Manly Crafts - Instructables Authors

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Introduction
Think crafting’s strictly for chicks? Check out this eBook for fresh ideas to accent your life in ways Sean Connery would approve. Manly Crafts is a
collection of projects from Instructables.com about whittling, grinding, tooling, knotting, melting, and repurposing to beat the price and pretention of retail. Show people
you make your manly world with a project from this eBook.
Instructables is the most popular project-sharing community on the Internet. We provide easy publishing tools to enable passionate, creative people like you to share
their most innovative projects, recipes, skills, and ideas. Instructables has over 40,000 projects covering all subjects, including crafts, art, electronics, kids, home
improvement, pets, outdoors, reuse, bikes, cars, robotics, food, decorating, woodworking, costuming, games, and more. Check it out today!
Sarah James
Editor, Food & Living
Instructables.com
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Table of Contents

Introduction
How to make a wooden spoon, the viking way
Five-Cent Wedding Band
Paracord bracelet with a side release buckle
Wooden faced wristwatch
Leather iPod Touch Case using Water!
Leather Bracelets from Recycled Belts
Carve A Traditional Maori Hook Necklace From Bone
Carve a cool viking hanging hook.
Wood Whittling 101
Cobra Weave Key Fob
How to make a Paracord Leatherman Pouch
Paracord Bullwhip
Woven paracord bracelet/watchband
Knife Making Without Tools
Leather tooling punches
Sprocket & innertube belt
TREAD BELT
A Timing Belt Belt
Universal lamp shade polygon building kit
Small eco-footprint living room light
Geometric Cut Paper Table Lamp
Mad Scientists Light
How to Make a Dali Style Melting Clock
Leather Covered Pendulum Clock
Record Bowls
Skeletoque, aka the Skeleclava
How to Bind Off
How to Cast On
Plush Action Figures
Simple Paracord Ring
How to Make a Hemp Necklace
Acorn Bracelet
Leather Didgeridoo
Indoor disc golf using plastic bottles and caps
Mini potato cannon from PVC... and a coconut
Homemade Foxtail-type Toy
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Author and Copyright Notices
Instructable: How to make a wooden spoon, the viking way
Author: morfmir
License: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (by-nc-sa)
Instructable: Five-Cent Wedding Band
Author: dan
Instructable: Paracord bracelet with a side release buckle
Author: Stormdrane
Instructable: Wooden faced wristwatch
Author: jamesv
License: Attribution-ShareAlike (by-sa)
Instructable: Leather iPod Touch Case using Water!
Author: gmjhowe
Instructable: Leather Bracelets from Recycled Belts
Author: fungus amungus
Instructable: Carve A Traditional Maori Hook Necklace From Bone
Author: nepheron
Instructable: Carve a cool viking hanging hook.
Author: morfmir
Instructable: Wood Whittling 101
Author: kylestetz
Instructable: Cobra Weave Key Fob
Author: tevers94
License: Attribution-NonCommercial (by-nc)
Instructable: How to make a Paracord Leatherman Pouch
Author: stuwegie
Instructable: Paracord Bullwhip
Author: ch5
License: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs (by-nc-nd)
Instructable: Woven paracord bracelet/watchband
Author: Stormdrane
Instructable: Knife Making Without Tools
Author: TimAnderson
Instructable: Leather tooling punches
Author: cbm104
Instructable: Sprocket & innertube belt
Author: reno_dakota
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Instructable: TREAD BELT
Author: opendesignclub
Instructable: A Timing Belt Belt
Author: crispyjones
Instructable: Universal lamp shade polygon building kit
Author: dan
Instructable: Small eco-footprint living room light
Author: marc_alain
Instructable: Geometric Cut Paper Table Lamp
Author: drips
Instructable: Mad Scientists Light
Author: tim-1138
Instructable: How to Make a Dali Style Melting Clock
Instructable: Leather Covered Pendulum Clock
Author: gmjhowe
Instructable: Record Bowls
Instructable: Skeletoque, aka the Skeleclava
Author: Robotrix
Instructable: How to Bind Off
Author: BrianSawyer
Instructable: How to Cast On
Author: BrianSawyer
Instructable: Plush Action Figures
Author: seamster
Instructable: Simple Paracord Ring
Author: clintonmc
Instructable: How to Make a Hemp Necklace
Author: thickneckarts
Instructable: Acorn Bracelet
Author: =SMART=
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Instructable: Leather Didgeridoo
Author: JesusFreke
Instructable: Indoor disc golf using plastic bottles and caps
Author: seamster
Instructable: Mini potato cannon from PVC... and a coconut
Author: seamster
Instructable: Homemade Foxtail-type Toy
Author: seamster
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Disclaimer
All do-it-yourself activities involve risk, and your safety is your own responsibility, including proper use of equipment and safety gear, and determining whether you
have adequate skill and experience. Some of the resources used for these projects are dangerous unless used properly and with adequate precautions, including safety
gear. Some illustrative photos do not depict safety precautions or equipment, in order to show the project steps more clearly. The projects are not intended for use by
children.
Many projects on Instructables are user-submitted, and appearance of a project in this format does not indicate it has been checked for safety or functionality. Use of
the instructions and suggestions is at your own risk. Instructables, Inc. disclaims all responsibility for any resulting damage, injury, or expense. It is your responsibility to
make sure that your activities comply with all applicable laws.
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Published by morfmir on August 4, 2008
Intro: How to make a wooden spoon, the viking way
I will show you how to make a wooden spoon out of green applewood. Using only my handmade viking tools.
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Step 1: All my tools
This is an overview of all my tools.
Image Notes
1. A selection of tools that I use everyday.
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Step 2: The tools I use.
This is the tools you need to make a spoon. My tools are hand forged reconstructions of viking tools.
You need:
Axe: any small hand axe will do fine. It just needs to be sharp. A good hand axe weighs around 500-600g
hammer: you need a heavy hammer. If it is to small it will not have enough force to split the wood.
wedge: A heavy iron wedge made for splitting firewood will work fine. Alternatively use a old axe and hammer it through the log. Don't use you good axe for that. You
ruin the axe that way.
Knife: a small sharp knife will do.
Spoon knife: You need a spoonknife, in my book there are no alternatives. You will probably not find it in you local hardwarestore, but you can buy it online. The
best are handforged made by S. DjÃ¤rv but you can also go after the cheap ones made by Frost Sweden.
Image Notes
1. wedge
2. hammer
3. knifes, normal knife and spoon knife.
4. axe
Image Notes
1. Handforged spoonknife
2. Small handforged knife.
Step 3: The wood
You need a log of wood. It needs to be 10-15 cm longer than the spoon you want to make. It needs to be newly cut. The wood you don't use right away you can
leave it some high grass. Then it will be wet and workable for 2-4 weeks.
All wood can be used, but fruit tree are best. For this spoon I'm using applewood. That's a very good wood for spoonmaking. It's hard and very durable in use. And it
looks nice with the all white grains.
Image Notes
1. This log are newly cut.
Image Notes
1. This log makes 4-8 spoons depending on the size of them.
Step 4: Splitting the log
Now you need the hammer and wedge. Split the log into 4 triangular pieces.
Image Notes
1. Start by splitting the log down the middle. If you see a crack in the log, use the crack as a guide to where to split it.
Step 5: Cut the rougt shape of the spoon with the axe.
I use a piece of charcoal to draw the shape of the spoon. I cut the rough shape of the spoon as close to the drawing as possible. That way I have less work to do with
the knife. When I work in greenwood I have to work fast so the wood don't dry and crack. If I need to leave the wood or I want to finish it later, I can place it in a
bucket of water or in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
Image Notes
1. this is the front of the log. I just removed the bark. And drawed a center line.
Image Notes
1. This is the side of the log. Here I draw the shape of the spoon.
Image Notes
1. With the axe I remove the wood from the front of the log.
Image Notes
1. you can see the shape and angle of the spoonhandle. It has to be just right so the spoon will have the right feel when it is finished.
Image Notes
1. now I remove the wood from the back of the spoon.
Image Notes
1. First I remove from the head, and then from the handle.
Image Notes
1. When the wood has the right thickness I draw the shape of the spoon on the front of the log.
Image Notes
1. keep it as close to the line as possible.
Image Notes
1. now the spoon has the rough shape on all sides.
Image Notes
1. now cut the back of the spoon head. Try to make it as exactly inverted on both sides as possible.
Image Notes
1. Watch out for this area, it you make it to thin the spoon will break.
2. Note the triangular shape of the handle. That gives it more strength.
Image Notes
1. Now your finished with the axe.
2. front wiev
Image Notes
1. back wiev
Step 6: Using knifes to finish the shaping.
With a knife I finish shaping the outside of the spoon. When it is smooth I make the bowl with a spoon knife. The last thing I make is the carving at the end of the
handle.
Image Notes
1. I keep the triangular shape of the handle.
2. Try to make it as smooth as possible with the knife. It will save you a lot of work when sanding the spoon later.
Image Notes
1. now I start carving the bowl.
Image Notes
1. The thickness of the spoon needs to be very even. Or else it will crack while drying or later when used. The thinner you make the spoon the more elegant it will look.
2. I make the spoon 2-3 mm thick.
Image Notes
1. I make this triangular shape here. For one it looks nice, and it makes this fragile part of the spoon stronger.
Image Notes
1. In the rough shaping of the spoon I Ieft the end of the handle thick. That is to make room for the end carving.
Image Notes
1. this twist are a typical way of ending a viking spoon.
Image Notes
1. The curl looks nice and it prevents the spoon from falling into the pot when in use.
Image Notes
1. finished front.
Image Notes
1. finished back
Step 7: Sanding
The spoon needs to be all dry before I start sanding it. It takes 3-5 days depending on the weather.
I start with sandpaper grain 100, then 180, 240 and 400. If I'm doing it the real viking way I'm only using the special kind of horsetail called "Skavgraes"
Sand outside or wear dust mask, or both.
Image Notes
1. Skavgr?s=Equisetum hyemale=horsetail
2. Normal sandpaper.
Image Notes
1. The way to use skavgr?s. Pack it in a small bundle.
Image Notes
1. After sanding.
2. before sanding.
Image Notes
1. Finished sanding. Front view.
Image Notes
1. Finished sanding. Side view.
Step 8: Oil and wax
I use linseed oil. Put on a thick layer, let it sit for a few hours then remove the remaining with towel paper. Let it dry to the next day, and then you can ad wax. I only
use wax when I'm making spoons for sale on vikings markets. The wax protects the spoon from dirty fingers but will be washed of when you wash it the first time.
Image Notes
1. linseed oil.
Image Notes
1. This is another spoon. Polished with beeswax.
Step 9: The spoon is complete
Now the spoon is completed. And ready for the kitchen. When the spoon have been washed a few times the wood fibers can rise and you need to sand it lightly with
fine sandpaper (400)
Step 10: Other sizes and designs of spoons
Here you can see some other spoons I have made lately.
Image Notes
1. Flat spoon. Made from red alder.
Image Notes
1. Made from cherry wood.
Image Notes
1. look at the beautiful color patten. The white outer and the red inner core.
Image Notes
1. Made from the other side of the apple wood.
Image Notes
1. A small eating spoon made from apple wood.
Image Notes
1. Apple wood.
Related Instructables
How to carve a sword by morfmir
Carve a cool viking hanging hook. by morfmir
Display Cabinet by Office Viking
How to make a Viking Age wooden comb by Rune Cutter
Making a Viking / Barbarian War Hammer by bevmo63
Making a Viking Cloak-Pin by Dr.Ellen
Hand Carved Pizza Wheel. Cortador de Pizza Tallado. by WARLOCK76
Five-Cent Wedding Band by dan
Published by dan on May 10, 2006
Author Bio: dan (author's website)
Dan Goldwater is a co-founder of Instructables. Currently he operates MonkeyLectric where he develops revolutionary bike lighting products. He also
writes a DIY column for Momentum magazine.
Intro: Five-Cent Wedding Band
Tired of gold and diamonds? Perhaps you're a bit cool on that whole "diamonds are forever" bit? Maybe you're reluctant to prop up the De Beers cartel ? Gold is nice,
but doesn't it leave a bad taste in your mouth to be such a conformist consumer?
Well this is the project for you, the progressive, self-sufficient DIY'er! Show your love and lasting commitment in the way you know best: by making your own wedding
band from a Genuine US Nickel! (or other coinage of your choice)
This is a great beginner wedding band project, suitable for a first engagement or wedding. By the time you're ready for your next wedding band, perhaps i'll have
written up how to make something a bit fancier :)
Note: In all candor, I do not personally find this to be an especially attractive ring although I do wear it daily. I think it would be a lot nicer if you can find a thicker coin
to use.
Image Notes
1. "In God We Trust"
Image Notes
1. "Liberty 2000"
Step 1: The Parts
You will need:
A nickel (or other suitable coin) . You only want to use coins made from a relatively inert metal: Copper/Brass/Bronze, Silver and Gold are all fine. A US Nickel
(75% copper, 25% nickel) will work for ring sizes 7-10 or so (see the comments about possible nickel allergies though). Most other US coins are not suitable because
they have a Zinc core, which corrodes rapidly and is bad for you. The Sacagewea dollar is a bronze alloy, so that will work nicely for large fingers. Several of the EU
coins are made of bronze alloys, and they come in quite a few sizes.
Tools
There are a couple of different fairly easy ways to make the band. You'll need: a vise, a dremel tool (small rotary tool), a drill and a small hand file. Nice to have but not
required: a center punch, a reaming tool, a micrometer for measuring the hole size.
Image Notes
1. start with shiny coin
Step 2: Mark the center of the coin
Use a center punch to make a starting point for the drill. You can use a nail or other pointy thing. Just make sure you get the notch in the center! If you are off, start
over on a new coin.
Step 3: Drill a pilot hole
Start by drilling a small hole through the center, this will keep any further drilling or reaming on-center. Use cardboard to sandwich the coin when gripping it in the vice
to protect it from nicks from the vice.
Image Notes
1. use cardboard to protect the coin from the vice
Image Notes
1. small pilot hole. this is actually a bit big for a pilot hole.
Step 4: Enlarge the hole
This is the trickiest part. You need to make the hole large enough to get the dremel tool into it. Once you can get the dremel tool in you make the hole large by grinding
away with the dremel, but before you can do that you'll need to enlarge it enough some other way. There are a couple possibilities: you can drill it, use a reamer, or
even an industrial hole-punch. Drilling it is a bit tricky because there is not much of the nickel to hold onto while you are drilling - but it is possible if you are slow and
careful and don't go too close to the edge with the drill. It may take a few tries to get this done without mangling the coin.
Step 5: Enlarge the hole more
Use the dremel (rotary) tool with a grinding bit to enlarge and shape the hole to the proper size. Check the fit periodically.
Image Notes
1. notice the edge is quite sharp after this step
Step 6: Round the inside edge
Use the small hand file to round the inside edge of the ring so that it goes on and off smoothly and doesn't cut your finger. You could probably do this step with the
dremel tool instead.
Image Notes
1. go all the way around both sides at a 45 degree angle or so, until you can see a nice rounding
Step 7: Buff the ring to a mirror finish
Use a buffing tip on the dremel tool to buff the ring to a mirror finish. You'll want to use buffing compound for best results.
Image Notes
1. buffing tip with buffing compound
Step 8: Done!
Marvel at your new look!
Note: In all candor, I do not personally find this to be an especially attractive ring although I do wear it daily. I think it would be a lot nicer if you can find a thicker coin
to use, I'm currently looking for a thicker bronze coin to replace it with.
Image Notes
1. "In God We Trust"
Image Notes
1. "Liberty 2000"
Make a Silver Cross out of a Coin by RVogel
Hex Coin Ring by aaron7575
Throwing Coin Popper by majjck
Quarter Ring by hostic
Make a silver ring for 25 cents by target022
Making a custom Platinum Diamond engagement ring by chrisparry
Bent Wood Rings by supersoftdrink
DIY WEDDING Planner Book - Invitation - Favor Box - Shoes - Cake - Hairbump - Tips by magdalene
Published by Stormdrane on February 17, 2007
Intro: Paracord bracelet with a side release buckle
This tutorial will show how to make a paracord bracelet with a side release buckle. When made on a larger scale, you can make this for use as a dog or cat collar as
well. I get my paracord from the Supply Captain and the side release buckles from Creative Designworks . More projects, links, knot references can be seen on my
blog page, Stormdrane's Blog .
Step 1: Materials
You'll need paracord, or equivalent 1/8" diameter cord, a tape measure or ruler, scissors, side release buckle, and a lighter(torch lighter works best). The amount of
cord used can vary, but for this example, we'll use 10 feet of paracord to start with. Actual amount of cord used for the bracelet is about 1 foot of cord for every 1 inch
of knotted bracelet length. So if your wrist is 8 inches, you'd use approximately 8 feet of cord.
Step 2: Measure wrist
Wrap the paracord around you wrist and make a note of where the cord meets. Hold this point next to your ruler or tape measure and that's your wrist size.
Step 3: Find the center of the cord
Hold the ends of the cord together and find the center of the loop. Take the center of the cord and pull it thru one end of the buckle(either side of the buckle, it doesn't
matter). Now pull the cord ends thru the loop until it's tightened up and attached to the buckle.
Step 4: Finding the bracelet length
Take buckle apart and and pull the free ends of the cord thru the other part of the buckle, sliding it up towards the attached part. You're going to measure the distance
between the two buckle ends for the bracelet size for your wrist. Add about 1 inch to your measured wrist length, this will make the finished bracelet a comfortable fit.
You're measuring from the end of the female part of the buckle to the flat part of the male end of the buckle(the part with the prongs, they don't count for the
measurement because the fit inside the female part of the buckle when the bracelet is closed.).
Step 5: Start making the knots
The knot used for the bracelet has a few different names, cobra stitch, Solomon bar, and Portuguese sinnet. Take the cord on the left side and place it under the center
strands running between the buckle ends. Now take the cord on the right side under the left side cord, over the center strands, and thru the loop of the left side cord.
Tighten up the cords so the half knot you just formed is next to the buckle. Now take the right side cord under the center strands. The left side cord goes under the
right side cord, over the center strands and thru the loop of the right side cord. Tighten up the cords(not too tight, just until they meet the resistance of the knot) and
now you have a completed knot. You will continue doing the alternating the left and right sides as you go. If you don't alternate, you'll quickly see a twisting of the
knots, just undo the last knot and alternate it to correct.
Step 6: Continue knotting
Keep tying the knots until you have filled the space between the buckle ends. The knots should be uniform from one end to the other. Tie each knot with the same
tension to keep the them all the same size.
Step 7: Trim the excess cord and melt the ends
You can now use your scissors to trim off the extra cord closely to the last knot you tied. I trim one at a time, and use my lighter to quickly melt the end I cut, wait a
second for the melted cord to cool just a bit and then use my thumb to press the melted end onto the surrounding cord so it hardens as it attaches. You must be careful
with this step. The melted cord is extremely hot, and it's possible to get burned, so you might also try using a soldering iron or wood burning tool for the melting step if
you wish, or even use something like a butter knife or the knurled section of a tool to flatten out the melted end of the cord to finish it.
An alternative to melting the ends, is to tuck/pull the ends under the last couple of knots. I have used hemostats to do this on the inside of the bracelet, then trim them to
finish. It does work, and is just barely noticeable as the cords add a slight buldge at that end of the bracelet.
Step 8: You're finished
If you did everything correctly, it should look something like this finished one. Once you know what you're doing, you can vary the amount of cord used by making the
knots tighter or looser and pushing the knots closer together as you go can use more cord.
A tip for paracord bracelets: If the side release buckle is large enough, you can loop the paracord around them again before you start knotting, to fill in the extra room
on the buckle.
The 1/2" side release buckles are a tight fit for this, but will work, and the 5/8" size are just right.
This leaves a two strand core for the bracelet when you start knotting.
Now, you could also have a four strand core by starting with a lark's head on the first buckle end, double wrap on second buckle end(at your wrist size), run cord
back to and over the first buckle end, then start knotting over the four strand core.
Or, for a six strand core, lark's head first buckle, run the two strands around second buckle(at your wrist size), back to and around first buckle(now has four strands
around), then back to and around second buckle, and start knotting around the six core strands.
This gives extra cord in case you need it for whatever, but it also makes the paracord bracelets thicker and more rounded, which I personally didn't care for and that's
why I stick with the two strand core. YMMV
Image Notes
1. Tip: The paracord is looped around the side release buckle twice to fill in the extra space on 5/8 " sized buckles.
Step 9: Other variations.
Once you have the hang of the basic bracelet/collar, you can add another layer of cobra stitches overlapping first set of knots, called a king cobra stitch/doubled
Solomon bar/doubled Portuguese sinnet. The amount of cord used for a king cobra is about twice as much as for the regular stitch. Glow-in-the-dark cord can be
found at CoolGlowStuff.com . Both the 1/16" and 3/32" sizes work well for the bracelets and can be used alone or combined with paracord.
Survival Bracelet (Updated!) by tevers94
Paracord watchband/bracelet with a side release buckle by Stormdrane
Cobra Weave Key Fob by tevers94
Tidying fastex buckle on existing backpack by msgr33
Survival Bracelet II by tevers94
How to make a rugged and handy Paracord Belt. by Jake22
How to make a Paracord Rescue Belt by stuwegie
Wide Paracord Bracelet by Falcon_WOG
Published by jamesv on February 3, 2007
Intro: Wooden faced wristwatch
I have a thing for watches, and nicely figured wood, sadly I've only been able to find a couple of wood based watches. It sounded like a lovely weekend project to fab
up a new face for a regular watch, so I went for it.
Flickr set of the whole process
You'll need:
a) Some wood stock with a figure that you like. I went with Cocobolo from InternetLumber , their samples are dirt cheap and the perfect size for this project.
b) A donor watch to mercilessly shred to pieces. A bigger face certainly helps to show off your work later, so keep this in mind when shopping. I would also tip
any watch you are considering to use at an angle and make sure there is a little room between the hands an the face (the less space now, the more sanding later to
make everything fit back together). I settled on a Zane from Fossil.
c) A few common and specialized tools. Outlined within, don't worry, you can fake most of the uncommon tools.
Step 1: A bit of prep work
First a little shopping list:
Things you'll need to buy/dig out of your junk drawer

Base watch (see intro for my source)
Wood stock - 2"x2" (see intro for my source)
Sandpaper (100, 200, 400, 800 grits)
Masking tape
Spray high gloss lacquer
Fine toothed saw
Double sided tape
Cardstock for face template
Clean work surface with a bright light so you can track down tiny piece when then spring from your hands and clatter to your bench
Specialty tools you can fake

.75mm center punch I chocked a hardened nail up in my drillpress - read: ghetto lathe - and filed it to size
Watch hand setting tool Taking the guts out of a mechanical pencil and sanding the lead guide off the tip will open a hole the perfect size
Movement pad A soda bottle cap with a hole drilled in it served well enough for me, but something with a little more grip would be ideal
Specialty tools you are better off buying

Watch hand puller - on eBay for a song
Disclaimer - There are easily sourced 'proper' tools for everything listed above, but in the spirit of DIY I picked the roll your own route. Just keep in mind that your
cobbled together toolkit has a higher than average chance of causing a little damage to your work in progress. I narrowly missed putting deep gouges into the finish of
my more than once of twice when a tool slipped
Rough Prep
I couldn't find a saw with fine teeth or most of the sandpaper I would need, so I ran out to Home Depot. The sandpaper was no problem, but they didn't have a saw at
a price I was willing to pay, then I remembered that they had a station set up for people to cut their own molding. A few minutes and improvised jigs later I had my
stock cut to rough size.
Step 2: Disassembly
Taking the band apart (photos 1 & 2)
On the inside of your watch band some of the links should be marked with a directional arrow. Pick the links closet to the face with these markings and use your center
punch and 'bench rest' to drive out the link pins in the direction of the arrows.
Removing the back of the case
If the back of your watch has slots cut into it at regular intervals you have a screw off backer and will need some extra tools or a trip to a jeweler to get the sucker
open. Check for tools and some more info at the Poor Man's Watch Forum Mine was, thankfully, a snap off back so those are the details I can outline.
Take either a fine screwdriver or dull knife blade and insert it either in between the case and backer (in the opening slot, if you have one). Then its just a matter of
twisting the blade towards the watch face to remove the back (think shucking an oyster).
Taking out the movement (photos 3 & 4)
First we need to remove the stem to free the guts. There are two types of connecting systems between stems and movements, pushers and screws, again reference
Poor Man's if you are unsure which you have.
I have a pusher style, so take a dull pin and press down in the release hole (dark hole to the left of the stem in photo 3) while pulling gently on the stem. You may have
to pull a little harder than you think, but you only have to press in with the pin gently to release. With the stem out, the movement, face and any spacers should come
out freely.
Removing the hands
Follow the manufacturer's directions on your tool to remove the hands from face. Start with the outermost hand first (second) and work towards the face (hour).
About face
The final step of disassembly is to remove the old face from the movement. Mine was held on with two tiny friction-fit pins pressing into the movement. I slid the
thinnest knife blade I had on hand inbeween the back of the face and front of the movement and they parted ways easily.
Once the face is off, you need to be VERY careful to not rough up the movement too much. There is a good chance that one or more of the drive gears where being
held in place by the face. They will now actively try to escape.
Paranoia (optional step) (photos 8 & 9)
Since I had little faith in my ability to take apart the movement and get it back together in working order, I decided to reattach the minute hand and let it run for a few
minutes to make sure everything still worked. Thankfully, it did.
Image Notes
1. push to test, release to detonate
Step 3: I hope you like sanding
The time consuming part
Now that you have the face off you can see what you are really up against. Since the goal is to replace the stock watch face with a new wooden one, the face you
make will have to be as close in spec to the original one as possible. In my case, that meant I had to take my wood stock down to a little under 1mm in thickness.
You can go a little thicker if you want, but make sure you do a good deal of dry fitting along the way to make sure that the hour gear in your movement will extend past
the thickness of the wood so you can reattach the hands later (see photo 5 for diagram of the hour gear).
This process will take longer than you think it will, and thats ok. Go slow or you run a real chance of raising the grain on your wood and having to start over.
Periodically you can take a look at how the grain of the wood is coming through by wiping the sawdust away with a moist cloth (or a little spit on your thumb), try to
avoid getting the wood too wet though as this will also work against you in raising the grain.
Once you get the piece down to size and run through all grits up to 800 (almost all of the sanding lines were gone by the time I moved to 400 grit), its time for a finish. I
went with a high gloss lacquer in a rattlecan and made 7 or 8 light passes to build up a nice deep shine (and to glue the fibers back together since the wood itself was
getting a little thin for my comfort).
Image Notes
1. I ended going a little thinner than this in the long run. Had to take off another ~25?o get the fit just right.
Image Notes
1. This must protrude past the wood by at least a millimeter or two if you want to have any hope of getting the hands back on when you are done
Step 4: Fitting the face
Admiring your work (in progress) (photos 1 & 2)
Now that you have the wood to the right thickness, its time to find exactly where your face will come from on the stock. Since I am indecisive and finicky, I went
through the last step with two different types of wood (Chocobolo and Lacewood), just so I could make the final choice when I saw everything together.
Measure twice (or three times), cut once (photos 3 - 5)
Make a template from the old face out of cardstock, transfer it to your face and cut slowly around the outline. I brought it within about 3mm and hand sanded to get a
snug fit inside of the case.
Once you are happy with the fit, find the center of the new face and drill a hole just large enough for the hour gear to protrude through.
Step 5: Final assembly
Attaching the face (photos 1 & 2)
Since I made two different faces, I knew at some point I would want to swap them up, so I went with heavy duty double sided tape to attach the movement to the
face. It may not sound like it is strong enough, but in my case there was also an internal plastic spacer to provide most of the support. Double check that when you
attach the tape to the movement that you aren't restricting movement of any of the internals.
Just line everything up very carefully to ensure that 12 noon remains in a true vertical and press the face into place.
Second hands are for quitters (photos 3 & 4)
I've never been a fan of second hands, so I elected to leave mine off during reassembly. When you put the hands back on, do it so the watch reads 12:00, this will
ensure that the hands pass the proper marks at the right time.
Using the hollow part of the hand setter (pencil) to press the hands firmly in place starting from the face and working out. Make sure each hand is on level before
adding the next one, or else there is a good chance that they will bind up on each other while sweeping the dial.
Just in case (photo 5)
Closing up the case should be a simple matter of placing the new movement/face assembly back into the case (along with any spacers), sliding the stem back in place
(my pusher type one just clicks back with a little pressure) and snapping the back of the case on. It takes a little finagling to get tabs on the back to hold in place, but
that satisfying "snap" that follows lets you know you are on the homestretch.
The only thing left now is to put the band back together by driving the pins gently back into place.
Step 6: Strut
Go on, you've earned it
Invisible Book Shelf by dorxincandeland
Turn broken speakers into a snappy media cabinet by GoodRubbish
Advent Calendar by activegeek
Green Lantern Ring - Made of Wood!! by aintMichael
Build a Toy Train to Fight for What's Right by Wade Tarzia
Make Tree Limb Coasters by modhomeecteacher
How to make a Longboard (Revised and updated) by TeacherOfTheWays
Wood Pendant Necklace by ChrysN
Published by gmjhowe on October 15, 2008
Author Bio: gmjhowe (author's website)
I work as a Graphic Designer/Artworker, my time is spent creating a miz of Cyberpunk and Tech related creations for your viewing pleasure. If you
have any questions, you can normally find me in the http://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=instructables I also enjoy leatherwork, paper crafts,
photography and bookbinding. I enjoy spending time with my my Wife Rainbow_Han, she is great, and I am blessed to have her. I enjoy all music, but
my favorite band is Machinae Supremacy.
Intro: Leather iPod Touch Case using Water!
I've recently bought myself an iPod Touch, so far it has been great!
I saw the nice leather iPod cases on the Apple but they only have them for the iPod Classic, so, i went about making my own, i spoke to my colleague at work whom
used to work in a leather shop, and it turns out its alot easier than i thought.
Here's what you need.

Some leather, the thicker the better. I got mine off ebay as a bag of scraps.
Some nice thick thread
Card, glue and tape
A pokey thing (awl)
a good sized needle
a blunt metal object
Water
A nice sharp knife
Step 1: Creating a Familiar,
Firstly, due to the use of water in this method, i suggest making a rough shaped copy of your iPod/mp3 player.
So, i called upon my trusty gmjboard.
Place your item on the card, and roughly trace it, work out an approximate depth, then build up as needed, due to the curved back of the iPod, i shaved off the corners
using a stanley knife.
You don't need to make it spot on, but try to get it close enough.
Once you have your shape, i then suggest wrapping it in tape, i used brown parcel tape for mine.
Step 2: Leather moulding
Now we need to mould the leather.
Firstly cut two pieces of leather to rough shapes, leave about 20mm round each edge to give you lots of working room.
Place down some sheets of paper, or a tea towel to absorb excess water.
Take your two pieces of leather, and soak them in water, you will know when they are wet through as the leather changers colour.
Place one piece of leather with the rough side up wards onto the table, No place your cardboard familiar, into the centre of the peice. Take the second piece, and lay it
on top, gently press down around the edges with your fingers.
Now take a nice round blunt object, most things will work, i used an old fitting of a tunneling machine i had laying around. Use this to press all around the edge of your
case. The we leather should be easy to work with.
As an addition, you could try your hand at embossing, basically take an interesting metal shape, and press it into the back of the leather while its still wet.
Leave the whole thing to dry naturally. Mine took about a day. (make sure to leave your mould familiar in place)
Step 3: Stitch it
Now that its dry we need to sew the two sections together.
Take the awl (or other pointy thing) and go around the edge of your case, making a hole roughly every 5 mm, keeping about 2-3mm away from the edge of the mould.
Once this is done, you now need to sew. Thread up your needle, i used a nice red thread, and clamp the leather so that the hole remained lined up (trust me, this makes
it alot easier)
The best way to stitch is to use two needles, then pass them through the same hole in opposite directions, this gives you a continuous stitch all the way around. You can
manage this with one needle by doing a running stitch, then going back on yourself filling in the gaps.
Once you have gone all the way around, tie off the end, then glue the ends inside the case using a small dab of glue. Now is a good time to double check the fit of your
case.
Step 4: Finish the edges
Now we need to trim and finish the edges.
Firstly, carefully go around your case, and trim off the leather, i left about 5mm from the stitch to the cut.
Trim the top clean off so its flush with the edge of your iPod, Then cut a semi-circle for 'finger' holes to allow you to get it out easily.
An extra addition is to cut a small gap at the bottom where the headphone jack is. I did this near the end, so i had to tie off the ends of the thread again.
Once your happy with the shape, you then need to get your hands on some show wax, I applied a small amount of show wax the the edge, then buffed it along using
my dremel. Another option is to soak the edges of the case again, then buff it.
Step 5: Completed!
Thats it, you should now have a nice hard wearing iPod case, leather is great as a simple layer of protection.
Let me know what your think, comments are always welcome.
Thanks again
-gmjhowe
Suede Leather ipod nano case by maniacmusicman
Ipod Touch Case Dock! by Hazelnut3
french fry phone + ipod = fry-pod by myakura
NES Controller iPod Remote by Senator Penguin
How to Keep Your Ipod Like New! by spike001
ipod touch dock from cassette case by geek12597
How to Build a Sheath by Basta
Ipod Belt by redneckuprising
Published by fungus amungus on June 6, 2008
Author Bio: fungus amungus (author's website)
I like to make things both useful and odd. The odd projects are usually more fun. Subscribe here or follow me on twitter @edabot
Intro: Leather Bracelets from Recycled Belts
There are plenty of old leather belts that have been discarded because of changing tastes, or a part broke, or maybe the original owner just got too fat. This technique
is a way to make bracelets from these belts. Cut them carefully and you should be able to get three from each belt.
I'm using a laser cutter here, but the original technique was taught to me by my friend Becca who used leather tools to create cool effects as well. The method of
decoration is your own, but making the bracelet itself is very easy as you'll see.
Step 1: Decorate the belt
I used a laser cutter to etch this Japanese design into the surface of the belt. You can also use a leather stamping technique.
Step 2: Measure and cut
Wrap the belt around your wrist and let it overlap by 1.5 inches. Cut with your favorite cutting tool.
Step 3: Mark locations for holes
Wrap the leather around your wrist so that it is fairly snug, but still comfortable to move with. Now loosen the belt by an 1/8 of an inch or so to give yourself some
room for the snaps.
Step 4: Drill or punch holes in ends
With the overlap of the bracelet where you want it, drill or punch out holes that are in the middle of the overlap.
Step 5: Attach the snaps
With a hammer, bang in some heavy duty snaps so that the bracelet can snap around your wrist.
Step 6: Wear it!
Sweet, you're done! Now snap the bracelet around your wrist or give it to someone else.
Easy Leather Bracelet by brevetto
How To: Studded Bracelet by newb
Recycled Reusable Coffee Cozy by Kman77
Leather Covered Pendulum Clock by gmjhowe
Hardened-leather Mari Gras mask by Bug
How to make belts and bracelets out of soda pop tabs by drumdude
Leather iPod Touch Case using Water! by gmjhowe
How to Build a Sheath by Basta
Published by nepheron on March 25, 2010
Author Bio: nepheron
I if you wish to contact me, my e-mail is Calvin_Drews@hotmail.com
Intro: Carve A Traditional Maori Hook Necklace From Bone
This is a Maori hook I carved from cow bone. Carving bone is a pretty slow process...I carved this over the course of two days.
Carving a personal 'totem' like this is kind of like a journey. It's a very personal experience...
After all the time and hard work invested, and holding something so pure and beautiful... something that you carved, is an experience everyone should have (but so few
do).
Before you carve your Hook, I recommend reading up on Maori culture. It's very fascinating and helps give you the inspiration you'll need for the 'journey' ahead.
Step 1: Pattern
Drawing a Maori hook is INCREDIBLY difficult. I recommend Googling "Maori Hook" and tracing a design you like. Cut out the traced hook, and transfer it to the
bone blank (in pencil).
When picking a cow bone to carve, make sure it is white as paper. If it is in any way translucent or yellow, it contains grease. Grease will wreck your carving! Do not
carve greasy bone!
You can get bone from PetsMart. It's in the form of cleaned bone dog toys (the ones made of REAL cow bone). You may even have a bone in your yard, dropped by
some else's dog (or your own!).
From here on out, safety glasses are a must!
Step 2: Rough Carving
I did this with a band saw. You could use a jewelers saw, but this is faster.
My blade is too wide to cut out the middle part, so I'll remove that with a jewelers saw in the next step.
I drilled a hole so I would have to remove less material with the jewelers saw.
Step 3: Cutting Out The Inside
Use a jewelers saw to cut out the inside bits that you can't reach with a band saw..
Step 4: Cleaning Up
Used the saw to refine your cuts. Remove jagged bits and "dead end" cuts.
Image Notes
1. Looking pretty good!
2. Dead end cuts often occur here.
Step 5: Removing Extra Material
Use a 1.4'' drum sander to hog away extra bone. The idea is to hide the outline of the bone... make everything rounded and smooth. Even the back!
You should wear a respirator for this. Bone dust can hurt your lungs!
Image Notes
1. Notice how this barb "dives in". This is part of hiding the outline of the bone.
Step 6: Cleaning Up
Use a small Dremel cone-shaped sander at HIGH SPEED to bevel and further refine the shape.
Remove EVERY LAST tool mark!
Image Notes
1. Notice these two "tool marks". It is very important that you smooth them over in this step, as they will be harder to deal with later when using hand tools.
2. Tool mark!
Image Notes
1. Tools marks...
2. See how nice and beveled this is? It will make the next steps a bit easier and faster :)
Step 7: Hand Tools From Here!
The rest of the steps should be performed with hand tools.
Specifically, files. Lots and lots of files...like, triangles files and chain saw files and miniature files.
Shape and curve it...round every single plane and angle. This thing needs to look like it grew off a tree or something. Perfectly smooth, slick, and organic...like a fish.
You will also need to define the barbs. See the photo...
Image Notes
1. I'm bringing the barb into the body of the hook with the triangle file (if that makes sense)...shaping it like a fin or a fish scale.
Step 8: Sanding
Remove all file marks leftover from the previous step. This will take some time...when you're done, remove the sandpaper marks with some fine wet dry sandpaper (I
think i used 600 grit?).
The wet dry will get the hook really slimy and maybe even grimy. Gently wash the hook with warm water and shampoo/softsoap. After you wash it, it'll be insanely
slippery (even when dry!)...I don't know why though. Don't drop it, or it'll crack.
Image Notes
1. Sandpaper stretched in my jewelers saw.
Step 9: Burnishing
Use some pieces of a brown paper bag to polish the hook. This prepares the surface for the next step.
Image Notes
1. smooth curves and matte finish.
Step 10: Polishing
Use car wax with abrasives in it. Put the car wax on a soft felt pad and rub everything down. It'll look pretty bad until you wash it.
After you wash it, polish it with a towel (like a beach towel). After you use the towel, use a clean piece of felt, then a piece of paper to finish the shine. At this point, it'll
look shinier than glass...it's unreal.
After it was all shiny, I drilled a hole in it. As far as the tying of it, you're on your own. It's pretty easy to figure out of you look at my picture. There are about 4,000
ways to do it...so you'll definitely figure one out pretty quickly!
For some reason, I cannot catch the shine with my camera! I assure you, though, it's like a mirror!
Image Notes
1. Drill here!
How to Carve Bone Into Jewlery by xanxor
How to tie sliding adjustable knots for Maori Necklaces by awaylaffin
Carved Bone Skulls From Bone Scraps (+Video) by nepheron
Carved Bone Fish From Bone Scraps by nepheron
Carve a cool viking hanging hook. by morfmir
Seashell necklace by belsey
Carving a Spine Hiking Pole by reukpower
Hyperbolic Cashmere Necklace by Katzsta
Published by morfmir on March 5, 2009
Intro: Carve a cool viking hanging hook.
This project can be made by anybody. It is so easy that kids can make this as there first woodcarving project. The only thing that can make it harder is the degree of
details and the decorations.
Here you can see the finished hanging hook.
So lets get started, I will show how you can make your own.
Step 1: The Tools
You don't need a lot of tools to make this. It you have good carving skills you can make this only using a knife . I use a small electric drill to drill the holes and a saw to
cut the twigs, because it's faster and easier.
If you don't have access to a burning pen like mine you can use a soldering iron. Or you can paint the hook using watercolors.
Image Notes
1. small carving knife
2. a japanese saw
Image Notes
1. 4 mm drill
Image Notes
1. Burnings pen. It is glowing red in the end. Be careful not to burn your self, when using the pen. It hurts a lot.
Step 2: The wood
The wood I use is Hazel, but you can use whatever wood you have access to.
You need to find a strait stick with a good solid twig. The twig will be the nose or hanging hook.
Image Notes
1. Cut here
2. Cut here
3. Cut here
Step 3: Carving the hook
With the knife you start to cut the strait stick flat on the backside. This flat side will be the part that will be against the wall, when the hook are mounted on the wall..
Image Notes
1. try to make the back side as flat and strait as possible.
Image Notes
1. Test your work by laying it on a flat surface. It has to lay flat with contact all the way.
Step 4: Remove the bark and shape the ends.
Now remove the bark. If you want you can leave some of the bark intact and in that way make some ornamentation, patten or other decoration. But the hazel bark
have a tendency to peal of when it is dry. So this time I remove it all.
Image Notes
1. shape the ends so it become more round.
Image Notes
1. this is the end of the nose/hook. Shape it so the clothes won't get damaged. And so it looks good.
Step 5: Carving the face.
With the knife, carve the face of the Hookman.
Image Notes
1. The eyes
2. Mouth and lips
3. chin
Image Notes
1. Neck
Step 6: Burning the details.
To make the face stand out I burn the details with the burningpen. I burn a beard around the mouth and burn the details of the eyes.
Image Notes
1. Viking helmet.
2. eyes with attitude :-)
3. Viking beard.
Step 7: Finishing and mounting.
Drill two holes in the stick. When you place the holes it is important not to make them to close to the ends. If you make the hole to close to the end the stick will split
and make the mounting impossible.
Image Notes
1. Drilled 4mm hole.
2. drilled 4 mm hole.
Image Notes
1. I'm mounting my hook on a wooden wall, so I just need two 4mm wood screws.
Image Notes
1. Mounted and ready to use.
Image Notes
1. Great place for my jacket to hang.
Step 8: Other designs.
Now it is up to you how you want your hook to look like. Here you can see other designs, but with the same basic idea.
Good luck with your own hook.
Image Notes
1. Here the hanging hooks are the horns of this demon like character. The wood used for this hook is maple.
2. Small faces for decoration.
3. mounted with wooden pegs.
Image Notes
1. The color in the face are unremoved bark. The red color of the eyes are my blood. I did not cut my self just to paint the eyes. But I made a small cut in my finger by
accident, and put the blood to good use.
Image Notes
1. no face here. But 3 large hanging hooks with room for a lot of things.
How to carve a sword by morfmir
How to make a wooden spoon, the viking way by morfmir
Carve A Traditional Maori Hook Necklace From Bone by nepheron
How to Carve a Wooden Knife by Thelonelysandwitch
Wood Whittling 101 by kylestetz
Wittli'n a bald eagle by cobalt420
Carve/Make a Mini Ship From Scratch by guatsamosa
How to make your own Viking Age Paint by Rune Cutter
Wood Whittling 101
Published by kylestetz on February 7, 2010
Intro: Wood Whittling 101
This instructable covers basic wood whittling technique. You will learn a little bit about tools, wood, technique, and safety. Hopefully it will be enough to get you
interested in learning!
Wood carving is not something you pick up over night; it requires a lot of patience and practice. What you will find, however, is that as you practice you will develop
intuition that will allow you to tackle increasingly difficult problems on your own. It's an enjoyable and relaxing activity that I would recommend to anyone interested in
learning a new skill.
Image Notes
1. very cute dinosaur
Step 1: Tools
Let's start with tools;
Knife
You're going to need a knife. While you could conceivably use any kind of sharp knife, I highly recommend investing in something nice... I use the chip carving knife
pictured here. High quality tools are going to be hand-made with tempered steel that will cut better and last longer than the low quality stuff. There are chip carving
knives with different shapes that will make difficult cuts a little easier, although they aren't necessary for the beginner.
Sharpening Supplies
You'll be putting your knife/knives through a lot of stress and thus you will need to sharpen them. You can buy sharpening stones or you can use a combination of 600+
grit sandpaper and water or oil. Any piece of leather will work as a strop. I won't get into sharpening in this instructable, however there are plenty of resources out
there for you to learn.
Image Notes
1. always a good thing
Step 2: Wood
So once you have your tools, you'll need something to carve. There are tons of different kinds of wood and they all carve differently. My recommendation (and the
wood that I learned how to carve with) is basswood. It's cheap and you should be able to find it locally. The grain is small and the wood is soft.
However, it isn't crucial that you even know what kind of wood you have, so don't worry. Use what you have– that's part of the fun of carving wood.
Make sure the wood is dry ; you'll have more control over it. Carving with wet wood adds a level of unpredictability, since as it dries it tends to warp and crack.
Step 3: Grain
Understanding grain is essential to wood carving... This is where your intuition will develop over time. While I will not go into the science behind the structure of wood,
I will say that it grows in regular patterns that appear as grain. The orientation of the grain is going to determine how easily you can carve the wood. If you've ever had
a splinter, you know what grain is and how its orientation matters.
You will want to start with straight-grain wood (which is exactly what it sounds like), where the grain runs in one direction. You can use the ends to determine what
direction the grain runs in. The pictures below show you what to look for. Note that the grain can go down slightly... this will be important.
Basic vocabulary is as follows : when you are carving in the same direction as the grain, you are carving with the grain. If you are carving opposite the direction of
the grain, you are carving against the grain. If you are carving perpendicular to the grain, you are carving across the grain.
Which way to carve:
You always want to carve with the grain or across the grain. The grain can also run up and down slightly, so make sure you are carving with the grain in the down
direction. The next step contains pictures of carvings in each direction for your reference.
Image Notes
1. chip carving!
Image Notes
1. the grain is going from right to left and down slightly; see the next picture. The curved lines are a bit misleading... they are tablesaw artifacts.
Step 4: Safety / Holding the Knife
Before we start, let's go over holding the knife correctly:
The picture below will show you how to hold the knife. When right-handed, my left hand is holding the piece of wood and my right hand is holding the knife. My left
thumb is on the back of the blade and will be providing the cutting force. Never push the blade forward with your right hand ; you will not be able to move the
blade with precision.
Notice that my fingers are out of the path of the blade.
Don't be silly:
Never push hard on the blade. If it gets stuck (because you carved too deep into the wood or the grain orientation changed), stop and backtrack. If you try to force
the blade, it could slip and cut your finger.
There's no need to go fast... Speed doesn't help you carve better. Take your time, at least until you feel comfortable carving.
Pay attention:
The sound and the feel of your cuts are important. You can hear the difference between carving with, against, and across the grain. This will be useful in developing
intuition about the direction you are cutting in.
Step 5: Technique
So let's figure out what actually happens when you carve:
You'll be making a scooping motion. First, the knife has to dig into the surface of the wood a little bit. The knife must then be pushed through the wood; it's all about the
angle! As you push through the wood, angle the knife up ever-so-slightly and you will have shaved off a bit of wood. With many types of wood, the shavings will curl;
this is an indication that you are going in the right direction.
You should remove the wood in very thin layers; if you go too deep, you'll end up tearing out on the way back up.
The pictures below will show you what it looks like when you go with the grain, against the grain, and across the grain.
Also, your shavings are fairly informative. Check out the difference between shavings going against the grain and shavings going with the grain.
Image Notes
1. going with the grain; note the curl.
Image Notes
1. against the grain; the wood split before I could reach the end of the piece. Notice the wood is not curling as much.
Image Notes
1. across the grain (the grain is running from left to right along the dark face of the wood). The sound and feel differ during this cut, and the shaving barely curls.
Step 6: Practice
A good way to learn knife control is to try keeping the knife at a fixed angle; see how long of a shaving you can make in one cut.
The more you carve, the more you will understand the grain. It's somewhat difficult to explain in a paragraph with a few pictures, but it will make sense as you
experience it first-hand.
Start with gently curving objects that allow you some room to make mistakes. As you get better, add details regardless of the orientation of the grain; there is always a
way to make the right cut.
Most important of all, have a good time ! (and don't hurt yourself)
Carving a Wooden Gnome From Salvaged Wood by SinAmos
Carve a Staff / Walking Stick by Arbitror
Carve/Make a Mini Ship From Scratch by guatsamosa
Spooktacular Carved Apple by randofo
Hand-carved Iron Man head by seamster
How to Carve a Wooden Knife by Thelonelysandwitch
how to make a knife for bark carving by pumpkinman
Hand Carved Birds by PoconoPat
Cobra Weave Key Fob
Published by tevers94 on March 27, 2010
Intro: Cobra Weave Key Fob
You may have seen my instructables on paracord bracelets, well this is the same design with a few variations. I used to reach in my pockets and have to search for my
keys. Now i reach in and go right for the key fob. These can be all one color, or multi colored.
Step 1: Supplies
-6ft of gutted paracord or 3ft of two different colors (always good to start with extra)
-Another piece, size depends on how long you want it, 3ft is good to start with (not gutted)
Both will be trimmed and melted when finished.
-Scissors
-Lighter
Step 2: Lanyard Knots
You need to make two lanyard knots, one creating a loop, one ending the bracelet. All of the instructions are shown through the pictures.
Image Notes
1. Over
2. Under
3. Over
4. This will be held down
Image Notes
1. Around the outer right side of the bottom, and then up through the center. Then do the same with the other piece.
2. Around
3. around this and then up through the center
4. Follow the boxes
Image Notes
1. Second lanyard knot
2. Determine size
Image Notes
1. Even it
Step 3: Cobra Weave
Mult i-colored instructions
Single colored instruction
Both
-Tie the two colors together using a square knot or melt them together
-Put the piece behind the other piece with lanyard knots, equally on both sides (Square knot centered)
- Create an "S" with the piece on the right and then take the piece on the left and slide it through the bottom part of the "S" and then behind the middle and up through
the left side.
-Pull tight and repeat.
-I recently saw the Paracord Survival Necklace in which there is a flint inside of the cobra weave. That idea can be easily included in this as well. Just
place your flint steel in between the two lanyard knots and continue as if it weren't there. If you make a longer key fob with the flint steel it can easily be considered a
Survival Key Fob.
Image Notes
1. Tighten
Step 4: Variations
These can be made into
-zipper pulls
-Self Defense (Longer so that you can swing keys at attacker)
-Knife lanyard
-Etc
Have fun, and leave a comment on what else these could be used for.
Nalgene Cap Paracord Fix by rstupplebeen
Paracord TallyMan Action Figure by Tommi Potx
Paracord Rifle Sling by biker_trash_1340
personal suvival kit by paintballworld
How To Make a Four Strand Round Braid Dog Leash From Paracord by Doggie Stylish
Multi-Color Monkey Fist by TripWir3
Published by stuwegie on April 10, 2010
Author Bio: stuwegie
Im a firefighter living and working in Edinburgh.
Intro: How to make a Paracord Leatherman Pouch
Hi everyone!
I would appreciate your votes for my instructable in the Paracord contest.
Ive made the pouch, now if only i had a leatherman to put in it instead of a piece of wood!
This instructable will show you how to weave a custom made pouch using paracord.
The method used can be easily modified to fit a range of items from multi-tools and torches to mobile phones. It is very simple to make and doesnt use any fancy or
difficult knots.
This patricular pouch used a total of 25 feet of 550 paracord however if you are making a pouch for something larger then obvooisly you would need a little more.
When making anything its always best to start with the best materials you can find which is why i always recommend using genuine military spec 550 paracord. The
better the cord the longer your pouch will last.
I hope you like the instructable!
Image Notes
1. you can improvise any type of fastener here to keep it closed Velcro Snap Button Side release buckle Lanyard knot with loop
Step 1: Materials
For best results use genuine 550 Paracord. I purchase mine from supplycaptain.
As with anything in life you get what you pay for, if you want your pouch to last a long time you want to have the best cord available and with suplycaptain they
guarantee the quality and authenticity of their cord. Many online retailers sell similar looking but poor quality cord with no guarantees on the durability ofthe cord.
1. Approximately 30 feet of 550 Paracord, any colour you like.
2. Scissors to cut the cord
3. Lighter to seal the ends of the cord
4. A pair of forceps or needle nose pliers
5. A hair pin or if you have one a permalock needle (not essential but it helps with the weaving process)
6. A scrap piece of wood at least 18 inches long and 3-4 inches wide
7. Some drawing pins or something similar to hold the cord in place as you weave.
Image Notes
1. 550 Paracord
2. Scissors to cut cord
3. Hemostats/Forceps or Needle nose Pliers to help thread the cord. (not essential but they make things easier)
4. Permalock needle or a hairclip Anything which can be improvised into a needle for the end of the cord.
5. Lighter to seal the ends of the cord
6. My trusty wooden Leatherman (bit blunt)
7. Piece of scrap wood to help with the weaving.
Step 2: Preparing your weave
First of all establish the size of pouch needed for your Leatherman.
For my nifty wooden leatherman i will need a length of woven material 12 inches long to fold around it the long way round and still leave some left over for a flap. By
laying some strands side by side i also worked out it needed to be about 8 lengths of cord wide.
Using the scrap piece of wood draw 2 lines 12 inches apart. This is your length marker,
Cut a piece of cord 10 feet in length and pin it to the wood at one line, then down to the other line and back again until you have used all the cord.
Throughout the instructable these will be referred to as your horizontal strands.
You should have a total of 10 x 12 inch horizontal strands pinned at each end.
When you pin the cord in place ensure there is no slack but do not pull the cord too tight as it will make it difficult to weave.
You will not be using the outermost strand on either side so you can unpin the ends and leave them loose leaving you with 8 strands.
Image Notes
1. Mark your scrap wood with the length of material you need.
Image Notes
1. Drawing pins to hold the cord at each end
2. You will be working on the inner 8 strands This is your HORIZONTAL weave Make sure there is no slack but do not tighten to much
3. You should have an extra length of cord 12 inches long on each side.
Image Notes
1. cobra stitch woven along the belt loop.
2. Once finished, cut and melt/sew these ends in place.
Step 3: Weaving your pouch
You need to cut another length of cord about 12 feet in length. You then need to remove the white internal strands from this cord to make it possible to weave.
For best results you should use something on the end of the cord to make it easier to pass through the weave. In the picture i have used a hair clip as a needle however
anything relatively thin and rigid can be used so long as you can attach it to the end of your cord.
Now you can begin the weaving process.
The gutted paracord strand will be referred to as your VERTICAL weave throughout the instructable.
Pass the gutted length of cord over and under the horizontal strands pinned to your wood. Once all the way through ensure the cord is not twisted (removing the
internal strands means it should now lie flat)
Simply repeat the process the other way, under over under over and under.
You should be able to tighten up the vertical weave quite easily, if it is difficult to tighten then the horizontal strands pinned to the board may be too tight.
Its important also not to over tighten the vertical weave, there should be no slack but it shouldnt be pulled too tight either as this will distort the weave.
Simply continue weaving your vertical strands till the entire lendth is completed. It can be a little tricky at the very end as you will have to remove the weave from your
wood to get the last few rows done but patience is the key.
Once you have completed your weave use your lighter to melt the ends of the cord in place.
You should now have a woven length of material 12' long and about 1.5"-2" wide. On one end you should have your two 12" loose strands.
Image Notes
1. 12 feet of cord with the internal strands removed.
2. Internal nylon strands. Keep this as its quite handy for making kids finger bracelets!
3. My trusty wooden leatherman
Image Notes
1. Standard hair clip threaded through the cord as a needle.
Image Notes
1. 12 feet of cord with the internal strands removed.
2. Internal nylon strands. Keep this as its quite handy for making kids finger bracelets!
3. My trusty wooden leatherman
Image Notes
1. Weave your first strand through the cord pinnedto the board. Over under over under over under..........
Image Notes
1. your first two rows complete.
Image Notes
1. Weave it back the opposite way ensuring that the cord is still flat and not twisted.
Image Notes
1. Push your vertical weave together You will discover atthis point if you have made any errors with your overs and unders. If its too difficult to tighten these together
then the horizontal weave may be too tight.
Image Notes
1. Hold it all in place with your thumb and pull through the slack
Image Notes
1. your first two rows complete.
Image Notes
1. Once youve completed a fewrows of vertical weave then slide them down to the very end of the horizontal weave then carry on as before.
Image Notes
1. This is what happens if you tighten your weave too much, it becomes more rigid and distorted.
Image Notes
1. Finally use your lighter to melt the ends of the vertical weave in place. You can also sew it in place if you wish.
Step 4: Shaping the pouch round your Leatherman
Wrap the length of woven material around your leatherman to form the shape of your pouch. The two loose strands should be at the front of the pouch (not on the
piece which will form the flap)
Keeping your leatherman in place begin to lace the loose strand down the side of the pouch . You can lace it up however you like but remember not to lace it up too
tightly as you will find it difficult to take out or put in your leatherman if its too tight.
Once youve laced up both sides you can trim the ends off and use your lighter to melt them in place.
As before if you dont feel confident melting them in place you can sew them in place with a bit of black thread.
Image Notes
1. wrap round your leatherman
2. These are your two 12" strands left from the horizontal weave.
Image Notes
1. On both sides lace the length of cord through the woven material. How you do this is up to you, as with shoe laces you can experiment and achieve different
patterns. Ive just laced it back and forth
2. Trim and melt/sew these ends in place when finished.
Image Notes
1. last length of gutted cord
Step 5: Adding a belt loop
Take the last length of cord which shouldbe about 3 feet in length and remove the internal strands.
Thread this cord into and through the weave on your pouch creating two strands for the belt loop.
You have the option of finishing the pouch now if you like however i made the belt loop a bit more attractive using the cobra stitch.
There are many instructables showing how to do the cobra stitch so i wont explain it here.
Finally once you have finished your belt loops againcut and melt the cord in place using your lighter and your paracord leatherman pouch is complete!
You could finish it off if you wish by buying a little velcro or a snap button to keep the flap closed however after wearing my pouch for a few days the flap stayed
closed on its own.

Image Notes
1. last length of gutted cord
Image Notes
1. this is your 3 foot length passed into, round and back out of the pouch
Image Notes
1. thread the cord back through about 2 inches down (this is the average belt width) Thread it back out so that your loose ends are on the OUTSIDE of the pouch.
You can trim and finish here or you can carry on the cobra stitch with the two loose ends.
Image Notes
1. cobra stitch woven along the belt loop.
2. Once finished, cut and melt/sew these ends in place.
Step 6: Completed Pouch
Here is the finished article complete with wooden leatherman!
I hope youve found my instructable easy to follow and again i would appreciate your rating and also your votes in the paracord contest in the hope i can win a
leatherman to put in it!
This is my second instructable however ive made a number of items from instructables ranging from guitars to cnc routers.
Some of my paracord crafts can be seen and bought on my site
www.paracordbracelets.webs.com
Image Notes
1. you can improvise any type of fastener here to keep it closed Velcro Snap Button Side release buckle Lanyard knot with loop
Image Notes
1. My weaves are a little rough as this was my first attempt. I'll post better ones once im finished making another.
2. Please help me win a real leathermanto put in my pouch!
Paracord Magazine Pulls (Tactical Magazine Extractors)...on the cheap! by Hodge-Podge
personal suvival kit by paintballworld
(Army Cadets) Webbing set up by tads_leumas
how to store the detachable file on the Leatherman Surge it's self by erik_mccray
Massive Sling Shot by mortuusvi
Multi-tool Keys - Mod / Hack by pyro222
Paracord/Water Bottle Canteen Strap by C. Wheeler
Paracord Bullwhip
Published by ch5 on March 30, 2010
Intro: Paracord Bullwhip
Hello everybody!
I've been enjoying this site for long and have finally found enough time to write a first Instructable by myself.
I'll will share with you how to make a real paracord bullwhip.
It should not be that hard for those of you who know their way through ropes, knots and braiding.
I wouldn't recommend this as a beginner project though.
It involves careful and regular braiding of up to 12 strands a bit over 12 feet long, which can be a bit messy or frustrating if you're not familiar with manipulating such
lengths of cord.
You will also need to know ( or be willing to learn) some 'advanced' knots to make it look nice, and I won't cover that lengthly point in this Instructable since there is
already a lot of resources on that topic on the Net.
I however do plan on doing a few other Instructables on that topic if people are interested in it.
We will be making a 2.50m ( ~8.2ft) whip, from handle tip to fall, not including the cracker.
Take your time with this one, you'll get what you give.
It took me maybe a week or so worth of evenings to complete it.
The result was well worth it, this thing cracks loudly and easily as expected and it ended up being a very rewarding project.
I'd like to thank "Bullwhipcracker" for his nice info about whip making that served as an inspiration for this project and saved me some headaches about figuring out
the correct lengths for the different steps.
I was unable to find a homepage or anything that links directly to his work to give him proper credit though.
Now, let's get to the fun stuff :)
Update:
Here's a short vid showing that it's indeed the real deal.
Step 1: You will need...
First things first, for this project you will need :
- Paracord ( lots of it ) I started with 60m (196 ft.) and had maybe 15m left after I finished.
But better be safe than sorry on this point :)
- 2m (6.5ft ) of some light chain, the kind you find on lamps or that holds your sink plug.
- Duct tape and/or electrical tape
- 1 "Big" Nail ( Big meaning that it would do the trick as a handle )
- Some medium width string to tie the cracker
- Something that cuts ( my trusted Surge in that case)
- Something that makes fire to neatly melt the ends of your butchered paracord.
A Zippo is a nice choice, it will get you a nice flame and stand on the desk by itself while you use both hands to melt/cut the paracord over the flame.
- Measuring tape
- Patience
Optionally you might find useful to have:
- Some kind of marlinspike needle for dressing the fancy knots.
- A file or some kind of grinder or Dremel tool to cut grooves in the "handle"
- A spot to tie the whip to while you're plaiting ( holding it between my knees worked well in my case ) you could also use a lightly tightened vice.
Also this project works with mainly gutted paracord so you will end up with vast amounts of unused inner strands.
Let me know if you think making a hammock, net or bag out of them would be an interesting Instructable :)
Image Notes
1. Hmmmm, paracord :)
2. Duct tape. No project without this one eh ? :)
3. Some firepower. Zippos can stand up straight by themselves.
4. Something that cuts,snips,holds, perforates...
5. Some lamp chain, actually more than pictured here.
Image Notes
1. Measuring tape to cut things to length
2. A big nail as a handle
3. Strong electrical tape to make things stiff
4. Some medium width string for the cracker
Image Notes
1. A homemade marlinspike. Made from the same kind of nail as the handle and after a bit of grinding.
Step 2: Some usefull knotting ressources
As I said in the introduction, this project will also require you to know and master a few knots, both for practical and decorative purposes.
I'll assume you either do know them or will be able to learn them so I will not be covering them here . There are a lot of great ressources about that on the Internet.
( I also plan on doing separate instructables on these various knots soon)
- The half hitch and the overhand knot ( you DO know them ,trust me :) )
- Basic rope whipping ( to hold strands together, the picture below should be enough )
- The constrictor knot, serves the same purpose as the above.
(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constrictor_knot )
- The star knot ( makes a wonderfull handle knob)
Best explained here : knotical-arts.com/star1.html
- The matthew walker knot ( holds well as a final knot around the handle)
( Sorry, i could'nt find any really clear tutorial to share on this one )
- The turk's head if you want to mark the end of the handle.
- Any kind of multi-srand knot you know and would like to use as a decoration on the handle ( crown knot wrappings, half hitch coverings, various round braids..)
Only the first three of the list are really mandatory if all you need is a working whip.
But it would be sad not to wrap things up in your favorite fancy knots.
See the last picture to see what goes where.
Image Notes
1. The overhand knot.
Image Notes
1. Half hitches will help you while threading chain trhrough paracord;
Image Notes
1. The constrictor knot in all it's glory. Probably the best one out there to keep round things together.
Image Notes
1. Basic rope whipping
Image Notes
1. The star knot, optionnal but wonderfull :)
Image Notes
1. The turk's head. Also optionnal and for decorative purposes.
Image Notes
1. The matthew walker , also optionnal but neat.
Image Notes
1. The star knot
2. A Matthew walker's holds nicely as the last knot.
3. You could use your favorite multi strand wrapping here. I diddn't, my handle is already thick enough.
4. You could also mark the handle's end with a turks head or a multi strand lanyard knot.
5. Basically half hiches
Step 3: Cutting things to length
Ok, so here i'll sum up all of the various lengths you will need.
I'll remind them in the revelant steps so you don't need to take notes for now.
Our whip will be made of 3 layers :
The guts, that will provide some weight and springiness, and two layers of plaiting around it.
You will need:
For the guts :
- x1 2m strand ( 6.5ft )
- x1 1m strand (3.30 ft )
- x1 80cm strand ( 2.6ft )
- x1 50 cm strand (1.6 ft)
along with the corresponding 3 lengths of lamp chain for the shorter ones :
- 90cm (2.95ft )
- 60 cm (1.95ft )
- 30 cm (1ft )
The first layer wil be a 8 strand round plait ( 4 strands folded in half will make it neater )
- 2x 5m -< 4x 2,5 (16.4ft )
- 1X 3m -< 2x 1,5 (9.90 ft)
- 1x 4,30m -< 2x 2,15 (14.10 ft )
The outer layer will be a 12 strand plait ( again, 6 strands folded in half )
- 2x 7,30m (24 ft)
- 1x 5,50m (18 ft )
- 1x 5m (16.4ft)
- 1x 4,30m (14.10ft )
- 1x 3m (9.90 ft )
Please note that this is not an exact science.
These are the lengths I used and that worked for me.
I had some leftover after this,but it is still better than lacking some length after hours of plaiting right ? :)
The exact amount of cord you'll end up using depends on many factors ( how tight you plait, the thickness of the core...)
You don't have to cut all that mess in advance, especially since you're going to gut most of these strands.
I also suggest to think in advance of a way of storing the leftover inner strands for later use if you don't want to end up with 7times more of an inner strand spaghetti
meal than what you began with :)
Step 4: Preparing the core
For this first step, you will need your first 4 strands of paracord and the 3 corresponding lengths of lamp chain:
Paracord:
- x1 80cm strand (2.60ft )
- x1 50 cm strand (1.60ft )
Chain:
- 90cm (3 ft )
- 60 cm (2 ft )
- 30 cm (1 ft )
You will remove the inner strands from the 3 shortest pieces... but wait !
You will then have to put the corresponding lengths of chain into the corresponding strands and this can be a real pain without the proper technique.
I've tried a few:
Making a wire needle to pull the chain through the strand, hand threading cm by cm, threading a whole wire through it first and pulling it back with the chain taped to
it...
None of them worked...
On the other hand, this last technique did wonders :
Carefully remove 6 of the 7 inner strands taking great care not to let the last one slip along with it's friends ( you can tie it around a finger, a pen or anything that will stay
out of the paracord sheath).
Then tie one end of the last inner strand 1-3 balls away from the end of the lamp chain using the smallest knot possible.( preceding it with half hitches between every
ball might help to improve it's lengthwise pull tolerance as knots tied in those slick inner strands tend to be a bit slippery )
Then just pull the inner strand out of the cord to get the chain in place and cut the string off.
If by mistake your last inner strand slips out of the sheath early or alone, you might try to feed it back through the cord by tying it to a long piece of stiff wire ( longer
than the cord ).
Or you might just cut another piece of paracord and start over.
Image Notes
1. Tie one of the strands around something so it doesn't get out of the sheath along with the other strands.
2. This end is still melted for now
Image Notes
1. 6 out of 7 strands removed
2. It didn't slip through :)
3. We will now be working with this end
Image Notes
1. A solid knot 2-3 balls from the top
Image Notes
1. Half hitches on every segment
2. Then pull on the inner strand out and have the chain take it's place inside the cord
Image Notes
1. The chain threaded through the gutted paracord.
Step 5: Beginning the core
We will now bind those first strands to the handle.
Using your grinder/file/dremel/teeth (no, don't ! ), put a small groove near the tip of the nail.
That way you'll be able to tie the strands efficiently here and only have a minimal thickness change.
Then, tie the 4 strands evenly spread around the nail.
Fasten them where the groove is using a constrictor knot ( or two ) and using one of the inner strands you just took out ouf the cords.
Do this as tight as you can get it, you don't want your whip to break there.
Now you can wrap the constrictor knots with a basic whipping to ensure it won't slip.
Being paranoïd, I also whipped mine once above and twice below the main whipping to be sure it wouldn't come apart.
You could also add a bit of duct tape there being careful not to make it bulky.
I diddn't since the whippings were going to hold well anyway.
Trim the cords close to the whippings ( not to close so as not to let them spill open )
Image Notes
1. The groove
Image Notes
1. A constrictor knot will hold it well. Don't trim the ends to short untill you've added the whipping around it.
Image Notes
1. Once you've whipped the cords using one of the inner strings you just pulled out, trim the inner constrictor's knot ends short
Image Notes
1. Then you can do it twice...
Image Notes
1. ...then a few more times
2. And finally trim those short around there.
Step 6: Properly twisting strands
To make sure your whip will have consistent behaviour when bent in all directions, you should then twist the strands together.
If you've ever made your own twisted rope, you know how to do this properly.
If you haven't, here is a short video illustrating the process.
Basically, you twist every strand a bit in one direction and then lay it against the others wrapping it in the opposite direction.
The same techniques applies for 4,3, or 2 strand sections.
Twisting the strands:
Step 7: Wrapping the guts
When you're done neatly twisting the strands, you are ready to wrap the guts in Duct Tape.
Lay the tape 45° across the strands, and wrap it up to the end of the 3rd cord in a single and even layer.
Take great care to keep the inner strands untangled to get an even surface.
Try to keep them in a round section as much as possible.
I used some thin duct tape that i had laying around at the momment and the result felt pretty limp to me at this point.
So i decided to add a 2nd layer of some thicker more rubbery electrical tape.`
You may or may not want to add this second layer depending on what you have on hand and how your whip behaves at this point.
Try to make it neater than in the first picture, I took it hastly on a new nail after the project was finished to illustrate this step.
Image Notes
1. Make it neater...
2. The strands twisted together. This should also be a bit more even.
Image Notes
1. Wrap up to the end of the 3rd cord
2. Don't wrap the mono strand part
Image Notes
1. The second layer.
2. It's OK if the transition from the handle still feels a bit weak there when you bend it. We will address this problem in step 13.
Step 8: Begining the first layer
You are now ready to begin plaiting the first layer.
Get the appropriate lengths of paracord to make this 8 strand round plait:
- 2x 5m -< 4x 2,5 (16.4ft)
- 1X 3m -< 2x 1,5 ( 9.90 ft )
- 1x 4,30m -< 2x 2,15 (14.10 ft )
Take the inner strands out of them, save for later use.
Don't forget to melt the ends before going on.
From now your gutted paracord will tend to lay flat.
You can run it once or twice around a soft round spot to make it even if you want. ( a metal bar or pipe of some kind )
You could also just run it through your fingers as I did, but do this carefully so as not to burn your fingers, you'll need them later ;)
Next, fold the 4 pieces in half and work with the middle of the cords.
How you group them doesn't matter for the next step.
From there, follow the pictures to lay them out properly :
- Using a first pair ( again, which strands doesn't matter), cross them in front of the handle as pictured.
- Then, thread the second pair through the loop and lay it as in the third picture.
Make sure all the lengths are even on both sides while you still can :)
( For the sake of simplicity i'm not showing the actual whip here but a "model" of it using 2 different colors.
Also note that your strands should be gutted and flat at this point )
Image Notes
1. First loop a pair as shown...
Image Notes
1. Then thread the second pair through the loop...
Image Notes
1. You end up with 2 pairs on both sides.
Step 9: Plaiting the 8 strand layer
Now the actual plaiting.
Don't let the amount of strands frighten you, the actual thing is actually quite easy to remember.
( Although mastering the technique might take some mishaps first ;)
From now on, remember to keep your strands neat, flat and dont let them overlap.
You will have 4 strands laying neatly arranged on each side.
Begin with the right top one, this will be the "working strand" for that pass.
- Take the working strand
- Pass it around the back so it gets to the left side
- On this side you have your 4 left strands.
- Pull the working strand under the first two, and over the last two
- Lay it on the right side
- The working strand ends lined up with the remaining 3 strands of the right side.
- It began at the top of the right side, and ended up at the bottom of it.
You've just completed one "pass"
Now , do the same with the top strand from the left side, only in reverse :
- Take the working strand
- Pass it around the back so it gets to the right side
- On this side you have your 4 right strands.
- Pull the working strand under the first two, and over the last two ( no inversion in this step )
- Lay it on the left side
- The working strand ends lined up with the remaining 3 strands of the left side.
- It began at the top of the left side, and ended up at the bottom of it.
At this point you probably got the trick, that's all there is to it:
- You take one sides' top strand,
- make it travel around the back ,
- under 2-over2 on the opposite side
- lay it at the bottom of it's beginning side.
- repeat with the top strand of the opposite side, on and on...
Image Notes
1. Begin with 2 pairs on each side
Image Notes
1. Top right will be our first working strand
Image Notes
1. It goes behind the back...
Image Notes
1. Then under 2 , over 2...
Image Notes
1. It ends up on the initial side, but on the bottom of the plait. This is the end of the first pass.
Image Notes
1. Then we repeat on the other side with the top left strand
Image Notes
1. Behind, then under 2 over 2..
Image Notes
1. ends up on the bottom left. This is the end of th second pass.
Image Notes
1. Then once again with the top right strand...
2. To here... This was the 1-picture 3rd pass :)
Image Notes
1. Go on like this until you reach the spot where the whip gets thinner.
Image Notes
1. Here's how it looks on the actual whip with the flat strands.
Step 10: Keeping things neat
You want your plait to be as even and smooth as possible.
The tighter the better also.
It would be very hard to plait it tight right as you do it.
Instead, I suggest that you first plait 4 "passes" ( 2 right, 2 left), then hold on tight on both sides and tighten the last lines one by one , beginning with the top ones and
alternating sides.
( top right, top left, 2nd top right, 2nd top left ..... bottom right bottom left )
Follow the numbers on the first picture if you don't get it.
The upper strands should hold tight if you don't release your pull on both sides too much.
The 2-4 bottom ones may not stay very tight but that's ok: after the 4 next "passes" they'll become the top ones and get tightened as desired.
Continue plaiting and tightening regularly up to the spot where the shortest gut-strand ends.
When you reach it , go just a bit past it ( by a few passes ) and then you'll proceed to "drop" a first couple of strands to accommodate the thickness change: see next
step.
Image Notes
1. Every now and then begin tightening..
2. 1
3. 2
4. 3
5. 4
6. 5
7. 6
8. 7
9. 8
Image Notes
1. Then we plait 4 passes, and tighten again...
Step 11: Dropping strands
When you reach one of the points where the whip gets thinner, you'll need to cleanly "drop" two of your working strands so the number of them remains adequate to
the thickness.
This step is an easy one as well and should produce a seamless transition from 8 to 6 strand-plait.
As you reach the thinning spot, two of your strands will be close to running out as you'll probably have only a few inches left on them( 10-15 cm or so (0.5 ft )).
These will be the strands you will drop ( the shortest ones to make things simple ).
The actual drop:
- As you plait, each strand becomes the active one for each pass when it reaches the top of it's respective side.
- The drop will occur just before the short strands reach the top position.As you're about to work with the opposite side's top strand.
- Simply let the to be dropped strand fall under the plane in which all strands of the corresponding side are aligned.
- Then, push the 2 bottom strands of the same side up, close to the top strand
- You end up grasping 3 strands :the top one+ the 2 bottom ones.
- Now work with the opposite side's top strand as you would if the drop did not occur.
- The formula changes now : form "under 2, over 2 ", it becomes "under 2 , over 1 "
Make sur you "trap" the dropped strand agaisnt the core with the working one.
Now the to-be-dropped strand on the other side should have reached the next-to-top posiion.
( if it ends up on top right now,this means you began your drop one pass to late and should have beginned dropping on the other side).
Simply repeat the manoeuver on this side :
- let the shortest strand fall and lay it against the core
- put the remaining bottom strands up where the dropped one used to be
- work as you would with the opposite's side top strand.
Remember, from now on, you're plaiting a 6 strands plait.
The formula is under 2 , over 1.
Do this a couple of inches or so ( 5 cm , 0.15ft ), being sure you trap both dropped strands against the core with each pass, then cut one of the strands.
Go on for another couple inches and cut the 2nd one.
Both strands will remain hidden under the plait.
Once again, the pictures for this step are an illustration and not the actual whip.
The drop does not occur on the handle, but on the guts , at the spot where the whip becomes thinner.
Image Notes
1. This will be the next active strand. We WON'T drop this one..
2. We will drop this strand
Image Notes
1. Just let it fall against the core
Image Notes
1. ...and grab the 3 remaining strands as if nothing had happened.
Image Notes
1. Then work with the active strand using the new formula...
2. ...under 2 , over 1
Image Notes
1. Make sure to trap the dropped strand with the active one.
2. This is the last active strand, ending up at the bottom, as always.
Image Notes
1. This will be the next active strand...
2. ...so it's time to drop this one.
Image Notes
1. Let it down against the core.
Image Notes
1. Grab the 3 strands left on this side...
2. This will be the next working strand.
Image Notes
1. This strand was just worked as always: under 2 over 1
Image Notes
1. Plait the 6 strand plait to the next spot where the whip gets thinner.
2. Be sure to trap the dropped strands with the working ones. Then cut them after a few passes. They will be hidden under the plait.
Step 12: Finishing the first layer
You will have to perform the 2 strands drop routine again at the next spot where the whip gets thinner .
The technique remains the same.
When you reach the 4 strand plait, the formula simply becomes " under 1 over one" on each side.
Plait the 4 strand plait up to the point where the core becomes the single unwrapped paracord strand.
You should have a few inches of strands left ( up to 15-20 cm / 0.5-0.6 ft )
When you're there, temporarly tape the strands together so they dont come appart while you're plaiting the second layer.
You might want also want to mark the spots where the whips goes thinner, it will make it easier to know when to drop strands on the next layer.
When you reach those spots, tie a small constrictor knot using one of your leftover inner strands or use a bit of duct tape depending on your preferences.
Image Notes
1. The 4 strand plait ends here, a bit past where the single strand core begins. Wrap this with tape untill you reach step 15.
Step 13: Making the handle transition stiff
At this point the whole thing should start to resemble a real whip and behave like one.
Resist the temptation of playing with it too much though, you wouldn't like to see all that hard plaiting coming undone would you ? :)
You might find that the transition between the handle and the core is still a bit limp, we're going to reinforce things up a bit.
FIrst , cover the transition with a looong, tight whipping.
When making the round turns, let the inner loop be out for a few turns every now and then.
Otherwise the combined friction of all those turns wouldn't allow you to pull the loop inside the knot at the end.
Take some time time to make this really tight.
Then cover the whipping with a tight layer of strong tape as you did for the core.
Don't go all the way up, just cover a few inches before and after the knot.
What you're looking for, is this part of the whip to stand up straight when held vertically ( = not bending at a wild angle under the whips own weight ).
Image Notes
1. A long whipping with the inner loop strands sometimes in, sometimes out to avoid friction while tightening.
2. Ready for the next step !
3. out...
4. out...
Image Notes
1. Cover a bit of the transition with a tight layer of strong tape.
Step 14: Plaiting the 12 strands outer layer
You already guess what goes in this step.
First , get/cut your strands for this layer :
- 2x 7,30m
- 1x 5,50m
- 1x 5m
- 1x 4,30m
- 1x 3m
Once again, take the inner strands out and fold your gutted paracord in half .
Work from the middle to get your 12 strands.
Begin this layer as you did the first one, only arranging the strands by groups of 3 instead of pairs (see pictures)
Begin plaiting with the upper right strand, then go on as you did so far.
The formula for the 12 plait is under 3, over 3 .
remember to keep things tight and even.
When you reach the marks where the whip becomes thinner,go a bit past them ( remove your marking aid ) and drop 2 strands as in the previous steps.
The formula for the 10 plait is under 3, over 2.
For the 8 plait it is under 2 over 2.
Continue the 8 strand plait until you reach the point where the taped part of the inner layer is.
Remove the tape.
Cut the 2 shortest strands of the inner layer there.
Cut the remaining 2 at 10cm(0.30 ft) and 15-20cm (0.5-0.65 ft )
Continue the 8 plait over these.
Drop to a 6 plait ( under 2 over 1 ) as you progress.
Then to the 4 plait ( under 1 over 1) when to the end of the lone inner cord.
Keep 15 cm of strands at the end to tie the fall knot.( next step)
Once again, the pictures featuring orange paracord are illustrations, they're not what your actual whip should look like at this point.
Image Notes
1. Begin the 12 plait exactly as the 8 one. Only using groups of 3 strands instead of 2
Image Notes
1. Once again, this will be the first working strand.
Image Notes
1. I couldn't resist plaiting some more :) This is under 3 over 3, it should look familiar to you at this point.
Image Notes
1. The outer layer
2. The inner layer
3. On the actual whip, things will look like this.
Step 15: Finishing off
This part might be a little tricky.
I'll once again show it with 2 colors of paracord to make things clear.
When you reach the end of the plait you will have:
- 4 strands from your plait
- 1 strand from the core.
Prepare the "fall" as shown:
- Cut an armlength of paracord
- Be sure to melt both ends
- Pierce it near the top
- Thread the other end of it through the hole ( This can be very tricky, make sure you melt the end of the cord in the smoothest and sharpest fashion you can.)
- Put the loop you just frmed around the end of your whip.
Then you will need to tie that mess together in a clean way.
The theory behind it is quite simple: you will use each of the 5 strands in turn to make a half hitch around ALL the other strands.
It's easy to get lost at this point since all those strands will look alike.
Don't make it tight yet.
When you've tied your 5 knots ( the last one being the one tied with the core strand), use the help of something thin like your marlinspike, a big nail or the awl from
your favorite multitool to thread this last strand through all of the previous knots.
Then put it's end through the loop of your fall, tighten the loop, and pull on the fall so it goes inside the knots, altogether with your last strand.
Then you can finally make it as tight as you can, and trim the edges.
Don't get frustrated if you can't get it right, i had to do this again a few times, both during the original project and the shooting of the additionnal pictures.
Image Notes
1. At the end of the second layer,the end of your whip looks like this: 4 plait strands + 1 core strand.
Image Notes
1. This will be the fall. It's an arm length of paracord with all the inner strands intact.
2. Pierce it as close to the tip as you can. Make sure to melt it well.
Image Notes
1. Then thread the other end of the fall through the hole. Good luck with that one :)
Image Notes
1. You'll end up with a loop.
Image Notes
1. Pull the loop around the end of your whip, don't make it tight yet.
Image Notes
1. Lay the remaining part of the fall against the core strand for now.
Image Notes
1. Tie identical half hitches with the 5 strands in turn. Be sure to trap ALL of the remaining strands each time.
2. 1st
3. 2nd
4. 3rd
5. 4th
6. 5th
Image Notes
1. Don't pull them too tight yet
Image Notes
1. 2 knots so far...
Image Notes
1. 3 knots
Image Notes
1. 4 knots
Image Notes
1. All five knots in place
Image Notes
1. You will be threading the 5th strand ( the inner one ) through the 4 preceding knots.
Image Notes
1. like this..
Image Notes
1. Pull it all the way through
Image Notes
1. Everything should line up neatly.
Image Notes
1. FInally thread the strand through the loop
Image Notes
1. Tighten the loop..
Image Notes
1. Then pull the fall inside the knot along with the last strand. Pull it as far inside as it will go.
Image Notes
1. You're done! Put everything as tight as you can and then cut all the remaning strands short. Don't cut the fall ! :p
2. Cut
3. Cut
Step 16: Making the cracker
The last thing we will need to make things fully functional is the cracker.
It's the part of the whip that makes the actual noise.
This is a throw away part of your whip as it will wear with use.
When it becomes to damaged, just untie it,trash it and make a new one .
To make it :
- Take an arm length piece of your string
- Fold it in half, then twist the two strands together as you did when making the guts.
- Tie both strands in an overhand knot a few cm from the end
- Fray the ends
Then tie it to the fall as pictured.
Image Notes
1. Measure an armlength of string
Image Notes
1. Fold in half.
Image Notes
1. Twist it as you've learnt doing :)
Image Notes
1. After all this, tying an overhand knot should cause you no trouble.
Image Notes
1. Fray the ends. Using a comb will help.
Image Notes
1. We will be tying the cracker to the fall. This knot is meant to be small and easy to untie even after supersonic abuse.
Image Notes
1. Thread the fall through the "eye" at the end of the cracker. See closup if you don't get it.
Image Notes
1. The final knot just before tightening.
Image Notes
1. Make it small
Step 17: Making it yours !
Congratulations !
You just got a homemade fully functional whip :)
At this point the finishing touch is up to you.
Fell free to decorate it with all your favorite knots or any other skills.
Here is what I have done:
- Tied a star knot at the end of the handle
- Made it hold with a Matthew Walker's knot.
Here are some suggestions for making yours unique :
- Use different colors of paracord in your plaiting
- Build up handles using fancy knots ( see the marlinspike picture for an example )
- Use turks heads to mark the upper end of the handle
- Wrap the handle in leather
- Use various braids to make the handle
- Use a hollowed out golf ball at the end of the handle, cover it with a monkey fist..
- Use some carved wood handle instead of the nail, do something nice with the protruding end.
I will probably soon make a few other Instructables on the advanced knots if you lack inspiration.
Image Notes
1. The now fully functionnal whip!
Image Notes
1. The same with some refinements
Image Notes
1. Here's a sample handle from a homemade marlinspike. You could do something similar to this on the whip's handle as well.
2. A star knot
3. Matthew Walker's knot
4. Crown knot covering
5. (messy) multistrand lanyard knot.
Step 18: Trying things out
Ok, now go outside for a test run of your new toy.
Cracking your whip is about technique, not force ( and my technique just plain sucks , these are my first tries :)
They're lots of vids on youtube teaching you proper moves.Be sure to check a few out before trying to go Indianna Jones.
Remember to do this outside, and wear proper face protection untill you feel completely confident with it.
( A full face paintball mask would not be too much for beginners, it's SO easy to have the thing jump back at your face even if you think you are being carefull... And
trust me...that hurts.)
I hope you enjoyed this instructable as much as I did doing this project.
Have fun and play safe!
Leave suggestions in the comments if you think that some steps deserve further explanation.
Step 19: FInal reference sheet
Here's a final reference sheet with all the revealant data for making the whip once you've understood the process.
It sums up everything number related :)
You will need (Total):
- 60m (196 ft.) of paracord
- 2m (6.5ft ) of lamp chain
Then cut it to the following lengths:
For the guts :
- x1 2m strand ( 6.5ft )
- x1 80cm strand ( 2.6ft )
- x1 50 cm strand (1.6 ft)
Along with the corresponding 3 lengths of lamp chain for the shorter strands :
- 90cm (2.95ft )
- 60 cm (1.95ft )
- 30 cm (1ft )
The first layer is a 8 strand round plait
- 2x 5m -< 4x 2,5 (16.4ft )
- 1X 3m -< 2x 1,5 (9.90 ft)
- 1x 4,30m -< 2x 2,15 (14.10 ft )
The outer layer is a 12 strand plait:
- 2x 7,30m (24 ft)
- 1x 5,50m (18 ft )
- 1x 5m (16.4ft)
- 1x 4,30m (14.10ft )
- 1x 3m (9.90 ft )
The formulas for the various plaits:
12 strand: Under 3 Over 3
How to make a bullwhip (no ducktape) by Radaradarable
Paracord Whip by aimin archer
how to make a bullwhip by freerunnin1
Double-perfect Whipped Paracord Staff Hand-grip by Kiteman
DIY Camping Hammock by lerickson
How to make a survival paracord belt using only two cords! by building king
Paracord Shoelaces by Wasagi
Urban Traveler Survival Tin by frozenkamote
Published by Stormdrane on July 12, 2008
Intro: Woven paracord bracelet/watchband
This tutorial will show how to make a paracord bracelet or watch band using a weaving method. More knot work with releated links and resources can be seen on my
blog page, Stormdrane's Blog .
Step 1: Supplies
For this project, you'll need approximately 10 feet of paracord, scissors, lighter, tape measure, hemostats, watch, and a 5/8" side release buckle . I used a 5/8" ITW
Nexus contoured side release buckle, but you can use other less expensive ones like those found at Creative Designworks .
Paracord can be found at local Army/Navy stores or from various online sources: Supply Captain , Lighthound , Rotokid , Cool Glow Stuff! , ebay, etc...
The actual amount of paracord that will be used depends on your wrist size. My wrist is about 8.5 inches and I actually used around 8 or 9 feet after finishing the
bracelet/watchband. So using 10 feet is a safe estimate for most folks, since having too much cord is better than coming up short when making your project.
*If making a watchband, the watch needs to have about 5/8" space between the lugs(where the watch pins go) so that 5 strands of paracord will fit.
Step 2: To begin
Measure about 20 inches from one end of your length of paracord. This is where you'll loop onto one end of your side release buckle. Once attached, you'll have the
longer section which will be your working end and the shorter end which is just attached to the buckle ends and will be tucked in when finishing the
bracelet/watchband.
Step 3: Add the watch and adjust for wrist size
If making as a watchband, this is where you take the strands of paracord from the looped section of the buckle and run them over the watch pin, under the watch, and
over the other watch pins. Then you loop the paracord around the other buckle end twice.
At this point, you'll measure the distance between the buckle ends for your wrist size. The distance should be equal to your actual wrist measurement. The weaving
process will stretch this original spacing of bracelet/watchband about another inch after tightening as you reach the finishing point.
*Don't include the prong section half of the male end of the buckle in your measurement. It is snapped into the female half of the buckle when worn and isn't used in
figuring the wrist measurement.
Now bring the cord ends back thru the watch pins, along side your first pass, and around the starting buckle end.
*If you're just making a paracord bracelet, you'll just be going from one end of the buckle to the other without adding the watch.
Image Notes
1. If making as a watchband, this is where you take the strands of paracord from the looped section of the buckle and run them over the watch pin, under the watch,
and over the other watch pins. Then you loop the paracord around the other buckle end twice.
Image Notes
1. At this point, you'll measure the distance between the buckle ends for your wrist size. The distance should be equal to your actual wrist measurement. The weaving
process will stretch this original spacing of bracelet/watchband about another inch after tightening as you reach the finishing point.
Step 4: Begin weaving
Now you begin weaving the long working end of your paracord. The shorter end will be left out until it's time to finish the bracelet/watchband, and tuck it into the
weave.
This weaving process is called 'weaving with three warps'. You'll be going around the outer cord with your working strand, under the center two cords(which you treat
as one cord), and around the other outer cord.
You weave it back over the center two strands and around the outer, continuing this process, back and forth. Try not to leave too much slack as you go to keep the
weave uniform. Every couple of weaves, push your work tight, up towards the starting buckle end.
Step 5: Threading the watch
Once you've reached the point where your watch will be centered, push the watch tight against the woven cord and bring your working strand thru the pin along side
the other cords under the watch, and back thru the other pin.
*If making the bracelet, there' s no watch in the way, so just keep weaving. ;)
Step 6: Continue on the other side of the watch
Continue weaving the paracord, keeping a uniform look, and tightening as you go.
A pair of hemostats can help work the cord around as you get close to the buckle end, making the last couple of weaves.
Step 7: Finishing up
To finish up, you'll take the working strand around one of the outer cord, so it's coming thru the under side of the bracelet/watchband.
*Check for a good fit on your wrist at this point. If it's too loose or too tight, untie, adjust your starting measurement longer or shorter to correct, and try again. I have
to do this myself sometimes. ;)
Take your hemostats and work them thru about three of the center weaves, towards the buckle end. Grasp the working strand and pull it back thru the center weaves.
Trim the end with your scissors, quick melt the end to prevent the cord from fraying, and tuck it under the weave.
Now do the same with the shorter end of cord and you're done.
If you measure again, you'll see that the finished length is about 1 inch longer than the starting measurement. This will vary depending on your tightening of the weave as
you go, but should make for a loose/comfortable fit.
Enjoy!
*Anyone that's worn a nylon/paracord bracelet/watchband knows it can get dirty and smell funky after a while of use. I use an old soft bristle toothbrush to scrub with
soap/water in the sink to clean it(while it's on the watch(hopefully yours is water resistant/waterproof), and let it air dry overnight.
*A note on paracord shrinkage:
Ubraidit.com mentions that paracord may shrink as much as 10%-12%(especially black and kelly green), so they recommend soaking the cord first. They note that it's
the inner strands that shrink, not the outer sheath. I believe they use 450 or 650 grade paracord, which I think, has a few loose fibrous polyester filler cords instead of
the usual 7 twisted nylon strands, found in 'Type III 550 mil-spec paracord which isn't supposed to shrink up. I've mostly used the mil-spec type paracord, so if it's
shrunk on me, it's not noticeable. YMMV ;)
Cobra Weave Key Fob by tevers94
How To Make A Turk's head Knot With Paracord by Doggie Stylish
Paracord Bracelet with Monkey Fist Button by Tommi Potx
Paracord watchband/bracelet with a side release buckle by Stormdrane
Paracord Monkey Fist by NutandBolt
Paracord Hammock Anchor Cord by repeet13
Published by TimAnderson on January 10, 2008
Author Bio: TimAnderson (author's website)
Tim Anderson is the author of the "Heirloom Technology" column in Make Magazine. He is co-founder of www.zcorp.com, manufacturers of "3D
Printer" output devices. His detailed drawings of traditional Pacific Island sailing canoes are at http://www.mit.edu/people/robot. Tim's philosophy
involves building minimum-consumption personal infrastructure from recycled scavenged materials. Redirecting the waste stream. Doing much with little.
A reverse peace-corps to learn from poor people all over the world.
Intro: Knife Making Without Tools
Here's how to make a hunting knife from a butter knife by rubbing it on wet pavement and wrapping the handle with cord. It looks and feels good in the hand.
This project was inspired by a family I stayed with in Kenya. The only utensil they had was a sharpened butterknife shared by about twenty people.
Select your "blank":
Test your butterknives by bending the blade with your fingers. The farther you can bend it without it staying bent, the better it is.
Instead of a butter knife, you could use a saw blade or any piece of metal.
WARNING: I will be showing a bunch of OPTIONAL steps using tools.
For purist "no-tool" knifemaking, just skip all the steps using tools.
Or just substitute "with a rock" for the name of the tool.
Your knife will be fine.
Step 1: Optional: Drill Holes in Each End of the Handle
These are to tuck the ends of wrapping cord through.
Skip this and the wrapping is the same and 95% as good.
Step 2: Optional: Countersink and Smooth the Holes
I'm using a countersink and some sandpaper to do that.
This will keep the burr on the edge of the hole from biting the cord or your hand.
Step 3: Optional: Melt and Taper the Cord End
This will make it easier to poke through the hole. Unnecessary if you skipped the holes.
Get your fingers wet so the melted plastic won't stick and burn you like napalm.
This is 1/8" nylon "parachute" cord. 1/8" Polyester is better because it doesn't get loose when wet. Get it at a chandler. (marine supply)
Step 4: Start Wrapping
If your cord is nylon get it wet first.
If it's cotton or other cellulose fiber, make sure it's dry first.
Nylon shrinks when it dries, cotton shrinks when it's wet.
You don't really need the hole, that's just something to make it look less like a butter knife.
If you drilled holes poke the cord through one of the holes.
Leave a tail a few inches long.
If you skipped the hole just lay down the tail and wrap over it.
Wrap over the tail until you get halfway up the handle.
Step 5: Lay Down a Loop
Eventually we'll need a way to pull the far tail back under the wrapping.
To do that we'll lay down a loop of thin cord and wrap over that.
Step 6: Put the Tail in the Loop
We've gotten to the end.
If you drilled a hole poke the end of the cord through it.
Put the end of your cord through the loop.
Step 7: Pull!
Wrap the thin cord around something you can pull on, and pull hard.
Pull the tail of the wrap cord under the turns of wrapping.
Step 8: Pull the Tails Tight
Use needlenose pliers if you have them.
Otherwise use a stick.
Twist and pry on the tails to tighten them.
Step 9: Handle is Finished
Cut the tails as short as you can and poke what remains under the wrappings.
It looks and feels good.
Step 10: Design Your Blade
I like a knife blade about the same length as my pinky finger.
Decide what you want and first mark, and then scratch that shape in your blade.
I'm going for an asymmetrical bonsai-utility tip.
Step 11: Shape and Rough Sharpen the Blade
Fortunately it's drizzling a bit and the pavement is wet.
I rubbed the blade on the edge of a curb til it was cut through enough to break off at the length I wanted.
Then I rubbed the rest of it on wet pavement til it was sharp and there was a bit of a burr on the edge.
It goes pretty quick. Cement is a good abrasive.
Look for smoother concrete if you want a better finish on your knife.
Or rub a rock or piece of cement on your working abrasive surface to smooth it first.
A rock, brick, broken flower pot, or any other rough ceramic item make good abrasives.
Hard wet beach sand can be a miraculously good abrasive.
The blade got a bit hot even though the pavement was wet.
I dipped it in a puddle from time to time to cool it off.
Step 12: You Have a Knife!
It's ready for finish sharpening as demonstrated here.
Here's how to make a paper sheath so you can carry it safely in your pocket.
That was quick!
It took less than an hour according to my photo EXIF timestamps in spite of interruptions such as rain and repeatedly hitting my camera with a hammer (canon s30
"E18 error").
Use your knife safely!
As my Granddad used to say, "Don't cut toward yourself and you'll never get cut!"
Knife Throwing by die_dunkelheit
Cheating Pen for High-Schoolers/College-Attendees by lightmoon1345
Scavenger Hunt In a Bottle by peterjr
slingshot hunting ammo by tom-mot
Nes controller with leds lighting up the logo by kristopher.hammar
How to make your own diaphragm turkey call by hailtothkngbby
how to make a survival bow & arrow by starbucks starwars and lotrs oh my
Nerf dart tag by voemaster
Published by cbm104 on October 13, 2010
Intro: Leather tooling punches
A simple method for making your own leather tooling punches.
I saw this idea in a '60s leather work book many years ago, it's great so the world should know. I haven't since been able to find the book, if anyone recognises it
please post the reference.
Simply, you use metal files and/or a hack saw to work the head of a nail.
Materials
-Nails
Tools
-Metal file(s)
-Junior hacksaw
For using
-Hammer
-Base to hammer against (sturdy wood block)
-Water
Image Notes
1. Files- the metal kind.
2. Hacksaw - junior
3. Nails
Step 1: Shape the nail head
The trickiest part of this is finding a nice design, it has to be fairly simple. Repeating patterns work well, squares, triangles, chevrons etc.
But today I fancy... Pacman!
Picture 1
File the nail head flat, then set to work on the edges...
Picture 2
The second picture shows the edge of the nail head has been filed so the top is sharper.
Picture 3
Then remove metal until your image is revealed. The use of a fine tipped permanent marker may help.
Picture 4
For Pacman I filed a wedge out of one side using the edge of a rectangular file then drilled a small hole with a fine bit. For the ghost three sides were filed flat, I cut in
twice with the hacksaw on the base edge then opened the cut with a file.
Remember:
-Drilling metal always requires a centre to be punched so the bit can bite!
Once shaped you can cut the point of the nail off with a hacksaw as this is the end you will strike.
Image Notes
1. Flat
Image Notes
1. Filed
Image Notes
1. Nail head
2. Remove
Step 2: Hit with hammer
Once your punches are about ready, test them on some leather scraps.
Wet the working side of the leather. If you punch dry you don't get sharp edges and if you punch too wet then it's spongy and doesn't deform as well. Practice on off
cuts before tooling your work, my examples aren't the greatest so if anybody has any hints and tips please add them in the comments :)
Image Notes
1. Off cut
2. Water
3. Hammer time!
4. Punches
Image Notes
1. Don't forget, the punches reverse! A left looking ghost will look right on the leather 8)
Step 3: Few sample designs
Here are a few other designs I've made previously. The Oak leaf, acorn and mushroom were made to decorate a book protector (trees-paper-books, made sense at
the time).
Interesting shapes can also be made from a bit of dowel, the end grain gives a stippled pattern which can be quite nice.
Image Notes
1. Pacman
2. Ghost
3. Anchor
4. Acorn
5. Leaf
6. Mushroom
7. unshaped potential
Leather Cuff Watch Band + Leather Bracelets 101 - Be Fashionable No Matter What Time You Arrive!! by KentsOkay
Add bling to your thing. (leather, brief cases, phone cases, belts) by carlo$
Book protector by cbm104
Up-cycle an inner tube into a bookmark by reukpower
Upcycle A Leather Belt Into A Dog Collar In 5 Minutes Or Less by Doggie Stylish
Leather Bracelets from Recycled Belts by fungus amungus
Steampunk Leather Skypirate Helmet (wizard skullcap) costume by solipsism
Floss Box Keychain by Austinisi
Published by reno_dakota on August 8, 2007
Intro: Sprocket & innertube belt
Comfortable, functional, and entirely badass belt made from recycled bike parts.
The original belt in these photos was made by my friend Fjord, and he deserves credit for the idea and for making a number of these belts. He used thin strips of
innertube rubber to attach the pieces of chain to the belt, though, and after a year of heavy wear those started to give out -- hence the repair work I'm doing now, and
the photos for this instructable. The punched holes for fastening the belt are also starting to show wear, but I haven't figured out how to fix that yet. Let me know if you
have any ideas!
Image Notes
1. Recycled innertube, shiny bits of bike-chain, and blue elastic cord for sturdiness and color.
2. The valve stem and sprocket make an elegant buckle.
Image Notes
1. The original belt that Fjord made, with 1/8" strips of innertube rubber stitching the chain-bits on.
Image Notes
1. Make sure that the belt is flattened out evenly all around, so that the holes line up with the valve stem in the buckle.
Image Notes
1. Sprocket belt buckle, front view. The first two bolts hold the sprocket in place; note that they're set in right next to two of the teeth to hold it firmly.
2. Capture loop for the tail of the belt, also held on with two small bolts.
Image Notes
1. The spacing between the links is also 0.5" on center. The round elastic cord is a little bulkier than the flat rubber strips, but will hopefully last much longer.
Image Notes
1. Not actually threaded through my belt-loops here. You could use either a thinner or wider innertube for a different look.
2. Finishing the stitches: I tried on the belt to make sure the elastic cord would stretch properly with the belt. Once the length was adjusted properly, I tied a tight knot
in the end of each cord.
3. When you're punching the holes in the tail of the belt, make sure the belt is fitted comfortably, punch that hole, then punch a few others on either side of it.
Image Notes
1. A little bit of decorative stitching.
2. It fits! With style!
Step 1: Gather supplies.
What you need:
- old bike innertube(s)
- clean bike chain & chainbreaker tool
- old bike sprocket, ~2" ID
- 4 small flathead screws, with matching tiny nuts
- ~2 yd thin elastic cord (I had a fair bit left over.)
- scissors
- heavy-duty holepunch
- measuring tape
Image Notes
1. Biketire belt in need of repair; since I'm just repairing it and I still have all the pieces of bike-chain, I don't need to break up more chainlinks.
2. 1" bike innertube, no major holes for at least 36" (for a me-size belt) to one side of the valve stem.
3. Spare innertube; this one's got some slashes in it, but if I wanted to use bike-tube rubber for the stitching, this would be perfect.
4. Approximately 2 yards of bright-blue thin elastic cord.
5. Scissors and hole-punch.
6. Coffee, of course.
Image Notes
1. Break your bike chain down into pieces until you have enough flat figure-8 chain bits for your pattern. On mine, there are two rows of 22, so 44 pieces in total.
Image Notes
1. Scraps of the innertube-rubber strips that Fjord used to stitch the chain-bits on. These wore out and started breaking after about a year of wear.
Image Notes
1. Backside of the capture loop.
2. Backside of the belt buckle attachment. Leetle tiny bolts!
Step 2: Break down your bike parts.
For the base of the belt, take one innertube and cut it 2-3" past the valve stem. You should now have a long strip of tubing with the valve stem close to one end.
Measure around your waist where the belt will sit, then add 8-10" to that measurement for the tail of the belt -- this measurement is the total desired length for the belt.
On mine, the total belt length is 36", with an extra 2" of tubing past the valve stem to fold over for the belt buckle.
Lay your proto-belt out flat, then measure out the length you just calculated, starting at the valve stem. Mark and cut the tubing to that length. (Note: You're ignoring the
2-3" of tubing on the other side of the valve stem because that's going to be folded over later.)
From the tubing you have left-over, cut a 1"-wide section. This will be the...um...the little loop that you thread the tail of the belt through after it goes through the buckle.
(Is there a word for that? If I poked the internet to dig up the proper word for that, would anyone know what I was talking about?)
For the sprocket, you may be able to find a lone sprocket wandering around, or you may have to detach it from a cassette and clean it up. You want one where the
inner diameter is slightly smaller than the length of the valve stem.
For the bike chain bits, you can start with an old, worn, greasy chain and clean it up, or just buy a length of new chain -- less cleaning, more shiny! Since Fjord did all
this work long before these pictures were taken, I don't have photos of the process. The idea is to take the chainbreaker tool, disassemble the chain, and separate out
the flat top & bottom pieces of the chain. You'll then stitch the flat top & bottom pieces onto the belt with strips of rubber or elastic cord. Design your pattern first to
figure out how many chain-bits you need; my belt has two rows with 22 chain-bits in each row, so 44 flat figure-8 chain-bits in total.
Image Notes
1. Cut through the innertube ~2-3" to one side of the valve stem.
Image Notes
1. This is where the belt buckle will be.
2. Measure 8-10" past where the tail overlaps the fold at the valve stem, add that to the length necessary to go around your waist, and then cut the innertube.
Image Notes
1. 2" of innertube left past the valve stem; this will be looped through the sprocket and fastened down with tiny bolts.
2. 1" section of innertube for the capture loop.
3. Finished belt buckle. Sprocket!
Image Notes
Step 3: Make the belt buckle.
The belt buckle consists of the valve stem and sprocket, as shown. The 1"-wide section of tubing is attached close to the buckle, using the same bolts that fasten down
the end of the overlapped tubing.
First, decide which side of the sprocket should be the front of the belt buckle. Next, take the valve-stem end of the tube, thread the short end through your sprocket
from front-side to back-side, and fold the short end over so that it overlaps the longer end. The overlap should be on the back of the belt, and the valve stem should lay
across the front side of the sprocket.
Mark four points on the overlap for the tiny bolts that will fasten the sprocket in place, hold down the overlapped section of tubing, and attach the loop that holds the
tail of the belt. Mark the first two points at the edges of the tubing close to the sprocket, so that it will be held tightly; mark the next two at the edges of the tubing close
to the end of the overlap.
Using the heavy-duty punch, punch four small holes (diameter slightly smaller than that of your tiny, tiny bolts) at the points you've marked. Also mark & punch two
holes through one side of the 1"-wide capture loop.
Push the first two bolts through the holes closest to the sprocket, from the front to the back of the belt, then thread on the nuts and tighten down. (If you had a riveting
tool, I'll bet you could substitute little rivets for these nuts & bolts. Personally, I like the tiny tiny bolts.) Push the second two bolts through the holes in the capture loop
and the matching holes in the overlapped section of the belt, thread on the nuts, tighten down. Wheeee belt buckle!
Image Notes
1. Punch four evenly-spaced holes through the folded innertube. I'd recommend setting the sprocket in place before you do this to make sure the holes end up in the
right places.
Image Notes
1. Sprocket belt buckle, front view. The first two bolts hold the sprocket in place; note that they're set in right next to two of the teeth to hold it firmly.
2. Capture loop for the tail of the belt, also held on with two small bolts.
Image Notes
1. Backside of the capture loop.
2. Backside of the belt buckle attachment. Leetle tiny bolts!
Image Notes
1. Side view of the buckle.
Step 4: Punch more holes.
You now have an almost-wearable belt; it's time to size it properly. Put the belt on as you're going to wear it normally, then thread the tail of the belt through the buckle.
Tighten it enough that it'll hold your pants up while still being comfortable, then mark the point on the tail of the belt where it overlaps the base of the valve stem.
Flatten the tubing out so that it's all in line with the flattened fold at the belt buckle; remember, you want the holes on your belt to line up with the valve stem without
twisting the innertube around. Punch a hole (diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the valve stem) at the point you've marked. Since people tend to change
circumference sometimes, mark out a few more holes, with 1" spacing between each hole and the next. Mine's got eight holes, which leaves me a 5-6" tail on the end of
the belt most of the time.
Your belt should now be entirely wearable, if not quite as awesome as it could be. (I'm getting to that part.) Try it on, dance around, show it off, make sure it's
comfortable.
Image Notes
1. Not actually threaded through my belt-loops here. You could use either a thinner or wider innertube for a different look.
2. Finishing the stitches: I tried on the belt to make sure the elastic cord would stretch properly with the belt. Once the length was adjusted properly, I tied a tight knot
in the end of each cord.
3. When you're punching the holes in the tail of the belt, make sure the belt is fitted comfortably, punch that hole, then punch a few others on either side of it.
Image Notes
1. Not exactly even spacing, but that's ok. Perfection is overrated.
Image Notes
1. Make sure that the belt is flattened out evenly all around, so that the holes line up with the valve stem in the buckle.
Image Notes
1. Punch a few small holes to allow you to stitch the end of the belt closed, since this part will want to spring back into tube-shape. Stitching this should only take a few
inches of rubber-strip or cord.
Step 5: Yet more hole-punching!
You've now got a long strip of bike innertube with a row of holes at one end and a badass belt buckle at the other. The middle part, however, is plain. Boring. The
double row of bike-chain bits keeps the tubing flat (like a regular belt) and adds subtle shiny recycled awesomeness.
Flatten out the tubing again. Mark two parallel lines down the length of the belt, with whatever spacing you want between rows of bike-chain bits. On my belt, there are
22 pieces of chain-bits in each row. The holes in each figure-8-shaped chain-bit are 0.5" apart on center, and they're spaced so that there's 0.5" from the center of a
hole in one chain-bit to the center of the hole in the next one over. The chain-bits alternate between the flat (shiny) side and the not-flat (grungier) side, and are laid out
end-to-end.
You could use this same pattern, or lay the chain-bits vertically or diagonally instead of horizontally, use different spacing, or stitch on entirely different
beads/hardware/etc for decoration. Get creative with it, make it your own thing. Remember, though, if you're stitching chain-bits on, you'll need to punch a hole directly
underneath each of the two holes on the figure-8 chain-bit, so your pattern will be made up of pairs of holes set a fixed width (0.5", in this case) apart.
Image Notes
Image Notes
1. The spacing between the links is also 0.5" on center. The round elastic cord is a little bulkier than the flat rubber strips, but will hopefully last much longer.
Image Notes
1. Scraps of the innertube-rubber strips that Fjord used to stitch the chain-bits on. These wore out and started breaking after about a year of wear.
Step 6: Stitch on the bike-chain bits.
This belt was originally made using strips of innertube rubber for the stitching. To use that method, slice two ~3' x 1/8" strips from another innertube and substitute that
for the elastic cord in these instructions. Be aware that it's likely to wear out a good deal faster.
When repairing my belt, I pulled out the broken pieces of the rubber strips and replaced it with bright-blue elastic cord. I improvised a "needle" by attaching a short bit
of twisted wire to the end of the cord. To start stitching, tie a knot in one end of the cord and pull it through the first hole in the belt-rubber such that the knot stays on
the back side of the belt. Then thread it through the first hole in your figure-8 chain bit, through the second hole on the chain bit, and through the second hole in the belt-
rubber. Repeat for all of the chain bits in that row of the pattern you've designed.
For each row, I started out leaving the stitching a little loose, with an extra length of elastic cord after the last hole. After finishing the stitching on both rows, I went
back through and tightened it down, making sure that the cord lay as flat as possible without bunching up the belt-rubber. Once the stitching is adjusted, I pulled the
unknotted end through a little bit (just enough to tie the knot in the right place, so the knot holds the cord without causing the belt to bunch up) and tied a tight knot.
Repeat that to tie off your other rows / cords.
Finally, my belt has a couple of large stitches closing the tube at the tail end of the belt. You could do this with a short length of the cut-rubber strip, a bit of elastic cord,
or you could stitch it down with a needle & thread.
Image Notes
1. Extra-long piece of elastic cord. I think I used about a yard for each row of stitching.
Image Notes
1. Tie the first knot in one end of the cord, then thread it through the first hole so that the knot stays on the back side of the belt.
2. Thread it through the first hole in the first chain-bit, then through the punched hole in the innertube underneath.
Image Notes
1. Then back through the next hole. Whee! Repeat down the whole row.
Image Notes
1. The end of my cord got frayed and difficult to push through the holes, so I made a makeshift needle out of a twisted bit of wire.
2. Since I'm just replacing the stitching here, I pulled out the rubber strips just ahead of where I was stitching with the elastic cord. Kept me from having to chase little
chain-bits all over the table.
Image Notes
1. Almost finished with the first row!
2. Leave your stitches loose as you go, then go back and work out the slack evenly after you've finished the row.
Image Notes
1. Pulling the slack through, one stitch at a time. You want the stitches to lay as flat as possible without bunching the belt underneath.
Image Notes
1. The top row's stitching is done; here I'm doing the final stitches on the bottom row, while pulling out the last of the innertube-rubber strips.
Image Notes
1. A little decorative cross-stitch at the end.
2. These ends are left loose until I've worked the slack out of both rows of stitching.
3. This is the underside of the last pair of chain-bits.
Image Notes
1. Once you've got the slack worked out, the stitches as flat as possible without bunching up the belt, tie knots in the end of each piece of cord. Make sure the knots
are on the back side of the belt. Then trim off the excess cord.
Image Notes
1. Punch a few small holes to allow you to stitch the end of the belt closed, since this part will want to spring back into tube-shape. Stitching this should only take a few
inches of rubber-strip or cord.
Step 7: Done!
The one tricky bit with the belt I've got is that the teeth on the sprocket are a bit sharp and pokey sometimes; that should be fixable with a little judicious filing &
smoothing. Other than that, it's comfortable, strong, stretchy. Plus it's got shiny bits, it gets double-takes and comments, and it holds my pants up. Win!
Image Notes
1. Recycled innertube, shiny bits of bike-chain, and blue elastic cord for sturdiness and color.
2. The valve stem and sprocket make an elegant buckle.
Image Notes
1. A little bit of decorative stitching.
2. It fits! With style!
Bicycle Parts Belt by dj_flx
Changing a bicycle tube by jaydyer
Bicycle Go-Kart by intoon
Bike Tire and Gear Belt by dan
Scooter 3spd Chainsaw Belt drive by GadgetmanKen
Why build your bike? by tyghe
Replacing Bike Tire and Tube on a Road Bike by F4L53 R34L1TY
Bike fenders from recycled bike tires by jmengel
TREAD BELT
Published by opendesignclub on May 21, 2007
Intro: TREAD BELT
Nice belts made out of used bicycle tires. These belts are stylish and very simple to make.
by: www.opendesignclub.com (thats me!)
Step 1: SEARCH FOR TIRES
Search for used tires with a nice tread
<<
Step 2: BUY SOME BELT BUCKLES
Buy some belt buckles you like
<<
Step 3: BUY SOME CHICAGO SCREWS
Buy some Chicago Screws or rivels to fix the buckles
<<
Step 4: CUT OUT THE TREAD
Cut out the tread in the width of your belt buckle
<<
Step 5: MAKE SOME HOLES
Make the holes you need to fix the buckle.
<<
Step 6: FIX THE BUCKLE
Fix the buckle and fit the belt to your size
<<
Step 7: !!! DONE !!!
Ready to use
by: www.opendesignclub.com (thats me!)
FLUORESCENT FLOOR LAMP by opendesignclub
Bike Tire and Gear Belt by dan
DRAFT: Pedal Powered Blender/Food Processor (Belt Drive Version) by snotty
Bicycle Parts Belt by dj_flx
Bicycle Defense Kit by liseman
Bicycle Go-Kart by intoon
Tire Sandals: a guide to comfy hand-crafted footwear. by RGR_375
Front-Wheel-Drive Center-Steer Semi-Recumbent Bicycle by sennomo
A Timing Belt Belt
Published by crispyjones on November 21, 2010
Intro: A Timing Belt Belt
I will show you how to make a belt for your pants with a belt from your car. We will take a belt you no longer wear, and a belt your car no longer wears, and make a
new belt you can both be proud of.
What is a timing belt? It is the belt that connects the crankshaft to the camshaft on many vehicles. Unlike your alternator or power steering pump, the crank and cam
must rotate in precisely in time with each other. Hence the name 'timing belt.' If the cam and crank are not in time, due to an incorrectly installed belt, a missing tooth,
or a broken belt, very serious engine damage may result. Any car that has a timing belt lists the recommended change interval in the owners manual.
What is a belt? This is not the part where I explain the function of the belt that goes around your waist. I will point out that while the consequences of this belt failing
are not costly, they can be very embarrassing.
Step 1: Getting Started
B elow is the list of items I used to make this project. A drill will with proper bits is an acceptable substitute for the leather punch, though the holes will be a bit
rougher. The sewing awl might not be needed at all if the epoxy is strong enough, but I didn't want to risk it. I wanted to make my own "tab holder" (the part that
holds the remaining length of belt once it has been threaded through the buckle), so I used some steel rod and various pliers and vice grips. You can probably make
the belt with no tab holder at all, or your donor belt may have a suitable one. A very sharp heavy duty razor knife may work in place of the Dremel, but I found the
Dremel much easier to use on this heavy duty material.
To procure a timing belt just visit a local mechanic shop or dealership. If you own a car, now would be the time to check if it needs a timing belt replacement.
Otherwise, make sure you are clear that you want an old belt for a non-automotive related project, they might hesitate to give you one if they think you are going to put
a used belt on a vehicle. You should take your donor belt with you to make sure the hardware will fit the width of the timing belt you get.
Consumables
Used timing belt (the kind for your car)
Old belt (the kind for your pants)
Epoxy
*steel rod to make tab holder
Tools
Dremel or similar rotary tool
Leather Punch or Drill
Sewing awl
Heavy duty scissors or knife
Clamps or a bench vise
*bending tools to make tab holder from steel rod
*these are only needed if your donor belt does not have an acceptable tab holder
Image Notes
1. The timing belt I got from the Subaru dealer.
Image Notes
1. buckle
2. tab holder
Image Notes
1. 5-ton quick set two part epoxy.
2. Leather punch.
3. Dremel rotary tool.
4. clamp.
5. clamp.
6. Scrap wood to distribute clamping force.
7. Sewing awl, for penetrating two layers of heavy duty timing belt.
8. Heavy duty scissors.
Step 2: Belt Prep
F irst, clean the timing belt. It is covered with fine particles of belt dust and, if the car had a leaky seal, perhaps a bit oily.
I filled a bucket with hot soapy water, and went over both sides of the timing belt with a scrub brush. After a rinse and dry, I ran a white paper towel over it and didn't
get any smudges.
Next, cut the buckle from your donor belt. Save the buckle as well as the small bit of slotted leather that held the buckle.
Image Notes
1. hot soapy water
Image Notes
1. Cut the buckle from the donor belt.
Image Notes
1. Save this part to use as a template.
Image Notes
1. Save this too.
Step 3: Layout The Belt
I decided I wanted the ribbed part of the belt facing out. This is a timing belt belt after all and I want people to know it. I also thought it would be cool to have some
of the OEM Subaru part numbers visible, so this is where I chose to make the loop that will secure the buckle.
First I cut the belt close to where I was planning to put the buckle. Next, I put the small scrap of leather from the original belt at this point and traced out the area that
needed to be removed.
This step involves cutting the belt with the Dremel rotary tool. It produces a lot of rubber dust and smells bad, I suggest doing it outside. I punched a hole at either end
of the marked area. I used the Dremel with a cut off wheel to cut between the two holes and remove the material. I cleaned up the rough edges of the slot with a
grinding bit. After a couple test fits, and minor modifications with the Dremel, I was satisfied with the buckle location and freedom of movement.
At this point I realized the leather loop that came with the original belt was not going to cut it as the tab holder. I decided to make a more industrial looking tab holder.
I took some 1/8" rod I found in my garage and bent it into a rectangle the width of the timing belt.
If you are installing a tab holder, decide where you want to locate it relative to the buckle. I removed one of the timing belt teeth at this point.
Image Notes
1. Trace slot onto the timing belt.
2. Saved from the previous step.
Image Notes
1. Remove material from the traced area.
Image Notes
1. Making a tab holder.
Image Notes
1. One tooth removed to make space for the 'tab holder'.
Step 4: Assemble The Belt
T ake the buckle from your donor belt and slide it in place. Double check the orientation, you don't want to glue up your belt and find the buckle is reversed.
Decide how far you want the belt to be doubled over. The belt is not flexible at all when it is doubled, so don't go too far, I only went about three inches on mine.
Once you have determined the section that is going to be doubled over, rough up both surfaces that will be touching with a Dremel grinding bit to promote epoxy
adhesion.
Use the sewing awl to sew as close as possible to the buckle while still allowing it to move freely. I made sure to practice with the sewing awl on scrap material so I
was comfortable using it before cutting loose on my timing belt. I used a clamp to hold the belt together close to where I was sewing. I finished the stitch line with a
square knot secured by a dab of super glue.
Now is your last chance to check everything before applying epoxy. Double check the orientation of the buckle and the location and fit of your tab holder (if you used
one). Be careful applying epoxy close to the buckle, you don't want excess squeezed into the buckle when you clamp everything tight. I don't have a bench vise so I
used a couple scraps of wood to extend the clamping force the length of the epoxied area. I covered the wood scraps in aluminum foil so that excess epoxy wouldn't
glue the wood to my belt. I made sure everything was ready and all my tools were handy before mixing the epoxy. Once I mixed up the epoxy I carefully applied it to
the folded over belt area and then clamped everything tight. Be ready to clean up any excess epoxy that squeezes out the sides. Even though I used 5 minute epoxy, I
let it cure until the next day.
Image Notes
1. Correct buckle orientation.
Image Notes
1. Incorrect buckle orientation.
Image Notes
1. Sewing awl. Practice with the awl before using it on the belt.
Image Notes
1. Square knot.
Image Notes
1. Tab holder in place.
2. Doubled over area, this will be epoxied together.
Image Notes
1. Two part 5-minute epoxy. Make sure your tools and belt are all prepped and ready before mixing the epoxy.
Image Notes
1. All clamped securely together. I let it cure overnight like this.
Step 5: Fit The Belt
R emove the clamps and try on the belt to determine the location of the first hole. Tighten the belt to the tension you would normally wear a belt and mark the tooth
that is at the buckle. I punched the holes in the belt teeth and not the thin part between the teeth. My thinking is that making holes in the thick teeth will make the belt
less likely to tear.
Use the leather punch to make holes midway across the tooth you marked. I found using the punch from both sides of the belt made a cleaner hole. Make additional
holes about an inch apart on either side of the starting hole so you have some adjustment range. The size of the punch die (or drill bit) will vary depending on the size of
the prong that is on your donor buckle.
Try the belt on again to check how much excess length you need to remove. I left about five inches past the last adjustment hole, I wanted enough excess to fit under
my first belt loop, but not much more. While wearing the belt I used my heavy duty scissors to cut off the excess material.
Congratulations, you are now the proud owner of a timing belt belt!
Image Notes
1. Punch hole for buckle prong.
Image Notes
1. Punch through each hole from the opposite side as well.
Image Notes
1. Cut off the excess.
2. Last adjustment hole.
3. Just enough to fit under the first belt loop.
Custom Belt Buckle by inkdoll
Upcycle A Leather Belt Into A Dog Collar In 5 Minutes Or Less by Doggie Stylish
Baby Walking Belt by hummer_head
safety cover for knife made out of a belt by easyprojects
Duct Tape Belt (With any logo(s) you want) by Sk84ever
Fix your belt, don't toss it. by FrenchCrawler
Duct Tape Belt by AngelInTheNight
Hipster Belt by YarisWorks
Published by dan on October 13, 2006
Author Bio: dan (author's website)
Dan Goldwater is a co-founder of Instructables. Currently he operates MonkeyLectric where he develops revolutionary bike lighting products. He also
writes a DIY column for Momentum magazine.
Intro: Universal lamp shade polygon building kit
One simple cut-out shape lets you build all sorts of different designer-looking lampshades! You can make dozens different geometric forms using various numbers of
the cut-out shape made from paper or plastic. All the standard mathematical polyhedrons and such are possible.
The pieces just fold together by hand into rigid forms, and you can take them apart and build into new shapes any time!
this is fun and educational for kids and adults alike, and you get a really nice lampshade when you are done.
As seen in ReadyMade Magazine, Dec. 2007/Jan 2008 issue
Image Notes
1. 30 identical pieces assembled together. this one is made from 0.5mm acetal (delrin). in the photo it looks amber but in reality it is pure white.
Image Notes
1. this one uses 24 pieces, made from 0.8mm nylon. it is a bit annoyingly yellow-ish in reality
Image Notes
1. this one has 35 pieces. it is basically a tube with two end-caps. it is made from 0.8mm HDPE
Image Notes
1. 24 pieces - side view - this one has a 'cool white' light in it rather than 'warm white' in the others.
Image Notes
1. 80 pieces - side view
Step 1: What you need
I saw a lampshade made out of the shape below at a friend's house, so I traced the shape and made my own. the lamp i saw used thin plastic for the pieces. I believe
the original design for this lamp was done over 30 years ago by the firm Iqlight , they sell pre-cut parts in case you do not want to make the parts yourself.
Below is the shape as an image, and i've also attached a DXF file.
You will need sheets of paper or plastic that allow light to get through. The stiffness of your material determines how large your pieces can be - stiffer material for larger
pieces and larger lamps, thinner material for smaller pieces and smaller lamps. (see next step)
You will need a lamp fixture - just a raw socket on a cord. I found some nice ones at Ikea for $4, and some fluorescent bulbs. Use a compact fluorescent bulb so you
can get more light without melting the plastic.
I experimented with a number of different plastics and sizes for the parts, here are my results:
- HDPE: works well, looks good, cheap and easy to get. I used 0.8mm thick stock for 8cm pieces (measured flat-side to flat-side). That's about the smallest you'd
want to go with that thickness, you could go up to 12 or 15cm with that thickness. this is the least expensive plastic by far. One of the commenters suggested using
plastic milk-bottles, which are made of HDPE, this is a good idea!
- Acetal (delrin): this seems to be the best choice for looks, it has the purest white color and best light dispersion (basically, looks just like acrylic except it doesn't
crack as easily). I used 0.35mm stock for 6cm and 8cm pieces, and 0.5mm stock for 8-12cm pieces, and 0.65mm stock for 12-15cm pieces. It still is a little brittle
and harder to work with than HDPE, and more expensive. if you cut this with scissors it will be somewhat tricky due to the brittleness, but possible.
- Vinyl: I did not try it, probably want to use thicker pieces since it is not very stiff. but you can use colors!
- Paper: I did not try paper but it should be good for smaller constructions.
- Laminated paper: this is a great idea suggested in the coments section. try laminating color tissue paper, then cut the pieces from that. very unique and colorful!
- Acrylic: too brittle, it will crack when you try to assemble. too bad!
- Nylon: has a yellow-ish look when lit up which makes it undesirable.
- for a large construction use stiffer material for the same size piece. ie, if you are making a lampshade with 12 pieces use thinner material than if you are making a
shade with 100 pieces, assuming same size pieces.
Where to get it:
HDPE 1/32" sheet: sheet: http://www.usplastics.com item number 42584
Acetal sheet, 0.015" and 0.020":: http://www.mcmaster.com item number 8738K52 and 8738K53
polypiece.dxf31 KB
Step 2: Cut out your pieces
You can cut your pieces in a couple ways:
- trace them out with a marker, then use scissors or a knife. this is slow but can be done easily by anyone.
- make a "cookie cutter" out of sheet metal in the shape of the part. then heat the cutter with a torch and use it to stamp out the parts (only works for plastic)
- use a laser cutter
Step 3: Assemble!
just try fitting the parts together! they go together in many different ways. you can make a variety of corners with 3, 4 or 5 adjoining pieces.
there are several ways to think about and categorize the different types of geometric shapes that can be constructed. below i've shown top and bottom views of every
different type of vertex (corner) that can be built. all larger assemblies are made up of a combination of the types of corners shown below, so think of them as your
building blocks.
corners can also be 'left handed' and 'right handed' - mirror images of each other.
Image Notes
1. right-handed vertex
2. left-handed vertex - the mirror image
Image Notes
1. five narrow-angles meet at the vertex (corner) - view of top side
Image Notes
1. 3 wide angles at the vertex
2. 2 narrow angles and 1 wide angle meet at the vertex
3. 3 narrow angles at the vertex
4. 1 narrow angle and 2 wide angles at the vertex
Image Notes
1. bottom-side view
Image Notes
1. 2 narrow and 2 wide angles meet at the vertex, in a checkerboard pattern (the 2 narrow-angles are across from each other diagonally)
2. 4 narrow angles at vertex
3. 3 narrow angles and 1 wide angle at the vertex
4. 2 narrow angles and 2 wide angles, with the narrow-angles adjacent to each other.
Step 4: Assemble!
you can make forms with anything from 8 to 100 or more pieces each. the only drawback seems to be that there is no way to make concave corners, only convex
corners are possible.
you can see my examples below, and you can see more at this site: http://www.iqlight.com
that site also sells the parts if you don't want to make them yourself (but i think it is pricey).
Image Notes
1. 5 pieces join at this corner
Image Notes
1. this one uses 24 pieces, made from 0.8mm nylon. it is a bit annoyingly yellow-ish in reality
Image Notes
1. 30 identical pieces assembled together. this one is made from 0.5mm acetal (delrin). in the photo it looks amber but in reality it is pure white.
Image Notes
1. this one has 35 pieces. it is basically a tube with two end-caps. it is made from 0.8mm HDPE
Image Notes
1. 24 pieces - side view - this one has a 'cool white' light in it rather than 'warm white' in the others.
Image Notes
1. 24 piece - bottom view
Image Notes
1. this is 30 pieces, but in a different configuration than the normal 'soccer ball' shape. it has more pointy corners and less roundedness
Image Notes
1. 80 pieces - side view
Image Notes
1. this is the bottom central axis point
2. 80 pieces - view from about 45 degrees below and to the side
Step 5: Other Ideas
I think the design i've presented is my favorite because it is reconfigurable into lots of shapes, but i thought i'd put some links to other styles which can also be made
from sheets of paper or plastic.
the lampshade shown below i spotted hanging from the eaves of a hotel in china. it is made from i think 6 identical pieces (possibly 7 or 8). each piece is a large
diamond shape with slots cut in it to allow sliding the pieces together. it looks like each diamond is slid into itself to form one of the central vertical tubes, its free tips are
then slid into the other pieces to hold the whole thing together. (i have not actually made one yet, so please comment if you have).
also see:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Flower-Calender
http://www.yasutomo.com/project/paperlampshade.htm
you can also usually find one or two polygon-inspired lampshade designs at your local designer lighting store, and at Ikea.
Beautify your CFLs with Bright Idea Shades (steal this idea!) by sjolly
How to Make A 70's String Lamp by in2ws
Simple Ikea-hack lamp by reid
Record Lampshade by fungus amungus
Recycle lamp-shade by msolek
X-ray Lamp by postapoc
Milk bottle polygon night light by beado4ever
I Like My Coffee Light...Burlap Lampshade by Facci Designs
Published by marc_alain on June 19, 2007
Intro: Small eco-footprint living room light
This instructable demonstrates three processes:
1. How to build an attractive and efficient main light source for the living room.
2. How to perform the life cycle assessment to quantify its advantages.
3. How to relate those improvements to a person's ecological footprint.
Too often living rooms are dimly lit, or use a central ceiling-mounted fixture that creates an unwelcoming atmosphere. This design provides a remedy by casting a lot of
light through an effective diffuser, and can be set on a table for more pleasant effect.
However, the larger ambition of this project is to create a light fixture that minimizes the environmental impact of its manufacture, use, and disposal, so every task is
considered with this in mind.
A life cycle assessment is used as a tool to analyze the design decisions.
To conclude the project, I estimate the fixture's ecological footprint.
As you can already see, this will be a wordy instructable.
I promise that you will find something of interest.
Each step tackles a discrete phase of the project, so skip around to see what interests you.
To help you choose, please scan each step's summary and take a look at the pictures.
Step 1: Construction of the base
SUMMARY:
This step details the construction of the wood base. I use short explanations, drawings, and some photographs. The base material is oak reclaimed from packaging
material.
DETAIL:
I have attached drawings to supply full dimensional details.
The construction steps are as follows:
1. Prepare two pieces of wood, square across all surfaces:
-the larger piece is 2.5" x 2.75" x 15"
-the smaller piece is 2.125" x 2.375" x 9"
2. Cut the 55 degree slots to get a tight fitting joint.
3. Cut the chamfers on the bottom corners. When cutting the chamfer on the smaller piece, fit it to the larger piece to ensure you do not cut past the point of chamfer
intersection.
4. Cut the slots for the the shade mounting pieces.
5. Drill the holes for the light socket assemblies.
6. Drill the hole to house the wire connections.
7. Drill the pilot holes and counter-bores for the screws that will fasten the shade mounting pieces.
8. Rout the slots for the wire runs.
9. Now is a good time to do most of the sanding, as prep for finishing. I found it easier.
10. Glue the pieces together.
11. Clean up the chamfer intersections with a chisel.
12. Drill the wire exit hole.
13. Sand any remaining blemishes.
detailed drawing small piece.pdf46 KB
detailed drawing large piece.pdf53 KB
Image Notes
1. It's beautiful underneath the grey exterior.
2. This spalting is due to long-term exposure to moisture. For our purposes, it adds character to the finished piece.
Image Notes
1. This jig is for the table-saw, to make the 55? angle cuts. It helps tremendously to make accurate cuts for the only joint.
2. This face will be the fence.
3. This stick will run through the groove in the table-saw.
Image Notes
1. 55? on the money every time. The same angle works for both wood pieces.
Image Notes
1. The edges of this groove were cut carefully to fit the other piece; then several cuts were made between the edges to ease clean-up with a chisel.
Image Notes
1. These chamfers were cut with the router.
2. This router set-up cuts the grooves to mount the aluminum mounts for the diffusing shade.
3. The result.
Image Notes
1. One of the chamfer intersections.
Step 2: Mounts for diffuser
SUMMARY:
This step explains the few simple tasks required for preparing the diffuser mounts from flat aluminum stock.
A few fasteners are needed.
MATERIALS:
The main ingredient is the .125" x 1" flat stock. I found aluminum in 3 and 4 foot lengths at Home Depot.
One great advantage to this material is that no finishing is required! It has a lovely satin surface.
The fasteners required are:
-two round head wood screws to fasten the pieces to the wood base
-four sets of Chicago screws to fasten the diffuser to the mounts; the exact length of these will depend on the diffuser you decide to mount
TASKS:
The aluminum stock must be cut to length: two pieces 11.5" long. A hacksaw is suitable for this.
The cut ends should be cleaned up with a file to remove any burrs and sharp edges.
Each piece needs a few holes drilled:
-one clearance hole for the mounting screw
-two clearance holes for the Chicago screws
alum mount drawing.pdf9 KB
Image Notes
1. Buying a 4 foot length allows me to make a set of mounts for a second light with very little left over.
2. These Chicago screws will attach the diffusers to these mounts.
3. These aluminum pieces are the finished diffuser mounts. There isn't much difficulty here; just get the holes drilled to suit the mating holes in the wood base and the
diffuser.
Image Notes
1. Mark the hole location with a sharp pencil, then start the hole in the aluminum by hammering in a nail. The resulting divot will ensure that the drill bit doesn't wander
off as you start to drill the hole.
Step 3: Finishing the base
SUMMARY:
The finishing process uses ammonia as a wood dye, and tung oil to seal the wood and add a bit more colour and depth to the grain.
No VOCs or other toxic waste products are emitted.
DETAIL:
Following some suggestions from Fine Woodworking Magazine, George Frank's "Adventures in Woodfinishing", and some simple experiments, I found that I was able
to get some great effects from using ammonia to stain the oak. Namely, the process accentuated the grain and character of the wood, and gave it a lovely colour.
In a nutshell, it requires exposing the wood to the ammonia vapour. I found that a 24 hour exposure was sufficient to get good results.
You will need a plastic container, with a tightly fitting lid, that is large enough to hold your work.
Pour some ammonia-based household cleaner into the container, enough to barely cover the bottom.
Since the wood should not come in contact with the liquid cleaner, place the work in the container on some form of stand. Keep in mind that the areas that make
contact with the stand will not be stained evenly.
Close the lid tightly to prevent the ammonia vapours from escaping, and wait about 24 hours.
There are two significant advantages to using the ammonia vapours:
1. The wood grain is not raised in the process, so no sanding is required afterwards.
2. The vapours penetrated to approximately 1/16" in 24 hours. This bodes well for longevity of the finish. Any scratches and dents, even deep gouges, will not expose
lighter wood.
After removing your work from the dyeing container, wait another 24 hours for the absorbed vapours to escape from the wood.
(The leftover cleaning liquid can go back into the original bottle.)
Now it is time to apply the tung oil.
All the books specify using lint-free rags to apply oils; I ignored this advice and regretted it. Do not use cotton flannel.
Take your time to allow the wood to absorb the oil as you apply it (especially to the end grain), then wipe off any major excess before leaving it to dry.
One coat is sufficient to enhance the colour and depth.
If you want the finish to build on the surface of the wood, you will need to apply additional coats of oil. You must wait 24-48 hours before applying a subsequent coat.
Image Notes
1. Yes, it has a lemon scent and a yellow dye. However, the method shown in the following steps will not expose the wood to either of those ingredient.
2. ... so be careful with it. Inhaling the fumes is no fun either! Fortunately, we are working to keep the fumes confined to air-tight containers.
3. This stuff is made from nuts, is heat-treated for a longer shelf life, and is food-safe. Not all tung oils are food safe, so you must read the labels.
4. I haven't decided whether to use this, but I will if I am not satisfied with the gloss that the oil alone will produce when it's fully dried. This product uses vegetable
sources for the waxes and solvents. No petroleum-distillates.
Image Notes
1. I used plastic caps to keep the wood out of the liquid, but I will do it differently next time. Supporting the piece at the socket holes would hide any uneven dye
action.
2. I added barely enough liquid ammonia cleaner to cover the bottom of the tub. It is the evaporating ammonia that performs the dyeing. Be sure to use a container with
a tightly fitting lid!
Image Notes
1. The raw oak.
2. This is how the oak looks with the ammonia dye and tung oil.
3. This is the spalting in the oak.
Step 4: Diffuser option #1
SUMMARY:
This option for making the light diffuser uses reclaimed materials, and shows methods of work for mitigating the waste products.
DETAIL:
This diffuser uses PVC corrugated roofing.
My neighbour had put three sheets out for the trash, so I scooped them up!
This stuff also comes in colours and different profiles, so don't hesitate to try whatever becomes available.
The first task is cut the diffuser panels to size. A diagram (and PDF file) show the dimensions and mounting hold locations. Cutting with tin snips is easy and clean.
NOTE: my sheets had corrugations spaced 2.875" apart. If yours is different, you may need to adjust the width to get a flat fit to the aluminum mounts.
After some experimentation, I have arrived at a way to effectively diffuse light, and to minimize the creation of PVC dust particles.
Since the product's MSDS sheet doesn't state the dangers of exposure to dust, I have decided that it would be wiser to avoid the dust as much as possible.
To turn the original transparent sheet into an effective diffuser, the surface must be modified.
I used a wire brush mounted in a power-drill to do the bulk of the work of scratching the surface. It is possible to create patterns on the surface, by controlling the
direction of the scratches.
PLEASE NOTE: I ran my variable-speed drill at low speed; this created heavier PVC granules instead of fine airborne dust!
The second step in modifying the surface was to wet-sand with 220-grit paper. This adds a necessary layer of diffusion to the surface.
Ideally, you should collect the water and PVC slurry in a tub, let the water evaporate, and send the residue to landfill. Otherwise, the PVC slurry will go through the
sewage system and end up in your waterways.
(I mention this because it is in the spirit of minimizing all impacts.)
You are now ready to drill holes along the narrow edges to match the holes in the aluminum mounts.
I suggest practicing on a PVC scrap before performing the task on your finished pieces.
Some plastics will crack and shatter under certain conditions, and drilling holes to avoid this takes a bit of care.
I found that running the drill slowly with a minimum of pressure was gentle, but still effective at cutting the hole.
Be sure to make a little pilot divot, similar to that used for getting accurate holes in the aluminum.
Now its ready to attach.
PVC panel drawing.pdf12 KB
Image Notes
1. Retrieved from the garbage, these sheets had screw holes and were covered in dirt and scratches. The holes ran along the edges only. The intense scratching that I
did to create the diffuser got rid of the dirt and blended in the existing scratches!
Image Notes
1. Using the tin snips provides adequate control of the cut and produces no dust. Practice, and small bites, will ensure a clean straight cut.
2. I used a square, straight edge, and carbide scriber to mark the cut lines.
Image Notes
1. 220-grit silicon carbide wet/dry sandpaper does a good job, but you still have to supply the elbow grease.
2. This is how the PVC sheet looks after scratching and sanding. I left a clear strip at each end to be able to see the aluminum diffuser mounts more clearly.
3. The variable-speed drill and the wire brush. This combination has the greatest effect for the least effort.
4. The clear PVC sheet, cut to size.
Image Notes
1. This is what the first pass looks like. A second pass with the drill reversed adds another dimension to the scratches. Then repeating (for passes 3 and 4) with the
wire wheel scratching in a perpendicular direction really helps to create the diffusing effect.
Step 5: Wiring
SUMMARY:
Using easily obtained components, the light is safely wired without undue complications.
Compact fluorescent bulbs (CFL) are used to save energy.
DETAIL:
The first step in wiring is to get the socket brackets installed in each of the four socket holes in the wood base.
After threading the brackets onto the pieces of threaded rod, I used a nail puller to lock the components together by squeezing the threaded portion into an oval shape.
Now, these won't come apart easily.
Place the brackets in the socket holes, through the lock washers, and tighten the nuts on the other end of the threaded rod. The third photo in the series shows a detail
of this assembly.
Next comes attaching short lengths of wire to the ceramic sockets. You will need lamp cord in these lengths:
-2 lengths of at least 5.75 inches
-2 lengths of at least 7.75 inches
The lamp cord should have one conductor that is smooth and one that is grooved. The smooth conductor will always be attached to the HOT side of the electrical
connections; here it means attaching the smooth wire to the brass screw in the ceramic sockets and the grooved wire to the silver screw.
Now the ceramic sockets are installed by first running the lamp cord through the threaded rod, then fastening the sockets to the brackets in the wood base.
The last length of lamp cord to prepare is for the switch and plug, and can be as long as you like. Mine is about 8 feet long.
Run one end through the wire exit hole in the wood base, split the conductors for a length of about two inches, and tie a knot with one of the conductors. The fifth
photo shows how your project should look after this task.
Before you connect the wires, take a moment to observe how all of the wire and connectors will fit into the central hole. If you gave yourself some slack wire to work
with, now is the time to trim the wires to get a good fit in the hole.
All of the smooth conductors must be connected together, and all of the grooved conductors must be connected together, using the crimping connectors.
Be sure that you cannot pull apart the connections, then shove the connectors into the central hole.
A good place to put the switch is within 2 feet of the fixture. The inline switch interrupts only one lamp cord conductor; be sure that you use it to interrupt the smooth
(HOT) lamp cord conductor.
When attaching the plug, connect the smooth (HOT) conductor to the plug's narrow (HOT) prong. The grooved conductor should be connected to the plug's wide
prong.
The last thing to do is to make sure that the connections stay in the hole. I made a simple cover with a piece of scrap steel, and fastened it with two small wood screws.
Check out the last photo.
Well? What are you waiting for? Install some light bulbs and test it out!
Image Notes
1. I bought threaded rod in two inch lengths, then cut it down to size with a hacksaw. Time consuming, but cheaper. This rod is also available in shorter, more suitable
lengths.
2. These are crimping connectors, not twist connectors. The purpose is to have a reliable long-lasting connection that can withstand some shock, not one that can be
conveniently disassembled.
3. Use any design or wattage of compact fluorescent bulb. Do NOT use incandescents: the diffusers are not be intended to withstand the heat that they emit.
4. Use a plug that is "polarized"; one prong is narrow and the other is wide. No grounding prong is required. This was one of the few components that was not supplied
with packaging.
5. This switch had the neatest packaging solution.
6. The ceramic socket with two different brackets and a connecting screw. No threaded rod, nuts, or lock washers were supplied.
7. This is two-conductor lamp cord. Be sure that one conductor is smooth and the other is grooved. This feature is key to getting the wiring "polarity" correct.
Image Notes
1. This is the bracket. Please note the horizontal impression left by squeezing it with the nail puller.
2. The lock washer should be on this side of the wood piece. It will help to keep the socket assembly from coming loose when a bulb is removed.
Image Notes
1. Two sockets will have lamp cord with a length of at least 5.75 inches, the other two will have cord with a length of 7.75 inches.
2. With the lamp cord attached, these sockets are ready to be attached to the brackets installed in the wood base.
3. These are the crimpoing connectors, and this wire stripping/cutting tool will also crimp the connectors properly.
Image Notes
1. Tie a knot with one of the leads. This is a safety precaution: in the event the cord is pulled from the fixture, the connections inside the fixture will not break.
Image Notes
1. This is a thin piece of steel, fashioned to fit the outside groove, and fastened with a pair of small wood screws.
2. Why is the glue in this picture... I forgot to add the cork feet before performing the finishing steps. They haven't fallen off yet...
Step 6: Disposal
SUMMARY:
While it may seem to soon to consider disposal, since you've only just finished building the fixture, a plan does exist.
DETAIL:
The intent of the design is that the fixture's component parts should go into the particular disposal streams that can recover the most value from each component.
To enable this, the fixture is easy to disassemble. There are only a small number of fasteners that attach the diffuser, aluminum mounts, and sockets, to the wood base.
Of course, the first resort would be to re-purpose the components, as this would preserve 100% of their value. The sockets should be reusable, as long as they are not
damaged or obsolete. Wire and switch will continue to be useful as long as we use electricity.
Next most likely to be reused are the aluminum mounts and sundry fasteners.
The wood base could be incinerated in a municipal facility or in a home stove or fireplace. This would recover some energy from the wood. The finishing products used
on the wood would burn as cleanly as the wood.
The aluminum would best be recycled. It is my belief that in 10 years time, there will be convenient collection for all forms of aluminum and other metals.
The PVC used for the diffuser will probably have to go to landfill.
The crimped wire connectors will go to landfill.
IN-PROCESS WASTE and PACKAGING MATERIALS
I took a photograph of the waste produced through manufacturing, and included the packaging waste from the electrical components.
The wood off-cuts will be used for another project. The chips from planing will go into the garden.
Paperboard packaging materials will be recycled through municipal collection.
The PVC off-cuts will stay in my shop for a while, waiting for suitable project. (In case you haven't already figured it out, I am a pack rat.)
All other materials will go to landfill. This includes: the aluminum chips; the polyethylene bags; the PVC blisters and PVC grinding and sanding dust; and the rag I used
to apply the tung oil.
Image Notes
1. Wood chips, shavings, off-cuts. The actual volume was greater than this.
2. The PVC blister packs added up to 75 grams of resin. This compares to the 265 grams of PVC I diverted from landfill to make the diffuser.
3. A PVC off-cut and the coarse particles produced by the wire brush.
4. This is the cotton rag I used for applying the tung oil.
5. Chips produced by drilling holes in the aluminum.
Step 7: The life cycle analysis
SUMMARY:
This step gives an overview of the life cycle analysis (LCA) process.
It also shows how I used a software tool called ECO-it to performing "screening" LCA studies to compare the environmental impact of my choices for construction
materials.
INTRO:
LCA is a method of evaluating the environmental impacts of the production, use, and disposal of products. While I will describe a linear process, in fact it is an iterative
process. As information is revealed and the analysis progresses, more questions are raised, and opportunities for product improvement become apparent.
1. Goal definition and scope:
It is critical to develop a clear idea of the goals of your LCA study. This will guide every subsequent step, and keep you focused as you confront all of the questions
and information.
I chose to perform an LCA study to help me understand the impact of my decisions, by:
-comparing between incandescent and compact fluorescent bulbs (energy consumption and perhaps packaging waste)
-comparing the relative impacts of production and disposal vs. use
-comparing the use of reclaimed vs. new materials
Determination of the functional unit is influenced by the goal. In my example, the functional unit that I chose was 3600 lumens (light output) for 10,000 hours (this is
approximately equal to 3 hours per evening, 95% of the year or 347 days, for 10 years).
2. Constructing a process flow chart:
This task is the first step in what is called the inventory analysis.
The flow chart shows all of the phases in a product's life cycle: from resource extraction, through manufacturing and use, to disposal.
Theoretically, this can involve hundreds of steps for a single product. However, it is most useful if it provides an overview. As the analysis progresses, it will become
clearer if particular process steps need to be detailed further.
In ECO-it, I created a bill-of-materials for the fixture. Each component was associated with its relevant manufacturing and use processes, as well as its likely methods
of disposal.
3. Collecting the data:
For each process in the flow chart, all inflows and outflows must be quantified. These will describe raw materials, services, energy, in-process or finished products,
waste, and emissions.
I measured the amount of each material that I used, estimated the amount of electricity I used with the power tools, and defined the power consumption of the different
light bulb types. This data was an input into the project file in ECO-it.
4. Defining the system boundaries:
The boundaries that must be defined are:
-between the product system and the environment: i.e. the points at which materials become inputs and outputs
-between this product system and other systems: i.e. waste management systems
-between relevant and irrelevant processes: i. e. the production of tools
One of the decisions that I made was to exclude the consideration of light bulb production. Firstly, I was unable to get any data on the bulbs; secondly, the fact that 10
incandescent bulbs would be used for every CFL bulb was unlikely to improve the case for incandescent bulbs.
Another boundary decision was how to consider the PVC roofing material saved from landfill.
5. Processing data:
This is tabulation of the data, scaling the inputs and outputs to the functional unit, and grouping like impacts among different processes and materials.
It is also the last step in the inventory analysis.
In ECO-it, this is all done automatically.
6. Classification and characterization:
Different materials and processes create different types of impacts, such as global warming, ecotoxicity, acidification, and nutrification.
This step associates each item in the inventory analysis with these types of impacts.
Again, this creates quantitative data.
7. Valuation:
To enable comparisons between materials and processes with different impacts (like comparing apples to oranges), these impacts must be given relative weightings.
For example, in comparing the production of energy by coal or nuclear fission, one must value the relative harm created by global warming and that created by
radioactive contamination. Otherwise, there is no way to decide which method of production is preferable.
The ECO-it software relies on the Eco-indicator 99 method to weight the various impacts. It boils down each material and process to a single number.
Other methods may be relevant, depending on your purpose.
8. Reporting and improvement assessment:
Reports are created to show the findings, according to your project's purpose.
Opportunities for improvement should be suggested by the reports, probably by first tackling the materials and processes having the largest impacts.
Notes about the LCA data
-All of the data comes from the database supplied with the software. This data is generic; it is based on European industry averages.
-The impact of electricity consumption is also based on the European average, and may be very different from your consumption. This depends completely upon how
your electricity is generated: hydro-electric is very clean; coal-fired is very dirty.
References:
"Life Cycle Assessment: What It Is And How To Do It"
-United Nations Environment Programme, 1996
Software:
ECO-it (PRe Consultants B.V.)
their site
Image Notes
1. Without a doubt, the choice of light bulb makes a huge difference. For the same light output, incandescent bulbs consume 4 times more electricity.
Image Notes
1. If I had purchased my PVC sheet, instead of diverting it from landfill, This tall bar would have been the impact.
2. A small amount of aluminum has a large impact. Mineral extraction and ore refining is energy-intensive. However, if the aluminum is recycled, then the impact falls
dramatically.
3. If I had bought prepared lumber from the hardware store, I would have wasted less wood. The impact is still greater because of the impact of kiln-drying. This also
includes the energy used to work the wood with power tools.
4. Had I bought my rough oak timbers, this would have been the impact. Lumber diverted from landfill incurs no impact. This bar also includes the energy used for
working the wood with power tools.
5. The PVC blister used to package 4 CFL bulbs has almost the same impact as the corrugated paperboard used to package 32 incandescent bulbs!
Image Notes
1. Negative values in disposal indicate positive benefits to the disposal scenarios. In this case, the aluminum recycling defers the need to expend the energy to extract
and refine aluminum ores. I am assuming that recycling of all forms of aluminum will be prevalent in 10+ years.
2. The wood base is disposed of by incineration (municipal facility, or your fireplace) and generates recoverable energy.
3. These benefits are from recycling the paper fibres.
Image Notes
1. Even when using CFL bulbs, a 10-year period of use outweighs the impact of production of the fixture, by a factor of 76.
Image Notes
1. With the use of incandescent bulbs, the impact of a 10-year use period outweighs production by a factor of 216!
2. Production of the fixture with new materials increase the impact by almost 50 percent.
Step 8: The ecological footprint
SUMMARY:
Here I make an estimate of the ecological footprint of use of the light fixture, and relate that to a person's share of Earth's productive capacity.
DETAIL:
This is where I get into very murky waters.
The basis for calculating an ecological footprint should be straightforward in principle, but the details quickly make it very difficult.
Let's work backwards to explain. The final calculation depends on an estimate of the Earth's yearly productive capacity, usually expressed in hectares.
On the web site for Redefining Progress , they calculate this productive capacity to be 10.8 billion hectares (land and water).
Since the human population numbers 6.6 billion people, each person's share of Earth's productive capacity is 1.6 hectares.
That was the easy part.
By current estimates, Canadians consume the equivalent of 7-8 hectares per person.
How is this possible?
1. The developing world consumes far less. For instance, the average Indian consumes the equivalent of 0.8 hectares.
2. A significant portion of Canadians' consumption is of non-renewable resources (fossil fuels, minerals) which, by definition, cannot be included as part of Earth's
productive capacity.
3. The consumption, and volume of waste products output by Canadians' consumption, is actually overloading Earth's productive capacity. Witness the degradation of
fresh water resources, depletion of fisheries, and rapid accumulation of greenhouse gases. By the way, Earth's processes for re-absorbing and converting those wastes
is included as part of its productive capacity.
So, the ecological footprint of this light fixture can only be calculated by assuming that its manufacture, use, and disposal, consumes renewable resources.
Renewable energies can be used to power the light, which is actually its greatest impact.
The wood would come from sustainable forestry.
The metals must be reused or recycled, and renewable energies consumed to do so.
The PVC comes from our most valuable future resource: landfill. ;-)
Since the use phase so outweighs the production and disposal phases (and that I have no data to use), I have only calculated the footprint of the use phase.
Yearly consumption by the CFL bulbs is 62.4 kWh.
Yearly consumption by the incandescent bulbs is 249.7 kWh.
I used a spreadsheet available from Redefining Progress to calculate the footprint, and have attached it below.
Briefly, 62.4 kWh per year consumes .014 hectares. That equates to 1/115th of each person's 1.6 hectare share of Earth's productive capacity.
In contrast, 249.7 kWh per year consumes .055 hectares. That equates to 1/29th of each person's share of Earth's productive capacity.
(These share figures assume that there is only one person in the household.)
I must confess to being inspired by Bruce Sterling, and his book "Shaping Things", for attempting this project.
Eco-Footprint_fixture_use.xls189 KB
build a eco-friendly candle by your dog
Laundry Detergent Baby!!! - Mitra, Samantha, Michael by mitten88
How To Generally Save Energy by cj72396
A Green Plant, A Green Pot (With Duct Tape!) by phillyfan325
Automatically Green by Toglefritz
Eco-Friendly Emergency Flip Flops by nothinglikeit
The Coffee Cup Coffee Table by algar32
How To Live Green! by ExplosiveSillyPutty
Published by drips on November 18, 2007
Intro: Geometric Cut Paper Table Lamp
I've been making cut and folded paper lamps for a while now and get a lot of pleasure from designing, building and enjoying them. I was thinking that I've gotten so
much from Instructables I would give a little back.
You can probably get this lamp made in an afternoon (depending on paint drying time) and it should cost about $15-$20. It uses simple techniques of symmetric and
asymmetric pop folds which can be the basis for more complex designs. My goal when designing is to make things with a single sheet of paper that look like they
couldn't be made with a single sheet of paper. You can see more of my work at my web site drewpingdesign.com .
Enough gabbing, let's get lamping...
Step 1: Gather Materials
Supplies:
Paper - 24-3/4" x 18" (see Step 4)
Long metal ruler or metal straight edge & ruler
Craft knife with new blade
Something to indent the paper - embosser, blunted nail, empty ballpoint pen, etc.
Tool for pressing folds - bone folder, hard thing, etc.
Double stick tape - 3/4" wide
Puck light with cord, switch & plug
3/4" wood cut to 5-15/16" square
Bumper feet about 1/4" tall
Cord holder clips
Heat shrink tubing or liquid electrical tape
Drill with 1/4" & 3/32" bits
Soldering equipment
White paint
Possibly some other stuff
First we'll build the base...
Image Notes
1. Knife
2. Bristol 500 3-ply
3. Pencil
4. Embossing tool
5. Double stick tape
6. Metal ruler
Image Notes
1. Paint
2. Base
3. Puck light (12VDC) and parts
4. Heat shrink tubing
5. Bumper feet
6. Soldering stuff
7. Drill and bits
8. Cord holder clips
Step 2: Building The Base
Most pucks have a place to wrap the wire on the underside. Use this to secure the wire so a tug on the cord won't cause damage.
Take the wood piece and choose a side to be the back (any side will do). Center the puck light on the base with the cord toward the back. Mark the screw holes
through the puck light and mark where the cord comes out from under the light.
With the 3/32" bit drill pilot holes for the puck. Use the 1/4" bit to drill the hole for the cord at a slight angle from the center of the top towards the back of the bottom.
Turn the wood over and drill pilot holes for the feet near the corners. Clean up the edges of the holes with sandpaper.
Now paint the entire base. You will probably lose sight of the pilot holes doing this, but when the paint dries you should see divots where they are.
Image Notes
1. Centering guide
2. Centering guide
3. White puck would be better, but I only had black :-(
Image Notes
1. Cord mark
2. Puck screw mark
3. Puck screw mark
4. Centering guide
Image Notes
1. Foot mark
2. Foot mark
Step 3: Assemble The Base
Cut the wire about 3" from the puck and feed the wire from the puck through the base (from the top). Now screw the puck into position and recut the wire so it stops
about half way between the hole and the edge of the wood. Strip the puck wire and the power wire about 1/4" back.
Solder the wire back together using heat shrink tubing or liquid electrical tape to isolate and wrap the junction.
Now is a good time to test the lamp. If it's working use the wire clips to secure the wire to the wood. The clips I had used nails to secure, so I drilled a small pilot hole
in the base. Make sure that the cord is in snug enough that a tug on the cord won't strain the junction.
Finally, attach the feet.
Image Notes
1. Down the rabbit hole
Image Notes
1. Individual jackets
2. Outer jacket will be slipped over top
Image Notes
1. One down...
2. one to go
Image Notes
1. Screwing on the feet
Step 4: Laying Out The Lamp Design
I like to use Strathmore 500 Bristol 3-ply for my lamps but anything good and stiff should work. For reference, the Bristol is 375 grams/sq.meter (gsm).
On the lamp shade design drawing the solid red lines are cut lines and the broken blue lines are fold lines. The little piece on the right edge will be referred to as the flap.
Draw the pattern on the backside of the paper with a pencil. Using a very sharp blade and the straight edge cut where appropriate. Use the indenting tool to dent the
paper along the fold lines. Make sure all the cuts go right to the corners and the dents are well defined. If you do not have deep enough dents in the paper it can be
difficult to get a clean fold.
Now carefully erase the pencil lines.
(The zip files are .jpg versions of the lamp shade design drawing in both inch and centimeter scale. Please note that the two designs are very slightly different, and I built
mine in inches. If you go metric you'll have to adjust other parts on your own.)
Shade Drawing.zip259 KB
Shade Drawing Metric.zip136 KB
Step 5: Folding The Lamp
*Disclaimer - I was folding and shooting the photos at the same time during the building so my technique is poor with a lot of pressure and curved paper and the like.
You should almost always use two hands, and usually with one on either side of the paper.*
Using a straight edge, table edge, or other method, fold the 3 corners that don't have the cut out design and crease well. Unfold enough so the paper is relatively flat.
Now comes the tricky part...
Starting with the top and bottom creases fold the paper as far as it will go without putting undo strain on the paper. With this accomplished you should be able to start
pushing the design into the body of the lamp.
Standing the shade upright at this point can help. Doing one at a time use the indenting tool or your fingers to push and press the paper into position. Don't do any one
all at once; In order to avoid unwanted creases, tearing, or curved paper you have to do a little bit on each until the folds are established.
Once everything is going the way it should go, you can lay the paper flat on the table and carefully push it down (all the while pushing and pressing the individual folds)
until the whole thing is flat. Now crease every fold very well, if you don't the lamp will tend to be out of square.
With the lamp folded over place a piece of double stick tape on the outside of the flap. If the tape has a protective strip on it, leave it in place for later. If you put a big
flat thing on top of the lamp to press it down the tape will be easier to apply.
Image Notes
1. Table edge folding
Image Notes
1. Straight edge folding
Image Notes
1. Bone folder used to press the fold flat
Image Notes
1. Starting at the top
2. Too curvy. Bleh!
Image Notes
1. Pressing in from the outside and backing up the crease from the inside.
Image Notes
1. Pressing with my thumb on the crease.
Image Notes
1. Using the folding tool to push in the crease in the middle.
2. Fold the top and bottom first...
3. then...
4. work...
5. your...
6. way...
7. down.
Image Notes
1. Starting to shape up
Image Notes
1. Squash fold.
Image Notes
1. Big flat thing
Step 6: Final Assembly - Part 1
Put a strip of double stick tape all along the edge of the base (remove protective strip if present).
On a flat surface place several risers at least as tall as the feet under the base. I used DVD cases and they worked very well. What you are trying to do is create a
surface that is level to the bottom of the base so when the paper is applied it will be flush with the bottom.
Open up the lamp and place the flap on the back left corner of the base. Press into the tape to adhere. Aligning this corner well is essential to ease construction.
Continue around the base adhering the paper to the tape.
If all of your components were accurately measured, it should fit easily. If it's a bit tight you can gently tug the paper and hopefully it will give enough to fit. If the paper
is too big you should try to put an equal amount of gap on both sides.
Image Notes
1. Oops! The feet should be attached by now.
2. Oops!
3. I ran out of three-quarter inch tape and had to use half inch. It doesn't entirely cover the edge of the base. :-(
Image Notes
1. They're blurry, but these are DVD cases.
Image Notes
1. Wire comes out the back
2. Flap on back left corner
Image Notes
1. Second corner attached. So far so good.
Image Notes
1. And the 3rd corner
Step 7: Final Assembly - Part 2
Now that the paper is attached all around the base, begin to secure the vertical seam. Put one hand inside the lamp and one outside. Starting at the bottom attach the
two sides. The flap will be on the inside and the edge of the other piece should be just shy of the corner. Continuing adjusting, attaching, and pressing the pieces
together until you reach the top. Hopefully you will have a nice straight seam.
Place the lamp on it's back with the flap towards the ground and the wire just off the edge of the table. Now press all along the seam to get really good contact. Press
around the base to attach the paper firmly there as well doing the top edge, then rotating 90 degrees all the way around.
Stand the lamp up and look at it from above. If it is not square you can firmly, but gingerly, adjust the folds until it is.
Image Notes
1. I put my left hand in...
2. I put my right hand out...
Image Notes
1. A nice even seam.
Image Notes
1. Wire off the edge of the table.
Image Notes
1. Pressing down from the inside.
Image Notes
1. Pressing the paper onto the base.
Image Notes
1. Pinching to adjust
Step 8: Light Up Your Life
Now plug it in and flip the switch.
Of course, like so many things on Instructables, this idea can be expanded upon and be made significantly cooler. I wanted to do a lamp that used readily available,
inexpensive parts and was easy enough to make in a day. These are great with better lighting (high power LED's. Thank you Dan ), modular bases, and much more
complex designs.
You can see some of my other lamps here .
paper Lamp by scopevisions
3d PAPER SNOWFLAKE by golics
Paper flower night lamp . by golics
Fun Kirigami Stairs by To-Rail
CD Case from normal printer paper. by golics
Emergency Battery Package and Desk Lamp by dragonbtv
The OZ Cube by pdgump
Platonic Solids Lantern Set by playful-geometer
Published by tim-1138 on April 6, 2006
Intro: Mad Scientists Light
A Maker friendly version of the Tube Lamp by Nik Willmore. a captivating Light source suitable for normal usage and able to be dimmed down like a nice relaxing
night light
Step 1: Intro / Disclaimer
*Disclaimer* This Project involves Live electrical current and wiring, although it is not too complicated, if you are nervous about such a project i suggest you skip this
one, I'm not a professional electrician, and just because i didn't burn my house down and kill myself with this setup doesn't mean it can't happen to you. Please take the
proper safety precautions when working with electricity, IT CAN KILL YOU. I'm not responsible if you shock/electrocute yourself, burn your house down, burn out
your eye sockets or disrupt the space time continuum. and please do not try to reproduce this project for the purpose of making money, to do so would hurt the
original designer Nik Willmore whom inspired this wonderful project.*
A few years ago i saw this little beauty [http://www.thetubelamp.com//photos/tags The Tube Lamp] pop up online, designed by Nik Willmore and decided it was
exactly what i needed for my little Mad scientist Laboratory. unfortunately i couldn't spare the disposable cash needed (or justify it) to purchase such an item, though i
would still like to some day as his still has a captivating hold on me :)
This is project to show you how to make a much more cost effective version of the tube lamp design to get you by for the meantime. Rough estimate of the costs
involved in this project is totaled at around or under $20 depending on the supplies you choose.
NOTE: I Have updated some of the steps to help clarify some things and changed the way certain things are setup so they are more efficient and easier to understand.
and from now on i also won't wait as long between doing a project, taking the pictures, and then making the write up as that leaves too much room for error :) thanks
for reading.
Step 2: The Base
A simple unfinished Pine box with sliding lid (Removed for this photo) That I picked up at the local arts and crafts store (Michaels) for about $2 a box it was the
perfect size to fit the four light sockets, i sanded it all down and painted it after cuting the holes for the sockets in the bottom.
to make the lamp the box was flipped over and the bottom became the top so if i have to make any adjustments or replacements i can turn the box on it's side and slide
open the "Lid"
Step 3: Box Continued
Outside of the simple Box I used for the base of the lamp, actually i bought two and this is the second one, i liked the finish of the other box much more so i went with
that one to fashion the lamp out of.
Originally there was going to be wrap around text as you can see in the photo that was a quote "The best way to predict the future is to invent it." -- Alan Kay
Step 4:
Here is the insides of the box/base where you can see the back side of the light bulb sockets as well as the back end of the dimmer switch and all the interconnecting
wires. the Sockets were wired in parallel (one linking to another like a daisy chain) with one end of the power cord connected to the daisy chain of sockets, and the
other end of the power cord connected to the dimmer switch.
Step 5:
Another shot of the guts of this lamp.
The most expensive part of this whole project was the standard Dimmer wall switch (push in to turn on and off, rotate to dim or brighten) (the black box on the left)
which ran me about $7 at the Home supply store.
There are three wires running out of the back of the dimmer switch unit, two black and one green, the green wire is for grounding, and since the box is wood and since i
didn't use a three prong grounded electrical cord i just removed the green wire.
*Okay i've revised this a bit and made a much simpler and effective way to wire up the sockets, i could have sworn i wired it up one way and not another, but i
completed this project a few months ago and just did the write up now, so i forgot about that change in plans sorry for the confusion*
... take all the black wires coming out of the sockets and bunch them together, i used wire ties to keep them all together, do the same with the white wires coming from
the sockets use a wire nut to connect all the white wires together and have them connect to one of the wires from the power cord...
connect all the black wires from the sockets together as well and wire nut them together with one of the 2 black wires coming from the dimmer switch... then connect
the remaining black wire from the dimmer switch to the other wire on the power cord
Step 6:
Simple 40w Tube Display Case Lightbulbs Available at most Home supply stores (I Purchased Mine at Lowes), you can also look around online and find other display
case lightbulbs with different fillament patterns inside some are quite bland, but others look spectacular when dimmed down and you can trace the path of the filament in
them .
Step 7:
The light bulb sockets set in the cut out holes, i made sure when i cut the holes they were just too small and then lightly hand sanded them till the sockets just fit in
properly with a few millimeters of the white socket exposed, then used a light bit of clear glue around the entire socket and the inside of the hole to attach it as well as a
thicker ring of glue around the sockets on the inside of the box.
The light sockets themselves were purchased from Lowes and are fairly cheap as well ($2 or so) and are designed for ceiling lamp repair and replacement.
Step 8:
Heres a shot where i tried to get a close up of the insides of the bulb, didn't turn out perfect but you get the idea
Step 9: Finish
The finished Product with it's Glamour Shots, it lets off a nice glow and is certainly an eye catcher, everyone wants to know what that is and where i got it from, not
bad for a lamp i made under $20 (not included the sweat and blood you may or may not donate to said project)
In the second shot you can see the finished product, along with a nice black Radio Knob replacing the big boring beige knob that comes with the dimmer switch.
If you liked this one, be sure to check out the smoke stack lamp instructable that i'll be posting up where i used some of the things i learned from this project, right now
i'm still putting the finishing touches on that project but you can see some shots of how it's coming along in my Flicker Photo stream
Thanks for checking out my first Instructable!
Impressive Homelike Art by gert1000
DIY Copper Style LED Painting Illuminator by Artificial Intelligence
12V Car lighter to USB Adapter for less than 3 $ (1,5euro) by agis68
Low-Cost Illuminated Signage for Todays Responsible Citizen by Q-Branch
shoji-style table lamp by atarax
Lightbox for expose PCB by DavidRoman
Portable advertising sign on the cheap in just 10 steps!! by themakeclass
simple wired 2 motor control joystick by little_spiro
Published by fungus amungus on December 30, 2006
Intro: How to Make a Dali Style Melting Clock
I don't listen to any of my old records, but I really like to have them around. Luckily enough, so do my friends. Another point we have in common is an appreciation of
knowing what time it is. I've been messing around with records and have solved my dilemmas of where to where to put my apples and candles, but I can always use
another clock.
Thanks to my local thrift store and IKEA I can make a unique clock for less than $5. It's an easy and fun present that can be torn apart for any future clock simply by
ripping the mechanism out again.
Step 1: Find a Record
Gazing into Barry's eyes transports me to a golden past that I never experienced the first time around, but now feel as if it's my own. But as I will ever treasure this 12
by 12 inch slice of heaven from the 70s the true goal in finding a record is one where the small label in the middle of the record is what matters.
Another key thing to look for is a cheap and floppy slab of black PVC when digging through the thrift store. These will soften faster and be easier to work with.
Step 2: Toss It in the Oven
Preheat your oven to 220F/100C and toss in the record for a couple minutes. When it's thoroughly flopping about, yank it out and run to a table to do the next step.
Run! It hardens quickly!
Image Notes
1. flopping over the edge
Step 3: Shape
Find a nice and level table with a straight edge and hang the record over the side of it. Make sure the label is aligned to your supreme satisfaction and flatten out the
record on the tabletop. You can try to shape the hanging vinyl, but I've found that the random curves that form on their own are typically fantastic and do a lovely job
of reflecting the light.
If you mess this up, throw it back in the oven. This picture is the result of about six tries.
Step 4: Dismantle a Clock
If you're lucky enough to live near an IKEA and can shop there during a weekday, then you can get a Rusch clock for $3. You can easily open it up to get the clock
movement and hands out of it. Just be sure to ditch the second hand. It makes far too much noise to merit being included. Use it as a toothpick instead.
You can also go to Klockit and find a wide array of movements for cheap. You can even get an atomic movement if you want.
Image Notes
1. hour hand
2. minute hand
3. clock movement
4. second hand
Step 5: Glue in Movement
Use some hot glue or other adhesive you prefer and glue the movement to the record. The hole in the middle is plenty big enough for the movement to poke through.
For an extra detail, be sure to center it.
Image Notes
1. without this, I could've had this side face forward
Step 6: Modify Hands
Here are the hands from the Rusch clock attached to the record. Both hands stick out past the label which won't work out. The back on black is appealing, but
useless, so the hands need to be cut short. You can see the results in the next step.
Step 7: Attach Hands
Here are the hands now attached to the clock. Easy easy.
Step 8: Drill Hole
A cool clock looks pretty good when it's falling, but the impact on the ground is a bummer. Drill a hole in the horizontal part of the clock to accommodate a nail.
Step 9: Hang
Now you can hang the clock on a mantle or a bookshelf. The trick is to find a place that has enough room for the clock movement. and once you do, be sure to nail the
clock down so that it doesn't fall off. Now make a few more for your friends who would enjoy it and ease on out of the ultra-consumer fest that we do to celebrate
time passing.
Unique and Interesting Clocks by lukethebook333
Vinyl Record Clock by mga12
Record Bowls by fungus amungus
Record Clock by kittknight
Literary Clock by mdhaworth
A CLASSIC WALL CLOCK by Dipankar
Carleyys Blog Round Up - August 23rd by Carleyy
How to Make Vinyl Record Bowl by emmershowto
Published by gmjhowe on October 4, 2008
Author Bio: gmjhowe (author's website)
I work as a Graphic Designer/Artworker, my time is spent creating a miz of Cyberpunk and Tech related creations for your viewing pleasure. If you
have any questions, you can normally find me in the http://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=instructables I also enjoy leatherwork, paper crafts,
photography and bookbinding. I enjoy spending time with my my Wife Rainbow_Han, she is great, and I am blessed to have her. I enjoy all music, but
my favorite band is Machinae Supremacy.
Intro: Leather Covered Pendulum Clock
This is a rework of my wall clock, i decided to make it with leather, to give it a modern look.
Here is a quick movie showing it in action!
Now on with the instructions!
Materials needed -

Some 'gmjboard' aka dense cardboard
A large sheet of leather
A pendulum clock mechanism
Some PVA/wood/elmers glue
Some white card
Super glue
double sided tape
A 'metal weight'
Step 1: Choosing a shape.
I wanted a symmetrical design, heres how i went about it
Firstly i drew a few sketches, to finalize my idea.
Picture 1 - Tape a few sheets of paper together for a base, i created a rough square, and then worked ontop of that, i only needed to design one side.
Pictures 2 & 3 - After one side is complete, cut it out, and fold it over, you can then draw around one half, and cut out the full shape.
Picture 4 - Trace the shape onto some dense card
Picture 5 - Main shape cut out.
Step 2: Attach the leather front.
I kno it might seem a bit weird doing it this way around, but intitally the shape was going to be flat.
I found a piece of leather big enough for for my shape, and laid the card on top. Carefully lift the card up and glue all over the leather, spread it out using your finger to
get a good coating. Place the card down, and press down firmly.
Trim the leather down leaving about 20m of leather around the edge.
Step 3: Adding depth
Ok, now to bulk up the depth.
Cut a strip of card to your desired depth, i decided to go with 25mm. This will mean once my mechanism is in place the entire clock with 'float' about 10mm away from
the wall.
Carefully run the card around the edge of your shape, Some of the corners will need 'scoring' to help them bend. Hold the edge in place with tape, i used masking tape.
Once you have the edge in place run a line of wood glue around the inside edge.
Add a few triangular struts around the inside for strength. Use more tape to hold everything in place.
Leave to dry over night.
Step 4: Wrap the leather.
Now we need to carry on wrapping the leather.
In order to get the leather to wrap you will need to place slits, i found it was best to add these as i went around.
Smooth glue around, and hold in place with pva.
On any extreme corners you may need to remove some slits of leather to get it to fit.
Step 5: Install the mechanism
The first picture shows my chosen mechanism, this was taken from my old wall clock, which i had come to 'dislike' due to its plastic nature, and the back plate stopping
the pendulum from moving.
Firstly work out the centre of your face, and drill a hole, place the clock face down on some wood, this means that the leather should have a clean cut. (picture 2
shows the hole in place)
Attach the mechanism using double sided tape. Some mechanisms have a screw that also holds them in place.
Once the mechanism is is centered and in place i cut out a slit at the bottom to allow the pendulum to hang.
Step 6: Leather the edge
Next we need to finish off the edge.
I found my longest piece of leather and cut a long strip 20mm (5mm less than the depth of the clock) in width.
Carefully glue this into place all around the edge of the clock, picture 2 shows the bottom slit, and the leather strip glued into place.
Step 7: Your face
Now were nearly there, next we need to make a face.
Print out your desired numbers, i went with roman numerals, which is easily made using Vs Is and Xs.
Tape the printed sheet onto some card, and carefully cut out your chosen numerals.
Then using superglue, a pair of tweezers, and another implement (my scalpel blade) carefully arrange the number onto your clock, you could measure it out, but i
decided to go by eye as i didn't want to mark the leather.
If you glue the 12, 3, 6 and 9 positions first, the rest should fall into place. Use a rule to make sure the numbers line up.
The last picture shows the completed face.
Step 8: Hands and Pendulum
Now all we need to do is add the hands and pendulum back, i decided to cover the hands with white card to make them stand out along side the numerals.
Coat the hands with super glue and place them down onto some card, once dry carefully run around the edge with a scalpel, don't forget to cut out the holes!
Earlier on i had played with the pendulum length i decided on making it aligned with the two 'prongs' of the clock face.
The metal pendulum i used was from a old clock mechanism, I then shortened the original pendulum rod accordingly, glue the weight into place.
Then i covered the rod with leather to tie in.
Place the pendulum onto the hanger of your mechanism, then hang your clock on the wall.
Step 9: Completion!
Thats it! done.
I really like my new clock, and its much quieter (because of the lack of tacky plastic i think)
I love the pendulum motion.
Let me know what you think!
- Gmjhowe
Leather Bracelets from Recycled Belts by fungus amungus
Knex Grandfather Clock by maid63
Hardened-leather Mari Gras mask by Bug
Leather iPod Touch Case using Water! by gmjhowe
Wooden Wall Clock by Don Casimiro
Steampunk Aviator Costume by ga53780
Wooden Gear Clock by marvay
My electric knex clock movement by Mr Cheeseo
Record Bowls
Published by fungus amungus on December 12, 2006
Intro: Record Bowls
A record bowl is a classic project where you can reuse an outdated item: a vinyl record. With CDs even on their way out it's safe to say that many records can be
safely molded into something new without the world losing any of its music.
In this Instructable, I will be showing off two versions of this bowl. The classic style and a newer one.
Step 1: The classic record bowl
Reshaping the vinyl requires getting the record a little hot. Not too hot, though.
The easiest way of doing this is to set your over for 220F/100C and tossing the record in there for a few minutes. When it's completely warmed up it will have the
texture and floppiness of a fruit roll-up. You can now shape it any way you want.
Other methods include dipping the record in boiling water or heating it up with a heat gun.
Step 2: Shaping the bowl
To shape the bowl you can do a few different things. You can:
- drape the record on top of a bowl. Once the record cools it will have a similar interior shape as to the bowl.
- drop the record into a bowl. The outside of the record bowl will then have the same shape as the bowl.
- drape the record on top of a cylinder such as a can of soup.
Once the record cools, it will harden into place and stay that way. If you're not happy with it, just toss it back in the oven for a bit and start over.
Step 3: Record bowl with cuts
This variation starts with some cuts in the record to help guide the shape. The cuts here were made with a rotary tool like a Dremel.
The cuts here are lines that begin at one circle and end at another. Each cut ends 30 degrees off from where it began. So if one cut were to begin at 12 o'clock on the
inner circle, it ends at 1 o'clock on the outer circle.
Image Notes
1. outer circle
2. inner circle
Step 4: Heat and Shape
Set the oven to 200 degrees and drop the cut up record in for a few minutes. If you set it up on a beer can (photo from lamp shade instructable) you can see the vinyl
begin to sag when it gets warm enough.
Working with the vinyl is a funny thing. When it gets hot the vinyl is floppy and feels almost like fruit leather. After a few seconds you can shape the vinyl and it will
begin to hold its shape. At this point, start working the material as fast as you can. Even with just 12 bends to make on the record I didn't have enough time to get
everything right.
The good news is that you can hit the reset button by putting the record back in the oven. If you want to completely start over, heat it until it gets back to the floppy
stage.
To just finesse a couple parts of the piece you will have to be much more attentive. Turn the light on in the oven if you can and watch carefully. Once the record starts
to sag just slightly, open it up and take it out. This should give you enough time to fix a couple of bends. Repeat as necessary.
If you have a heat gun you can heat up a localized area to make specific fixes.
Step 5: Fill with Fruit
If you're going to put some food in the bowl you should wash it with some warm soapy water first.
Enjoy!
Vinyl bowls using fungus amungus's instructable. by rmccue
Halloween "Blood Cocktail" drink cooler and dispenser by Skrunge
How to Make Vinyl Record Bowl by emmershowto
How to Make a Driftwood Light Fitting Using Fruit Bowls by uniqueutopia
How to make a vinyl flower lamp. by aroundthefur77
Grilled Pineapple Fruit Salad by KentsOkay
Hot Wax on Vinyl by fungus amungus
How to Make a Magazine Bowl and Coasters by lbland
Published by Robotrix on February 11, 2008
Author Bio: Robotrix
I love playing games, building stuff, and being a Super Discount Ninja.
Intro: Skeletoque, aka the Skeleclava
Ok, this one takes some background explanation. My friend introduced me to the work of Sido (read the wikipedia article [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sido_(rapper)
here] ). Sometime shortly after, I saw this incredibly clever beard-a-clava over at boing-boing . The two influences ran together in my head like two silver rivers of
creativity rushing towards the sea of craftiness. I had to make it: The skeleclava.
In the end, i settled on a toque format for a couple of reasons, but the original name persists.
Please view the slideshow as well!
Step 1: Yes, I know I'm a dork. (Your supplies)
And you can be one too! I have very little knitting experience, and I made most of this project up. I promise that if you want this badly enough, you too can make one
for yourself. This was my thrid knitting project, my first being a pair of gloves and my second, knithulu .
The Knowledge You Need
You need to know how to do the following tricks to knit this (at least the way I did it)
-knit stockinette
-k1p1 rib
-increase
-decrease
-duplicate stitch
-knit short rows (crocheting would be suitable too i guess, i used this for the teeth)
-improvise ( I used that one a lot)
Supplies
-a tapestry or darning needle for the duplicate stitch and weaving in your ends
-I knitted this entirely on 4 aero double pointed needles. I tried moving to circular needles but I didn't have a set large enough.
-(1 100g /3.5 oz Skein) of off white (or whatever) yarn. I used Berroco's ultra alpaca in winter white. I chose the 50-50 wool alpaca blend because I heard it was
warmer than wool and I had money to burn (for once. You'll want to use any worsted or double knitting weight yarn and appropriately sized (i used 4mm) needles.
-1 small amount of black scrap yarn. I used some Paton's Astra acrylic because I had it.
-I used contrasting colour yarn for stitch markers because I don't care enough to buy them.
-I use a large ziploc bag as my knitting bag. Sue me.
-Does free time count as a supply? You'll need a fair amount. This project took me a few weeks.
Step 2: Begin!
I started with a pattern. I used Lucia's Spiral Top Hat calculator and it saved this project. According to the pattern it gave me, based on my measurements, I made a
teeny tiny hat (the start of the hat, really) It was silly. I then put away the only pattern I had and decided to forge ahead alone.
I knitted for a few hours until I could put the hat on and it reached my eyes. Then I had to figure out how to make eye holes.
( to test fit, thread your needle with a couple feet of yarn. Slip your stitches purl-wise onto the yarn until the whole hat is just on a string of yarn. This is flexbile enough
to let you try it on, and it's easy to get your needles back in as long as you're patient. Trying the hat on is essential)
Step 3: Eye Holes
I thought and thought and thought, for days, about how I could make eyeholes as I knit. Finally I decided it just wasn't within my skill level and chose an easier
alternative: knit a visor. With on big eye hole, the task was easy.
When you get to the right length and you want to begin the eye holes, mark the width across both eyes with a string of contrasting colour. Bind off that many stitches on
your next row (try to count how many you're binding off).
From here it's like working one big short row. Just knit normally until you get to the end, and turn the whole piece around. Purl your way back to the start. Keep
knitting and flipping until you've gone to the bottom of your eyehole. It's wherever you want it to be, really. Just make sure the hole is big enough to see out of.
When you want to build the bottom edge, just cast on as many new stitches as you bound off. Simple? Yeah, it is.
To separate this into two discrete holes, you'll need to knit a bridge from the bottom of the hole to the top. Find the middle and measure out a little to either side. Mark
off the edges of your bridge, grab some needles (you can use straight needles, or just slip your hat onto some yarn and use your doulbe pointed needles. Pick up some
stitches from the bottom edge and knit back and forth until your bridge is long enough to connect the two. Making it a little short will pull the eyes down menacingly.
Finally, connect the bridge to the top. Don't ask me how I did this. I kind of blacked out there for a while. Just make it up and hack it out. If mine looks ok, yours will
look fantastic.
Step 4: Decreases, and, the Teeth
This is sort of two steps, but I ran them together here because I ran them together as I did it. Decreases first.
You may have noticed in one of the last picture that the lower edge of the hat flares out. This was not my intention. I had sort of assumed that I would just knit a tube
right down to the teeth and then make a neck. Well, I had about two inches too much along the circumference, because your head isn't as wide all the way down.
You'd think I would have picked that up after four years of art school.
I decided to take those two inches out by ripping back a few rows and spreading the decreases out over six rows. I knitted until near the middle, then k2t0g a few
times, k to end, purled back, and repeated. If I was really on the ball I would have found the centre line of the back, marked it, ssk on one side and k2t0g on the other
side so the stitches lean towards each other. Nope. Found out about that in my next project.
So now the hat is form fitted to your very attractive head. Now you need to give this toque some bite and make it threatening to the old grannies who will want to swap
knitting stories with you. (I wish someone would share their knitting stories with me. All I got was weird looks.)
Again, I used short rows here. Just knit a little (4 or 5 stitches) ways in, wrap and turn, and go back. Do some decreases to make your teeth as long or short or round
or pointy as you like. I cast on some stitches at the start of each tooth so I could overlap them a little.
Image Notes
1. Decreases tuck the hat in around the base of the skull.
Step 5: The bottom treatment & Embellishments
Here is where I decided to change it from skeleclava to skeletoque. I wanted to be able to wear my scarf with this, and I couldn't figure out where on my chin i wanted
to restart after a mouth opening. I liked the helmety look of it as a toque, and I decided to run with it. All I had to do then, was finish it off a little.
I knit a gap under the teeth the same way I made the eye hole gap: back and forth and just don't knit where the teeth are. After about an inch of that, I went right into
the k1p1 ribbing for about two inches. I bound off in k1p1, and the main body was done.
The black nasal cavities were worked in duplicate stitch using the acrylic yarn. I'm sure I'll suffer for mixing my natural and synthetic yarns, somehow, but I haven't yet.
I just guess at about where they should go, and they look pretty good.
Finally, I blocked it. The edges were curling up a little and I didn't like that one bit. I laid it down on my ironing board, laid a kerchief over top, and blew steam at it
through my iron. I never actually put the iron down on the kerchief, just let the hot steam soak through. Then I removed the kerchief and pinned down the skeleclava.
When I cam back 8 hours later, it was bone dry and flat as a board. Perfect.
Image Notes
1. Optimal Face Coverage
2. This space shows off the teeth.
3. The ribbing keeps it tight on your neck and prevents drafts.
Step 6: Finished!
You're done! I didn't do anything else to mine except wear it out and about and get still more weird looks. Still, I'm glad that I decided to follow through on this project
because I know one day, some stranger will ask me where I got that awesome hat, and I will say with pride: "I didn't get it, I made it."
The Skeletoque aka the Skeleclava by Robotrix
Handmade Knits Rule!!! by fabric_lover
Newsboy Peak Knitted Cap by Michelej7
Chemo Caps for a Friend by MFcrafts
Karen's Knits by Karen199
How to make a Duct Tape Hat by Wills42
Knit a Steve Zissou hat. by Von Klaus
Easy Knit Hat Pattern by scoochmaroo
How to Bind Off
Published by BrianSawyer on April 9, 2007
Intro: How to Bind Off
After posting my How to Cast On tutorial, a few people asked for a similar demonstration of binding off, another of those basic techniques that are sometimes hard to
learn from books or remember from one project to the next once you've actually mastered them. I thought I'd wait until I had a project ready to bind off, rather than
creating a swatch to work with, mainly because I don't have that kind of time. Anyway, I hope this little how-to helps clear things up.
So, without further ado, here's how to do it. (For anyone who really needs to see the details in action (as I usually do), here's a companion one-minute video .)
Step 1: Knit the First Stitch
Knit the first stitch on the row as you normally would. We'll call this Stitch 1.
Step 2: Knit the Second Stitch
Knit the second stitch as you normally would. We'll call this Stitch 2.
Step 3: Insert Needle Into Stitch 1
Insert your left needle through the front of Stitch 1 on the right needle.
Step 4: Drag Stitch 1 over Stitch 2
Drag Stitch 1 over Stitch 2.
Step 5: Slide Stitch 1 Off Needle
Pull Stitch 1 completely off the needle, leaving Stitch 2 on the needle.
Step 6: Repeat Steps 2-5
Stitch 2 remains on the right needle, and you've just bound off your first stitch (Stitch 1). Rename the remaining stitch (Stitch 2) to Stitch 1 and repeat steps 2-5 until
you reach the end of the row.
Step 7: Finish Up
When just one stitch remains on your right needle, simply snip off your yarn, leaving about 5 inches of tail to pull through the opening of that last stitch and draw it tight.
You'll be left with a nice, finished edge that looks something like this.
How to Bind Off by BrianSawyer
Yarn Bombing by DarthKnitious
How to knit a 'proper' English tea cosy! by stinkymum
Knit Leia Wig by ansleybleu
How To Knit a Pidge Scarf by threadbanger
Knitted tabby cat by paulathing
Tiny Teddy Tree Trim by stinkymum
Another choice for knitted hems - the straight edged hem by stinkymum
How to Cast On
Published by BrianSawyer on November 15, 2006
Intro: How to Cast On
There are some things I constantly find myself going back to my knitting books for a refresher on, and casting on is one of them. I’ve built it into my muscle
memory now, but for years I’d need to consult some reference or another to remind me how to start every new project.
If you’re anything like me, you can use a reminder on occasion about even some of the most basic knitting techniques. If so, I hope you find this little tutorial
helpful. It also might be useful for any beginners out there who are trying to tease out the meat from the illustrations in knitting books that often don’t speak very
well from themselves.
There are, of course, many different ways to cast on, but once I learned this one, I never bothered to learn another. Anyway, here’s how I do it.
Step 1: Start the Slipknot
To begin the slipknot that will become the first cast-on stitch, make a loop with the yarn, leaving about an inch of tail for each stitch you plan to cast on (in this example,
we’ll use 10+ inches for 10 stitches) and a few extra inches, just to be safe.
Step 2: Finish the Slipknot
Loop a section of the tail and pull it through your first loop. The slipknot formed by second loop will be your first stitch, while the first loop will provide the tension.
Step 3: Finish First Stitch
Insert the needle through the slipknot and pull it tight. You’ve cast on your first stitch.
Step 4: Start Second Stitch
Hold the needle in your right hand, with the knot of the first stitch facing away from you. Loop the tail around your left thumb (as shown here), and insert your needle
into the front of the loop.
Step 5: Knit Second Stitch
Wrap the skein-side yarn around the tip of your needle, just as you do when knitting.
Step 6: Finish Second Stitch
Fold the loop in your left hand over the tip of the needle and pull taut. You’ve just cast on your second stitch and are ready to do the rest just like this one.
Step 7: Finish Up
Once you’re done casting on, your 10 stitches should look like this.
And that’s basically it. Works every time.
Knit Leia Wig by ansleybleu
Newsboy Peak Knitted Cap by Michelej7
Plastic bag knitted purse! by Lego man
Knit Condom by frostedface
Knit like a Viking! How to join rounds in nalbinding by AbigailsCrafts
Knit like a Viking with nalbinding - how to do the Oslo stitch by AbigailsCrafts
Yarn Bombing by DarthKnitious
Bike Love! by mydogellen
Published by seamster on August 11, 2009
Intro: Plush Action Figures
Make your own action figures!
When I was about 11 years old, I wanted some Ninja Turtle toys. Since my parents wouldn't buy me any, I decided to make my own. I made up the pattern for the
turtle bodies, and my Mom showed me how to work the sewing machine. They were the first things I ever sewed.
The finished turtles looked like green gingerbread men with lumpy green backpacks, but I thought they were awesome. Their respective purple, blue, orange, and red
masks and armbands were made of felt that was hot glued in place, and they each had their own custom-made weapons.
As a kid I was quite pleased with myself, and I've been sewing and making stuff ever since.
I decided to make an updated version of my original homemade Ninja Turtle action figures for my own kids to enjoy. I also used the same body pattern to make a little
Darth Vader figure as well.
The turtle design should offer some challenges, but still be simple enough for beginning sewers to complete.
The Darth Vader figure was more of a challenge--especially his helmet. I had to go Boba Fett -style on it, although in tiny scale. His lightsaber handle detaches from the
light-beam (you know, for when he's not engaging in combat).
Image Notes
1. I think we all know who would win this fight. Bowstaff versus lightsaber.... Hmm.... Is there any question?
Step 1: The bodies
I've included a pattern for the basic body shape. It's fairly simple, and can be used to create figures that can be decorated and made up any way you can imagine. The
pattern is my own design, created similar to the one I made up when I was a kid.
Constructing the body will require both machine sewing and hand stitching. Someone with a little bit of sewing experience may need to help beginners, as parts of this
may be slightly difficult or frustrating.
This is a great sewing project for beginners--boys and girls alike. Homemade toys are more meaningful, plus the creating of them provides some great learning
opportunities for kids (not to mention the good time spent with parents).
I decided to make the pattern so the head and body pieces are made and stuffed separately. That way, when they are stitched together, a definite "neck" shape is
created.
This is different from what I did as a kid--as a kid I just cut and sewed together two whole pieces and stuffed the body through a section left unsewn on the side. You
could do it this way if you wanted--but you would have to adjust the pattern accordingly.
Start by downloading, printing, and cutting out the body pattern. (The body is on two sheets, which will need to be taped together.)
body pattern.pdf(612x792) 118 KB
Step 2: Trace pattern and cut out shapes
I used green fleece for the turtle body. Whatever you use, begin by folding the best sides of the material together so that there are two layers (so you only have to cut
out the pattern once).
With the best sides of the material facing each other, you can cut out the pieces, pin them together, and take them straight to the sewing machine without ever adjusting
them. Then when you turn the thing right-side-out, you will have the nicest sides showing.
I typically use Sharpies to trace out pattern pieces, although the ink tends to bleed a lot with certain fabrics.
I often use both scissors and a rotary cutter to cut out material--whichever works best for the type of cuts I need to make.
Step 3: Pin sides together
Pins are our friends.
Without pinning the pieces together, they may tend to slip and move when you begin sewing them together.
Sometimes I get lazy and don't use pins when I should, and then I have to waste time picking out avoidable mistakes.
Step 4: Sew sides together
People who have any experience with sewing probably know most the following, or at least have their own methods that work for them.
When I wanted to use my Mom's sewing machine for the first time, she said, "There's the pedal, and here's the needle. Don't sew through your thumb." As I began to
practice, I figured out little tricks and techniques along the way.
For seam allowances, I usually just line things up with the edge of the presser foot, and off I go. This gives about a quarter inch seam (see main photo).
When you get to a sharp corner, put the needle in the down position, lift up the presser foot, and pivot your material (see the second photo).
When you're going around a tight curve, hold the material somewhat firmly with your fingers, and really let the machine feed the material to the needle. This helps keep
things from shifting and getting all puckered (see the third photo). Sometimes you'll need to lift the presser foot and pivot your material in these situations as well.
Be sure not to sew the top of the neck shut, or the bottom of the head. You have to turn things right-side-out and stuff the parts through those openings. Once you've
sewn around the body and head sections, check to make sure all the seams look good, and aren't too close to the edge (last photo).
Step 5: Turn things right-side-out
Use your fingers, a dowel, a pen, or the handle of a wooden spoon to turn everything right-side-out.
Step 6: Stuff the body and head
Use small wads of filling to carefully stuff the entire body all the way up to the top of the neck.
For the head piece, fold up a little of the bottom neck area up into the head, and stuff it mostly full (main photo).
Now, wedge the head on top of the body's neck (second photo). You may need to add or take out a little stuffing to make this fit well.
Step 7: Stitch head to body
You'll need about two and a half feet of thread. Feed it through the eye of a hand stitching needle and tie the two loose ends together.
Begin by going through the body's neck and up into and out of the lower part of the head, and then gently pull it snug (main photo).
Keep doing this same thing, all the way around the neck. You will have to tuck, pinch, and tug as you go to keep the head where you want it. After you go around the
entire neck once, you might as well go around again and make sure that head is on there good and tight. When you're satisfied (or when you're almost out of thread),
tie it off.
The first time you do this, you may end up with a sloppy, lumpy transition from head to body. I did. But I got better with practice.
You have now created your very own Plush Action Figure! But it still has no identity...
Decorate away, and be sure to make it cool!
The following steps show what I did to finish my Ninja Turtle and Darth Vader action figures. I've included some plans for the turtle shell, as well as some of the parts
for Darth Vader. Good luck!
Step 8: Turtle shell construction, part 1
Alright, if you've made it this far and you want to make your action figure into a Ninja Turtle, the next thing you need is a good shell. Download the pattern and begin
by cutting out the shapes you need (second photo).
There are slits around the sides of the piece that will become the top of the shell. These are what make the top of the shell rounded. You need to sew each of these
together (third and fourth photos).
Before you sew the top and bottom half of the shell together, you need to cut a slit in the piece that will become the bottom of the shell. You will stuff the shell through
this hole (fourth photo).
turtle shell pattern.pdf(576x756) 82 KB
Step 9: Turtle shell contruction, part 2
Pin the top piece of the shell to the bottom piece (right-sides-in!), and sew them together.
When you turn the shell right-side-out, you should have something similar to the fleecy blob in the second photo. To make this look clean and neat, sew around the
outer edge to create a nice turtle-shell-like lip (third photo).
Now stuff the shell through the slit you made in the bottom, and if you want, put a couple of stitches across the slit to keep the shell in a shell-like shape.
Step 10: Add details
I made my turtle to be Donatello, since he was my favorite when I was a kid. Along with his shell, all of the details from here on are hot glued in place. Perhaps a
cleaner, neater option for all these pieces would be to stitch them in place with a needle and thread.
His chest, mouth, eyes, armbands, legbands, and belt are made of felt. I sewed lines on the chestpiece with the sewing machine using black thread prior to gluing it onto
the body.
Another option for the chestpiece would be to sew it directly to one of the body pieces prior to sewing them together.
His eye-mask is made of fleece, with white felt eyes glued on top.
His bowstaff and Darth Vader's lightsaber are made from painted dowels.
If you're doing the turtle version, you're done!
Step 11: Vader's cloaks
I made up all of Darth Vader's stuff by examining a handful photos and movie stills that I printed out.
I've included the patterns I made for his cloaks, along with a pattern for the main piece to start his helmet.
vader cloaks and helmet.pdf(576x756) 190 KB
Step 12: Vader's belt and shoulder pieces, and face
For these pieces I used cardboard, glue, paint, some nylon webbing, and a little bit of Velcro.
Going into this, I wanted to him to have a removable helmet with a face underneath.
To make this face, I used black thread to basically "draw" it on.
Step 13: Vader's helmet
Darth Vader's helmet was made with cardboard, various glues, wood filler, and paint.
If you're interested in making one, there is a pattern of the main helmet piece included in the PDF in step 11. This is the piece shown in the second and third photos
here (the attached pattern includes some changes that I had to make along the way with mine. That's why it appears slightly different than the piece in my photos).
Once you have this piece glued together, you will need to piece together a dome structure, and then slather it with putty or wood filler.
When it is dry you can sand it down to the shape you want. Mine needed a few filling and sanding sessions to fill in all the cracks and bubbles in order to create a
smooth finish.
For the face section, I added little pieces here and there through trial and error until I got the results I wanted.
I gave the helmet a few coats of primer, lightly sanding between coats. The face got a coating of flat black paint, and the helmet got a coat of gloss black. The eyes
were touched up with gloss black, and silver details were added.
The last thing I did was glue a piece of fabric around the inside so the jagged cardboard edges wouldn't snag on the figure's fuzzy head when you pull in on and off.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle crochet puppet doll by Cees
Make a spooky Darth Vader Pumpkin! by Markp.com
Use your old Star Wars action figures to make a cool Star Wars themed Christmas tree by NoahJames
Toy mashup: Darth Vader says meow! by mskogly
Bionicle Darth Vader by Jaller...
Darth Vader costume mod by joe
ninja turtle car key by brumarlee
Origami TIE Fighters by metroid_death
Published by clintonmc on May 27, 2010
Intro: Simple Paracord Ring
If you are anything like me, you love to make things out of Paracord, but hate to waist anything.
This simple (if overly worked) Instructable (my first) should show you how you can use those annoying bits or Paracord that are often left at the end of making just
about anything, but are to short to be of any use.
These rings are purely decorative, you wont see them getting Bear Grills out of a tight spot anytime soon.
Step 1: Materials
You will need:
Off cuts of Paracord, greater than 3" is best (UK FYI I get my Paracord from thebushcraftstore.co.uk)
An open flame of some sort. (It doesn't have to be a comedy lighter)
A thin spike or peace of stiff wire that can be heated without burning your fingers.
Needle-nose tweezers or Hemostats.
A sharp knife or scissors.
A ruler or other measuring implement.
A good surface to cut on.
If you're used to working with Paracord most of these will be familiar and probably close to hand.
Image Notes
1. Ruler
2. Paracord off-cuts.
3. Lighter or any Flame
4. Spike from a dissection kit.
5. Tweezers/Hemostat
6. Knife or scissors for cutting
7. Cutting board.
Step 2: Size and Messure your cord
Rap the Paracord around your desired finger to get the size right.
Measure this against your ruler for future reference.
Make sure that any ends that are sealed or tatty are not counted in your measurements as these will be cut off.
Once you have the right length for your finger add extra 1/8" to 1/4", this will be used in the joining of the ends.
Image Notes
1. Note sealed end not counted when measuring
Image Notes
1. Extra 1/4" added.
2. Circumference of my finger
Step 3: Cutting and Gutting
Go ahead and remove the excess Paracord.
If the other end is sealed or tatty remove it as well.
Pull out and discard the central fibers.
Make sure you do not reseal either end at this stage.
Image Notes
1. Clean up the ends.
Step 4: Shaping and Sealing the ends.
You should now have a hollow tube with two unsealed ends.
Role one end between thumb and forefinger to try and close it down as much as possible.
With your flame lightly melt this end sealing it.
Careful molten Paracord can be painful.
When sealed the end should be as small as possible, it does not need to be completely closed.
With the other end use your tweezers or hemostat to lightly tease the in open and again lightly seal it with your flame.
There should now be one smaller nearly closed end and one widely open end.
Image Notes
1. Careful not to go to close to the cut as that will unravel fibers, leading to an untidy end when sealed.
Image Notes
1. Closed end
2. Open end
Step 5: Closing the ring
Tuck the smaller end into the open end.
Use your tweezers to push the it in further.
Check the size on your finger to make sure its not too loose or tight.
Step 6: Sealing the bond
When you are happy with the size use the flame and gently heat the mouth of the join this should cause it to shrink slightly gripping the ends together.
You can at this time also clean and flatten any bumps around the rim by melting and flattening with the flat part of your blade.
Do a final size check as you should still be able to adjust it at this time.
Its possible that the bond will now be strong enough.
However if you wish strengthen the bond, heat up your spike/wire until it glows, do I really need to tell you to be careful with this?
Insert it into the bond for a very shot time (a second or less), remove the spike/wire and quickly pinch the join, this should melt and bond the two ends together.
This may leave an unsightly mark but twisting the ring will move the mark to the inside of the ring, hiding it when worn.
Image Notes
1. Spike left in slightly too long, it should not melt through like this.
Step 7: All Done
Provided you have not made it too tight you shouldn't even feel the join when wearing the ring.
They also have a little stretch to them allowing you to wear more than one on the same finger comfortably, this allows you to match your favorite colours, or show
support for teams, school and with the world cup coming your country with the colours.
It may be possible to use this technique to close a more complex Paracord ring, such as a Turks head knot ring, I will look into this and let you know how I get on.
I hope you enjoyed this Instructable and will find it useful.
I am dyslexic so may have made a few grammatical or spelling errors, colours is not one of them I'm English ;) .
Image Notes
1. Sweden's World Cup colours it would be England (white-red-white) but I only have one white at the moment.
Image Notes
1. German World Cup colours
Image Notes
1. Italy/Mexico/Algeria World Cup colours
Image Notes
1. USA/France/Holland etc, etc World Cup colours
Image Notes
1. The Olympic rings, I may try and sell this idea to the mayor of London for 2012 ;)
Paracord Monkey Fist by NutandBolt
Easy paracord USB flash drive case by Deslivres
Paracord Survival Necklace by ERCCRE123
Project 1 - How to make a 5-pointed Celtic Star by jbb3141
How to make a survival paracord belt using only two cords! by building king
Stretch Chainmail Bracelet by mrmucox
Paracord wrist lanyard made with the snake knot by Stormdrane
Published by thickneckarts on April 13, 2009
Author Bio: thickneckarts (author's website)
I'm an artist/crafter out there just trying to recycle and re-use my world. Check out my store http://thickneckarts.etsy.com or join my social network
http://upcyclethis.ning.com. Mention Instructables.com and get 20% off any item in my store! I also run a free website that maps businesses that offer
"free tire air" to the public. http://freetireair.com is the URL. Check it out before you head out on your next roadtrip! You never know when you might
need tire air!
Intro: How to Make a Hemp Necklace
This instructable will teach you the square-knot pattern used for most hemp necklaces.
*The beads used are from my "How to Make Polymer Beads" instructable. Check it out!
For other great hemp necklaces, check out my Etsy store: http://thickneckarts.etsy.com
Mention this instructable and get 20% off your purchase!
Image Notes
1. Knot
2. Base loop.
Step 1: Materials.
Hemp - the amount needed depends on whether you're making a bracelet or necklace. In either case, you will need at 12x the length of the measurements. For
example, your neck=16" you will need 192" of hemp (16')
Scissors/Knife
Safety Pin or Small Nail (optional)
Step 2: Measure Your Hemp.
To measure about how much hemp you will need, wrap the end of a strand around your neck (or wrist, for bracelets).
Cut the strand where it meets on the other side of your neck. You may want to add a couple of extra inches for good measure. Then double it over so you have two
strands that make a loop in the center. This is your base strand that you will be tying the hemp knots around.
Pull the newly cut strand taunt and measure out another length of hemp next to it but don't cut the new strand. Instead, you will double the strand over and over again
until you have 8 or 9 doubled strands.
After you have "doubled" the strands 8 or 9 times, cut the hemp at the end so that when you pull the strand taunt you will have one long piece of hemp. This will be you
knotting hemp.
Image Notes
1. Meet the to sides at the center of your neck.
Image Notes
1. Don't cut yet!
2. 2 "doubled" strands
Image Notes
1. 3 "doubled" strands
2. Still don't cut yet.
Step 3: Knotting.
I usually secure the base loop to something sturdy, like a table or my pants leg, using a nail or safety pin. This allows me freer hand movements for looping and pulling.
It will definitely helps make the process go faster! But it is optional, as seen here.
Fold the base strand in half. This will create a loop that will be part of the necklace's "clasp".
Now fold the long strand in half and wrap it's loop around the base strand's loop.
Cross the left-side piece of the long strand over the base strand, then under the right- side piece of long strand.
With the left-side strand still underneath the right-side strand, wrap the right-side strand behind the base strand.
Pull the right-side strand (now behind the base) up through the left-side's loop that is resting against the base.
Grip each strand, both of which should be on the opposite sides of the base from where they started, and pull the knot tight.
This is a square knot.
Remember to push the first knot up the center of the base strand until the base strand's loop is the size you want for fitting an ending knot through. The end knot (used
as the clasp) will probably be around the size of the tip of your pinky finger, or smaller. You can tie a temporary knot using the end of the strands to gauge the size of
loop needed. ***See intro pic***
Image Notes
1. Loop of base strand.
Image Notes
1. Base strand.
2. Long strand (knotting strand)
Image Notes
1. Left-side of the long strand over the base strand, then underneath the right-side piece of the long strand.
Image Notes
1. Right-side behind the base.
2. Left-side's loop resting against the base.
Image Notes
1. Right-side strand behind the base and through the left-side's loop.
2. Left-side over base and under right-side.
Image Notes
1. Originally the right-side strand.
2. Originally the left-side strand.
Step 4: Repeat.
Once you have pulled the knot tight, take the right-side strand and cross it back over the base strand.
Always start the steps over on the opposite side from which you started i.e. the strand that is already behind a loop is the strand with which you will start a new knot.
Wrap the left-side strand over the crossed right-side strand and then behind the base strand.
Pull the left-side strand (now wrapped behind the base strand) through the right-side's loop.
Then pull the strands taunt to create another square knot.
Repeat this process for the length of the base strand or until the necklace is the length you want it.
Always start the steps over on the opposite side from which you started i.e. the strand that is already behind a loop is the strand with which you will start a new knot.
Your necklace should start to look like the last pic here.
Image Notes
1. Strand already behind a loop.
Image Notes
1. Right-side crossed over base. Left-side over that strand and behind the base.
Image Notes
1. Left-side through right-side's loop.
Step 5: Finishing.
Once you've reached the length you wanted, tie all four strands into a simple knot. This knot will be pulled through the base loop to serve as the necklace's clasp
system.
And then you're done. :)
Image Notes
1. Knot
2. Base loop.
Making hemp-type jewelry cord by TraumaComet
Making a Hemp Bracelet by AdamK
Basics of Making a Hemp Bracelet or Necklace by mobandy64
Ribbon Necklace or Choker by Robyntheslug
How to Make a Simple Macrame' Bracelet (or necklace) by threadbanger
Emergency String Hemp Bracelet by peedlk
Hemp and Ribbon Crochet Jewelry by abigail-nicole
How to Make a Decorative Box or Tin with Polymer Clay by thickneckarts
Acorn Bracelet
Published by =SMART= on September 6, 2008
Author Bio: =SMART=
I make lots of different instructables, I make stuff i need or want, then show you ! ............................................See my profile for further awesomeness
:) .................................................................. I go to school I have 7 months left I want to go to university And study Industrial Design My hobby is
making things And surfing the internet I also like riding my bicycle And looking at design I Like all kinds of music; -Electronic -Rock -Chillout -And
everything inbetween Chatroom Freindz: (in no order :) gmjhowe Nova Hawk ll_13 Lithium Rain Bumpus Many Other people. Soo, have a look at my
ibles, subscribe if you like and see you around !
Intro: Acorn Bracelet
So now its nearing autumn in the UK and half the worlds acorn population just landed in my garden. I was out there sweeping the darn things up and i thought there
must be something you can make out of these. So i took a pocket full and headed to my ~~command-center~~ room..
After about 5 minutes of drilling and threading i had made this Acorn Bracelet !
Step 1: Collect your Acorns
If you don't have an oak tree in your garden (lucky you) then get on your bike and cycle around your neighborhood, there's bound to be one somewhere.
Collect about 20 acorns and check there not 1/2 eaten or rotten then head back to your desk/lab/workshop.
When you are back check over the acorns again to make sure they have no deformities
(if they do use them as squirrel bait :D)
Image Notes
1. ACORNS !!
Image Notes
1. This lot were damaged :(
2. These were fine !
Step 2: Get your drilling tool
I used a dremel to drill my acorns but you can use any kind of drill that will hold a small enough drill bit.
you don't need a very wide drill bit, Mine was 2mm
Image Notes
1. Perfect...
Step 3: Drill Drill Drill
Now you have a suitably sized drill bit you can.. well.. drill with it
Try to get the hole going through the center as straight as possible, be careful with your finger placement at this point because your fingers are very close to the drilling
(if you have a clamp i would recommend using it)
Image Notes
1. 8 Drilled Acorns !
Step 4: Word of Warning
I don't know if your acorns will be the same as mine but when i drilled mine this horrible gooey mess came out, because of this i would recommend putting some
paper/cardboard down so the mess is easier to clean up :D
Step 5: Making the wire
To attatch all the acorns you need some form of string.
You could just use regular old string but i wanted to use wire so thin is how you do it.
First get your length of string/wire and wrap it around your wrist, mark how much you need and then take it off.
Using scissors/wire-cutters trim off any excess.
I twisted my wire around itself to create a nice effect, it also made it a little comfier.
Step 6: Thread the acorns
Now you have the string/wire you can thread your acorns onto the braclet
Once all your acorns are an the line you can make the hook and loop
If you used wire like me then simply untwist one end a bit to create a loop, put a small piece of plastic in the twists to stop the acorns sliding off
As for the other end you can bend the wire back on itself to create a hook.
If you used string all you need to do is tie a knot !
Image Notes
1. Stopper, stops acorns coming off
Image Notes
1. The Hook and Loop
Step 7: Finished !
Congratulations now you have an awesome Acorn bracelet you can wear yourself or give to friend !
Thanks for reading/making my instructable, leave a comment and tell me what you think !!
COMING SOON : Shotgun Shell USB case mod !!
Image Notes
1. Oh Noes!! dead robot!!
how to hemp! by 2kraftha4u
Plant a forest using un-recyclable tetrapack cartons, payback some of the oxygen you have used and give something to future generations. by
FriendOfHumanity
How to build a PUMPKIN RACER with two parallel independent axles by WBrec
Acorn Whistle by Geek Gecko
Pi braclet by ilikepie=)
How To Make An LED Acorn Lantern by emdaniels
Stick-Pencil by =SMART=
The duct tape bottle cap braclet by theducttapeguru
Leather Didgeridoo
Published by JesusFreke on July 17, 2008
Intro: Leather Didgeridoo
A didgeridoo made out of leather and sealed with epoxy.
Leather is a great material for first-time didgeridoo builders, because it's relatively easy to obtain, not too expensive (especially if you keep an eye out for sales) and
doesn't require any expensive tools or prior knowledge.
You should expect to spend around 10-12 hours on this project, although it can be done in 6-8 hours after you have already made a couple.
The initial cost for all of the materials and tools is around $200 and you'll have enough materials to make at least 2 didgeridoos, maybe 3. The cost per didgeridoo,
excluding tools and re-usable materials, is around $50 - $75.
I got started crafting didgeridoos out of leather because I don't have the know-how, tools or space needed to make "split and hollow" didges out of dried logs, and I
don't live somewhere with a ready supply of yucca or agave stalks. After some brain-storming and searching, I found a guy that makes leather didgeridoos ( Marko
Johnson ) which inspired me to try my hand at it.
I've made a variety of styles of leather didgeridoos. Hand stiched, "triangle", "triangle spiral", sectional, and the simple "wrap and epoxy" style which I will describe in
this instructable. I've added some pictures of some of the other styles of leather didges that I've made, if you're interested.
After a while of building leather didgeridoos, I got interested in the physics of didgeridoos, especially in the area of how the bore shape affects the playability and sound
of the didge. I did some reading in some acoustic journals, and eventually made a program to calculate what is called the "acoustic impedance" of a didgeridoo with an
arbitrary circular bore shape. I've recently created a user-friendly interface and released the code as open source. You can get it here .
One of the great things about this method of making didgeridoos is that it is relatively easy to construct the didgeridoo so that it has specific bore dimensions. This
appeals to me because it allows me to design a didgeridoo before hand, using my DidjImp program, and then build the didge and see how it sounds. This allows me to
experiment with different designs and learn more about how to make a didgeridoo with specific playing characteristics.
I hope you find this instructable useful. If you do make a leather didge using these instructions, I would love to hear about it! And I would love to hear any feedback
you have.
Note: Some of the images are hard to see at the small size shown on the page. I've uploaded full size images, so you can click on the "i" buttton at the top left of the
image and choose to view the original image which will be a lot larger.
Final - playing.mp31 MB
Image Notes
1. A didge made out of 3 pieces of leather stitched together, and made to spiral
Image Notes
1. A round leather didge with a hand-stiched seam
Image Notes
1. A closer view of a hand-stitch seam
Step 1: Tools and materials
Here are the tools needed:
Razor/Utility knife - $4-$9
For cutting out the leather. My favorite is this
Yard stick - $5
The metal ones are the best. The cheap wooden ones tend to be not very straight. Ideally it should have millimeter markings (1/32in works too, if you prefer the
"English" system.)
"2 yard" yard stick (optional) - $15
Again the metal ones are best. The markings aren't important. This is only used in the first step, to draw a long straight line. You can use the "1 yard" yard stick instead,
or anything else with a long, straight edge.
Carpenter's square or similar - $5
It's best if it has millimeter or 1/32in markings. If not, you can use the yard stick to measure instead.
Hack saw or PVC pipe cutter (optional) - $4
This is needed if you are going to build a PVC frame
And the materials that that are needed:
1 Leather hide - $90
You want a thick vegetable tanned hide, at least 12oz or so. Tandy's cheap 13-15oz saddle skirting works well. This will be enough leather for at least 2 didges,
possibly 3.
Epoxy (at least 12-14oz) - $20
You can buy 64oz of the "Klear Koat" epoxy here for $20 (not including shipping), or you can find a 16oz kit of Envirotex Lite in some local hardware stores for
around $20. Other types/brands of "tabletop/bartop epoxy" would probably work too. You'll use around 12-14oz of epoxy per didge, so if you buy the Klear Koat
you should have enough for several didges.
Fumed Silica (Optional) - $3.50
Used to thicken the epoxy for the final outside coat.
Latex gloves - $10
For working with epoxy
Pencil - $1
Ye olde wooden pencil
Pencil sharpener - $1
Any cheap pencil sharpener will do
Elastic Medical Bandages - $10
You have a couple of options here. You can get a regular "ACE" type bandages, either the self-stick kind, or the kind with the little metal fastener things. You can reuse
this type of bandage, assuming you don't get much epoxy on them. These are $2 a piece for a 2" wide bandage, which is an easy size to work with. You can get a
wider bandage, but it's a bit harder to keep "flat" while you wrap it on the didge. You'll need around 5 2" bandages or possibly fewer if you use a wider bandage.
You can also buy woven cotton bandages in bulk for pretty cheap , but they're not as re-usable. They tend to get stretched out after a couple of uses.
String - $3 (or $25)
Used to draw the curve at the wide end, and also to hang the didgeridoo from the PVC frame while epoxying. You can probably use cheap cotton string which you
should be able to find at walmart on the cheap (froogle.com says $3 or so). However, I like to use a type of string called "lacing tape", which comes in either nylon or
polyester (among other materials). It is a flat, braided string, is quite strong, and holds a knot very well. I use this stuff for *everything*. It's around $25 for a 500 yard
spool, but it's a bit hard to find. The good thing is that 1 spool will last a long long time. The place I got it from last time isn't selling it any more unfortunately. After a bit
of a search, it looks like you might be able to get it here . Either nylon or polyester is fine. You want size 3, with the synthetic rubber finish. White is cheaper, but you
can get black if you want :)
Masking Tape - $4
Used to hold the string in place while drawing the curve at the wide end, and also to help seal the mouthpiece end of the didge when epoxying the inside. You don't
want to use duct tape or packaging tape, because the tape will stick to the leather too much and damage the leather when you peel it off. I use 3M's blue masking tape.
Plastic Drop Cloth - $3
This is used while working with epoxy, to prevent it from getting on the floor.
3 Plastic graduated mixing container - $1.50 total ($.50 each)
To mix the epoxy
1 package of mixing sticks - $2
To mix the epoxy
Silly Putty - $1
To help seal the end of the didge when epoxying the inside
1 plastic grocery bag - $0
Used to seal the end of the didge when epoxying the inside
Optional - if you want to build a PVC frame to help hold the didge while you
epoxy the inside and outside.
4 10' long 1-1/4" Schedule 40 PVC pipe - $4 each, $16 total
8 'T' connectors to fit above pipe - $1.50 each, $12 total
4 90 degree elbows to fit above pipe - $1 each, $4 total
Note: if you buy the Klear Kote epoxy from U.S. composites, you can order some fumed silica (aka aerosil-cabosil) , graduated plastic tubs , wooding mixing sticks ,
and latex gloves from them at the same time.
Total Cost: $220 - Assuming that you have to buy everything that is listed. There's a good chance you will have some/most of the tools and materials already, and you
can leave off some of the optional items to save a bit more. Most of the stuff can be re-used if/when you make more leather didges in the future.
Step 2: (Optional) Build a PVC frame to help hold the didge while epoxying
This frame is quite useful when epoxying the didge.
You can use it to
- hold the end of the didge up while epoxying the inside
- hanging the didge to let the epoxy drain out
- support the didge in a horizontal position while epoxying the outside
First, you need to cut the PVC pipe into smaller sections. Each line below represents the lengths to cut from one of the 10' lengths of PVC pipe.
5' | 5'
4' | 4' | 1' | 1'
4' | 4' | 1' | 1'
20" | 20" | 20" | 20" | 6" | 6" | 6" | 6"
Assemble the frame. Each of the legs are made up of a 1' piece, a 4' piece, and a 6" piece (from the bottom to top).
The 2 long pipes along the top are 5', and the 4 pieces of pipe that run between the 2 legs on each side are 20".
See the picture to get an idea of how it all fits together.
Image Notes
1. 4' length of PVC
2. 5' length of PVC
3. 1' length of PVC
4. 20 inch length of PVC
5. 6 inch length of PVC
Image Notes
1. T connector
2. T Connector
3. 90 degree elbow connector
Step 3: Determine the bore dimensions
The first step is to figure out what shape of bore you want to build. In general, you want a small enough mouthpiece that you can play easily (1.25" to 1.5" diameter or
so), and a gradual taper towards the end.
You can use my DidjImp program to help design the bore. You enter the bore dimensions, and then you can see what note that didge will play.
Here are the dimensions for the didge that I will be building in this article. The first column is the distance from the mouthpiece, and the 2nd column is the diameter of
the bore at that location.
0m (mouthpiece) - 30mm
.628m - 40mm
1.256m - 60mm
1.78m - 100mm
This didgeridoo should play a "D" (73hz)
Image Notes
1. This is the cross section view of the bore of the didgeridoo that I'll be building
Step 4: Calculations
Now that you have the bore design, you need to do some calculations to determine the shape of leather to cut out. The idea is that at each "section" in the design, the
leather needs to be wide enough that when you bend it into a circle, it is the diameter that you want.
At first, you might think that you just need to calculate the circumference of a circle with the given diameter, but that will actually give you a smaller bore than you want,
due to the thickness of the leather.
In general, if you have a piece of leather with a certain width and thickness and you form it into a circle, the inner diameter of the circle will be:
InnerDiameter = (width/Pi) - thickness
And the outer diameter will be:
OuterDiameter = (width/Pi) + thickness
The difference between the two is twice the thickness of the leather, which makes sense, because you go through 2 thicknesses of leather going from the outer edge of
one side to the outer edge of the other side.
You need to calculate the width of leather than will give you the bore (inner) diameter that you want. From above, we know that
InnerDiameter = (width/Pi) - thickness
And we need to solve for the width.
width = (innerDiameter + thickness) * Pi
Now you need to find the average thickness of the leather. You can measure it at various places around the edge and guestimate the average thickness. It will typically
be around 4-6mm.
I happen to have a custom-made tool that can measure the thickness of the leather anywhere in the middle of the leather, so I was able to get a more accurate thickness
measurement at each position (shown below)
0m: 5.2mm
.628m: 5mm
1.256m: 4.6mm
1.78m: 3.9mm
Now you just need to plug in the thickness and the diameter for each section to get the width of leather at that position.
0m: (30mm + 5.2mm) * 3.14159 = 111mm
.628m: (40mm + 5mm) * 3.14159 = 141mm
1.256m: (60mm + 4.6mm) * 3.14159 = 203mm
1.78m: (100mm + 3.9mm) * 3.14159 = 326mm
And finally, you need to calculate the curve at the wide end. If this was straight instead of curved, the bell of the didgeridoo wouldn't be flat on the bottom, but it would
stick down where the seam is.
The curve that is needed is a circular curve, so you need to calculate the radius of the circle. Later, you will use a string that is the length of the radius in order to draw
the curve.
The derivation of the calculation is a bit involved, so I'll skip it and just give the calculation itself.
CurveRadius = (((LargeRadius - SmallRadius)
2 + Height
2)
(1/2)) * LargeRadius / (LargeRadius - SmallRadius)

See the images for this step for a better formatted version of the equation.
In this equation, LargeRadius is the radius of the bore at the bell end, plus 1/2 the thickness of the leather.
SmallRadius is the radius of the bore at the section just before the bell, plus 1/2 the thickness of the leather.
Height is the distance between the bell and the section just before the bell.
For the didge that I am building:
LargeRadius = 50mm + (3.9mm/2) = 51.95mm
SmallRadius = 30mm + (4.6mm/2) = 32.3mm
Height = 1780mm - 1256mm = 524mm
And then plugging these into the CurveRadius equation:
CurveRadius = (((51.95 - 32.3)
2 + 524
2)
(1/2)) * 51.95 / (51.95 - 32.3) = 1386mm

Image Notes
1. Use this equation to calculate the leather width for each section in the design.
2. Use this equation to calculate the radius of the curve at the wide end.
Step 5: Draw the center line
Lay out the leather so that it is flat, and lay the 2-yard yard stick onto the leather, where you want the center-line of the didge to be. You want to position it so that the
outline of the didge that you are going to cut out is as close to the edge as possible, to minimize the amount of left-over leather on the side.
Once you've placed the yard stick, draw a line along the edge of the yard stick with a pencil, using light pressure. You don't want to press to hard, or it will make an
indention in the leather.
If you only have a 1-yard yard stick, place the yard stick and trace a 1-yard line, and then move the yard stick along the line so that the end of the yard stick is
approximately in the middle of the line you just drew, making sure that the yard stick is still lined up with the line. Then continue the line. You'll need to do that twice to
get a long enough line.
Image Notes
1. The leather laid out flat on the ground
Image Notes
1. The left edge of the ruler is where the center line will be
Image Notes
1. Look closely, and you can see the center line running along the diagonal of this box
Step 6: Measure and mark along the center line
In this step, you will make tick marks along the center line for each section in the design.
Start off by placing a tick mark where the mouthpiece is going to be.
Then measure along the center line from the mouthpiece, the distance to the next section of the bore design and make another tick mark.
For this didge, the second section is .628m away from the mouthpiece, so I'll take the yard stick and measure the appropriate distance and make another tick mark.
Do this for each remaining section.
Image Notes
1. The tickmark for the position of the mouthpiece
Image Notes
1. Measuring from the mouthpiece tick mark
Image Notes
1. Marking the position of second section
Image Notes
1. Measuring the distance from the mouthpiece to the second section
Step 7: Measure and mark the width of each section
In this step you will draw lines perpendicular to the center line at each section, and measure out the required width of the leather at that section.
Place the carpenter's square so that the long edge is lined up with the center line, and the other edge is lined up with the tick mark for the mouthpiece, and draw a line
that is at least half of the width of leather at that position (using the width you calculated in step 3). You can just guestimate, and make sure the line is longer than
needed.
Now flip the carpenter's square over and line it up again, and draw a line on the other side of the center line.
Now use either the carpenter's square or the yard stick to measure half of the required width, from the center line, and make a tick mark, and then measure and mark
the same distance on the other side of the center line.
For this didge, the required width of the mouthpiece is 111mm, so I will measure 55.5mm on either side of the center line.
Do the above for each remaining section.
Image Notes
1. Make sure the square is lined up with the tick-mark for the mouthpiece
2. Line up the edge of the carpenter's square with the center line
Image Notes
1. A line perpendicular to the center line
Image Notes
1. Flip the carpenter's square over and make sure it's lined up with the center line
2. Make sure that the edge is lined up with the other perpendicular line
Image Notes
1. The other side of the perpendicular line
Image Notes
1. Measure the required distance from the center line
Image Notes
1. Measure the same distance on the other side
Image Notes
1. The total width of the 2nd section
Image Notes
1. The total width of the third section
Image Notes
1. The total width of the last section
Step 8: Draw the curve on the wide end
In this step, you will use a piece of string to draw the curve at the wide end.
Cut a length of string that is a bit longer than the "CurveRadius" you calculated in step 4.
Use the pencil to make a mark on the string near one of the ends, leave enough string past the end of the mark so that you can tape it down.
Measure down the length of the string from the first mark you made and make another mark, so that the distance between the two marks is the "CurveRadius" value
that you calculated in step 4.
Take one of the ends of the string, and tape it so that the mark is right at one of the "corners" at the wide end of the didge.
Pull the string tight, and bring it over until the other mark on the string lines up with the center line, and then tape that end of the string down so that the mark is directly
over the center line. That is the center of the circle that makes up the curve you're going to draw.
Go back to the other end and untape it, and the move the string a little bit towards the center, while keeping the a constant tension on the string. Don't pull so hard that
you pull it out from the tape holding it on the other end. Now make a mark on the leather next to the mark on the string.
Move the string towards the center a little bit more, and make another mark.. and keep doing this until you get to the other corner. If you did everything right, the marks
that you made go from one corner to the other, and form a circular curve.
Untape the other end of string and discard.
Image Notes
1. Line up the marking on the string with the corner at the wide end
Image Notes
1. Position the string so that the marking is directly over the center line.
Image Notes
1. Place a piece of tape just under the marking on the string, so that when you move the string at the other end, the marking on the string at this end will stay in the same
place.
Image Notes
1. The string after both ends have been taped
Image Notes
1. Move the string a little bit towards the center, and make a mark on the leather next to the marking on the string
Image Notes
1. Move the string a bit more and make another mark
Image Notes
1. And another
Image Notes
1. When you're done, you should have a circular curve that goes from one corner of the wide end to the other
Step 9: Draw the outline
In this step you will draw the outline of the leather.
Use the yard stick to draw a line between adjacent pairs of tick marks you made in step 7. Do this around the whole design. These will be the lines that you follow
while cutting out the leather.
Image Notes
1. Draw lines connecting the tick marks
Image Notes
1. The last third of the full design on the leather
Image Notes
1. The full design on the leather
Image Notes
1. The first third of the full design on the leather
Image Notes
1. The second third of the full design on the leather
Step 10: Cut out the leather
In this step, you will cut out the leather.
Take the yard stick or carpenter's square ("the ruler") and lay it down beside the straight line at the mouthpiece end of the didge, so that when you cut with the utility
knife along the straight edge, it cuts right on the line.
Press down firmly on the ruler with one hand, holding it in place, and then take the utility knife with the other hand and cut along the edge of the ruler. You want to pull
the blade toward you, while holding it against the edge of the ruler, to ensure that your cut is straight and on the line.
Don't use too much downward pressure on the utility knife, you are just scoring the leather with the first cut. Once you cut along the line once, keep holding the ruler in
place and pick up the utility knife and make another cut. You'll probably need to cut 3-4 times to get all the way through the leather.
Use this same technique to cut along the whole outline, except for the curve at the wide end.
Be careful when you get to one of the sections, where the outline changes direction. You don't want to cut past the end of the line and into the piece of leather that you
are cutting out. Stop the cut where the outline changes direction, and then reposition the ruler and start the next cut on the next line.
To cut out the curve at the wide end, you'll need to cut it free-hand. Start at the corner and start pulling the knife towards you, keeping a close eye on the cut that
you're making, to make sure that it follows the marks that outline the curve. The key is to not get in a hurry. It also helps if you get close to the leather, so you can see
better.
On the first cut, you are just lightly scoring the leather. Once the leather is scored, you can use a little more pressure and you don't have to be as careful, because the
blade tends to follow the score.
Once you cut all around the outline, you should be able to remove the piece of leather that you cut out. You may need to do run the blade along some of the cuts again,
where the leather didn't quite get separated.
Once you remove the piece of leather that you cut out, you can erase the pencil lines on the leather.
Image Notes
1. Place the ruler along the line, and then cut along the ruler with the utility knife
Image Notes
1. The cut at the mouthpiece end
Image Notes
1. Making another cut along the side
Image Notes
1. Stop the cut at the end of the line, where the direction of the outline changes, so you don't start cutting into the piece of leather that you're cutting out
Image Notes
1. Reposition the ruler on the new line and start the cut where you left off, at the direction change.
Image Notes
1. Scoring the leather free-hand for the curve at the wide end
Image Notes
1. The curved cut at the wide end
Image Notes
1. Another view of the curved cut
Image Notes
1. Here is the piece of leather I cut out
2. Negative space
Image Notes
1. Don't forget to erase the lines.
Step 11: Wet the leather and wrap it
In order to get the leather in a tube shape, it helps if you wet it down first to make it more pliable. You can let it soak in a bathtub for 5-10 minutes, or go outside and
wet it down with a garden hose, somewhere where the leather won't get dirty.
Once it's nice and wet, then bend the sides in towards the center with your hands. At this point you just want to get the leather to start bending, it won't stay in a tube
shape without something to hold it.
Take one of the elastic bandages and wrap it around the leather a little ways down from the mouthpiece, a foot to a foot and a half down. Make sure it's tight enough to
hold the leather in a near-tube shape. This is just a temporary wrap, so you just need to do 3-4 wraps in the same spot - enough so that the wrap doesn't come off
when you let go.
Take another elastic bandage and start wrapping it around the leather at the mouthpiece end. Be sure to pull it tight enough that the edges of the leather are firmly
pressed against each other, otherwise epoxy will leak out the seam.
As you continue wrapping down the leather, you will start getting closer to the "temporary wrap" you made to hold the leather in place. You'll want to unwrap this and
move it down another foot or so and make another temporary wrap.
When you get to the end of one of the bandages, just grab another and start wrapping again from the same place.
Once you get it fully wrapped, then you should be able to play it! Pick it up and give it a toot. The sound will be somewhat muffled, but you'll get a general idea of what
it's going to sound like. I've added an mp3 file of what mine sounded like at this point, and another that I recorded after the leather had dried.
If you can't play the didge, that's a good indicator that you didn't get the seam sealed up good, which means that epoxy will leak out when you epoxy the inside. Not
good! You'll probably want to re-wrap it tighter.
Once you are happy with how it's wrapped, you will need to let the leather dry before you epoxy the inside. If it's hot outside, lay it down on your porch and it should
be dry after a day. Otherwise, just lay it down against a wall somewhere out of the way in your house. You'll probably want to leave it at least two days. You can tell if
it's dry by feeling the leather on the inside at the bell end. Does it feel nice and dry? You may want to rotate it a couple of times so that the side that was facing
downward has a chance to dry.
Wet leather - playing.mp31 MB
dry leather - playing.mp31 MB
Image Notes
1. Start getting the leather in the right shape with your hands
Image Notes
1. It won't keep much of a bend, but it's enough to make wrapping it a little bit easier
Image Notes
1. A temporary wrap to hold the leather closer together, which makes it easier to wrap
2. Wrap the leather starting at the mouthpiece. You want to to get it pretty tight, so that the edges of the leather are pressed firmly together, to prevent epoxy from
leaking out.
Image Notes
1. The didge after it has been fully wrapped. You should be able to play it now! Give it a toot.
Image Notes
1. Look ma. No hands!
Image Notes
1. The mic that I used to record the sound file. The cord runs into my living room, where I record it on my computer.
2. A mess. Please ignore :D
3. I had to support the didge with my foot because it was still wet and fairly 'bendy'
Step 12: Seal the mouthpiece end of the didge
In this step, you will seal off the mouthpiece end of the didge, in preparation for coating the inside with epoxy.
First, you'll want to make sure the leather has dried off from the last step. Feel the leather on the inside at the bell end. If it still feels damp, or slightly cool to the touch,
let it sit for another day.
Get a small piece of silly putty and roll it into a snake, and then press it onto the edge of the leather at the mouthpiece end.
Place the plastic bag over the mouthpiece end of the didge, and pull it tight against the silly putty. This should make an air (and epoxy!) tight seal, to keep epoxy from
leaking out.
Put some of the masking tape around the plastic next to the edge of the didge, and then cut off any excess plastic.
Then put some more tape across the top and down the side, to hold the plastic in place. You don't want the plastic coming off while you have epoxy in the didge!
Image Notes
1. A small chunk of silly putty. Yes, it's white, but it's the same as the pinkish stuff that you get in the little plastic eggs.
Image Notes
1. Rolling the silly putty into a snake
Image Notes
1. The silly putty snake
Image Notes
1. Pushing the silly putty onto the mouthpiece
Image Notes
1. The silly putty on the mouthpiece. You might want to roll back the bandages a bit at this point, to keep the silly putty from getting in them.
Image Notes
1. Place the plastic bag over the mouthpiece, and hold it tight against the silly putty
Image Notes
1. Place tape around the plastic
Image Notes
1. Cut off the excess plastic
Image Notes
1. Place more tape across the opening, and down the sides to hold the plastic down
Step 13: Epoxy the inside of the didge
In this step, you will epoxy the inside of the didge. This seals the leather and gives a hard surface for the sound to bounce off of on the inside, and it holds the seam
together.
First, you'll want to lay down the drop cloth, to keep the epoxy off the floor. Ideally, you'll want to work someplace that has good ventilation, so you don't breath in
too much epoxy fumes.
Mix the epoxy, per the manufacturer's instruction. You'll need to mix up around 8-10 oz of epoxy. The two types of epoxy I mentioned in the "materials" step use a 1:1
ratio, so just pour out 4-5 oz of each component into a plastic mixing cup, and stir thoroughly with a mixing stick. You want to make sure to scrape the sides and
bottom of the container, so you don't leave any unmixed epoxy (or as little as possible at least).
Don a pair of latex gloves (just in case), and pour the epoxy into the wide end of the didge.
Pick up the didge and place the far end (the mouthpiece end) on something, to help hold it up - otherwise your arms will quickly get tired from trying to hold it up.
Hold the open end of the didge lower than the sealed end, in order to let the epoxy run back towards the open end. You'll want to look inside the bore and watch for
when the epoxy starts getting close to the open end, and then raise the open end back up a bit so it doesn't run out the open end.
Slowly rotate the didge, letting the epoxy coat the bore as you rotate. You'll probably want to raise the open end back up and let the epoxy run pool in the sealed end,
and then lower it again and run back towards the open end (several times), while occasionally rotating.
Note that you don't need to worry about coating the leather at the very edge of the open end - it should get coated nicely when you let the epoxy drain out of the open
end.
Once you are comfortable that the entire bore has been coated, you can stand the didge back up and let the epoxy drain out onto the plastic drop cloth. The epoxy
doesn't stick to the plastic, so once it has cured, you can peel it off the drop cloth and reuse the drop cloth.
At this point, you can take off the tape, plastic and silly putty on the mouthpiece end.
If you built the PVC frame, you take take some string and wrap it around the 2 horizontal bars on the top, and then take the end of the string and wrap it around the
top of the didge, down far enough to hold the didge up off the ground.
Otherwise, you can try and find something else to hang the didge off of. Put a hook in the ceiling.. Use an existing light fixture (with the light turned off!)... etc.
Or you can just lean the didge against a wall or something. The only downside is that the epoxy will be thicker on the side of the bore that is facing downward.
Now just let the epoxy drain and cure. It will be dry to the touch in 4-5 hours, and it will be fairly hard in about a day. It takes a week or two to reach full hardness, but
it's "good enough" after a day.
The attached sound file is what it sounded like the next day, after the epoxy had cured.
Tips:
Try not to get any epoxy on you. If you do, just wash as best as you can with soap and water.
If you get epoxy on something that you don't want it on, you can clean it up before it cures with some mineral spirits, denatured alcohol, or something similar.
epoxied inside - playing.mp31 MB
Image Notes
1. A plastic drop cloth to protect the floor
Image Notes
1. Mixing the epoxy
Image Notes
1. Pour the epoxy into the open end of the didge
2. Make sure you're wearing some gloves, so you don't get epoxy on your hands by accident.
Image Notes
1. Let the epoxy flow back towards you, and watch inside the bore, to make sure you don't let it run out the end
Image Notes
1. You can see the epoxy running down the sides, and running down towards the open end.
Image Notes
1. The didge is hanging by a piece of string, that is attached to the PVC structure.
2. The end is a few inches above the plastic, and the epoxy is draining out the end
Image Notes
1. A view of the mouthpiece after I took the plastic, tape and silly putty off.
Step 14: Unwrap the didge
Once the epoxy on the inside has cured, you can remove the elastic bandages from the outside. The epoxy will hold the seam together and the leather in the same
shape.
At this point, you can take the utility knife and trim off any excess epoxy off the bottom end of the didge. There will usually be several places where the epoxy was
dripping. Or if you happen to have a dremel, a flap wheel is an easy way to remove the epoxy (wear a dust mask!).
Image Notes
1. Unwrapping the bandages
Image Notes
1. The bandages leave an interesting texture on the didge.
Image Notes
1. The didge after removing the bandages
Image Notes
1. Dried epoxy drip
2. Oops. Missed a couple of spots. I'll have to coat them when I do the outside.
Step 15: Epoxy the outside of the didge - first coat
In this step you will coat the outside of the didge with epoxy.
First, you need to figure out how you are going to position the didge while applying the epoxy.
If you built the PVC frame in step 2, then hang some string from the two horizontal bars on the sides of the frame, and then run the 1/2" pvc pipe through the didge, and
hang the ends on the string.
Otherwise, you can use the 1/2" pvc pipe and let the pipe rest on something on either end, or just let the didge stand up vertically while you apply the epoxy - just don't
let it fall over while you're applying the epoxy.
Mix up another batch of epoxy, you only need about 2oz this time (1oz of each component).
(Optional) It tends to be a bit easier if you pour the epoxy out onto something, instead of trying to dip your hand into the plastic mixing tub. You can put down some
wax paper and pour the epoxy onto that. This lets you move the epoxy as you move along the didge.
Don some latex gloves.
While wearing the latex gloves, dip your fingers into the epoxy, and then spread the epoxy onto the didge. You don't want to apply it very thick, so spread it out good.
Continue applying the epoxy to the outside of the didge. Once you get to the other end, the leather will probably have soaked up some/most of the epoxy on the end
that you started on, so go back and apply more epoxy to the whole didge. I usually keep applying epoxy until I've used up the entire amount of epoxy that was mixed
up.
Once you are done applying epoxy, you'll want to remove the pvc pipe and let the didge stand up on its own, to prevent the didge from being bent in the middle.
Now wait a day for the epoxy to cure. The leather will soak up nearly all of the epoxy that you applied, so once it's cured, you will have a hard, rough leather surface.
First outside coat - playing.mp31 MB
Image Notes
1. I used a PVC pipe on one end and a wooden dowel on the other end. They are hanging by string from the PVC frame
Image Notes
1. The string holding it up is off to the side. The string hangs off of the upper horizontal bar at the end of the PVC frame
Image Notes
1. The string that it is hanging by
2. (Optional) This pipe connector is screwed onto the PVC pipe, to prevent the string from slipping towards the didge
3. (Optional) This connector is slipped onto the PVC pipe and has a bolt coming out of it (not shown). The string is placed over the connector, before the bolt. This
allows the pvc to freely rotate, while keeping the string in place.
Image Notes
1. Mix up 2oz of epoxy
Image Notes
1. Pour the epoxy onto some wax paper. It is easier to dip your fingers into the epoxy this way, and you can move the wax paper around to wherever you need it. This
also keeps the epoxy from setting up too fast - the thicker the epoxy is the faster it cures. If you leave it in the mixing cup, it will tend to accelerate the cure time
considerably.
Image Notes
1. Stick your fingers in the epoxy
Image Notes
1. Spread the epoxy onto the didge. When the epoxy soaks into the leather it makes it a nice dark color.
Image Notes
1. Here's what the leather looks like after applying the epoxy.
Image Notes
1. The epoxy usually leaves some interesting color variations in some places
Image Notes
1. Letting the epoxy cure
Image Notes
1. The didge after the first outside coat had dried.
Image Notes
1. Most of the first coat of epoxy had soaked into the leather, but there are splotches here and there of excess epoxy that didn't get soaked up.
Step 16: Apply second coat of epoxy on the outside
Once the first coat of epoxy on the outside has cured, you can apply a second coat.
Use the same procedure to apply the 2nd coat as the first coat. Be sure to spread the epoxy nice and thin, so that the epoxy doesn't run. Since the first coat of epoxy
soaked into the leather and sealed it, the leather won't absorb the 2nd coat, so you won't need to go back and keep applying epoxy as it soaks it up, like you did with
the first coat. You won't need to use much epoxy, just mix up about 1oz (.5 oz of each component). You probably won't use all of it.
(Optional) You can add some fumed silica to the epoxy to thicken it. This allows to you spread it thinner and prevents the epoxy from running, and from "bunching up"
- Like when you try to spread water thinly on a piece of glass - it won't form a uniform film, but it will separate and bunch up. The epoxy will sometimes do this to a
small extent if you apply it too thinly without a thickener.
You should thoroughly mix the epoxy first, and then add some fumed silica to the mixed epoxy. Add small amounts at a time, to make mixing easier. Keep adding
fumed silica until you get something like a "snot-like" consistency. Note that the fumed silica will make the epoxy a translucent white color. Don't worry, when you
spread it thin enough it will still be quite clear.
Image Notes
1. Here's the string on the mouthpiece end that is supporting the didge
Image Notes
1. This is a small sawn off piece of PVC pipe, that is screwed into the dowel rod so it doesn't move
2. This is another small piece of PVC that is slipped onto the dowel rod. The string stays on this piece, allowing the dowel rod to rotate freely (so you can rotate the
didge while applying the epoxy).
3. A bolt that is screwed through the pvc pipe from the inside. This prevents the string from slipping off.
Image Notes
1. A view of the same sort of mechanism on the bell end.
Image Notes
1. My bucket o' fumed silica
2. Adding the fumed silica to the already mixed epoxy.
Image Notes
1. Here is the left-over epoxy after I put the second coat on. As you can see, I didn't use much of it. I had mixed up 2oz of epoxy, but 1oz would have been more than
enough.
Image Notes
1. Wet epoxy at the mouthpiece end. You can easily see the texture that was left in the leather from the bandages.
Image Notes
1. A view of the wet epoxy at the bell end. Gotta love that epoxy sheen.
Image Notes
1. Letting the epoxy dry
Step 17: Enjoy the didge
Once you've applied the 2nd coat of epoxy, wait a day for it to cure. Congratulations! The didge is finished. Enjoy!
Final - playing.mp31 MB
The Ultimate didgeridoo Guide. by pedro8
Didgeridoo PVC Case by Weissensteinburg
Complete guide to PVC Didgeridoo construction by xinixr
Compact Spiral Didgeridoo by psychopathicdude
Turn a used Christmas tree into a Didgeridoo by seamster
Music instruments by MichelMoermans
The Ducteridoo by bobclone6
How to be a better "Jam" musician by Gypsyman
Published by seamster on January 19, 2009
Intro: Indoor disc golf using plastic bottles and caps
Disc golf is a great sport--it's healthy, fun, low impact, and fairly inexpensive to get into. The only problem is that sometimes you just can't get out to play. ...There's no
course nearby, there's two feet of snow on the ground, you lost all your discs... whatever.
Now you can play indoors by making your own disc catcher (or in this case, a "capcatcher") from a 20-ounce sports drink bottle, and using old bottle caps as the
flying discs.
For those of you that are unfamiliar with disc golf, it follows the same premise as regular golf, except that instead of trying to get a ball into a distant cup in the fewest
number of shots, you try to get a flying disc into a distant basket-shaped target .
Image Notes
1. You aim for the ropes, which ideally stop the flying bottle cap and deflect it down into the basket.
Step 1: Gather supplies
Start by finding the right kind of bottle. I used an old Vitamin Water bottle, since that's the type of bottle I had.
I think Gatorade or other types of bottles will work, but they might require a little more effort on your part, as you'll see.
In addition to a bottle and cap, you will need the following:
Cardboard
Scrap fabric
Thin rope
Various sizes of dowels (1/8", and either 5/16" or 1/4")
Bamboo skewers
Basic crafting tools
You're probably going to want some extra bottle caps. The kind to look for are the ones that come on most sports drinks and family-size juice bottles. (If you steal all
the caps, be sure to try to put the actual bottles to use for some other project.)
Image Notes
1. Bamboo skewers. One dollar for 100 at grocery store.
2. Left over dowels from other projects.
Step 2: Mark and cut holes in bottle
Bamboo skewers will be used for the basket framework, and 1/8" dowels will be used for the tripod base. We first need to make some incisions in the bottle where
these sticks will be inserted.
The bottle I used has six panels on the sides with two little bumps in each panel. If you use the same type of bottle, you can mark your bottle exactly as shown and get
the same results as I did. Otherwise you'll have to measure and lay out where you want the cuts on your particular bottle.
The two photos of the bottle with milk in it show where to make your marks for the incisions where the skewers and dowels will be inserted. (The milk is only there so
the markings will show up better in the photos.)
The purple marks indicate where the bamboo skewers will go for the basket, and the red marks indicate where the dowels will go for the tripod.
The purple marks should be in the same locations on all six panels. The red marks should be marked differently on adjacent panels. Make small "X" cuts with a sharp
blade in each of the marked locations.
Step 3: Prepare dowels and skewers
Before we insert the dowels and skewers, you need to put the upright dowel in place.
Cut a 5/16" or 1/4" dowel so it is 18 inches long. Trace the bottle opening on some cardboard and cut out the resulting disc shape. Use your best judgement to cut a
couple of X cuts in the center of the cardboard disc. This will act as a centering ring for the 18" dowel. Glue the bottom of the dowel down to the inside center bottom
of the bottle, and glue the cardboard disc to the top of the water bottle, with the dowel coming up through it.
Cut three 1/8" dowels to be 7 1/2" long.
Cut the sharp points off of six bamboo skewers. They should be about 11" long without their points.
Step 4: Insert skewers and dowels
Beginning with the skewers, insert one into the top purple X on one of the panels, and make it exit out the lower purple X on the opposite panel. Working counter-
clockwise, insert all the skewers making sure each new one goes over the previous one, as shown in the photos. You may have to jimmy them a little, but they are quite
flexible.
Insert the dowels likewise, only insert them through the lower red X and out the top red X on the opposing side.
Each skewer should protrude out of the bottom cut a little bit (maybe 1/4"), and the dowels should protrude out of their top cuts the same way.
Adjust the tripod legs as needed so the upright dowel stands perfectly straight. Put some hot glue where each skewer and dowel enter or exit the bottle. My gun is a
low temp gun and it melted the plastic a little, so be careful if you're using a high temp glue gun.
Step 5: Make the basket web
Cut out six pieces of fabric according to the dimensions shown on my pattern piece in the photo. (If you have had to adapt these instructions to a different bottle type,
you may need to come up with your own dimensions for the basket webbing.)
I used some old canvas which works fairly well to keep the bottle caps from slipping back out if they fly into the basket directly without first hitting the deflector ropes.
(I tried using nylon on a prototype for this, and it was too slick.)
Glue the edges together, overlapping 1/2". I found it easier and quicker to glue the web pieces all together first, creating a limp umbrella shape. I then placed this whole
piece onto the basket framework and tacked it in place with hot glue.
Cut six bamboo skewers to be about 6 1/2" long. With the structure upside down, glue a skewer to the top of each section of the web and fold over the fabric and glue
it down over the skewer. This makes the whole basket rigid, and serves as a lip which adds an additional measure to help keep bottle caps from sliding out of the
basket.
Image Notes
1. You could sew this, but hot glue was quick and sufficient.
Image Notes
1. Little dab of hot glue on each skewer.
Image Notes
1. Gobs of glue to keep the web in place and keep it from fraying.
Image Notes
1. Add glue like this, and fold it over.
2. I glued down each of these corners first.
Step 6: Make cardboard discs to hold the deflector ropes
Use a compass to draw two 10" circles on some cardboard. Cut out the cardboard discs. On one of these, measure and mark circles with the following radii:
4 1/2"
3 3/4"
3"
2 1/4"
Using a protractor, mark the 4 1/2" radius circle every 30 degrees. Using a sharp blade cut notches about 1/16" wide from the outside of the disc up to the 4 1/2" line.
Mark the 3" radius circle every 15 degrees. Using a sharp blade cut a small hole at each mark.
The 3 3/4" and 2 1/4" radius circles are there for guide lines that we will use when we glue the rope deflector rings to this disc.
Step 7: Make rope deflector rings
Regular disc golf catchers have sets of chains that hang from an upper structure above the basket which ideally absord the momentum of a flying disc and deflect it
down into the basket.
To create a similarly functioning apparatus, I used some 5/32" poly rope. It was $3 for 75 feet at the Home Depot. (I think any similar thin rope would work just fine.)
Cut 24 pieces of rope that are 10" long. Make sure all the pieces are precisely the same.
Cut 12 pieces of rope that are 13" long. Use a lighter on all the ends of the cut pieces to fuse the rope to keep it from fraying.
Cut four strips of fabric that are 3/4" wide, with two that are at least eight inches long, and two that are at least ten inches long.
The 24 shorter pieces of rope should be glued to one of the 8-inch strips of fabric. Space them about 1/16" apart, making sure the ends are all even with the bottom of
the strip of fabric. Wrap the strip of fabric into a ring shape, with the ropes facing outward, and glue it together (as in the photos). Glue the additional 8-inch strip of
fabric around the outside, sealing the ropes inside a ring of fabric.
Do the same with the longer 12 pieces of rope and the 10-inch strips of fabric.
(If you look at the finished photos of the capcatcher, you may notice that there is a 2 1/2" strip of fabric around the bottom of the outer ring of ropes. I added this to
cover up the rounded upper portion of the plastic bottle, which bottle caps would hit and bounce right back out of the catcher. I had cut my ropes a little too short. The
measurements I gave for rope lengths in this step eliminate the problem I encountered.)
Image Notes
1. On both rings I smeared some hot glue into the cracks to keep the fabric from fraying.
Step 8: Attach rope deflector rings to cardboard disc
Insert the ropes through the holes and notches in the cardboard disc, and glue them down even with the guide lines we drew previously. Before you start gluing things,
make sure the smaller ring with 24 ropes is on the inside set of holes on the disc.
Image Notes
1. If everything was measured, cut, and glued precisely, the ropes will all hange evenly.
Step 9: Finish your capcatcher
On both cardboard discs, make a few X cuts it the center for the upright dowel to go through. Cut out ten pieces of cardboard that are 1 by 1 inch square. Glue four of
these right next to the center hole on the disc with ropes attached. These will act to keep the disc perpendicular to the dowel. Glue this disc to the upright dowel,
leaving about 1/2" of dowel sticking up. Glue the other six cardbaord pieces onto this disc to act as spacers to keep the second disc parallel to the first. Now glue the
second disc on top.
The cardboard I used was 1/4" thick, so the total thickness of the cardboard discs with spacers in between was 1 1/2". I cut out some long strips of fabric that were 1
1/2" wide and carefully glued them in place to cover the opening between the two discs.
To finish it off, I made a small carrying loop from some some wire which was glued into a small hole I drilled into the top of the main dowel.
There you are. You're done with your capcatcher!
Image Notes
1. Here's what I was talking about at the end of step 7. Bottle caps would hit this part and bounce right out.
Image Notes
1. Little piece of fabric glued on to finish it off.
Step 10: Decorate your bottle caps
Why play with boring bottle caps? Get some Sharpies or paint, and make them funky.
Step 11: How to lay out an awesome disc golf course in your own home
To get the most out of your homemade capcatcher, you should lay out a series of fun holes to play inside your home. You can make more capcatchers, or just move
the same one around for each hole.
Like a regular outdoor disc golf course, there should be quite a bit of variety to make for a fun, challenging experience. Here are some ideas to help you lay out a great
indoor course:
1. Create a variety of hole-types, with some difficult and some not so difficult.
2. Assign a "par" rating for each hole. The lowest number of successful average throws to reach and get into the basket without any major mistakes should be par.
Birdies will happen when you make great throws, have a little luck, or make excellent recovery shots. (Having a par rating makes the game work--you've got to have a
standard to compare your performance against.)
3. More talented or experienced players should start each hole from a greater distance, or from a more difficult angle.
4. Take advantage of the specific features of your home to create challenging holes. Go down hallways, in and out of rooms, up and down staircases, etc.
5. Designate certain areas or elements of your home as penalty areas. Here are some examples:
- Create "sand traps" by naming certain sections of flooring, rugs, or furniture as such. If you land on these, the penalty is that you have to make your next shot with
your odd hand (left for righties, right for lefties).
- Create "water" areas the same way. If you land in these areas, you have to take a stroke penalty and shoot your next shot from the point where your cap first crossed
over into the "water area."
- Create "out-of-bounds" areas. If your bottle cap lands in these areas, you must take a one-stroke penalty and retake your shot from the previous location. Also, try
banning certain walls completely. If your bottle cap touches these walls at anytime, it is out-of-bounds.
_
Well, I hope I've inspired you to reuse some plastic bottles and make your own capcatcher to play indoor disc golf. I also hope I've given you some great ideas on
how to play.
Please leave comments and let me know what you think!
How to Play Disc Golf by wpuesey
44 Fanciful Uses for Dud Discs by Puzzledd
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Published by seamster on February 8, 2009
Intro: Mini potato cannon from PVC... and a coconut
Coconut shells can be used to make lots of neat stuff.
What follows is a a detailed description of something you should definitely NOT make out of a coconut. I more fully came to this realization shortly after it blew up in
my hands a couple of weeks after initially posting this instructable. The original content follows:
---
This is a tropical twist on your basic potato cannon, plus it doubles as a powered nerf gun.
With proper propellant, this makes a lovely "FWAP!!" sound and hurls potato chunks, nerf darts, and even mini-marshmallows flying through the air.
It features a menacing-looking faux suppressor, genuine leather barrel grip, and breech potato-loading capability.
Just a couple of things to keep in mind...
Coconuts are NOT PRESSURE RATED, were NEVER INTENDED FOR THIS TYPE OF USAGE, and are therefore NOT NECESSARILY SAFE to make a
cannon out of. I think that covers it.
I have made four of these to date, and haven't had a coconut blow up on me yet. (That still doesn't make it safe, or any less stupid, but I thought I'd mention it.)
For propellant, I have always used either hairspray or spray deodorant.
Step 1: Gather supplies
If you want to make one of these, you first need to find a suitable coconut.
If you are tropical-island-challenged like me, you'll have to buy a coconut from the grocery store. Try to find one that is a little bigger, fairly symmetrical, and free of
cracks. Avoid the "quick crack" variety, which have a scored line around them for easy opening.
You'll need some 1/2-inch PVC pipe, some couplers if you want to make the suppressor (one 1/2-inch, and two 3/4-inch), a 1- or 2-liter soda bottle, a lantern lighter,
and some basic tools.
Step 2: Sand and polish the coconut shell
This step isn't necessary, but I think polishing the coconut makes it look good.
You may want to keep it rough so it has a more Robinson Crusoe look. This may add to the "neat-o, it's a coconut!" effect as well.
If you want a nice, shiny coconut, start by using a scraper or putty knife to scrape off as much husk as possible.
Sand it smooth with sandpaper. I used my palm sander with 100 grit sandpaper.
To give it that shiny wet look, you could apply lacquer, or even rub it down with some vegetable oil. I gave mine a good spit-shine with some brown shoe polish.
Image Notes
1. A rough, unpolished coconut.
Step 3: Make hole in coconut
The barrel attaches to the coconut through the use of a modified soda bottle top and the soda bottle cap.
You need to cut a hole in the top of the coconut where the "mouth" is, through which you will have to remove all the coconut meat.
I used a 1 1/8-inch hole saw to cut a hole in the top of the coconut, starting the centering bit right in the coconut's mouth. The resulting hole was slightly bigger than the
soda bottle cap, but the gap was filled in later with glue.
If you don't have a hole saw, trace the soda bottle cap onto the coconut over the mouth hole. If you have a small bit (I'd say 1/8-inch or smaller), drill a tight series of
holes along the inside of the line, break out the piece, and then break off the bumpy edges and sand the inside of the hole smooth.
When I first made one of these, I didn't have any power tools. I actually used a pair of needle nose pliers to carefully break off little pieces around the mouth until I had
the right size of opening. This was fairly sloppy but it got the job done.
Image Notes
1. Eyes.
2. Mouth.
Step 4: Clean out coconut meat
Now you need to clean out the coconut meat. This is a bit of a challenge, but there are a couple of techniques that should make it easier.
Carefully slide a flat-head screwdriver in between the coconut meat and the shell and gently break small pieces of the coconut meat away from the shell. Dump the
pieces out as you go. Work your way further into the coconut, chipping and prying pieces of coconut away from the shell as you go.
Once you've cleaned out about the top half of the coconut, you can begin using a butter knife (or other long, skinny knife) to reach into the coconut and slice the meat
into sections. Use the screwdriver to pop these larger sections away from the shell. Just make sure that the sections you cut are no wider than the hole opening you
have to pull them out of!
After quite a bit of scraping and prying (and probably swearing), you should have an empty coconut shell.
Step 5: Make and attach the barrel suppressor
Cut a 14-inch length of 1/2-inch PVC pipe for the barrel. Clean up the cut edges with a bit of sandpaper if they are rough.
There's no practical reason for the non-functioning suppressor, other than it makes the cannon look a little more menacing.
I used two 3/4-inch couplers, and one 1/2-inch coupler to make the end of the barrel. I started by gluing the 1/2-inch coupler onto the end of the barrel. I clamped the
barrel securely to my table and filed down the coupler until the 3/4-inch couplers would fit over it snugly. I sanded it smooth, and cut off the half that protruded beyond
the end of the 1/2-inch PVC pipe. This piece was used to glue the two 3/4-inch couplers together.
Drill some rows of holes into the two joined couplers to make the suppressor look real, and glue it onto the barrel.
(I should mention that I used hot glue for everything on this project, and it has held up surprisingly well.)
Image Notes
1. The original barrel. I decided to upgrade to a slightly longer barrel with a suppressor and breech-loading.
Step 6: Finish the breech end of barrel
To make the mechanism for attaching the barrel to the coconut, begin by cutting the top off of the plastic soda bottle. This will be glued in place about one inch up from
the breech end of the barrel, with the threads facing downward.
Before you glue the bottle top onto the barrel, you should use a file or some heavy grit sandpaper to shave or sand down the bottom inch or so of the barrel so it tapers
to a sharp edge. This makes loading potato chunks easier.
Making the barrel this way eliminates the typical push-stick method of loading a potato cannon through the firing end of the barrel.
Step 7: Paint barrel and attach leather grip
I spray painted my barrel with flat black spray paint. This made it look pretty good.
I had some sticky-backed leather grip tape for a softball bat that I put it on the barrel. On top of making it easier to screw quickly into place, it made the barrel look
awesome.
A new roll of grip tape will cost about $6.
Step 8: Install the lantern lighter and finish the barrel mount
Drill a hole in the side of the coconut and install the lantern lighter. I put hot glue around the lighter where it meets the coconut to seal it up nice and tight, and to keep it
from sliding in and out or spinning around.
Glue the bottle cap into the coconut opening with hot glue. Make sure it is sealed well all around. Once the glue has cooled, use a sharp exacto blade to cut out the top
of the bottle cap (which should be facing inside the coconut).
You're done. Now go test fire it!
Step 9: Videos
This first video shows the potato loading technique and the cannon in action. You can't see the potato chunk shoot out of the cannon, but you can hear it fire, and you
can hear when the chunk hits the fence at the back of the yard.
I'm partial to hairspray, even though it eventually gunks things up. There are lots of other things that work for propellant as well.
This video shows a basic nerf dart being shot out of the cannon. You can actually see the fire blasting out of the barrel on this one.
Potato Cannon Test of My Biggest Cannon Shooting 800g Ammo by Spudbuster-TheBuG
The Potato Cannon by TEH ONE
My latest Potato cannon mods !!! by Whitedude0728
Air Cannon by rock climber
mini potato gun by knex luver234
How To Make A Potato Cannon (Combustion) Advanced Ep 2 of 2 by Spudbuster-TheBuG
How To Make A Potato Cannon (Combustion) Advanced Ep 1 of 2 by Spudbuster-TheBuG
Potato Cannon Upgrade by r3musik
Published by seamster on March 29, 2009
Intro: Homemade Foxtail-type Toy
This is a fairly simple way to reuse an old tennis ball to make a fun and entertaining toy. If you've never played with a Foxtail, they are surprisingly fun. They're great for
playing games like 500 and Flyer's Up, and dogs just love them. If you aren't the maker type, you can buy one here:
http://www.klutz.com/catalog/product/1208
...Or you could make one yourself!
Image Notes
1. This is the first one I made, probably about four years ago. It's been heavily used, lost and found many times, and it still works just like new.
Step 1: What you'll need
An old tennis ball
Some scrap fabric (preferably lightweight nylon)
Sewing machine
Dental floss
Sewing needle
Needle-nose pliers (maybe)
Step 2: Cut the fabric for tail
You need a 30-inch long piece of fabric that is 9 inches wide on one end, which tapers (on center) to 2 inches at the other end.
I sewed various pieces of scrap fabric together so there were three separate sections, and then trimmed the whole thing to the right dimensions. (An easier way would
be to just use one whole piece of fabric to begin with.)
Having sections in the tail with varying colors is nice if you plan to play a game like 500, because it allows for different point values based on where you catch the
foxtail. For example, catching the ball itself is worth 25 points, the first section is worth 50, the second section is worth 75, and smallest tail section is worth 100. (I
recommend this point value arrangement, as the farther from the ball you try to catch it, the more difficult it is.)
("500" is a game where one person throws (or bats) a ball to a group of people, and individuals try to catch the ball in order to get a specified amount of points. The
first one to reach 500 points becomes the thrower, and everyone else's points go back to zero. That's the basics--there are lots of variations.)
Step 3: Sew the tail
Fold your triangular piece of fabric in half lengthwise, and with a 3/8" seam allowance sew it closed along the long side, and across the short, narrow tip of the tail.
(Don't sew the wide end shut!)
(You may notice that your piece of fabric is now a right triangle. If you're worried that it will sit crooked on your tennis ball, you can trim off a little from the open end
to make it into a nice isosceles triangle (picture 2). Otherwise, don't worry about it. It won't make much difference anyway.)
Now fold the tail right-side out.
Step 4: Insert tennis ball into tail section
You now need to place the tennis ball into the opening of the tail. This might be a little tricky, but you'll get it.
On the open end of the tail, fold the top inch or so down into the tail section, and gently place the ball into the opening. Carefully pull the fabric up over the tennis ball a
little at a time, working your way around the ball. It should be nice and snug. You don't want the tail to cover up more than about half of the tennis ball.
This may take a couple of tries, but that's ok. See the video in the next step if you need help with this.
Image Notes
1. Fold some fabric down inside the tail like this.
Step 5:
Step 6: Stitch the tail to the tennis ball
Dental floss works great for things like this. It's super strong, and the waxiness makes it so it doesn't unravel easily. You should use about 30 inches of floss, placed
through the needle with the two ends tied evenly, so it's doubled up.
You will want to use a strong needle, and perhaps a pair of needle-nose pliers to help push an pull the needle. Make sure to stitch through just a little bit of the tennis
ball felt with each stitch. Don't puncture the tennis ball with the needle. That's not the intention here!
In picture 1, you can see that the tip of my needle is slightly bent. This makes things a little easier, so you may want to use those pliers to give your needle tip a little
bend.
Picture 2 shows a good way to tie off the first stitch so the thread will never pull through and begin to unravel. Stitch your way around the tennis ball, tie it off really
well, and you're done.
That's it! Go outside, swing it around a couple of times, and let her rip!
(Be sure to let me know what you think!)
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Tennis Grande by JoeMurphy
How to make a Money Muncher from an old tennis ball by sharon13m
How to make a heavy duct tape tennis ball (Pitcher's Ball) by mehasakoolname
How to make a target for fencing practice. by Tomton
Dog-Training toy by N1NJAPR013
How To Make an Awesome Cat Toy by RoddyTheGreat
How To Make A Tennis Ball Tug Toy For Cheap by Doggie Stylish
Table of Contents
Title Page
Introduction
Table of Contents
Wood Whittling 101
Cobra Weave Key Fob
Paracord Bullwhip
TREAD BELT
A Timing Belt Belt
Record Bowls
How to Bind Off
How to Cast On
Acorn Bracelet
Leather Didgeridoo
Copyright
Disclaimer
Table of Contents
Title Page
Introduction
Table of Contents
Wood Whittling 101
Cobra Weave Key Fob
Paracord Bullwhip
TREAD BELT
A Timing Belt Belt
Record Bowls
How to Bind Off
How to Cast On
Acorn Bracelet
Leather Didgeridoo
Copyright
Disclaimer

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