would suggest just buying the DVD set since its obscurity keeps the price so abnormally low (Ollie's has it for $4). Without hesitation I'm recommending it, especially to those in search of less trite media. To me, it captures the feel of that time right after the turn of the millennium, where and when we were so uncertain about the newly severed connection to American exceptionalism. I started to become an adult there, and Burgess' work captures that confusion in a way that was somber, smart, poetic, and careful. Watch it in the dark. v=JxE9EODS588Thanks for reading.-pocket
VCR head gyroscope! ...and other shiny spinning objects pocket83 2017-02-03 | Finding a junk VCR is pretty easy. Don't just throw it away- adapt the VCR's head into a spinning gyroscope! If you don't have an air compressor: 1) turn a bicycle upside down and petal it. 2) while holding the stationary half of the head, gently press the free half against the spinning tire rubber. Think of this just like two spur gears; the huge gear reduction (about 10:1)* should have the gyroscope humming along at a rotational speed comparable to what is shown here. ~~~~~Vsauce: Any similarities between this video and Michael Stevens' recent video is entirely coincidental. I filmed this without knowing about it. I would like to take the opportunity to endorse that channel though! Vsauce1 is one of my favorite channels, and (imo) it has consistently produced some of the best content on the internet. Please watch 'Spinning':youtube.com/watch?v=XHGKIzCcVa0~~~~~Giaco Whatever:He also just made a similar video! I swear, I had no intention of being a copycat! Well, this one is also about making a spinner.'99999+ RPM Fidget Spinner Toy': youtube.com/watch?v=mP-tqMKqDAQ~~~~~*Assuming a 26" bicycle tire and a 2.5" VCR head (these measurements are diameters), we can multiply both of these numbers by pi (π) to get their circumferences:26(π)= 81.72.5(π)= 7.9If we then divide: 81.7/7.9= 10.3Thus, every time the bike tire goes around, the gyroscope will go around over 10 times!Notes: -Circumference is how far it is around a circle. -Diameter is how wide a circle is. -π is how far it is around a circle when the diameter of that circle is 1. That's about 3.14.-Parentheses indicate multiplication, for example: 2(3)= 6.Oh, and the head spinner becomes cold.Thanks for reading ;)
Anti-tip concrete edging connections pocket83 2017-01-27 | Stop concrete edging from falling over! Scalloped landscape trim blocks look nice, but everything (especially freeze/thaw cycles) seems to tip them over. The solution featured in this video uses 3/8" PEX tubing to pin them all together, so that they join to become one big, heavy concrete snake thing that isn't going anywhere! Since filming this, not one has fallen over.*** Why bother with the water?I use water with every masonry/stone/mineral/cement cutting or drilling operation. It prolongs tool life, reduces dust, quiets noise, dissipates heat, and mechanically removes sediment. Further, ruining a certain size bit from a set is another trip to the store. It's good form, and it isn't difficult. *** Why don't you just bury the blocks?They have been set in the ground before; freeze/thaw cycles move them and cause them to become uneven. After 10 years, I've realized that it's best to let them float on top as a heavy, flexible snake. Notes: * One gallon of water in the siphon bottle lasts for around three or four holes (assuming 0.2" OD vinyl tubing). * Only one 3/8" tile bit was used, and I made more than 30 holes. No visible damage was done to this drill bit, and in fact, it seemed to perform just as well on the final hole. Drilling a single hole takes approximately one minute. * Holes were drilled just over 1.5" deep, and PEX inserts were cut to 3" each. You want to allow some +/- for expansion and contraction.* I didn't use any adhesives in this process, but attaching the pins with silicone may be advisable for high-traffic areas. Silicone will expand and contract with seasonal changes; a more solid-cure product may end up cracking your blocks.* My edging blocks were painted (for the second time) with a white enamel last year. They are now at least 10 years old.
PVC Chain from Pipe Scraps pocket83 2017-01-27 | This video is about making a light-duty chain from PVC pipe. Individual links are cut to about 7/16" and then every other link is split for connecting them together. Without cementing the splits, this chain will break at around 15 lbs. of tension- so be advised, and be careful, if kids are using it for play. For those of you without a band-saw, there are other ways to do this. I started out by using the table-saw (and a sled), but the jig was a bit more involved, and the blade would sometimes chatter against the sides of the pipe as the cut went in the whole way. Another alternative: if you've ever seen one of those little wooden mitre boxes, the ones that use a back saw (or box saw), it wouldn't be so bad to make a small length of chain using one of those. Before you complain about the hard work, remember- PVC is hollow, so you're mostly cutting air. If I were asked to batch this chain out, like if I had to make 100' of it, I would use a mitre saw. Hear me out on this method, because I've done something like this before. To keep those little circles from rolling all over the place and exploding behind the blade guard, it works nicely to tape three pieces of pipe together with masking tape. That way, each slice will fall away in a triangular arrangement, and the thin piece of tape holding the bundle together can easily be peeled off. Using a mitre saw also makes a cut smooth enough that you can skip the sanding. Next process for the batching involves cutting large amounts of thin slits for those split-links. For that, my first attempt would involve the hacksaw. A simple jig made from a dowel with a cut down its length could have a dozen links slid onto it, and then be fit into the vice to make the cut. A hacksaw has a thin kerf (cut), so it would be less noticeable and easier to repair with cement than, for example, cutting down the length of the pipe with a table-saw prior to cutting away the links. As an aside, if you do ever want to make a rip cut in PVC using the table-saw, the art is in keeping it straight. If the pipe is short, an easy trick for this is to put a screw in the end, for a reference point. If the screw remains against the table-saw's deck for the entire cut, the cut will be straight. For a longer section of pipe, you may want to just tape it to a 2x4, or if batching, make a jig, perhaps something similar to a tapering jig. See the theme yet? Carpentry operations are always task-specific; there is typically no blueprint for it, because you must constantly balance the importance of the operation against time, expense, safety, repeatability, accuracy, visibility, and patron pickiness. I guess that sort of creative liberty can be appealing to some, because it gives the creator a sense of autonomy and agency, but the downside is that there is just no sure recipe for innovation under pressure. My advice? never stop tinkering! Tinkering is the fickle father of invention, and you already know his more demanding mistress. Hey, all of those stupid skills gained on the fly do actually transfer to other facets of life, you know (kinda like reading does). So think of tinkering as a R&D investment.Thanks for reading. -pocket
Golden icosahedron pocket83 2017-01-01 | This icosahedron is based on three intersecting golden rectangles. The project is easy to construct from plywood, but there are also plenty of crafting alternatives that do not require power tools. The icosahedron is one of the five Platonic solids. It has 20 faces, all of which are equilateral triangles. *****Template:http://s5.postimg.org/qw8239447/golden_rectangle_upload.png*****About my mathematical scribbles near the end:Yes, I know that I used 'r' as a variable twice, but I ended up not using the 1/6 arc. In fact, the problem turned out to be really simple, and so I only used geometry, the Pythagorean theorem, and some ratios to answer my question. See, math (as used in real life) is mostly just thinking out loud and stating the obvious, because that's what a systematic approach to an investigation does. It's like tire kicking, because you are uncertain about something, or else you wouldn't be doing a math problem in the first place; you are, after all, amidst a problem- by definition. Usually you are looking at some scratch sheet, and not at a finished piece of work. Yes, there are mostly redundancies all over the paper, but that's because I didn't know how to solve the problem at first, so I jumped right in by trying whatever popped into my head- and step one is to define the things I do know.I often think of mathematics as like having another sense- like another way to see things. This sense can help us to gain a better conceptual understanding of the thing we are considering. Just as we have two eyes to give us depth perception, adding mathematical reasoning to the way that you look at the world will enhance the resolution of what you see, I promise.Thanks for reading- pocket83
4x4 Pole pot sliders ~ build one! pocket83 2016-10-14 | Printable template:It's already scaled for printing on 8.5"x11" paper, so there are two halves. Just print them both out, overlap them, and tape them together. If you do have scaling problems, just be sure to maintain the 3.625" dimension for the post-hole. This design will accommodate most 7" plastic pots, but sizing may vary; there's still room to make mild adjustments by reducing or increasing the size of the pot-hole diameter. Assuming 3/4" plywood material, you have strength to spare. Top half:postimg.cc/image/pdafwnxn7Bottom half:postimg.cc/image/rj4qr613n*****About my pattern:It was made from 0.19" aluminum trim coil. Coil can be cut to extremely high tolerances, and it is ideal for pencil-tracing. As a pattern, it keeps its shape well, and it's easy to store. Handy stuff. I buy trim coil in a 2'x50' roll, but if you know a contractor, they will likely have some scraps sitting around for you. Note: typical fascia is thicker material than the average coil stock, and so it's harder to shape. Expect a future video about break work.I also applied spray adhesive to one side of the pattern for friction- not enough to make it stick, just enough to prevent sliding while tracing. Remember, saved seconds add up: it's not overboard to make a good pattern for a project that you intend to batch out, or for one that you expect to make again someday.Title:As for the not-too-tasteful alliterative pun, excuse it. But I fear that it will go largely unnoticed by a mass constrained by its historical ignorance, so I've allowed it to remain as a piece of pointed satirical commentary; if you don't know who the monstrous Pol Pot was (the once leader of the genocidal Khmer Rouge), then consider yourself to be the butt of my tragic joke. We might do well to mind our place in the great context: the gravity of our cultural centrality is an illusory one, as it affects only those caught in its tiny well. We, the present victims of localized "terror," oft forget the pains of the past, many of which pale our present discomforts- except that they no longer freshly resonate in our minds and ears. On a much lighter note, here's another egg for you description readers: v=TDBE9wD7nMQ More of a gem, really. If you want to investigate it, just place this code into the address bar at the top of your screen, right after the place where it says 'watch?' (and don't add any spaces).
Square your drill press table plane. Its easy. pocket83 2016-10-07 | Why no dial indicator:"Two human hairs" wasn't entirely truthful. A hair is 0.001", and this table was out about 0.005" end to end, which is about five hairs, or one piece of printer paper. But the table is 16" long, so that means that it has a +/- of 2.5 hairs, or one piece of cheap notebook paper. As a percentage, that's 0.0003125% out of square. Before you suggest that I should improve this number, take note that even the smallest piece of sawdust is a few thou. Not to dismiss or discourage improvement, but maybe we should find the appropriate level of trouble to go to for a given task.*****Method:If you can smell a flaw somewhere in my reasoning, that's good. Richard Feynman once noted about science that it is a "belief in the ignorance of experts." Not that his opinion means anything. But really, there is a flaw in some of the procedure here, and if you picked up on it, I'm just happy that I was able to get you to think about it that hard. But let me skirt some of that critique with some good old-fashioned obscurantism, anyhow. Consider the context: we are squaring a drill press here, not writing planar topology problems for a specialist-level math text. I want to get the concept across, which is to get you to think of a plane as a triangle. If two points on that plane can be established as equidistant from a point of reference (the drill bit), then the following point can be adjusted to match, and the plane will be set. On Q&D method #1, the back two points of the triangle, which we used to set the L/R adjustment, are not in line with the center point of our circle (as a diametric bisector). Thus, that line cannot be used to establish a fair basis for the height setting. So, if it reads that point three (the front one) must come down relative to the back two, that's exactly wrong, because our front point IS our point of reference. It would actually be the case that the rear points must come up, so they couldn't be set first. But anyone adjusting a drill press will quickly intuit this, so mentioning any of this becomes irrelevant, at least beyond that weird esoteric satisfaction that drives those who have been cursed by the compulsion to chase after mathematical perfection.So what about the level 2 method? Again, despite trying to correct along two perpendicular axes, using a four-point based square arrangement is still impractical. Why? Because assuring that points l and r sit on the (new, different) bisector reduces too much of their front/back range, and that reduces their accuracy. As such (considering the dimensions of my table), the best suited approach here would likely be an equilateral arrangement which uses the front & center point. Strange how adherence to theory can restrict one, isn't it? This is why academics never get anything done; a "good enough" mentality can carry us far through accomplishment, especially when it considers context well, because it pays attention to what degrees of accuracy and precision are appropriate, which in turn wastes less productive time. So, what is my point in all of this rambling? I don't know. I guess that I'm just admitting that it can't be done in only one step with any real-life certainty; adjust for L/R first, using any two arbitrary (but symmetrical) points, and then determine if F/B should be adjusted. In summary, these could be some great chalkboard discussion problems, but as for setting up your equipment properly goes, take these ideas and apply them only so far as your discretion finds them useful. One more thing though: I expect lots of "I just do it like this, and it's done- easy" comments on this video, and I'm sure that such methods can be defended for the sake of pragmatism. But-- analysis of theory provides us insight into places of discovery otherwise unreachable; it is not just useless daydreaming that narrows our focus into that precise beam, as such is our desire to improve asserting itself, and it is the foundation of all human achievement and discovery. Let it do what it does without ridicule, and dismiss it casually at your own expense, because it is to your own shame to mark out your limitations so vividly with sarcasm. Thanks for reading ;)
Melted 35mm film canister? pocket83 2016-10-07 | If you get burned while making this project, you're doing it wrong! Super easy, cool little trick for people with limited tools. These containers are super handy, and you probably have everything you need sitting around the house somewhere.
How To Make Lincoln Logs pocket83 2016-09-02 | Chapters:01) 00:44 intro02) 01:21 equipment 03) 01:44 materials04) 02:27 materials 05) 03:01 rough cutting06) 03:16 end notches07) 03:53 seat routing08) 04:13 sanding fuzz09) 04:58 rout depth10) 05:27 load physics11) 05:58 center routs12) 06:32 table sawing13) 07:29 rounding routs14) 08:17 big logs finished15) 08:27 half log table-sawing16) 09:22 egg, length cutting17) 10:11 parts ratio18) 10:35 staining*****This video is based on a web page that I had up about a decade ago. This is really just an experimental format, but it should be pretty useful if you want to make Lincoln Logs. The logs featured are fully compatible with the name-brand version. *****Both a printable version and a (new) web-page version of this tutorial are now available for FREE at the IBUILDIT site:http://www.ibuildit.ca/Woodworking%20Projects/lincoln-logs.htmlIf you aren't already familiar with the work that John Heisz does, go explore that. NOW. *****I also have an additional video about unusual Lincoln Log parts:youtube.com/watch?v=hXFCe8p7Va4And here's a template for my truss design:postimg.cc/image/st60gn8wj
Dowel routing for the da Vinci bridge puzzle pocket83 2016-08-19 | I highly recommend this puzzle for the aspiring young engineer in your life, because it is the very definition of a smart toy. The procedure shown here could easily be adapted to mass produce these bridges for craft fairs or for gift-giving. I used 1/2" dowels and a 1/2" core-box bit. It does take quite a few clamps, and making dowels is certainly an art (that looks much easier on YouTube), but the finished project is unquestionably rewarding in that "fits perfect" sort of way. I hope you enjoy.*****For more on making dowels by using this method:youtube.com/watch?v=yUmlMtpAj9oThis is not as easy as it looks. But after some practice and patience it can become a useful skill. I've tried a variety of other ways, and I always seem to come back to doing it this way. I don't round-over my stock first though; I use an octagonal stock that has been chamfered at 45° using the table-saw. When I first rip my stock square, I cut it to nearly the same width as the finished target diameter. Thus, if I'm making 1/2" rod, my square stock will be ripped to just barely over 1/2", and then chamfered at 45°, and then passed through the chisel-shaper.To watch the assembly solution for the bridge: youtube.com/watch?v=hGtnME79fY4
No! Nail through finger! DEMONETIZED. pocket83 2016-08-05 | Think this was b8? W8! Don't h8!It was f8; consider YouTube in its current st8.I need to put food on my pl8- can't you rel8?But it's not too l8: Want titles to go str8, and for the dishonesty to ab8?Then change your clicking habits, and all will be gr8! *****We probably do deserve to be baited for chasing sensationalism. Supply is determined by demand. But in a less general sense, the only ones who will complain here are the creepy gore seekers who were actually hoping to see me hurt myself (well, those and the dumb ones who either won't/can't read this or who won't/can't understand what I'm talking about). Besides, it is necessary to mislead in order to elicit a surprise! So lighten up, because I'm tired of being expected to apologize for everything that I say or release. Pay attention to some of the other YouTubers out there: Ever notice that many of them attempt to explain themselves around every move? There's lots of pressure for them to do so- but that's not entirely because they want to be clear and expressive; it is also a clever play that's being used to exploit your psychology. Presenting you with (mild) excuses, rationalizations, or apologies may reduce a presenter's apparent standing enough to make them seem more approachable- or human. It's threatening to watch someone who is too capable or competent. In fact, even in mate selection, there is a diminished return in attractiveness for competence; in other words, you won't think they are hot if they are too much smarter than you! Yeah, we like watching stupid, because it makes us feel better about ourselves. More specifically, we like for the object of our attention to be a close approximation to our equal, with a preference for that which rests just ever-so-slightly beneath the threshold of our own capacities. Such a case is a non-threatening reaffirmation of our own superiority, and we know that the average person believes herself to be above the average. Why would we want to introduce dissonance into our harmonious worldview? As John Stuart Mill pointed, "Absolute princes... feel complete confidence in their own opinions on nearly all subjects." Certainly seems easier to contrive competence than it would be to get it the old-fashioned way- you know- by allowing evidence to modify your calculus. Now I'm not no prince, but I'm not never gonna apologize for not having no dumb. Yet here I am, once again trying to explain, in vain, my nature! *****Music:Blue Sizzle Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0*****How to make that little orange pneumatic nipple-cap: youtube.com/watch?v=Tf45oZOTMJ4
Return to sender! (build) pocket83 2016-05-29 | This is a colorful project that requires just a small piece of plywood and a little bit of patience. I promise that it is nowhere near as involved as it might seem. Since the pieces are so small, the glue grabs them very effectively, and material cost is not all that much to worry about. It just takes a little head scratching and some time. *****Please keep in mind that these parts are incredibly tiny: 0.295" (around 7.5 mm), so the camera angles were extremely close. This was done for clarity and for the increasing number of tiny-screen viewers, but I had no intention of making it seem misleading. The small size also makes those "kickback" scenes appear much more dramatic than they were. *****As for the "password," that was just for the recipient to be able to authenticate his/her identity, should they wish to communicate with me. Should they wish to remain anonymous, I will certainly respect that. But if you're out there, I sure would like a message to let me know that you got it! That little thing is now worth a pretty cool story. To the rest of you- and this applies to so many of you- the little nice things that you say or do are the reason that I keep making these videos. This entire entry was made as a little way to thank you in the best way that I can, hopefully without appearing to be too patronizing or self-indulgent. Seriously, thank you ;) *****Cubic trefoil knot videos:Full video: youtube.com/watch?v=Jw1Eyu54whIHigh-speed edit: youtube.com/watch?v=un9J3PkpjIc*****Music:"Inspired" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
Bottle cutting with a Dremel or wetsaw pocket83 2016-04-29 | This video shows some of the easier ways to cut a glass bottle. The equipment necessary is not as far out of reach as you might think- and in fact, with a little ingenuity, you can do it with just a simple Dremel. For reaching farther down the bottle and still maintaining a perpendicular cut, consider using an extension to avoid having to make two cuts.*For more about my wet-saw: youtube.com/watch?v=rIR8lQHP2eE*About the rotary tool jig:This was based upon a jig by John Heisz, which was designed for sharpening bandsaw blades. Here's a link to one of my videos, which shows some of the jig's construction (at just after 8 minutes). Follow the description there to find John's design: youtube.com/watch?v=hH90Ak3xDNw*
Wooden trefoil knot (fast edit) pocket83 2016-04-22 | This is a much tighter edit than the original cubic trefoil knot video. There is no verbal explanation here. You can find a detailed description/explanation for this at the original video:youtube.com/watch?v=Jw1Eyu54whI*****I hope that you enjoy this second cut! And please try to appreciate that the dual format is not just a cheap view-grab gimmick. There are non-English speakers watching, too. I also managed to squeeze in some additional scenes, since the bulk of this is at 4x speed. The length has now been cut in half, but I think it's still pretty secure to stand on its own.
Making a cubic trefoil knot from solid wood pocket83 2016-04-08 | This video follows the process of making a trefoil knot from a solid wooden cube. The object has no purpose- other than to create wonder when viewed, or to serve as a display of the wide range for possibility. *****The shape is undoubtedly complex, and so it can quickly become confusing to make one; it is difficult to recreate a shape that you do not first understand. To overcome this obstacle, I use a very simple approach: My goal is to reduce its complexity into a series of simpler constituent steps. At first, the cube consists of 343 little sub-cubes (because 7³ = 343). The task is to remove any cubes that are not part of the design.Along each step, the cubes that can be removed are, much as a reductive artist (such as a sculptor) would do. So now if you imagine our completed trefoil as a continuous string of 48 cubes, we simply must free the 295 cubes that surround it. We only take the cubes that we are certain we can take, so that each step is a step that we understand the purpose of. Understand the parts, and you will understand the whole (at least in this case). *****With respect to its finish: I am well aware that it could be shinier and more attention-grabbing. I could have lacquered it to 'wow' viewers in the reveal, but I wanted it to look genuine. It has a few flaws, but there are no tricks; this thing was actually carved out of a solid block, and you can tell that when you look at it. *****Orthographic limitation: According to our orthographic template, after the table-saw actions were complete, the object was done. This was not the case. Additional information was still needed to proceed. The mathematical reasons for this are complex and numerous, but the simple fact is such: Orthographic maps are incomplete tools that serve only to aid in human understanding. Much is missing, but our tools must have limits in their design, because we have limits. We lack the processing power to also incorporate a wire-frame isometric model of the object into the existing (simplified) model already in our heads. I am not belittling our intelligence; I find it amazing that I am capable of rotating an imaginary colored cube in my head, and that ability has been enough for me to get by.Here is a model that will more clearly expose orthographic limitation to you. Imagine a blueprint with views along the X,Y, and Z axes (front, side and top). The blueprint looks the same in every picture: A circle. It would be natural to conclude that the object is a sphere. But a cylinder would still look like a circle from the end, so imagine cutting out a cylinder along all three planes- the finished object would not be a ball at all. It would still have edges! Our psychology likes to fill in the gaps of what we don't know with assumptions based on our past experiences, and this usually works. But it can be tricked, so we would do well to stay aware of it. Thanks for reading this ;)*****Template:http://postimg.cc/image/yg3ibhaqbMusic: "Finding Movement" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License (creativecommons.org)
Copper chain building pocket83 2016-03-18 | Also known as jump rings, these little copper links are as useful as they are attractive. This video will take you through the process that I use to make high quality, cut copper chain. This is great for decoration, jewelry, or even chain mail.*****I use a variety of tools in this video, so I don't expect you to have every single one. You can certainly find simpler tools to make many of the fixtures that are demonstrated in this video. I just wanted to show the most pain-free process that I've been able to come up with. The wood-work is on such a small scale here that the entire jig could be made using only a hand-saw, so don't give up just because it may seem as though I have every tool that I could want for this! There still are certain things that you simply must have for this process; I would list chief among the necessities here a vice. A designated needle-nose tool is also a must, but you don't have to use rawhide- just dipping the tips of the pliers in epoxy will work for awhile. You will also need a hacksaw with a fine (32 tpi) blade. Oh, and one more tip, in case you plan on actually doing this: Don't underestimate how quickly this process will give you blisters. Each link requires around 20 lbs of force to set, so a few feet of chain is lots of wear on your hands. Sand the edges of your bending-block, and be sure that the rubber on your pliers is secure. My needle-nose tool has handles that were wrapped in rubber bands until they were squishy, and then they were wrapped in hockey tape and covered in baby powder. Comfort is important, and if nothing is bothering you while you are doing this, it is quite enjoyable. Get a thought-provoking podcast and a cup coffee- you will look down and see a foot of chain before you know it ;) *****I have also made the following videos, which all relate to using copper wire:-Platonic solid wireframes: youtube.com/watch?v=H6cuvdNz2vE-Copper wind-charm:youtube.com/watch?v=dikZw6ZwbhY-Copper and ornaments:youtube.com/watch?v=WoaBY5NuobI-Copper wire astroid plaque:youtube.com/watch?v=SMN1xRek5GkjkrkPDaK10s*****Having reached this place, you are now starting to wade into the description bilge; it is here that I find- through a rigorous sorting process- those like-minded (and somewhat twisted) individuals possessed of enough scrutinous curiosity so as to proceed into the often bland unknown. You, strange comrade, are a fellow compulsive reader. Further, you must take similar pleasure in witnessing the deconstruction of the fourth wall, and as such, I will oblige to satiate. Please proceed by entering the code found on the last line of the links section into your YouTube address bar, right after the part that says watch?v= and you will find additional egg-related content. Nothing special to find, just some expressed frustrations, but some of the things I produce, I think, are best kept to a more discerning audience. Some additional filler: Sorry about the text in the thumbnail. I prefer an aesthetically balanced photographic or geometric composition, but that sort of imagery just doesn't draw in the clicks. Text makes it look cartoony and childish in my opinion, but I really need to give in a little. This is supposed to be fun! Maybe I'm too serious. Music: "Finding Movement" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License (creativecommons.org)
Tape holder shelf, and prototyping pocket83 2016-03-05 | This video is about making an organizer rack for assorted rolls of adhesive tape. It is constructed using 3/4" plywood and PVC. *****If you don't have an extra spade bit to mod, you can still make this using a standard 1.125" bit: Just set the pipes in place with some silicone. I've just encountered this problem more than once, and so this was the excuse that I needed to act. *****I spent a good deal of the time here focusing on the development process, so the actual build is kind of rapid fire. I didn't want it to become too boring or redundant. Pay close attention though, because there are lots of little tricks in this one: For example, did you catch that little rubber band on the coping saw? That's so when you disengage the blade on one side, it doesn't pop out from the other! The coping saw is a severely underrated tool; I use it quite a bit, but for some reason it doesn't make its way into very much footage. I would suggest that you learn to use one, because it is both elegant and effective (once you become accustomed to using it). It does everything that a scroll-saw can do, and much, much more. As an aside, it often amuses me when a commenter complains how a such-and-such tool is unrealistic or inaccessible to most people, when a squirt of ambition and a simple hand-operated alternative will still get you to the same place as any of the motor-driven conveniences that I use do. Sheesh, were my methods crude when I was younger. But there is much to be gained by early employment of primitive procedure. Not only technique is gained, but appreciation. Besides, skills gained early on with basic tools are transferrable in the long term, so it's not like you wasted your time learning how to shape and whittle with a utility knife when you were a kid out on the trails in the summertime. It was more productive than smoking. Template:http://s5.postimg.cc/5z6cbv72v/tape_holder_template.png
Time dilation? The think fast, live longer concept. pocket83 2016-02-26 | The geometrical shape featured in this video is the first stellation of a rhombic dodecahedron. There exist many puzzles relating to this form, and most of them are assembly puzzles. The curious two-parted blue and white object is most often called the Yoshimoto cube. It can be purchased, but it is actually not difficult to make. I have an old video about it. *****Soon there will be things in this world which will be far smarter than we are. When that time comes, will these new types of intelligences become more important than we are? Will it be just for us to keep them as slaves just to perform our computational work? These are certainly not simple questions to answer. If a new form of consciousness were to be born onto one of our computers, say, for example, through emulating the structure of a human brain, then it would be brought into a confined world of confusion and darkness. Should such a mind arise in such a place, it would be capable of thought processing speed that far exceeds our own- so as it quietly hums away overnight in your computer room, alone with its first thoughts, and at 10,000 times the speed of the human imagination, when you finally first attend to it with your morning coffee, it will have already been sitting in quiet madness for over nine years:10,000 x 8hours = 80,000; /24 = 3333.33 days; /365 = 9.13 years.Clearly, we have some ethical considerations to attend to. The notion of the soulless, empty clock belonging to anything non-human is obsolete; modern neuroscience can now account for the phenomena of mind processes, whether you like this fact or not. A brain equals a mind; where there is no canvas, there can be no painting. The big picture of consciousness (and, especially, of qualia) remains debatable, but only insofar as our bias prohibits us from accepting that there exists a one-to-one correlation between particular brain states and the marked awareness that those states create. Don't be arrogant: There are multiple ways to arrive at intelligence. In fact, biology is probably not even the best way to get there.*****-About my clock:You can make this yourself. The clock is at Walmart for just a few bucks. It is a SHARP SPC800. Just print out the template on nice paper, replace a few screws, and it's yours. The face art graphic is available (for free, of course) here: http://s5.postimg.org/h33a3bfkn/dali_clock_face.png*****-About Nick Bostrom's book, which I highly recommend:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superintelligence:_Paths,_Dangers,_Strategies
Build of a Flexi (cube) puzzle pocket83 2016-02-19 | This is a simple puzzle that is based upon the concept of the "Flexi Puzzle," except that its design has been extended to have 27 cube pieces. This project can be constructed almost exclusively by using the table-saw. The wood varieties used here are Mahogany and #1 yellow pine. I may do a giveaway with one of these next week, so stay tuned! Swan Neck Push Stick:youtube.com/watch?v=2sWsk_-CbEsBuilding a snake cube puzzle:youtube.com/watch?v=EFRBLRstJxIMusic:"Finding Movement" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License (creativecommons.org)
POSSIBLE lightbulb in a cage pocket83 2016-02-12 | This is another object of interest that serves little purpose, beyond making people wonder how it was done. I didn't make a proper build video, simply because 90% of the build is drilling (which is somewhere between paint drying and hospital waits with respect to entertainment value), so this video is just an explanation of the process that I used. Construction:If you use a large Forstner bit, be sure to make relief holes with a smaller bit, to help speed the process along by removing the bulk of the material. Use a pilot bit first, to define the centers of the holes, and then you can simply rotate around the four sides, keeping the depth drilled at about the same. It's pretty time consuming. Wear glasses when you push the bulb into place; having one pop during insertion will scare the ghost out of your machine. Oh, and once again: FREEZING IT FIRST WILL NOT WORK. Tight tolerance fits for bearings and such can be assisted by such a temp reduction process, but the amount of shrinkage is an order of magnitude or two smaller than what is necessary in these wood-stretching cases. Advanced challenge: My original sketch for this project was titled "bulb in a helix." The premise was to drop the bulb in a long, oversized cradle and then twist it 90°. This would cause the gap between the parallel support bars to shrink, trapping the bulb in a helical structure that would further shrink as it dries. I didn't get around to trying it yet. Impossible nail-through-wood trick:youtube.com/watch?v=fEATei2wewYImpossible pinball in a wooden cube:youtube.com/watch?v=qO7aFRO5WMwMusic:Dhaka by Kevin MacLeod:http://incompetech.com/music
How to draw a pentagon with a compass TWO MINUTES pocket83 2016-02-05 | This procedure is not too difficult, but it's hard to figure out by yourself (and it's easy to forget once you do know how to do it). This video can serve as a quick reminder, or as an easy tutorial if you pause it along each step. I hope that it is clear and useful!I shot this a long time ago, while experimenting with a different camera. Some of the more involved videos I've been working on were put on pause today, so that I could clean that nightmare garage of mine! I should have some interesting content coming up soon. In the meantime, this is an important skill, and I really wanted to have a quick access to a concise instructional for it. Chances are I will forget how to do this (again), and use this as a reference!Another deceptively difficult polygon to draw is the octagon. Steve French has recently made a tutorial for this, and it is also under two minutes:youtube.com/watch?v=bIl-rBMK7NoKnowing how to construct both of these polygons will be extremely helpful to the craftsperson.Compass:I have many compasses, but my favorite, most reliable, and best suited to the stuff I do is the 390 mm (around 7.5" radius) Bow Compass. I am not sponsored by this compass; this is my genuine opinion. Here are some links for it:Intertech (German manufacturer) {no longer available}Hearlihy (U.S. distributor) {no longer available}►Pitsco Education: pitsco.com/7-1-2-Super-Compass
Bevel gauge pocket square pocket83 2016-01-29 | This is a simple combination of a try square and a bevel gauge. There are already tons of designs out there for these types of things, but I haven't really seen exactly this, which is ultra-simple and really convenient. I have no illusions: I'm sure that someone has already come up with this before. Nevertheless, if this video proves popular, I'll show you how to make it in better detail.That rainbow thing at the end is a TabLeft Workshop design. You can see the original video here:youtube.com/watch?v=qzVBPhAZyt8But I will show its operation in an upcoming "Minute Solutions" video (on my second channel), which you can find here:youtube.com/channel/UCZlSWjPEoVWaatAluWu3qWQ
Secret storage in a kitchen cabinet pocket83 2016-01-22 | Who doesn't like a hidden compartment? Keep that stash safe from intruders with this simple cupboard mod! If you really have nothing to hide, at least you can cram those festive but tacky seasonal plates in there until next year.Pro-tip: Before you cut a square hole like the one shown here, it helps to first drill out the corners with a spade or Forstner bit. The four circular holes can then be used to get a blade through instead of just puncturing through the material. Plus, now that the corners are defined, they can be connected with a cut, and the hole will have a nice clean radius. Just cut along the edge of the circle as closely as you can.A Jigsaw would also work very nicely here, but be sure to use a blade that has lots of little teeth for this type of material; a blade that has big, aggressive-looking shark-fin teeth is more suited to gnawing through 2x4, and is not really for making a clean cut in thin or delicate plywood.
How to play, solve, and make a Tower of Hanoi pocket83 2016-01-08 | Most of the video deals with how to solve the tower, but it is presented in a very simple way. I encourage you to make one of these so that you can give it a try! Please enjoy.To watch the other tower video:youtube.com/watch?v=AjL_y5821-cFor more about this puzzle, read the description there. To see a table of optimum solutions to the tower, see near the end of the video.Here is a template, in case you would like to build the wooden one seen here. http://postimg.cc/image/lgzpxt13nYou could probably just scale this up a little if you would like to make the cardboard version.
The Tower of Hanoi and Tesseract relationship pocket83 2015-12-31 | The Tower of Hanoi is a simple to construct puzzle that has a very particular solution sequence. The Tesseract (also sometimes called a Hypercube) is like a three-dimensional "shadow" from a four-dimensional cube. This video shows a strange pattern that they both share, and oddly enough, this relationship may follow them into even higher dimensions. Because the idea being expressed here is a vague relationship between two incredibly abstract mathematical concepts, it is very hard to attribute such a thing to a particular origin. I am not the originator of this idea; however, as far as I can tell, the first to publish on this relationship was D.W. Crowe in 1956, in the 'American Mathematical Monthly.' I became familiar with this pattern by reading the work of Martin Gardner, who took great delight in such relationships.I didn't want to use spoken words in this one. That always seems to bother some people, but I wanted to make a quiet place where you could think for a moment, without distraction. Much of the way that we come to understand things is through the use of abstract ideas*, which are almost exclusively conceptual, and therefore devoid of language. Think about it: Do you really understand things by describing them to yourself with words? Of course not. Understanding, as a concept, is the state in which something has become intuitively evident to you, and language is only useful insofar as it allows you to pass this understanding onto others. There is really no word, neither written nor spoken, that can express what the experience of an electrical shock feels like, or how a soft, juicy pear feels to the roof of the mouth. Mathematical concepts and the relationships between natural phenomena are little different. How to play, solve, and make a Tower:youtube.com/watch?v=6YmSMJnHraUTemplate to make one of these:http://postimg.org/image/lgzpxt13nMusical tones: These were generated using the following musical sequencer:http://www.earslap.com/page/otomata.htmlThis is a wonderfully entertaining tool that has a clean interface. I strongly suggest visiting the link to play with this- it's a great way to kill half an hour. Music: Tryad- "Witness"http://tryad.orgThis group provides a few albums that can be used under creative commons. I don't use music in videos too often (because it is distracting and curbs the conversation too far from the ideas I would prefer to express), but this is an enjoyable sound. Especially if you like this genre; it reminds me of those Delirium or Enigma albums, and that late 90's deep contemplative electronica sound. About that last scene: Please give us a break! It was late, and we were really tired. It took quite a bit of practice (and takes) to synchronize that shot without one of us messing up, and I wanted it to be one continuous shot. We have since figured out the Tower of Hanoi's algorithm, so there is no need to tell me "the easy way" to do it. I think I understand it pretty well now. Oh, one more thing: (2^0)-1=0, so if you caught that, I award you two internets. You can redeem them on the next video. I sincerely hope you enjoyed this.* For example, comparative relationships between two somewhat similar things (metaphors).
Caulking behind a toilet (portable caulk gun) pocket83 2015-12-29 | This simple device has quite a few uses. It's also cheap, easy, and made from uber-common materials. The caulking used in this video was 100% silicone; the brand name is irrelevant. About the second part (the drinking straw tip tip): I've found it to be a wonderfully effective time and money saver. I typically use clear silicone in small amounts that aren't worth ruining an entire tube over, and this process makes doing so hassle free. I've also grown to prefer the straw tip because of its precision; you can really control where you are applying the caulking with this method, and this is especially good at getting down inside of things. With respect to the expected caulk-related cliché jokes, please try to keep it to a minimum, since I've already thrown you guys a huge bone with my choice of brands. Hmm. Maybe I shouldn't have just said "bone." At least I didn't say "homophone," as that would likely get me nowhere. And by the way- no, I'm not sponsored by Ersatz.Oh, and take notice of the geometry in the opening shot: The reflection of the cube's edges resembles that of the intersection of three spherical soap bubbles. Look at those closely sometime, and notice the triple planar intersection where they touch, and how it forms three perfectly 120° angled relationships, no matter the difference in the respective volumes of the bubbles. I'll get some footage of that sometime.
Modded dry erase markers pocket83 2015-08-14 | A few tips and tricks for making your dry erase markers more accessible and easy to use. These materials are all inexpensive and can be found at the big-box stores. I hope you enjoy.
Cubic RGB pixel lamp (begin) pocket83 2015-08-08 | Four boards that are all the same length can make a square. The thickness of the board from one side will just be added to length of the next side, so all seems right in the world. Now get ready for some disharmony: Six squares do not add up to a cube, at least not without adding angular edges. But we can work with it. I'm using an LED bulb for the insides of this, because heat is a concern. This first part should get you thinking about the associated problems with this design, but I have enough ideas at this point to say with some confidence that I will get what I want out of this eventually. I don't want to reveal too much more about what the finished product will be, so wish me luck, and sorry to leave you hanging ;(The holes: The answer is 7x7x6, not 7x7x7.
