tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26106605479756973782024-02-06T22:44:37.978-05:00• Traumerei •Mixed MediaTraumereihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02172237714179404537noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2610660547975697378.post-52828921256331770612011-01-03T13:23:00.002-05:002011-01-03T13:28:37.095-05:00MOVED!Hooray! I have my own website now --> <a href="http://www.alexglow.com">www.alexglow.com</a><br /><br />All posts have been ported over from here, there's a new one up, and I'll keep updating in the same vein... so if you were following this blog (all one of you), you should go click "Subscribe" :)<br /><br />HAPPY NEW YEAR!Traumereihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02172237714179404537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2610660547975697378.post-62051150080375322602010-11-13T15:02:00.011-05:002010-11-15T13:07:12.194-05:00Electric fingers, warm hands<div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left; ">Huzzah! There's a <a href="http://igniteshow.com/videos/do-breadboards-dream-electric-jam">video</a> up of my Ignite talk from last month. There was a lot I wanted to say about electronics and music -- perhaps too much for the time allotted -- but hopefully some of it stuck.</div><div><br /></div><div>Last Friday, Pokey and I went to see <a href="http://jazarimusic.com/">Jazari</a> - a one-man band comprised of Patrick Flanagan and his drums (solenoid-driven djembe/bongos, servo'd shakers, claves, etc.). Flanagan deftly achieves his goal of making electronic performance visually stimulating: the music is complex and thrilling; the machines are mesmerizing. One half of his controller (made from a Wiimote) is adorned with supa-badass springbok horns. Check it out:</div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhktKkjfku0LEVURmh4KvNdc8FvLltkF3YD1L_yQYcYFcdfb1HsdTVbLvlZUgWNI_r_RJW7TUWkzlm4mXpJ6eiSxnmeho1i6K2LZdYn4oXU2hzU_os-XjPTxRkD5E6WtA_HMySUROYgB9vL/s1600/jazari.PNG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhktKkjfku0LEVURmh4KvNdc8FvLltkF3YD1L_yQYcYFcdfb1HsdTVbLvlZUgWNI_r_RJW7TUWkzlm4mXpJ6eiSxnmeho1i6K2LZdYn4oXU2hzU_os-XjPTxRkD5E6WtA_HMySUROYgB9vL/s320/jazari.PNG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539137077316664242" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 273px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center; ">LEGIT.</div><div><br /></div><div>From time to time, the overhead projector displayed the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_(software)">Max/MSP</a> patch he was using. It was hugely complex, but probably less so when you understand it; Pokey then recommended me its open-source counterpart, <a href="http://puredata.info/downloads">Pure Data</a> (Pd). It's pretty glorious; I recommend <a href="http://www.pd-tutorial.com/english/">this tutorial</a> for a running start.</div><div><br /></div><div>[Side note about Patrick's gorgeous business cards: they are gorgeous. He burned his name and info into chips of Spanish cedar, the wood selected for its aroma. That's my kind of artist.]</div><div><br /></div><div>My first Pd project was a <a href="http://alexglow.posterous.com/binaural-beats">patch</a> that generates <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binaural_beats">binaural beats</a>, which can be changed on the fly while it's running. I'm a bit skeptical of this technique; it works on the proven fact that your brainwaves pulse at different rates when you concentrate or relax. The lower frequencies correspond to chilled-out states, all the way down to NREM sleep; the more alert and focused you are, the higher the frequency. Proponents of binaural beats posit that you can affect your disposition by syncing your brainwaves to frequencies pumped in through your ears. I've never gotten it to work, but then, I'm a Spanish major / hobbyist, not a scientist. So go figure.</div><div style="text-align: center; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6dwm-pzOlvlgvWe0WIsp0jSGAcUFq9w3Fjg8I7w5gMGiJhU-6Uv0wFGaiLncsYXTpwqVLRGGDwYsX3Y2a00oiXzLU3BrPDmVcfEY2Il3ji7QUZmpTLXX99iPVoXmrDFsqinJKZPO0NNUD/s1600/binaural+osc+diagram.png"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6dwm-pzOlvlgvWe0WIsp0jSGAcUFq9w3Fjg8I7w5gMGiJhU-6Uv0wFGaiLncsYXTpwqVLRGGDwYsX3Y2a00oiXzLU3BrPDmVcfEY2Il3ji7QUZmpTLXX99iPVoXmrDFsqinJKZPO0NNUD/s320/binaural+osc+diagram.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539833329118100994" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 234px; " /></a></div><div>People generally use binaural beats from the low end (delta waves) to normal "concentrating" frequency (beta waves). This encompasses a range from 2-4 Hz - that is, two to four pulses per second - up to about 30 Hz. But your ears can't hear frequencies that low, so this method uses a workaround: instead of listening to a single tone at 8 Hz, you hear two tones, one in each ear, 8 Hz apart. This creates an aural "wobble" effect, 8 times per second. (You have to use headphones in order to hear the two frequencies separately and get the wobble.)</div><div><div style="text-align: left; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: left; ">Many binaural recordings are available on the internet, but most use higher-pitched frequencies, while I prefer lower tones around 120 Hz. Making my own is more fun, and more enjoyable than listening to tinny ear-wobbles over recorded rainforest noises. You can download my Pd patch on <a href="http://alexglow.posterous.com/binaural-beats">Posterous</a>; again, I haven't had any results, but maybe you'll get something. I'll probably update the patch in a bit.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;">•••••</div><div style="text-align: left;">Stay tuned for some knitting and crocheting... Michigan is getting cooooolllllddd.</div></div></div></div>Traumereihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02172237714179404537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2610660547975697378.post-12389420122036200562010-11-01T17:00:00.005-04:002010-11-01T17:11:43.087-04:00ENOUGH!<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNC54zKVXIljP-we-yqPKVWoe_NmZl-eLEeq89PRfhoeFdW5c45wwOOkRrVtetEDNxdVeqWSXwZex_ULBOGhBP3tfyxVwmJk8Xq1HlaNDtnxY-O5sc-L6pdjKvkfJV6j96RkVpDvNMgFE1/s1600/epic+zombie+makeup.JPG"></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Too many posts with no pictures! I OWE IT TO THE WORLD to share images of my stupid projects!</div><br />So here's one for you...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpvmDJadjM17jNe4_5ERy69CdTGRAPw5gteLqCpc4iyyHm2o02XKBvIVVutbQtXUFvefijVU90oOK5ERNRt1c2a1m0r5SsFYbdB4WImY6NuhuD5XdbE_9i0mPhp_63jOJX5SVkJo4eZrxi/s1600/hypnoray.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 288px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpvmDJadjM17jNe4_5ERy69CdTGRAPw5gteLqCpc4iyyHm2o02XKBvIVVutbQtXUFvefijVU90oOK5ERNRt1c2a1m0r5SsFYbdB4WImY6NuhuD5XdbE_9i0mPhp_63jOJX5SVkJo4eZrxi/s320/hypnoray.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533905999619538690" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">THE INVISI-RAY</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div>On Tuesday, we at All Hands Active got our shiny new bylaws ratified (provisionally), then elected our Board of Directors, of which I'm one! To celebrate, I grabbed an old Energizer headlamp I'd been using as a bike light until it started corroding, and swapped out the white LEDs for IR ones. (This is the next step on my journey toward becoming a cyborg with augmented senses.)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUtjAajHzB4XZqtjFVQsIAcIsGcPkN2qd9873baUMzrcJ6zp853QLFtnDiqWueMTGpjNKL05BcA2l2AMTAS9X3ja2BzXb_DvOdxtj7Lm5qQ0fcdPBOwxsOkJPWcewOCCdXw8-fFIBdp27Q/s1600/IMG_6846+materials.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUtjAajHzB4XZqtjFVQsIAcIsGcPkN2qd9873baUMzrcJ6zp853QLFtnDiqWueMTGpjNKL05BcA2l2AMTAS9X3ja2BzXb_DvOdxtj7Lm5qQ0fcdPBOwxsOkJPWcewOCCdXw8-fFIBdp27Q/s320/IMG_6846+materials.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533906729784899042" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Science Materials!</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I found four of them in this box, three of which worked, which was just swell. They look pretty much the same as white LEDs...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLE32T-xSzrC_I9CLi73zjdS2EQx3JZRa5bBh8J0S0Xy2PqSYSgF4eAko6AWxui1hdjEgaLaahp_s6vykZV-GJc7Eo0c-EHy1RJWd4YDs8zfKx_-Er8U8nADTOaZB1ecTkzdtrcgqLoT8G/s1600/IMG_6844+ir+leds.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 123px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLE32T-xSzrC_I9CLi73zjdS2EQx3JZRa5bBh8J0S0Xy2PqSYSgF4eAko6AWxui1hdjEgaLaahp_s6vykZV-GJc7Eo0c-EHy1RJWd4YDs8zfKx_-Er8U8nADTOaZB1ecTkzdtrcgqLoT8G/s320/IMG_6844+ir+leds.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533906723861757874" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">yeah they look basically the same</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />The difference is that it's a lot harder to tell whether IR ones are on or off. I tested them with some button batteries and Roxanne's infrared eye. (Roxanne is a wheeled tower housing a CPU, a pair of speakers, a keyboard, a handheld mouse, an LCD monitor, a regular webcam, and <a href="http://alexglow.posterous.com/infrared-webcam-experimentation">an IR one</a>. She stays logged into AHA's IRC channel and - when set up - takes a picture of the space every 30 seconds. She is our assistant and protector; she has a glorious future yet to come.)<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS9j_Bm4QzjZ3Y7HpoJGIYp_2K1gv6oG-RIwBHHPYj_x9yfxAeZcYsL4WK7qXmpoAZkiM8A2EeZuiBzKojblfGbC6IKro_xxJGQyflKct4EP_YhIMd57EJpNOUiz5sZ4xxI8GtsT3dUPqo/s320/2010-10-26-233919.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534670087130804898" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 262px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>This light is invisible to the unaided human eye.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I took out the three screws on the back of the case and set them aside. The back popped off very easily, and while the soldering iron warmed up, I took a spare LED and tested the white LEDs' connections to see which way they were hooked up, with the lamp switch on.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkLYFN-auhkgx6ViibyScqfKY4W5LjDn6eZjLAmN7vmPtee4E7kxpKVsujJ6JWtUvhzsgAndGzMJ11PpeI2ZPZjeUW9nPbxvNYIu03vVWvfyRJs1O3iSRPM5yJHmpqx0p-D6Qb14O4GELm/s320/artblog+led+test.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534679832000050738" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 230px; height: 283px; " /></div><div style="text-align: left;">LED, as you probably know, stands for "Light-Emitting Diode". A diode is a component that allows current to pass through it one way, but not the other. So I had to hook up the LEDs in the right direction, or else they simply wouldn't turn on. With new LEDs, the positive leg is almost always cut longer than the negative one, but on a circuit board the leads have usually been cut close to the board. As it turned out, this headlamp had the white LEDs hooked up with the positive legs to the outside.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0eUpxjfREGoDENRNFL-iKIOtz4QbsdP7ggzteNV5uSyWZROc5XR1X-phL7_senKOo8Y2o7mYFB0E7FhULacwi02vZbjeFlF2VclZwuYRuNrmTkELud7-8_49oANUv5VIR2x850EX-JfSg/s320/IMG_6847+lamp+open.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533906739440932866" border="0" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 146px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">My IR LEDs were conveniently sized the same as the old white ones, so with some careful bending, they fit right back in the proper holes. (The middle one there shines red when the switch is moved in the opposite direction - like darkroom lamps, very convenient when one is standing in the dark for extended periods.)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The transformation complete, I put the housing back together and tested it. Here's what it looks like, switched off:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWcKgvViDscNL9k9OBBs_tH49nWMkdiw-6O9p01JMXMJqDuPOyoCg4A7Ku7GGnbejNtWo7zoS51yOjpX4I7Sj52JJ22AyZBmWEBq1taKZNw7YqxvjTvHD7cBalDTl7mDYPxe7Ew5dEpMtr/s320/IMG_6909+on+headlamp.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533907770972475730" border="0" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 226px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">And switched on:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWcKgvViDscNL9k9OBBs_tH49nWMkdiw-6O9p01JMXMJqDuPOyoCg4A7Ku7GGnbejNtWo7zoS51yOjpX4I7Sj52JJ22AyZBmWEBq1taKZNw7YqxvjTvHD7cBalDTl7mDYPxe7Ew5dEpMtr/s320/IMG_6909+on+headlamp.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533907770972475730" border="0" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 226px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">And switched on, through an IR camera:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgWt3qXdd687jea9-SLqE4mpzDrUMaPgNx8m_XclnRGex0Uk9LZ_Q6gfaFKVvWioQc2i6WVllI_69aFcZg3JNC-HL8wWOnLSbMkFkjR0NmUtE1RowKlFWVlfoAAprtsyVLPvrLfmd2U1ei/s320/on+headlamp+ir.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533906750100971250" border="0" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 203px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Maahhhvelous! I got a bunch of purple-hued portraits of AHA! people (yay for locking people in dark bathrooms!), then documented the Zombie Walk a few days later. Results are <a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2911784&id=2227831&l=a1087a3ced">here</a>! A few samples:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI3gGW-bS4TOZayaXVyfme2ruGOzUYkCYaPdz_Y7wDsDdWsMM-QdQkG-hssWnZz_oS-1EnFJuMCljaU5Z8aFEmDF3b7JNVdjYsdro-DQmRWtbFVYMYaJsCstteMVNGxaaUuxOImcaOo0od/s320/jhb2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534685667317364178" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Jacob Huge Beard displays the usual desaturation of black dyes.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNC54zKVXIljP-we-yqPKVWoe_NmZl-eLEeq89PRfhoeFdW5c45wwOOkRrVtetEDNxdVeqWSXwZex_ULBOGhBP3tfyxVwmJk8Xq1HlaNDtnxY-O5sc-L6pdjKvkfJV6j96RkVpDvNMgFE1/s320/epic+zombie+makeup.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534685660785667410" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div><i>Epic zombie dude's makeup is largely transparent, revealing the white base mask underneath.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiikIwpB5bEnn-9jyGlyrQXRRGLeJTVH5MjEK411OOfZf1alMuvulqlkfmwktL5852Oa0TVgIoPygG61p4I_8jxtABZZkbBNtBiDvrpuIyn5sfUC_sqVNW1qqOs5G6gTh79by_Fuw9CoLEh/s320/gary+wilson.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534685653528021490" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div><i>Pokey's Gary Wilson lipstick is also invisible.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmPAXeIbesDPFm8q1sSgF1kKjnd8K39SUvln0F06J2AmlgmVRMbp_usJ7SP8lZx0u_wbBiWOSY1wW3rXrdUTovNiHeUPn_addW5rlobHYjhuGd4soYWsZVSLSnnKP53LH5lFAaU-RN_aP/s320/merlin+crazy+eyes.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534685649563052370" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>An advantage to shooting with invisible light: you can shine it right in people's eyes (for limited periods of time, of course).</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Once more, the rest of the photos are available for browsin' on the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2911784&id=2227831&l=a1087a3ced">Facebooks</a>.</div></div></div></div>Traumereihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02172237714179404537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2610660547975697378.post-33618540646060101372010-10-24T19:54:00.011-04:002010-10-26T11:14:02.125-04:00Tea and IRC: Autumn again.I'm sitting on a couch, with cushions and a blanket, wrapped in pajamas with my favorite black sweater, thick burgundy over-the-knee socks, and long grey arm warmers. I have a mug of PG Tips and some peanut butter toast. It's about 8 pm and in an hour, some of us are going to play handball. (We played until 3am last night, against the big Art Museum wall; I still had on most of my pirate clothes from the <a href="http://a2treasurehunt.com/">scavenger hunt</a>.) Autumn life is slow, full and slumbersome.<br /><div><br /></div><div>In the last two days, I've found two things at <a href="http://www.digitalops.com/">Digital Ops</a> that I'd thought long lost: my favorite fountain pen, an Ohto Tasche with Noodler's Nightshade ink, and my camera. While I've missed photographing most of this gorgeous October, I intend to make up for that starting tonight. Ann Arbor's October is the best month anywhere. Here is my <a href="http://8tracks.com/alexglow/october-rain">soundtrack</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've managed to spend a lot of my time this autumn outside, and as the light dies, I'm staying out of the <a href="http://www.allhandsactive.com/">hackerspace</a> more to savor its last golden dregs. We've been hashing out bylaws for the organization, and figuring out where we want to head for the future. In the meantime, I'm learning to program IRC bots in Python.</div><div><br /></div><div>This deeper exploration of IRC, or chatrooms-plus, is my latest attempt at getting presence logging up for the 'space. I tried with QR codes, but my hilariously convoluted scheme was thwarted when I couldn't find free webhosting that still lets you just type HTML in a box and have done with it. Things have come a long way since 9th grade, I guess; everybody has fancy templates and drag-and-drop GUI-based widget tomfoolery.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've been learning Python from <a href="http://www.sleepynate.com/">Nate</a>, and stealing bot code from Nima and Noam. My current setup includes:</div><div>• My old iBook, plugged in at home - a moody server full of caprice, which at random begins holding down the comma, m, or space key. It's great to be able to use this computer for something, as it's taken a couple of flying leaps and now has to be opened with a shoehorn.</div><div>• Traumbot - my first functional bot, built from Nima's Prozacbot. When it's active in your channel, it appears as another user. If you type "!present", it will note that you are present at AHA!, appending your username, the date, and the time to a tab-delimited text file stored in my <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.dropbox.com">Dropbox</a>. I can open up this file in Excel and see columns "user", "daet", and "tiem" with the relevant information. My next task is to rewrite Traumbot to make it sleeker and more extensible. Traumbot can also record people's <a href="http://alexglow.tumblr.com/post/1393648271/sample-of-my-terrible-irc-bot-code-python">fetishes</a> (work-safe).</div><div><br /></div><div>Traumbot is really "Traumbot ibn ibnGruem"... for a while, I named all the test bots according to the one they branched off of - hence, Merlinbot ibn Prozac, Grumbot ibn Merlin, [Presencebot] ibn Gruem, then this one. If you'd like to drop in and watch the testing, check out #merlinpanic on irc.freenode.net (a popular IRC server network).</div>Traumereihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02172237714179404537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2610660547975697378.post-48073290011392560402010-10-12T20:00:00.004-04:002010-10-12T20:00:00.385-04:00Ignite!Right now (or very soon), I'm presenting at the fourth <a href="http://www.igniteannarbor.com/?p=463">Ignite (Ann Arbor)</a>. I'm probably nervous, so if you see this, please shout "FACE!" at me. It'll make me laugh, and that is always good. If you're not here, text me when you see me come on the live stream linked above! If lots of people do this, you may be able to see me twitch with shock :D<div><br /></div><div>I've got the Ataritar with me onstage; it's the shiny black guitar-thing that isn't a guitar. (If you want details, scroll down!) The <a href="http://alexglow.blogspot.com/2010/03/do-breadboards-dream-of-electric-jam.html">Angry Amp</a> is also up here. I've also got the jankiest plug console that was ever janked together the night before a presentation, because I need to plug the Ataritar, a piezo, and my iPod into the Amp at different points. Grunge-tastic!</div><div><br /></div><div>Should you wish to explore the diagrams later, you can download a PDF of my presentation <a href="http://drop.io/ncmpdat/asset/glowaski-breadboards-pdf">here</a> (I believe this dropbox will expire in 30 days).</div><div><br /></div><div>And if you enjoyed this talk, you should heed my words and come to All Hands Active, the hackerspace located in Digital Ops on Liberty. Several of our own have given Ignite talks in the past, including (Matt) Oishi, Xander Honkala, Bilal Ghalib, and Anthony Oliver. You'll also be able to meet Pokey, whose tongue and ears can be seen in the presentation. Awesome people; awesome times.</div>Traumereihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02172237714179404537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2610660547975697378.post-34302983404028751942010-09-09T03:09:00.006-04:002010-09-09T03:15:59.675-04:00Ataritar - Part II<div><div style="text-align: left; ">So! I finished a thing! And there wasn't even a looming event for which I had to complete it.</div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiay9XL2qi0TxjPmUuIoszziYGtQgWHi4hiVquDUXIvOS6hd0-whj13w7iHoh1SSu5T_mpx9OBnTtBaAmfifCJ0JkbTEwvQDJetdT9vpAeAM430rVgECLLWRPW2JEAdYEcSNrj-yWYStqFh/s1600/IMG_6754+playing+1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiay9XL2qi0TxjPmUuIoszziYGtQgWHi4hiVquDUXIvOS6hd0-whj13w7iHoh1SSu5T_mpx9OBnTtBaAmfifCJ0JkbTEwvQDJetdT9vpAeAM430rVgECLLWRPW2JEAdYEcSNrj-yWYStqFh/s320/IMG_6754+playing+1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514801441188404210" /></a><div><div style="text-align: center;">Video up on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uA-osdCbeNI">YouTube</a>!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When we left off last time, the Atari Punk Console tone generator was mounted to my newly-customized electric guitar body. After that, I removed most of the guitar's original circuitry from the pickguard, leaving the switches and 1/4" mono jack. One of the switches became a simple on/off for the APC, while the other awaits some future adventure. (I may simply wire up another jack there, so that another instrument can be run into the amp simultaneously.)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1zTJfBBI0qVewczy0oFo9BxDMxz6Ka-ZKHcUr4G7MgfUM9J0AO_lEixu8YHSJoc2tm4bIs6KnMI-cK7C1puVACDlXZ1W8Zm5VCE8pL4kuYfwTvNHN-tZDCN8f46nrC3BGBq5xIdrQprOE/s1600/IMG_6738+complete+2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 186px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1zTJfBBI0qVewczy0oFo9BxDMxz6Ka-ZKHcUr4G7MgfUM9J0AO_lEixu8YHSJoc2tm4bIs6KnMI-cK7C1puVACDlXZ1W8Zm5VCE8pL4kuYfwTvNHN-tZDCN8f46nrC3BGBq5xIdrQprOE/s320/IMG_6738+complete+2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514801349415224434" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Aww, baby pictures are the best.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Having removed the guitar's Tone and Volume knobs, I replaced them with the APC's two potentiometers - serendipitously spaced the perfect distance apart, still mounted to the console. (I used a Dremel and a hand rasp - quite possibly the least efficient tools possible - to grind away some wood so that the PCB would fit.)</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHeKZ2z2gHPkwuzED0gS1MT4-g_-R2UWMkeSuATkLPe8EbNRrZJ2Tbotn7H7ySix7Q8IKc53uMA-n_8QsH0wTvrBU0YGk7RWgE441ivTYJX-Vf02_D5nt67zRgnpKTtw1VLJueYM8yTyCZ/s1600/IMG_6736+closeup+3.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHeKZ2z2gHPkwuzED0gS1MT4-g_-R2UWMkeSuATkLPe8EbNRrZJ2Tbotn7H7ySix7Q8IKc53uMA-n_8QsH0wTvrBU0YGk7RWgE441ivTYJX-Vf02_D5nt67zRgnpKTtw1VLJueYM8yTyCZ/s320/IMG_6736+closeup+3.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514801340663465458" /></a>The extra pot (which I still haven't entirely figured out) and button (to be removed, eventually) just got sort of shoved off to the side... but the 9V fits nicely into the top slot, tucked behind the pickguard.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqZV6ntlZHWwrX_SWqz3niTJdi-orPUl4ouiLrMEuRmwkrDmfuURjqdQO-MBnq4ltjVZdGVYIpobned5xXwB8gIXmz8sU2aZvgDSe40PGF8B37crkAfLdhjotb4hDXuD41hyCI_Tk8SjSI/s1600/IMG_6759+insides+4.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqZV6ntlZHWwrX_SWqz3niTJdi-orPUl4ouiLrMEuRmwkrDmfuURjqdQO-MBnq4ltjVZdGVYIpobned5xXwB8gIXmz8sU2aZvgDSe40PGF8B37crkAfLdhjotb4hDXuD41hyCI_Tk8SjSI/s320/IMG_6759+insides+4.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514801333011401058" /></a>I put magnets on the pickguard and body, so that the guts are easily accessible. One wire wraps around to the back...</div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgepxLfA1lkTwBQsBa28p3Dw7wSIuGThLB72ZOTcZBKw_sHK3KZV3sXkVd6Cr526njdVvJcXoQPmd11GXM__Vp74H-qxns3SeAwwOhV_HJ2z24qjfoXBeeiDpz1b1C9gfYIce03fXpFZuf_/s320/IMG_6760+back+closeup+6.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 220px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514801307953036498" />...where it connects to the conductive tape. Here is the excellent secret of this instrument! It uses YOUR BODY as a replacement for one of the potentiometers, an idea I stole from the <a href="http://web.media.mit.edu/~silver/drawdio/">Drawdio</a>. The APC has "touch" solder pads, which, when connected to some sort of variable resistor, replace one of the pots. I connected one pad to the conductive tape, and one to a loose wire that comes out of the guitar front. (This has since been prettied/practical'd up, with a washer and another magnet.) In order to vary the resistance, you hold the loose wire with your right hand and tighten/loosen your grip on a) the wire and b) the metal tape. The more surface contact with the metal, the better the conductance, and the higher the sound.</div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOAMmG0NbLrYIy2We_Dk_5imBEaeHiwSKGIFGRGAAJHwVQCORQopvwf2vo7nbhAinTq7Nn3RZg63pfqDr9oEm6lDkUIdiZaukn0fZzR4eR8GFkdFkNXbJ6xEorwc5ZkvLPAxBPZp2V1xSo/s320/IMG_6761+back+5.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 186px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514801324536783298" /></div><div><div style="text-align: left;">...<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uA-osdCbeNI">KERRAAANNNNGG!</a></div></div>Traumereihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02172237714179404537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2610660547975697378.post-42406395626029507332010-08-27T00:18:00.009-04:002010-08-27T10:35:34.207-04:00Ataritar - Part I<div style="text-align: left;">So!</div><div><div>The Good People of AHA! went to Maker Faire Detroit. There were many <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/allhandsactive/MakerFaireDetroitTheJourneyThere#">misadventures</a> along the way, but we got there, and I got to show people the <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/allhandsactive/MakerFaireDetroitTheJourneyThere#5509021172522771682">cyborg juggling machine</a>, <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/allhandsactive/MakerFaireDetroitTheJourneyThere#5509021235714094850">Skate-Tar, goggles, Angry Amp, and (sorta) LED rope dart</a>. Then, <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/allhandsactive/81110MitchJimmieMattVisitAHA#">Mitch Altman and Jimmie Rodgers came to visit us</a>, along with Matt Mets, MAKE's resident blogger and all-around excellent fellow. (Mitch and Jimmie were also awesome!) The night before their soldering workshop, we got together for beers at Grizzly Peak, a jam session including the unholy marriage of Skate-Tar and Jimmie's <a href="http://jimmieprodgers.com/kits/apc/">Atari Punk Console</a>, and a <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/allhandsactive/81110MitchJimmieMattVisitAHA#">photo battle</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Since then, some of us have been working on Roxanne, our beautiful all-in-one makerspace monitor/memory; I'm going to build her ears and pharynx. And she will come with us to the <a href="http://makerfaire.com/newyork/2010/">NYC Global Maker Faire</a> in September. But my main project for now is the ATARITAR!</div></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS7BlrLuqmiT34UsBH6D51Oy-W15ezhqCDUIsIaS-5UFybOSIvrcBuKjPDNZg0uSZt_Mt6jEZWmaMFiZe4y-bAttVVsE37X1RYDnJDSet2jaupviCegdaMuoHhir-GFaCwjcPUZLDoZP2Q/s1600/IMG_6588+atari+punk+1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS7BlrLuqmiT34UsBH6D51Oy-W15ezhqCDUIsIaS-5UFybOSIvrcBuKjPDNZg0uSZt_Mt6jEZWmaMFiZe4y-bAttVVsE37X1RYDnJDSet2jaupviCegdaMuoHhir-GFaCwjcPUZLDoZP2Q/s320/IMG_6588+atari+punk+1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509926649252684002" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Atari Punk Console (APC), speaker replaced with 1/8" plug</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Jimmie brought these into the space for the workshop; it's an audio tone generator, controlled by two potentiometers. I wanted one, but didn't want to buy a full kit, so I was going to order just the PCB... and then I discovered an unfinished one, consigned to a lonely drawer long ago. Goodtiems!</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifznHFpU6wVYaUGwks1tFCucWueA8rsXVWgui1Qbpw2LhEsK3H4_mxEDhtzZd3RqvQY9a0l5g9nYrakuryNinEZ1xDj43akU6NVvWsyeo3r5v9Uwkfd9B5sAP3cw6iO3LWQnlrjdke-frB/s1600/IMG_6585+tars+2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifznHFpU6wVYaUGwks1tFCucWueA8rsXVWgui1Qbpw2LhEsK3H4_mxEDhtzZd3RqvQY9a0l5g9nYrakuryNinEZ1xDj43akU6NVvWsyeo3r5v9Uwkfd9B5sAP3cw6iO3LWQnlrjdke-frB/s320/IMG_6585+tars+2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509926644018416098" /></a><div style="text-align: left;">The APC is going to be mounted onto a stripped-down electric guitar body; the strings, tuning hardware, and pickups were removed some time ago. Here, you can see the back of the pickguard, which has a 1/4" mono jack, 2 pots (Volume and Tone), and two switches (for the absent pickups). I've replaced the wiring to one of the switches with a 1/8" jack, so that I can plug the APC in where a pickup would go, and at this point a 1/4" jack can run from the pickguard to my Angry Amp (not pictured). This allows me to run the APC through the guitar hardware to the amp. I hooked up a 1/4" jack to the other switch; in the picture above, the APC and Skate-Tar are both plugged into the guitar 'ware, running through to the amp. Interesting noises!</div></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWTUWVdSKZ9F_Bmh9mKBnRn2nbVRCp8HwdE7s9GMNFhRGRByfTiOzYv62pmisCXXGSiJLDQKeak1dKiNOwSEEb56hOt6ox78Wq3Qa1O8_du1RJqO8Izr3e87AdJKKhay1uvM0O57g4IFM0/s1600/IMG_6613+opened+3.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWTUWVdSKZ9F_Bmh9mKBnRn2nbVRCp8HwdE7s9GMNFhRGRByfTiOzYv62pmisCXXGSiJLDQKeak1dKiNOwSEEb56hOt6ox78Wq3Qa1O8_du1RJqO8Izr3e87AdJKKhay1uvM0O57g4IFM0/s320/IMG_6613+opened+3.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509926638781762306" /></a>Next, I needed to cut down the pickguard to accommodate the addition of buttons and switches (being too lazy to drill holes). This was accomplished with wire cutters, tin snips, and a rasp. (A Dremel would've been much faster, but I was too lazy to get it out.)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu4NH6NOKFpiB1ao5DOHYWw9sPV9O1sSRAy15Wb824YgHnvY9pBX4_X_vUOD__dLywBMiSa7P6vUsxMiKPBKpM9ADcc8SaTwu8PS6tGcaFriRERnoTGR7SmOslqwGLQjalb1Ie0_B_i_kS/s1600/IMG_6618+some+cuts+4.JPG"></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu4NH6NOKFpiB1ao5DOHYWw9sPV9O1sSRAy15Wb824YgHnvY9pBX4_X_vUOD__dLywBMiSa7P6vUsxMiKPBKpM9ADcc8SaTwu8PS6tGcaFriRERnoTGR7SmOslqwGLQjalb1Ie0_B_i_kS/s1600/IMG_6618+some+cuts+4.JPG"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu4NH6NOKFpiB1ao5DOHYWw9sPV9O1sSRAy15Wb824YgHnvY9pBX4_X_vUOD__dLywBMiSa7P6vUsxMiKPBKpM9ADcc8SaTwu8PS6tGcaFriRERnoTGR7SmOslqwGLQjalb1Ie0_B_i_kS/s320/IMG_6618+some+cuts+4.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509926634148759234" /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">I also added some hackerspace stickers; these are from <a href="http://pumpingstationone.org/">Pumping Station: One</a> and <a href="http://www.omnicorpdetroit.com/blog/">OmniCorp Detroit</a>.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"></span><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEvwtFhAqRFEmg3LbQnoFsVy22utlICxrQR2fH0-ua7-qIttHwsEANaDuPllcbHwwS5pC9-gj4mitfvzLGInr7loTEqgXaeSb_zQBqt7prnFrvVzpo0qoXhlQvNyQnKEm1Do1SchQJnGrp/s320/IMG_6616+strap.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509932852442677602" style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span>And some other things, including a button from <a href="http://kwartzlab.ca/">kwartzlab</a> (Ontario-place) and patch from the MakerCity Faire.</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWrdz7ksRXuvUzLP7YRLQ8pbx9pLaUg2Rq26IwpjFwlk49tpmn7rND8_JkE-9bbYpib6yZ3oRVEjtOwSEFEnx0mMf1PfFweweYSEcIOOkXjP-IY2h40kZ-eL521mO6mUObFbLzs2qVW3DV/s1600/IMG_6622+ataritar+body+5.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWrdz7ksRXuvUzLP7YRLQ8pbx9pLaUg2Rq26IwpjFwlk49tpmn7rND8_JkE-9bbYpib6yZ3oRVEjtOwSEFEnx0mMf1PfFweweYSEcIOOkXjP-IY2h40kZ-eL521mO6mUObFbLzs2qVW3DV/s320/IMG_6622+ataritar+body+5.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509926624633311346" /></a><div>Finished pickguard! The silver Sharpie is just a fancy way to demarcate the "on" positions for the switches.</div><div><br /></div><div>The next step was to make the APC a permanent attachment to the 'tar. I removed the 1/8" plug and extended wires between the pots and PCB. However, these weakened connections caused the sound to turn into horrible, high, dolphin-like noises. As I'm going for a more bass effect, this was not the proper direction for things to be going.</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGQ_wLZVgcya-F0Un5NU6qY9e-JXoLO2b6C-W_dLyWYT6F5SagnGdQ3hnyV9akQh_P3dEXI42rxWofgg3A5MV9mGSDPmgK2hzZG6Kf9nDtrcCTCotshefBCOUABWTQLaD5U0Iu91bZbZCe/s1600/IMG_6623+xtend+6.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGQ_wLZVgcya-F0Un5NU6qY9e-JXoLO2b6C-W_dLyWYT6F5SagnGdQ3hnyV9akQh_P3dEXI42rxWofgg3A5MV9mGSDPmgK2hzZG6Kf9nDtrcCTCotshefBCOUABWTQLaD5U0Iu91bZbZCe/s320/IMG_6623+xtend+6.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509727982540747618" /></a>With much trepidation, I got the pots back onto the PCB, and it sounded good again.</div><div><br /></div><div>At this point, I took a break from soldering to enhance the aesthetic qualities of the instrument. I took the stickers off (having multiples), and used this paint that I found in my room while searching for a plastic bag... serendipity! (Paint originally from the excellent David Lamb.)</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7GVhfFdV2nXiPsgehQmW3ZNcfd-3cBtTg28S-Sp7hIc-SyIAv8xknkNAU13S3lqHJhmUAcwA_xqs1EDpq2XsShEM0MCgHcbQhT9TjKq73hVx_7EGxkNRPaAE1wepYbC6P4bDdNfIJIGUt/s1600/IMG_6629+paint+7.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7GVhfFdV2nXiPsgehQmW3ZNcfd-3cBtTg28S-Sp7hIc-SyIAv8xknkNAU13S3lqHJhmUAcwA_xqs1EDpq2XsShEM0MCgHcbQhT9TjKq73hVx_7EGxkNRPaAE1wepYbC6P4bDdNfIJIGUt/s320/IMG_6629+paint+7.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509727976730016434" /></a>Applied the paint in the women's bathroom at <a href="http://www.digitalops.com/">Digital Ops</a> (the whale to AHA's remora, also the oldest multiplayer gaming facility in North America). This tends to be the place where we contain noxious fumes, loud noises, flying sparks, and so on...</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXgKXM6lBkPqtdXGr4pxVSPTBm413ipXAR-6w1OXi1YL6Roe8sLjdTwjYn3Haqwn_w9a1hOicK5BQyIAe9-sHDQDcbq_s2lGg-RH_K7lWGbMt9a_NlvYeNBj9YPh29JYCEN0aXvN9NKHG3/s1600/IMG_6631+before+8.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 202px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXgKXM6lBkPqtdXGr4pxVSPTBm413ipXAR-6w1OXi1YL6Roe8sLjdTwjYn3Haqwn_w9a1hOicK5BQyIAe9-sHDQDcbq_s2lGg-RH_K7lWGbMt9a_NlvYeNBj9YPh29JYCEN0aXvN9NKHG3/s320/IMG_6631+before+8.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509727968579862786" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Before!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEievBi3XsiyKtanSt1YyZRaBwLPZHMwHQv0SJUuuN8WStTwMMl-qNPo7A2Xu6ec_dg4xv9_HJDgRSl4rrHo9Ve22HGw57Fd5KG2Vlx_oMcVDSfO-K6IjmoRgHOJdCgqyIvNv-mVwBH8i8g3/s1600/IMG_6633+after+front+9.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEievBi3XsiyKtanSt1YyZRaBwLPZHMwHQv0SJUuuN8WStTwMMl-qNPo7A2Xu6ec_dg4xv9_HJDgRSl4rrHo9Ve22HGw57Fd5KG2Vlx_oMcVDSfO-K6IjmoRgHOJdCgqyIvNv-mVwBH8i8g3/s320/IMG_6633+after+front+9.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509727966831579634" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">After!</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The paint is beautiful and glossy, just as promised. I put on threeish coats and a touch-up layer.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguO__bV6yRWed4YA3Z3Q7Cm3Wzbgy2yH8CirJlqMbfuNhgCnRkmNhJGChbKjtjNmUrR5IdFZhPN6T2xv4pJUvdVggQhGbSMm90VIk7yXr_TV9gZ51L_8baVz5tsjEijxI3oFgPlkbUnysQ/s1600/IMG_6645+merlin+10.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguO__bV6yRWed4YA3Z3Q7Cm3Wzbgy2yH8CirJlqMbfuNhgCnRkmNhJGChbKjtjNmUrR5IdFZhPN6T2xv4pJUvdVggQhGbSMm90VIk7yXr_TV9gZ51L_8baVz5tsjEijxI3oFgPlkbUnysQ/s320/IMG_6645+merlin+10.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509727958605542514" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">And my AHA! name :)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Thus concludes Part I of the Ataritar Saga! Since these pictures were taken, I've managed to integrate the APC fully into the guitar body and added magnets and such. The next installment will contain an update on whatever variable resistor I manage to scrounge together.</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Exciting! :D</div>Traumereihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02172237714179404537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2610660547975697378.post-66175403107605720292010-07-29T13:34:00.011-04:002010-08-03T17:49:32.528-04:00SKATE-TAR<div>UPDATE: Maker Faire Detroit: EXCELLENT TIMES.</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicbR6oLZQNGEgN5cM01gl8lSJ2YBXL0iB_sy1pKuvv7FcMwFTebs0XkhSZM0Dk8cIbpYrbklI_mtLqsoNDfjrnRBn_EjYsQFNKBxKUZzIGEj6JKbib5RhSvfJtxN5BFgWmNSRSBaWrwUN_/s1600/IMG_6299+tar+awesome.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicbR6oLZQNGEgN5cM01gl8lSJ2YBXL0iB_sy1pKuvv7FcMwFTebs0XkhSZM0Dk8cIbpYrbklI_mtLqsoNDfjrnRBn_EjYsQFNKBxKUZzIGEj6JKbib5RhSvfJtxN5BFgWmNSRSBaWrwUN_/s320/IMG_6299+tar+awesome.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501300929675005138" /></a>We were trying to transport castle-building materials to the Faire in a 1950's schoolbus, which broke down about 20 minutes out of Ann Arbor... after one leg of the base (strapped to the roof by Valdés) snapped off, before we forgot to unstrap it and actually bring it to Detroit, at which point Noam uttered a primal scream.<div><br /></div><div>Things got better...<br /><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXmq3BWSLF9tCZBOsF6aKfQtZ7jmbpl7dsHMzaOEjm3KDlQw1RXYYUIyn_ddHK60bmrkrmpC2tgfh-hECC8-gqH2xnPoMgrC1iv-nuWNWhnuTrDPHibXwheT8gdKFxlai4lhhz6_ADvIZu/s1600/IMG_6303+tar+side.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXmq3BWSLF9tCZBOsF6aKfQtZ7jmbpl7dsHMzaOEjm3KDlQw1RXYYUIyn_ddHK60bmrkrmpC2tgfh-hECC8-gqH2xnPoMgrC1iv-nuWNWhnuTrDPHibXwheT8gdKFxlai4lhhz6_ADvIZu/s320/IMG_6303+tar+side.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501300921574802466" /></a>But I did have a lot of spare time on the bus to work on the 'tar, which in the end was outfitted with three pickups, one behind each set of bolts (which aren't actually held in there by anything but angled pressure and friction) and one on the bridge. The bridge is just a plastic lid, set on an empty Altoids tin for height.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxPs-2Z4Lwh1SeYCPjRh_i-kC6IaU2rPgDHkTy6NJ5hfiMs9DQEIAq-h0d_4g4BBczWfgLeX0a3WOON9VA4E3uukWd6gIZ9CMGaQUnQ-PFmAWbabuJCxE-Ps1NRaH1zn9XNhYPpEgRVed3/s1600/IMG_6372+awesome+gear+peoples.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxPs-2Z4Lwh1SeYCPjRh_i-kC6IaU2rPgDHkTy6NJ5hfiMs9DQEIAq-h0d_4g4BBczWfgLeX0a3WOON9VA4E3uukWd6gIZ9CMGaQUnQ-PFmAWbabuJCxE-Ps1NRaH1zn9XNhYPpEgRVed3/s320/IMG_6372+awesome+gear+peoples.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501300917838591378" /></a>On Sunday afternoon, I headed over to <a href="http://www.omnicorpdetroit.com/blog/">OmniCorp Detroit</a>'s booth for an electronic music play session. I had the 'tar strapped on with my LED rope dart, and plugged into the Angry Amp. Here I'm also wearing the superpowered goggles and juggling machine. The process of walking became a bit interesting...</div><div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">••••••••</div><div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz9cObGKK_hg2A1c_LeHPfka0psnySvBQv_gR80MXNzJxEhtaJuWYD6AfGRDaPy-scVRuYedZWDuFogJ_P3dA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;">(better version on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pQw_Fgn-oM">YouTube</a>... this is a very basic build of the thing.)<br /><br /></div>Detroit's <a href="http://makerfaire.com/detroit/2010/">"MakerCity" Maker Faire</a> is this weekend! Several local hackerspaces are going to be there in full force, and I'll be bringing the Juggling Apparatus again (which got a mention in Dale Dougherty's <a href="http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/07/makers_dozen.html">Makers Dozen</a> article!). As for new projects, I've been trying to hack together a bass <a href="http://web.media.mit.edu/~silver/drawdio/make.php">Drawdio</a>-tar, but haven't managed to get it going yet; I need specific chips, or the original Drawdio PCB, neither of which have yet manifested themselves.<br /><br />So, I've begun looking for other options. A while ago, somebody posted <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioiFCuHqHds">this video</a> to the AHA! boards, and I loved the sound of the one with a rubber band or string attached. Pursuant to this, I made a "rubber harp" to bring to the next jam session, which worked fairly well but wasn't all that interesting (just a few bands wrapped around an open-topped box, with a pickup taped on). I'm now expanding this into a full instrument.<br /><br />I present to you... the SKATE-TAR!<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS0UIv7jIF2Ik9qXoizd4n8hfoaV_dMNsfHHIClOTmdo-bKVUPPxnX-bWa1ulmIy98fYUK_VYShBypCpWOnZcWOeqwVH3Ipi56JJzdRD93dImPryFitRqbZR8d8Z4IlxX4H7KLVj0v23ey/s1600/setup.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS0UIv7jIF2Ik9qXoizd4n8hfoaV_dMNsfHHIClOTmdo-bKVUPPxnX-bWa1ulmIy98fYUK_VYShBypCpWOnZcWOeqwVH3Ipi56JJzdRD93dImPryFitRqbZR8d8Z4IlxX4H7KLVj0v23ey/s320/setup.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499420946709567842" border="0" /></a>As yet, it's nothing much; this is what I threw together last night and this morning. Most of the building will happen at the AHA! Shop tonight, and it shall have many strings, and longer ones. My hope is to get a glorious bass sound out of it by the time we head to the Faire.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGhOAlFANEA0mOFtdNMELGXCiM9XhuojnkvksoPWaU3wQcRU1C1EllT1VAfNlWwx75kez2gkgQWpwIkQ2ynYVSgc6tidb1OpumBak8-GByS75By2QrnGOZZFSH3kLEd5qMSk9iUcj9TaE2/s1600/closeup.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGhOAlFANEA0mOFtdNMELGXCiM9XhuojnkvksoPWaU3wQcRU1C1EllT1VAfNlWwx75kez2gkgQWpwIkQ2ynYVSgc6tidb1OpumBak8-GByS75By2QrnGOZZFSH3kLEd5qMSk9iUcj9TaE2/s320/closeup.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499420942325333586" border="0" /></a>Piezo pickup taped to an Altoids tin. Moveable bridge! I'll want to have this affixed somehow, though, as the tin/bridge likes to shift around during playing. Fortunately, the grip tape provides a great surface.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq6_9JKOS9QQ89DJL9XYko9eEDatH2GtZzZOPorrNA-F8sJTyQlhRYfKNKbGpFqBEb6YOaSjAaExZacbkVx_tbyK99LPtPrXW3iiVOuri9HCrDIAfNsbbTVEAM36Wj-HDC32vExfRGRPlG/s1600/to+amp.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq6_9JKOS9QQ89DJL9XYko9eEDatH2GtZzZOPorrNA-F8sJTyQlhRYfKNKbGpFqBEb6YOaSjAaExZacbkVx_tbyK99LPtPrXW3iiVOuri9HCrDIAfNsbbTVEAM36Wj-HDC32vExfRGRPlG/s320/to+amp.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499420923700776130" border="0" /></a>Piezo goes to a 1/4" jack, which goes into the <a href="http://alexglow.blogspot.com/2010/03/do-breadboards-dream-of-electric-jam.html">Angry Amp</a>.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8FiJNQdTuVcNl1P7eDaXSRkbbaGB_FF4OGoz_pR_XijPojyLRKaqc2D4f_x1FjhCQFgjP_X7A_PHmN7OyRMJ4yrX9Xl0ZXZ_re9nLQ1HoVFYMoXhzGpiQW1fNSMrFcpbJdU8NZb6yBUmn/s1600/piezos+to+be+used.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8FiJNQdTuVcNl1P7eDaXSRkbbaGB_FF4OGoz_pR_XijPojyLRKaqc2D4f_x1FjhCQFgjP_X7A_PHmN7OyRMJ4yrX9Xl0ZXZ_re9nLQ1HoVFYMoXhzGpiQW1fNSMrFcpbJdU8NZb6yBUmn/s320/piezos+to+be+used.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499420914470663666" border="0" /></a>Next up: I've found that it does work to wire multiple piezos in parallel to a single jack, so that's happening. I may add more bridges to the 'tar, in which case there'd be a piezo on each... or perhaps they'll just go on the back of the board.<br /><br />Later on, I shall probably also make a chainmail strap for this.<br /></div></div></div></div></div>Traumereihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02172237714179404537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2610660547975697378.post-83378570103649457622010-06-22T16:40:00.021-04:002010-06-22T18:46:00.698-04:00Photons swirling in the night<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxxCoZjGWUg1JQE-opGBt6TNyiIiJyJGjQU3F8H1xpO3qObvgBL9rHZMftIzBUKfUDcureYRw8BqZEgh_c8uX4K3YWxXzMNnAjzkJG3V1G0UCOn7X5_vsHx0aQprHljl_YKjF1IGjjxfzr/s1600/IMG_5651+marvelous+crop.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 189px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxxCoZjGWUg1JQE-opGBt6TNyiIiJyJGjQU3F8H1xpO3qObvgBL9rHZMftIzBUKfUDcureYRw8BqZEgh_c8uX4K3YWxXzMNnAjzkJG3V1G0UCOn7X5_vsHx0aQprHljl_YKjF1IGjjxfzr/s320/IMG_5651+marvelous+crop.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485722069480151650" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">DO IT</span><br /></div>Materials:<br />1 LED juggling ball<br />1 rope dart<br />1 camera with adjustable shutter speed<br />1 hefty dose of Excellent People<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">So, a while ago I made a set of glow balls for juggling in the dark... alas, they did not work well, as the constant jarring and poor connections caused them to flash on and off, and the LEDs were hard to look at when they flashed into my eyes. But as with any "failed" project, they can be repurposed! (This is why I am a packrat.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0jW4-cKTqwXE5MzAvWQA6kTu_WzMoP2vMV5hmgIjJACh4kTAjILNRH2P97P1eNIltoEFvxsc3_2WtS2WuuO6Uy51WAjwvZtfpSxJcvhgAGn75gee9F2AegNRj9GoCnOFj2aikEukjMo1D/s1600/1+wire+battery.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0jW4-cKTqwXE5MzAvWQA6kTu_WzMoP2vMV5hmgIjJACh4kTAjILNRH2P97P1eNIltoEFvxsc3_2WtS2WuuO6Uy51WAjwvZtfpSxJcvhgAGn75gee9F2AegNRj9GoCnOFj2aikEukjMo1D/s320/1+wire+battery.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485716937839169170" border="0" /></a>Each consists of, from the inside out: a 9V battery, white fabric dipped in glow paint, three LEDs, and several layers of cellophane for light diffusion. The stiff fabric holds its shape well, so the battery can easily be switched out. The LEDs are hooked up in parallel, like so:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifBm0em8FzuOivJsc7R9jyjMnL8SIvZx6QfoEHWmXkM4JgFYsHBpMjteD5LeUKIP9Lk09le3Q-Wy0bdsmjNu8gXYScszJdCOuIzfXzLGQqEJxZjGQyWSNG0Isantduky7lAZRMYGQu71Vw/s1600/leds.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifBm0em8FzuOivJsc7R9jyjMnL8SIvZx6QfoEHWmXkM4JgFYsHBpMjteD5LeUKIP9Lk09le3Q-Wy0bdsmjNu8gXYScszJdCOuIzfXzLGQqEJxZjGQyWSNG0Isantduky7lAZRMYGQu71Vw/s320/leds.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485717817660734018" border="0" /></a>The long leg of each LED is its positive side (oriented toward the battery's positive terminal, or the red wire on a 9V connector pad). This basic circuit is wrapped around the ball, and the wire ends are duct taped to the battery. The positive end is disconnected when the ball is not in use.<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0jW4-cKTqwXE5MzAvWQA6kTu_WzMoP2vMV5hmgIjJACh4kTAjILNRH2P97P1eNIltoEFvxsc3_2WtS2WuuO6Uy51WAjwvZtfpSxJcvhgAGn75gee9F2AegNRj9GoCnOFj2aikEukjMo1D/s1600/1+wire+battery.JPG"> </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvxzGk3RAsyXCzCgTGUKeAF19spwpvmH5Jh0SqKvj4Bk3HpPum4uPzyix0jO17WTKmIR8NK_t0EaoBj6BzAAGiml-Uo_9Dbfj7VcYY6uL43wOe00bWJf-o-XcUz4G4ABxI6ztOVHWwPMNA/s1600/2+lit+led.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvxzGk3RAsyXCzCgTGUKeAF19spwpvmH5Jh0SqKvj4Bk3HpPum4uPzyix0jO17WTKmIR8NK_t0EaoBj6BzAAGiml-Uo_9Dbfj7VcYY6uL43wOe00bWJf-o-XcUz4G4ABxI6ztOVHWwPMNA/s320/2+lit+led.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485716929798911170" border="0" /></a>For this project, I took one ball and wrapped it in a wire cage (separated from the LED wires) to attach it to the rope dart. That is attached to a keychain with a swivel, so it can rotate freely, and then hooked to the dart chain with a screw link.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdTGGS_f4_qk2S6xiJ1iqKtVw9NnwVFwNb2fCabB75TRYIcel6LjpUR0xE9QcEw18DFWIp1hUH7KVU_7IdteA7R3WgM_0OwKe_LdDZIm5aJXkQ01lrid4CN-t5o0O5lmWBAg4Q768tOusI/s1600/3+head+assemblage.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 172px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdTGGS_f4_qk2S6xiJ1iqKtVw9NnwVFwNb2fCabB75TRYIcel6LjpUR0xE9QcEw18DFWIp1hUH7KVU_7IdteA7R3WgM_0OwKe_LdDZIm5aJXkQ01lrid4CN-t5o0O5lmWBAg4Q768tOusI/s320/3+head+assemblage.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485716925481427826" border="0" /></a>The wire cage presses the battery terminals against the wires, helping the lights stay constantly lit. The smoother motion of the rope dart (as compared to random impacts, with juggling) also aids in this respect.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi36bpC6xgFzFV8JosHbKDmKEpDEMVsOP3bennWkj3luqK2KURWusbCAwL23y6jQXzhrVHBQEemxRs7fwvcTT2gwZbCbmxLPeLy9pi59gilK0SBXQ1yoj-r4geJUN5LH7lFMzFG-3ZkxDaQ/s1600/4+knees.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi36bpC6xgFzFV8JosHbKDmKEpDEMVsOP3bennWkj3luqK2KURWusbCAwL23y6jQXzhrVHBQEemxRs7fwvcTT2gwZbCbmxLPeLy9pi59gilK0SBXQ1yoj-r4geJUN5LH7lFMzFG-3ZkxDaQ/s320/4+knees.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485716914155338114" border="0" /></a>Rope dart assembly. There's a metal crimp thingy and loop separator thingy, whose precise names I've now forgotten, but which help to keep the 1/4" nylon rope secure and unfrayed. The rope ends in a chain, which is standard and will be very useful when I make a fire head for this thing! *anticipatory hand-rubbing and cackling*<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYqnyjr87tBXdb2yG1OAxPMDhqQJ27B1t-ynhyphenhyphenNUmqNx-Nf0CX4ZzMbo2ZBvAOdTydjJ1VXnYFT0r8Fug7M8Yl65Sh2g3PtP9NvSWuEs6Y855oD3oVeFu1tWYn3Rrnhe__dj0GupzNY5qi/s1600/5+on+roof.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 273px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYqnyjr87tBXdb2yG1OAxPMDhqQJ27B1t-ynhyphenhyphenNUmqNx-Nf0CX4ZzMbo2ZBvAOdTydjJ1VXnYFT0r8Fug7M8Yl65Sh2g3PtP9NvSWuEs6Y855oD3oVeFu1tWYn3Rrnhe__dj0GupzNY5qi/s320/5+on+roof.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485716900474641602" border="0" /></a>The original head was made with 12 dead AA batteries duct taped to an eye hook, with a stopper and nut on the other end of the hook to keep the batteries from flying off. That was very, very painful when it hit me in the shin/head/back/other shin, so I took 6 batteries off and now it only hurts quite a lot. The glow head will probably stay on for a while, as it's lighter and softer, and not at all likely to cause concussions. Delightful!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXyqItYgtGlqPwEOvCwiSEpBmui4c524xr6XKhi5MoVq0vfmTgQausNzOYNDbwERN4Y-OUrnoXDr9cc8yoMFZ0xp6jKNAMYX8rcZAO1xZPefJj7wogJ-N8HqXpvPOvd-2r8VrdBURiYwwp/s1600/IMG_5659+neck+wrap.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 283px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXyqItYgtGlqPwEOvCwiSEpBmui4c524xr6XKhi5MoVq0vfmTgQausNzOYNDbwERN4Y-OUrnoXDr9cc8yoMFZ0xp6jKNAMYX8rcZAO1xZPefJj7wogJ-N8HqXpvPOvd-2r8VrdBURiYwwp/s320/IMG_5659+neck+wrap.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485723176967075666" border="0" /></a>On the first night of experimentation, my droog Eric took most of the photos, so mighty props to him. Here you can see the rope wrapping around my neck, which is my favorite move with the rope dart... a full one looks like this:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxxCoZjGWUg1JQE-opGBt6TNyiIiJyJGjQU3F8H1xpO3qObvgBL9rHZMftIzBUKfUDcureYRw8BqZEgh_c8uX4K3YWxXzMNnAjzkJG3V1G0UCOn7X5_vsHx0aQprHljl_YKjF1IGjjxfzr/s1600/IMG_5651+marvelous+crop.jpg"><br /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGAypQZey897Y-3ziIn33FAbfvI_3N_gCHsIzTMMWoKuxxqbblkoMmC6e0ezFJEVEWt7j02pj025LoEqUnBzgDxSopSiizFiHZ4wsf9s00fTHJ4SsX1uY-FOTIRTHQSFFjLa3IVutlesuc/s1600/IMG_5660+ufo.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGAypQZey897Y-3ziIn33FAbfvI_3N_gCHsIzTMMWoKuxxqbblkoMmC6e0ezFJEVEWt7j02pj025LoEqUnBzgDxSopSiizFiHZ4wsf9s00fTHJ4SsX1uY-FOTIRTHQSFFjLa3IVutlesuc/s320/IMG_5660+ufo.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485725270740239266" border="0" /></a>UFO TYME<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">And then, of course, you can draw... for most of these, we have the camera set to take 10-second exposures.<br /></div></div> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqK3Fs6ELzRPtYJf7d2ZbCApLE2lOo-TqRSQJmw9Kq0h39MBJENvD3pahiEWYLn4ZRImHQfZdtnUcEfnwFPWiR9WgyrYxadvE3xJuzJqLTuRNdW0IBI1Hf21OpEcFtpH6DQncLebU9sveV/s1600/IMG_5687+bird.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 242px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqK3Fs6ELzRPtYJf7d2ZbCApLE2lOo-TqRSQJmw9Kq0h39MBJENvD3pahiEWYLn4ZRImHQfZdtnUcEfnwFPWiR9WgyrYxadvE3xJuzJqLTuRNdW0IBI1Hf21OpEcFtpH6DQncLebU9sveV/s320/IMG_5687+bird.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485725260028149874" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYrquxxPJOQh3w7cmSHlMysckp1TqXhswx3sAq7KbVpObxCxD4n9j8LcI9pfOMJfzQ9zTvcx6skjRZ3wmPply_JY4SBwjR4Esv3WVTtzZ9A8ofKFqigqn3ZmyKcsmbM33RKYp4tV2B4NtR/s1600/IMG_5697+cloud.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 293px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYrquxxPJOQh3w7cmSHlMysckp1TqXhswx3sAq7KbVpObxCxD4n9j8LcI9pfOMJfzQ9zTvcx6skjRZ3wmPply_JY4SBwjR4Esv3WVTtzZ9A8ofKFqigqn3ZmyKcsmbM33RKYp4tV2B4NtR/s320/IMG_5697+cloud.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485725254918149842" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkxq6EIqn6KYABflDmBIEheLeHF1W9BphwxZwsPKwRcpQV5LR1cdQc3wpd0fEtLg28gyukj_awWFvXU-XAYEdKkzpe-ymjz1U1Rp6mhgCfhMYtdkg8na0n0uUy35iy3uiOVfhqrh1g4F3s/s1600/IMG_5701+triangle+sides.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkxq6EIqn6KYABflDmBIEheLeHF1W9BphwxZwsPKwRcpQV5LR1cdQc3wpd0fEtLg28gyukj_awWFvXU-XAYEdKkzpe-ymjz1U1Rp6mhgCfhMYtdkg8na0n0uUy35iy3uiOVfhqrh1g4F3s/s320/IMG_5701+triangle+sides.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485725251088649218" border="0" /></a>Eric makes a really awesome thing while trying to draw a triangle and label the sides.<br /><br /></div> <div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrLEtnS_-PhXZTrV8J-pMrkjolEo4Crfa_h_yn-ad86cH0viHYlRoJvNtlM6rluDehEAfUHLXCZpJHLYRx02_ncyQU5_erLFFcc2SWZVkRfn-pyZ_8M5B7HX2eMIsypcTIIt23kWF-GuIu/s1600/IMG_5771+blue+swirl.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrLEtnS_-PhXZTrV8J-pMrkjolEo4Crfa_h_yn-ad86cH0viHYlRoJvNtlM6rluDehEAfUHLXCZpJHLYRx02_ncyQU5_erLFFcc2SWZVkRfn-pyZ_8M5B7HX2eMIsypcTIIt23kWF-GuIu/s320/IMG_5771+blue+swirl.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485726631505428114" border="0" /></a>My mom, Lori, realizes that one can flip the image in post-production... thus, writing backwards is not strictly required. The red LED is a little throwie I made using two little batteries and a metal bar that connects the battery terminals when pressed... so it can actually be turned on and off if you want space between your letters (fancy that!). The swirls are me running around her with the rope dart.<br /><br /></div>Then we did some portraits...<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxwaUgciFJA5ZZiQHino79RXdn0mBjO9-kb0oD5yAtyfxKkcDwpGQhgYUebgwrccqn3IX7RT4-Iqjt023tHGOF5ONcjVZPNceaKy8gJlyHDG4eXfCPjyIAqX4D64047B8foYrVsPBNQJSK/s1600/IMG_5768+portrait+AL.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxwaUgciFJA5ZZiQHino79RXdn0mBjO9-kb0oD5yAtyfxKkcDwpGQhgYUebgwrccqn3IX7RT4-Iqjt023tHGOF5ONcjVZPNceaKy8gJlyHDG4eXfCPjyIAqX4D64047B8foYrVsPBNQJSK/s320/IMG_5768+portrait+AL.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485729911823299826" border="0" /></a>Lori<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0PXH9YDcPywBYscEn4InXAh73HD7cK64F_5QScYTirSRDW-TT_ZohDExT__F1QoZYffcYgNCIRphJ8-MXyHK13FlkUl6VLUSvCRHHrhb3ijxIdTtMzGqoOXIQDE9Y_gfmXN1Qf5vTJn1K/s1600/IMG_5774+portrait+naomi.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 230px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0PXH9YDcPywBYscEn4InXAh73HD7cK64F_5QScYTirSRDW-TT_ZohDExT__F1QoZYffcYgNCIRphJ8-MXyHK13FlkUl6VLUSvCRHHrhb3ijxIdTtMzGqoOXIQDE9Y_gfmXN1Qf5vTJn1K/s320/IMG_5774+portrait+naomi.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485729907263924354" border="0" /></a>my main droog Naomi<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQWAEHI5bRjG-dOdeO_FpW9eDHeN6W-ziTyEoVtVdbBRCCHsjlArECo9-uwL5ZuYE_XJS9V6717gXD_JnuBRps7jFZvM3Ekf_D7LEXH24689PPyOAicolsNXj3YUL-1EP1ChsUvcoCrjKs/s1600/IMG_5775+portrait+me.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQWAEHI5bRjG-dOdeO_FpW9eDHeN6W-ziTyEoVtVdbBRCCHsjlArECo9-uwL5ZuYE_XJS9V6717gXD_JnuBRps7jFZvM3Ekf_D7LEXH24689PPyOAicolsNXj3YUL-1EP1ChsUvcoCrjKs/s320/IMG_5775+portrait+me.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485729898352547778" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;">me<br /></div><br />And then Dokta Funk picked up the rope dart and blew our minds with his ambient illumination.<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMRFKGE80i9aceHWgOPRdlHlIOvX0iKN3r9wrQoCjLZKGn7tUH6yqrUFGbZbRFs2t1T7KeqsUMvqC2jNuUkg0IgN3dtpZPROsnPKsMMjRhzNjxyP7Kzu3oRY90jyCEho9n7hkqZvN4yfUG/s1600/IMG_5791+adam+grass+AWESOME.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMRFKGE80i9aceHWgOPRdlHlIOvX0iKN3r9wrQoCjLZKGn7tUH6yqrUFGbZbRFs2t1T7KeqsUMvqC2jNuUkg0IgN3dtpZPROsnPKsMMjRhzNjxyP7Kzu3oRY90jyCEho9n7hkqZvN4yfUG/s320/IMG_5791+adam+grass+AWESOME.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485726604306641794" border="0" /></a>And that was that.<br /></div>Traumereihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02172237714179404537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2610660547975697378.post-80946372418706857832010-05-23T22:31:00.017-04:002010-05-23T23:56:01.303-04:00Super-Powered GogglesI broke down and made some goggles! Ones that actually improve my vision, by accident (see below). We had a night for goggling at <a href="http://allhandsactive.com/">the AHA! Shop</a>. Would that I had brought my camera... these are all progress shots from later.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUgCI5MsP0_A4-LD1Z28jPfq3jsI7vDcOmrASdKgAlgoMK5NZq1sIWP0t3Pgu20N4erUpIr88xelKtaC-9ApSmhZ9sDGOxc2PcAae624jLgdsLNtySy2N51Na5Ym0dhEmUMrdQ233olP5-/s1600/IMG_4915+final.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 222px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUgCI5MsP0_A4-LD1Z28jPfq3jsI7vDcOmrASdKgAlgoMK5NZq1sIWP0t3Pgu20N4erUpIr88xelKtaC-9ApSmhZ9sDGOxc2PcAae624jLgdsLNtySy2N51Na5Ym0dhEmUMrdQ233olP5-/s320/IMG_4915+final.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474676756050874738" border="0" /></a>The backing piece is thick ruddy suede, part of a large cache I procured from the Scrap Box a while back. On the left (right eye), we have half a silver-plated napkin ring, with a piece of stainless steel plate soldered in, plus a ring bearing, surrounded by excess solder. On the right, some more steel plate riveted on, with pinholes drilled in... surmounted by a clip-on jeweler's loupe. In the forehead is a brass grommet / third eye aperture. (This project was excellent practice with pop rivets and grommets, both of which are a lot of fun. No wonder I've never gotten good at sewing.)<br /><br />The left-side pinholes have the curious property of augmenting my vision. My sight isn't terrible, but I can't wear glasses with the goggles. But the pinholes' small apertures restrict the angles at which light can enter the eye, making things clearer. I spent a lot of yesterday comparing eyes; they're usually pretty identical in ability, but with these on I can read things with my left that are blurry through my right, even when I squint. Once I noticed the effect, I remembered reading about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinhole_glasses">pinhole glasses</a> some years ago, but had completely forgotten that until now. Serendipitous!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0stVSMmzYwaOv9fz-iEMWI0ctARO0ARWEMqKOj8I5EmcrGhTTzowMJpHrNCwKQRMGvcgUoFCYJYwrzucVBdwu-qLNQMnghlTSg4vLZG3xNBGTehKLS4TVUSiCPjmaIyoj-2SE881M8G09/s1600/IMG_4752+other+ring.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 187px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0stVSMmzYwaOv9fz-iEMWI0ctARO0ARWEMqKOj8I5EmcrGhTTzowMJpHrNCwKQRMGvcgUoFCYJYwrzucVBdwu-qLNQMnghlTSg4vLZG3xNBGTehKLS4TVUSiCPjmaIyoj-2SE881M8G09/s320/IMG_4752+other+ring.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474665483278027410" border="0" /></a>Originally, both eyes were to be halves of this napkin ring. It came from Antelope Antiques, where the shopkeeper started polishing off the tarnish despite my protestations... but it still looks lovely. I hacksawed it in half (on an angle for face-fittage), cut it to shape with some metal plate snips, then smoothed the edges with a metal rasp.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiEu7fLnXPcekeRSlpPuZQSyVeGRcRhvCKTSZhrSTENsxsR4TaxZGNlkWU2hTgKhaFuwede7ykW67gU0GXjgOASjZ9W7ZDeP1i4CsdzvSlPTWik7Se1_5jGva7UkCGkH4aA5ExYdUYXh8o/s1600/IMG_4758+other+first+try.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiEu7fLnXPcekeRSlpPuZQSyVeGRcRhvCKTSZhrSTENsxsR4TaxZGNlkWU2hTgKhaFuwede7ykW67gU0GXjgOASjZ9W7ZDeP1i4CsdzvSlPTWik7Se1_5jGva7UkCGkH4aA5ExYdUYXh8o/s320/IMG_4758+other+first+try.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474665327428254162" border="0" /></a>The left eye was going to be covered with more steel, like so... but I couldn't get it to attach properly, so the plate went on instead. The right-eye napkin ring is attached by tabs of the suede backing.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq5vY6LDEfrRrgEXAXwCKJEBtB0UuvPtgxwJDxXUwnBxlYTJIVSwX8haviYRZOt_pO1AEvQF7dajQMJjJmA92igEOt85dnmo4Ix25guvYZ9nFuT30MM4De7-QWaYFA9n2Ez5Ar6WAX7Ri2/s1600/IMG_4749+extras.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 234px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq5vY6LDEfrRrgEXAXwCKJEBtB0UuvPtgxwJDxXUwnBxlYTJIVSwX8haviYRZOt_pO1AEvQF7dajQMJjJmA92igEOt85dnmo4Ix25guvYZ9nFuT30MM4De7-QWaYFA9n2Ez5Ar6WAX7Ri2/s320/IMG_4749+extras.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474668492418844450" border="0" /></a>I bent the stems on my loupe so the lenses sit in front of my left eye when it's clamped to the side strap. Enjoyable!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Interlude I: Noam Tries to Lick the Plasma Light Bulb</span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1SHpBfPJwOlCodKFVQmCJ8Bdy-hpKDuzccX4C-X7LAPp571effJPuvqQNnd9NcNGGKXIM8Hl90nMlUkwXFfhO-qwzOvwSkN9Ts9_rGw30hqgSgWWEvhkbB_Tc5J_GhQXjTKyS0IZYJKAs/s1600/IMG_4762+noam+lamp.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 259px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1SHpBfPJwOlCodKFVQmCJ8Bdy-hpKDuzccX4C-X7LAPp571effJPuvqQNnd9NcNGGKXIM8Hl90nMlUkwXFfhO-qwzOvwSkN9Ts9_rGw30hqgSgWWEvhkbB_Tc5J_GhQXjTKyS0IZYJKAs/s320/IMG_4762+noam+lamp.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474665320522241890" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Interlude II: Nate's Sweet Goggles</span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix0nFiF6vq5aPMV_6qsjHiI9TdsuKjDr8mHsym_B9vmRsYCFHLlT-B0aTIGLuzggY_xPyDseXX-IFGDJJ05X_yX3G5q2C3I8g0FIks1RH0aYH5FC8_nRCDdJBPM19o-oqevDo8Ktuxr7w8/s1600/IMG_4778+nate+goggles.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 310px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix0nFiF6vq5aPMV_6qsjHiI9TdsuKjDr8mHsym_B9vmRsYCFHLlT-B0aTIGLuzggY_xPyDseXX-IFGDJJ05X_yX3G5q2C3I8g0FIks1RH0aYH5FC8_nRCDdJBPM19o-oqevDo8Ktuxr7w8/s320/IMG_4778+nate+goggles.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474665318602599954" border="0" /></a>Sleepy Nate used brass and rubber plumbing gaskets, set in tan suede. His goggles have a dust mask that can be detached from the right side, to hang out of the way when not in use. (Picture by Noam)<br /><br />Back to the main feature...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilWJnHXMh6G3jCkJ3aaVPLWKTWVB9BBsEeIw2FGhs4BIpkpSaYnXX8iQEc4KfR8yFAFVUJ0V7xLA-ANCqJD1hbH7sY1BqKmpucxqfRxaMIU0OwcwAf-29m_0ZnSNvhjxZShII9mTMCXpjj/s1600/IMG_4889+holes.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilWJnHXMh6G3jCkJ3aaVPLWKTWVB9BBsEeIw2FGhs4BIpkpSaYnXX8iQEc4KfR8yFAFVUJ0V7xLA-ANCqJD1hbH7sY1BqKmpucxqfRxaMIU0OwcwAf-29m_0ZnSNvhjxZShII9mTMCXpjj/s320/IMG_4889+holes.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474665315018305090" border="0" /></a>I used a couple of electrical clamps on each side, which not only looks awesome but also provides some adjustability. Attaching these to the strap proved to be the main stumbling block, and the reason why I stalled for a week before finishing them for the <a href="http://www.aahom.org/tech_event/">Hands-On Museum Local Tech Event</a> last night. (AHA! and <a href="http://826michigan.org/">826michigan</a> shared a booth, thanks to sponsorship from Tom Root... more info about our project later.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFPcGAmKP-sO7pBTfJnB-on-5XIRetBpO_QE0Lp79KIHec9mSvNiQSzn96IJbJACt0JAyytWmyVUUPkX1JJwPcx5xa0OXxUYyXf1OlJ2PgIAXduzqyjflUl-EcnvQNHr1ADJFaTjmZ4UQc/s1600/IMG_4893+strap+materials.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 234px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFPcGAmKP-sO7pBTfJnB-on-5XIRetBpO_QE0Lp79KIHec9mSvNiQSzn96IJbJACt0JAyytWmyVUUPkX1JJwPcx5xa0OXxUYyXf1OlJ2PgIAXduzqyjflUl-EcnvQNHr1ADJFaTjmZ4UQc/s320/IMG_4893+strap+materials.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474665307371563506" border="0" /></a>The holes in the clamps were too small to push rivets through, and I couldn't find a working drill for many a tiresome day. Once one was located, that and a triangular metal file made the job rather easy (although the rivets barely made it through the whole thickness of leather and metal).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHfTxStAKaesONwePffNcyVjw98Z5HJzcIIKsavq0wNjGcCR96mlGp587jqKWgkZhHBv7ibuIUvL0_orU12YGtBiSW_vpqgMF3VZi9FdDCcGCcRafzkIxf4_naD972xiA61v3zkm2-XKNZ/s1600/IMG_4896+rivets.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHfTxStAKaesONwePffNcyVjw98Z5HJzcIIKsavq0wNjGcCR96mlGp587jqKWgkZhHBv7ibuIUvL0_orU12YGtBiSW_vpqgMF3VZi9FdDCcGCcRafzkIxf4_naD972xiA61v3zkm2-XKNZ/s320/IMG_4896+rivets.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474664873286320258" border="0" /></a>Copper pop rivets installed!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg052UAns7n-3UaolQ8arQ5kjvZ1rMCmg9mKOPMIvpvIguyhmQpjN8h-8GPVLvSxlV36rA30mrOof1JDF5absmCNJOA2i71AL_qYhtrbRdfeDxWWZX1Z0rAvUpZr5MTZXu9QHVNFTTYve_g/s1600/IMG_4898+modeled.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg052UAns7n-3UaolQ8arQ5kjvZ1rMCmg9mKOPMIvpvIguyhmQpjN8h-8GPVLvSxlV36rA30mrOof1JDF5absmCNJOA2i71AL_qYhtrbRdfeDxWWZX1Z0rAvUpZr5MTZXu9QHVNFTTYve_g/s320/IMG_4898+modeled.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474664871182414482" border="0" /></a>Plate side, minus the loupe (which I do think adds a lot).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5FstHO2WIEG0XP5cD4vwZyQ8XB48K02s7MHkOCNDxyUjEVfpEzKWtgweDKXbdUPtuRimkU-OJnDYOgMLEENHdQYqGd3-8zKwl3qHK5JvgF1OEQQAglUwQyaHNLnHfVU484hzVcF_lR8iN/s1600/IMG_4912+final.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5FstHO2WIEG0XP5cD4vwZyQ8XB48K02s7MHkOCNDxyUjEVfpEzKWtgweDKXbdUPtuRimkU-OJnDYOgMLEENHdQYqGd3-8zKwl3qHK5JvgF1OEQQAglUwQyaHNLnHfVU484hzVcF_lR8iN/s320/IMG_4912+final.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474664867708773234" border="0" /></a>I also added some decorative rivets and a mended tear on the right side. Can't have my battle goggles looking shiny-new.<br /><br />Goggle pics from the Local Tech Event... these were taken with my <a href="http://alexglow.blogspot.com/2009/12/more-near-ir-pictures.html">near-IR webcam</a> and run through Quartz Composer. Further details to come...<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB2qfRdZrAHlJpRMYqB3l5xHyFgk_5HXvGNjkWrYyw7aC4yWFYpb-PqPrTjcdnMkBhcwdS1_VZPssKhWwq0VDStN4ZWinwm5T86YDiUiph3gkYBhyphenhyphenfKVrq8nXe2vbJgW8Bs1cbI17z8w3R/s1600/Picture+12+goggles+closeup.PNG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB2qfRdZrAHlJpRMYqB3l5xHyFgk_5HXvGNjkWrYyw7aC4yWFYpb-PqPrTjcdnMkBhcwdS1_VZPssKhWwq0VDStN4ZWinwm5T86YDiUiph3gkYBhyphenhyphenfKVrq8nXe2vbJgW8Bs1cbI17z8w3R/s320/Picture+12+goggles+closeup.PNG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474680290380760210" border="0" /></a>Happy happy<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhasufrRHuPae1k7v6QY8SByh7jNE02J_OBCtFP1xTrqh6Nlb2NlW5FMhdNzKvuYoOMexzNohSuXLGolmt6BIvoIwhDUhEhXas-ECzH8ivC735gmSwJzKSbdRq3gENOCoXJt4rVIc-GLA90/s1600/Picture+22+with+bike.PNG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 202px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhasufrRHuPae1k7v6QY8SByh7jNE02J_OBCtFP1xTrqh6Nlb2NlW5FMhdNzKvuYoOMexzNohSuXLGolmt6BIvoIwhDUhEhXas-ECzH8ivC735gmSwJzKSbdRq3gENOCoXJt4rVIc-GLA90/s320/Picture+22+with+bike.PNG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474664853812293650" border="0" /></a>I love this picture :D<br />We were stationed across from <a href="http://www.currentmotor.com/">Current Motor Co.</a>, represented at the event by John Harding, who gave an awesome presentation at <a href="http://www.igniteannarbor.com/">Ignite 3</a> in March. I wandered over and saw the sweet "inverted" motor (ring of magnets on the outside, coils on the inside) that drives their wheels. That's their motorcycle on the left. Mmmm pretty.<br /><br />Stay tuned for Rotary Ruminations (Sorta) and Robo-Vision!Traumereihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02172237714179404537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2610660547975697378.post-14666752906866028472010-04-20T14:53:00.000-04:002010-05-18T10:38:18.028-04:00Musical Cyborg Juggling Apparatus<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzQsaAM-l-xhMNakoc2yEnKcZsweLt5_ECAX_MjE29-NM5hlvvUUxhLFdS-0EW8xEt8mMmJewHHGOfvRLdnhA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;">6 1/2 hours in the <a href="http://www.allhandsactive.com/">AHA! Shop</a> and a chocolate-peanut-butter sandwich brought us to this. I'd been stalled out on the method for weeks, and then the clouds suddenly broke, early on April Fool's Day.<br /><br />So what is this? It is a harness that turns the action of juggling into buzzing noises, flashing LEDs, and arcing electricity. Each palm has two separate copper wires exposed, one of which is hooked up to the positive terminal of a battery, while the other connects to a motor (or bank of LEDs, or people-shocking device). When the wires are bridged by a tinfoil-covered juggling ball, the circuit is closed and the motor (people-shocker, eye-blinder, etc.) runs. Thus, the juggling becomes a method of switching things on and off... like so:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWIDSVsJHsYpSFFXZ1C6FiETihio1ML9YcmAxqJROOG99p2ObprdfTk7hWn8M-CSeTj0M0jg_mXFEIGCttrsxswksrdZ_OjSP0DLqHkvtgFaHG9Ysw7dyYuihV9JL7fC5DP8z01Of_2EPM/s1600/layout2.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWIDSVsJHsYpSFFXZ1C6FiETihio1ML9YcmAxqJROOG99p2ObprdfTk7hWn8M-CSeTj0M0jg_mXFEIGCttrsxswksrdZ_OjSP0DLqHkvtgFaHG9Ysw7dyYuihV9JL7fC5DP8z01Of_2EPM/s320/layout2.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463511772329092098" border="0" /></a>...ish.<br /><br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpo0KW8-mMH8Q2JN-s_krj4JHC0w7FH48k0eIkW2pzfByGJ4CoP6ruwmLsou7fr-e9h_OSY7e-bUprqShRDGLEEZyRC_JdvKm9xSTkzkf_fQqYS9gF2BeJRQiuz0Kma2wvG4YMxMy0GRdB/s1600/layout+cropped.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 279px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpo0KW8-mMH8Q2JN-s_krj4JHC0w7FH48k0eIkW2pzfByGJ4CoP6ruwmLsou7fr-e9h_OSY7e-bUprqShRDGLEEZyRC_JdvKm9xSTkzkf_fQqYS9gF2BeJRQiuz0Kma2wvG4YMxMy0GRdB/s320/layout+cropped.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463834677476124130" border="0" /></a>And this is what it actually looks like... somewhat less elegant, perhaps. At the top left, we have the left glove with a conductive ball bridging its contacts; below that, a taped-up 12V battery pack (the brown/blue block); then, the box itself. Most of the apparatus is externally mounted. Magnets glued near the four central motors anchor metal bolts, which are struck by the spinning zip ties to create a variety of buzzing sounds (<a href="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/alexglow/bIx4y075RcL0P1It9jourkkf7KVBALAo8vH8oWa5O5LporNtBkf0V46l0MvE/motor_bugs.mp3">sample mp3!</a>). From the bottom left emerge wires from a shocker, which discharges a decent amount of voltage (I forget how much) across the blue and white wires' stripped ends. It will arc up to about 1cm through the air, which looks pretty sweet, and also give you a pretty hefty shock. (Me holding one contact + Amanda holding the other + proximity -> <a href="http://i.imgur.com/0IZav.jpg">lightning hands</a>!)<br /><br />Not pictured: burned-out LED bank... I am not yet wise in the science of adding resistors. But a new, more awesome version is on the way.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSxnMejq7oeBMhzBqkm_5Xf4CVH5gwcWP_hbBaqKfAFDAuED9LunkWzGjMPDxeeOArCfLz_i-EOx3pFlTV3sfm_XbnbG9JHX4TgtoJyHRSy2SS8Ek-vC72H_VvMZL0x5R4UXWKXlBeruv1/s1600/aha.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 151px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSxnMejq7oeBMhzBqkm_5Xf4CVH5gwcWP_hbBaqKfAFDAuED9LunkWzGjMPDxeeOArCfLz_i-EOx3pFlTV3sfm_XbnbG9JHX4TgtoJyHRSy2SS8Ek-vC72H_VvMZL0x5R4UXWKXlBeruv1/s320/aha.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463513811337957186" border="0" /></a>The box belts to my waist, and...<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7CcQ9F1phVfS3-nIyPhaBuoP1ZMTdVYu4q_m0IWsn9HMCwfyP6QJAqEdqxiGxu2eTdMs7QIQCa1YGzwIeNB_dTiN5_6iqWNJB4YNJtZFSpJ2x6adxDvyrcsK-tDFnv5yqmVajzEIlZkTY/s1600/jam+session.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7CcQ9F1phVfS3-nIyPhaBuoP1ZMTdVYu4q_m0IWsn9HMCwfyP6QJAqEdqxiGxu2eTdMs7QIQCa1YGzwIeNB_dTiN5_6iqWNJB4YNJtZFSpJ2x6adxDvyrcsK-tDFnv5yqmVajzEIlZkTY/s320/jam+session.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463511757968711058" border="0" /></a>suede straps anchor the wires to my arms.<br /></div></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikMcqS1Jv2o1OWbRoSx79oFXb2COaH80P4yVtRElsxq0birnDoEVmdAlFwJNk2dzajU3KhCkiY5Rghc9_s1jHqUAJdtPA2MpljGIYvcUnLwUCEqP4yCD0Xts1hdFJF4VUoXe6LM-ZRTNJm/s1600/IMG_4617+green+glove.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikMcqS1Jv2o1OWbRoSx79oFXb2COaH80P4yVtRElsxq0birnDoEVmdAlFwJNk2dzajU3KhCkiY5Rghc9_s1jHqUAJdtPA2MpljGIYvcUnLwUCEqP4yCD0Xts1hdFJF4VUoXe6LM-ZRTNJm/s320/IMG_4617+green+glove.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463510694666191794" border="0" /></a>Prototype glove... wire contacts wrapped around a scrap anchor on the inside. Jabby.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijg9omxByr7RjhYjv6Avj1xUt6vmndwa9IcXXEGXKOgcbrFnct9GnMNecr6SKT7BgC_Q2UFgbROyfDIr8_bJAnUC9kB5Guo9fmeUO_CYUkwReM9OMHZazVK12iZBFIfb7jfrXGhSS8QS7t/s1600/IMG_4616+glove+1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijg9omxByr7RjhYjv6Avj1xUt6vmndwa9IcXXEGXKOgcbrFnct9GnMNecr6SKT7BgC_Q2UFgbROyfDIr8_bJAnUC9kB5Guo9fmeUO_CYUkwReM9OMHZazVK12iZBFIfb7jfrXGhSS8QS7t/s320/IMG_4616+glove+1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463510684377376898" border="0" /></a>Suede glove #1 in production!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZxX-4yq3QtyVhRDqtX5WIEaTDhyphenhyphenv1QkiNmOER7AnpJ5HuUgJkajYdri4K3y6AzYV6gEYyL48NnrjalfsszuwCcvKfNz9cMQHftCE5PktnNN8rajIDZa9IGfCim-r1KhdBoN7_XOqkw_RP/s1600/IMG_4623+glove+on+hand.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZxX-4yq3QtyVhRDqtX5WIEaTDhyphenhyphenv1QkiNmOER7AnpJ5HuUgJkajYdri4K3y6AzYV6gEYyL48NnrjalfsszuwCcvKfNz9cMQHftCE5PktnNN8rajIDZa9IGfCim-r1KhdBoN7_XOqkw_RP/s320/IMG_4623+glove+on+hand.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463510681220771698" border="0" /></a>Maille rings and thread hold the wires in place. Juggling gloves: now with 50% less pain!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS49z4XazKliV-t-d9nagZu0ARcjRvbsFdxphj4xBdTTGK6ZHK4L72iMHRy8_zj-yiBwIb4jj7qMo9uZxoRs_kE10ldNps5WMv7YsZGwto6WPUmR3GePOqe0CSzEtC_xOCW96JzBK-AORM/s1600/IMG_4621+glove+back.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS49z4XazKliV-t-d9nagZu0ARcjRvbsFdxphj4xBdTTGK6ZHK4L72iMHRy8_zj-yiBwIb4jj7qMo9uZxoRs_kE10ldNps5WMv7YsZGwto6WPUmR3GePOqe0CSzEtC_xOCW96JzBK-AORM/s320/IMG_4621+glove+back.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463510670407956834" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNgjHu8x1Zlc9aKBHHw7rcNN1ILv9EHhlkM-dLa0WWQ2Ltjm15-mvq_cKk7GeiAZQ07qKYiwQ9ZQ8sdjc6qNXpySM5ktFLg51zmMI-VPawzZ8hyh05-D35LIxuDvBlHZlEuuC8mgQUXCpx/s1600/IMG_4632+tinfoil+balls.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNgjHu8x1Zlc9aKBHHw7rcNN1ILv9EHhlkM-dLa0WWQ2Ltjm15-mvq_cKk7GeiAZQ07qKYiwQ9ZQ8sdjc6qNXpySM5ktFLg51zmMI-VPawzZ8hyh05-D35LIxuDvBlHZlEuuC8mgQUXCpx/s320/IMG_4632+tinfoil+balls.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463510664177177874" border="0" /></a>Balls: socks + washers (for heft) + duct tape (for cushioning and adhesive) + tinfoil.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">So, there is currently a glove for each hand, plus these:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9D2n5wuuKbV44UjrzVlcO2VPQZbr9kcc6XvqYqd6hH3Pezsq95NG0tLu4mBcqmLEsVDsP3aLAc4FAUj2HTekBYqJV6RBZFnfKSnVGE55qOyBAoZHdedtE_H8DtdQxNE1ffFYOtIq1nx4F/s1600/fingers.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9D2n5wuuKbV44UjrzVlcO2VPQZbr9kcc6XvqYqd6hH3Pezsq95NG0tLu4mBcqmLEsVDsP3aLAc4FAUj2HTekBYqJV6RBZFnfKSnVGE55qOyBAoZHdedtE_H8DtdQxNE1ffFYOtIq1nx4F/s320/fingers.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463823684852403090" border="0" /></a>Finger-contacts! These copper rings are a pain, both figuratively (the donning/doffing process is tedious) and literally (they have a tendency to channel voltage straight through my fingers, resulting in anguish and blisters). But they look... kinda awesome.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh1X1Ssg0JW7z5wI2cIiJR0VubWR4jYq1-suoSm52Vz6loMyRd4AY6V7SjX7nm0kfqiY7nGuNQ-InUWx4YdGJQnBqL-dmOk9Onxif-aN-hIHTdf7O8RPZ6u_rsnB6WrJomPJO0L9nEkYv3/s1600/IMG_4696.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh1X1Ssg0JW7z5wI2cIiJR0VubWR4jYq1-suoSm52Vz6loMyRd4AY6V7SjX7nm0kfqiY7nGuNQ-InUWx4YdGJQnBqL-dmOk9Onxif-aN-hIHTdf7O8RPZ6u_rsnB6WrJomPJO0L9nEkYv3/s320/IMG_4696.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464609004769382386" border="0" /></a>I brought this machine to exhibit (with AHA!) at <a href="http://tedxuofm.com/">TEDxUofM</a>, which was pretty stupendous. My favorite presenters were John Holland, Udae Sandhu (who voiced basically my current philosophy of happiness), Jacob Mendel's "Zlatá Rybka" video, Mason Proper (!!), Matt Shlian, and Alex Wand (with his awesome marimba-bowing musics). Yesssssss.<br /><br />AHA! and the Apparatus will also be making an appearance at several future DIY/tech/Maker events, including the Hands-On Museum's <a href="http://www.aahom.org/tech_event/">Tech Event</a> (May 22), the Ann Arbor <a href="http://www.a2makerfaire.com/2010/">Mini Maker Faire</a> (June 5), and hopefully the Detroit <a href="http://makerfaire.com/detroit/2010/">Maker Faire</a> (July 31 - August 1). Actually, this post is part of my application for Detroit... I anticipate all three being fantastic.<br /></div></div>Traumereihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02172237714179404537noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2610660547975697378.post-36844790924369444602010-03-19T12:06:00.000-04:002010-03-19T12:06:50.795-04:00(Do Breadboards Dream Of) Electric JamIT LIVES!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4QUXnClXWnKcTkd6h4uQh78c9v_E6QJyhMsDQLDilqUu4kFXijlQGlZE8sVjkYweZvrsmhxiUJJ2LuP0iDUgAkJl5-Stjgqve3BafPrtXjdqcPpqNXRT15_l0fUrCz9ZsIXQ8kNn6QPtV/s1600-h/IMG_4600+raaaagh.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 258px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4QUXnClXWnKcTkd6h4uQh78c9v_E6QJyhMsDQLDilqUu4kFXijlQGlZE8sVjkYweZvrsmhxiUJJ2LuP0iDUgAkJl5-Stjgqve3BafPrtXjdqcPpqNXRT15_l0fUrCz9ZsIXQ8kNn6QPtV/s320/IMG_4600+raaaagh.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450368911125453666" border="0" /></a><br />Last Saturday, I finished Make's <a href="http://makezine.com/09/crackerboxamp/">crackerbox amp</a> project. This is extremely exciting, as it represents a) a successful first foray into the twin lands of circuit diagrams and building electronics from scratch, and b) the actualization of my own electric mandolin!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYjZrXPTi9uLlhuOI2m9u6u1t01BLTVgKs_Ybjs4iq0z9XF1dSre-EZdk3RG_afpv4M6W1qEHEuO_GSw7QQQokboC3_xf219G1DkjTF4z-vYDjJkjyg7-P9sptMS3mHmQjcE6d91MxWobL/s1600-h/IMG_4577+pcb.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYjZrXPTi9uLlhuOI2m9u6u1t01BLTVgKs_Ybjs4iq0z9XF1dSre-EZdk3RG_afpv4M6W1qEHEuO_GSw7QQQokboC3_xf219G1DkjTF4z-vYDjJkjyg7-P9sptMS3mHmQjcE6d91MxWobL/s320/IMG_4577+pcb.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448615540102498978" border="0" /></a>Janky janky janky. But it works! (I had very limited wire resources... hence, everything is the same color.)<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7dUXVxCHOMJ-NP-xfX8tf7tkeBKdJMUVQV16BujE-Nj5w2rfggjQ6ykm2kRkedY24ZF8m9k7UQBVlykITqQ5c9A0o6ngnf-PPiC8OMfUuXMvLJST7DB-kgjA5Dt4NHZseGjE7ez0_rC6c/s1600-h/IMG_4580+pcb+bottom.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7dUXVxCHOMJ-NP-xfX8tf7tkeBKdJMUVQV16BujE-Nj5w2rfggjQ6ykm2kRkedY24ZF8m9k7UQBVlykITqQ5c9A0o6ngnf-PPiC8OMfUuXMvLJST7DB-kgjA5Dt4NHZseGjE7ez0_rC6c/s320/IMG_4580+pcb+bottom.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448615534616937138" border="0" /></a>This soldering job reminds me of Kate Beaton's fat pony: ugly and incompetent, but kind of endearing...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">While <span style="font-style: italic;">Make</span> seems to have some kind of sponsorship thing with Radio Shack, I don't recommend going there for parts. I moseyed down there one evening, and walked out feeling like I'd lost two hours (including bus time) and spent twice as much as I should've for the components I got. Even if you go online to avoid getting ripped off as much, it could easily cost more than $5 if you don't have most of the stuff already on hand. Still, no complaints - I ended up with this...<br /></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6fYfxuhWTbCxWp7eO1YoKeDWbDYGBhK7B01hQsiA11GL6CDVNQ-8walTOIvMoqngPedqYWm-aGIK0ASHylLSziy7dnumx0-xplGAC0u0ezbFBHskuWoWyFVVb-WvFKmN59m-vrBDtjtUc/s1600-h/IMG_4575+setup.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6fYfxuhWTbCxWp7eO1YoKeDWbDYGBhK7B01hQsiA11GL6CDVNQ-8walTOIvMoqngPedqYWm-aGIK0ASHylLSziy7dnumx0-xplGAC0u0ezbFBHskuWoWyFVVb-WvFKmN59m-vrBDtjtUc/s320/IMG_4575+setup.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448615526694244930" border="0" /></a>:)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The best reference material came from <a href="http://www.kpsec.freeuk.com/">http://www.kpsec.freeuk.com/</a> . Amazing resource for semi-newcomers to the field of electronic jiggery-pokery. I also highly recommend checking out cairn's comments / linked <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/54804764@N00/401719542/">PCB layout pic</a> on the article page. While it was fun to slowly learn how to read the circuit diagram, at times it got extremely frustrating; I found that layout diagram once I was done, and kinda wished I'd had it all along. (Still, it was gratifying to turn the thing on and have noise come out, when I'd wondered if it would do anything but set the carpet on fire.)<br /></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBBKnijbIq7g-NrKnowEkDxn3OWuETAGCt5xfPou9PnYNtppWSeYzQju7gIh4OU7xTrUXVQOnS7tU_FFFu1tncB2VS0SSMD2rPZT2oZALg-IHIDR8FrMnOy6ZOVnNCCV6vE3orQoY3Xcpc/s1600-h/IMG_4579+mando+wired.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBBKnijbIq7g-NrKnowEkDxn3OWuETAGCt5xfPou9PnYNtppWSeYzQju7gIh4OU7xTrUXVQOnS7tU_FFFu1tncB2VS0SSMD2rPZT2oZALg-IHIDR8FrMnOy6ZOVnNCCV6vE3orQoY3Xcpc/s320/IMG_4579+mando+wired.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448615522331758850" border="0" /></a>With the piezo mounted! I tried poking/cutting holes in the speaker cone for more distortion, but it doesn't seem to make much of a difference... perhaps because I only have an 8-ohm speaker. It came from the local Kiwanis rummage sale - they have a bunch, and I paid a solitary buck for this one.<br /></div><br />This amp exists mainly to give grittiness and edge to the mandolin, and that it does, most noticeably in the upper registers. I chose to use surface-mounted pickups because there's no way I'm taking a drill to the mandolin. So I'm going with a piezo wired to a 1/4" plug, courtesy of the excellent Matt Endahl.<br /><br />Next step: build a case for it. I settled on some 2-walled plastic with linear cells, which David and I pulled out of the art museum dumpster a while back.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmNm400-HMKPdTN5_sAekjFDpJG1dQrLk72P7TDCeLob5xm7e-oN58qLiUYUOlXmegu3z9NhtsYWjgyA1zv4G1HVeZfjXCOJkmyoMczCULNHRfFf5dnnK5IpY1rfRC5bi0V0kxltSHB4SL/s1600-h/IMG_4582+materials.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmNm400-HMKPdTN5_sAekjFDpJG1dQrLk72P7TDCeLob5xm7e-oN58qLiUYUOlXmegu3z9NhtsYWjgyA1zv4G1HVeZfjXCOJkmyoMczCULNHRfFf5dnnK5IpY1rfRC5bi0V0kxltSHB4SL/s320/IMG_4582+materials.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450345668557926882" border="0" /></a>Piezo pickup with plug, duct tape, box cutter, Sharpie, nail sink, amp, plastic.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxo02-BXCL6-x0O593OiJZwl_PMnG24DFubTbH8z5LY94ld-tIqjfkmeClppt54UXBQzparaXchp64Pbz9RDvCGOQ3CDbcF44a3loj0RU8j2WMrGYrvdJdQyoNBp8MxBTxmtRkspUopkFS/s1600-h/IMG_4588+stand.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxo02-BXCL6-x0O593OiJZwl_PMnG24DFubTbH8z5LY94ld-tIqjfkmeClppt54UXBQzparaXchp64Pbz9RDvCGOQ3CDbcF44a3loj0RU8j2WMrGYrvdJdQyoNBp8MxBTxmtRkspUopkFS/s320/IMG_4588+stand.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450345615616501186" border="0" /></a>Cut the plastic into three panels, for optimal stability (that whole 3-legs-don't-wobble thing)... plus mega style points.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7QyjEfoW1kLPwgwd4C6FsxIc2g0gvgf1242Z2mD_4IYnIeOm6oEclR5ZMjPvIWMtbfNPu7d8dIItEOcws0qZgbq-zmEeqfdLaRWFZcXLv_Nbubqrndsv2BdF5WrqI6-_TaHUrgg3-Z8sC/s1600-h/IMG_4589+triangles.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7QyjEfoW1kLPwgwd4C6FsxIc2g0gvgf1242Z2mD_4IYnIeOm6oEclR5ZMjPvIWMtbfNPu7d8dIItEOcws0qZgbq-zmEeqfdLaRWFZcXLv_Nbubqrndsv2BdF5WrqI6-_TaHUrgg3-Z8sC/s320/IMG_4589+triangles.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450345606714444562" border="0" /></a>Top and bottom covers (the top flaps open); speaker hole cutout.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicWGmLClllqV3gWK7g7WHy79I3BzcGJ8LVnQkIIXqFdygdvahv8fNT4cc1HzuUxoPZWCewWpHnR0Ljv-4ghf6iWYcvoXh0MWFpIGu84B59rW-UwjR9cxnjfLXDjncLze3b7Jkom6u9aIBE/s1600-h/IMG_4592+taped.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicWGmLClllqV3gWK7g7WHy79I3BzcGJ8LVnQkIIXqFdygdvahv8fNT4cc1HzuUxoPZWCewWpHnR0Ljv-4ghf6iWYcvoXh0MWFpIGu84B59rW-UwjR9cxnjfLXDjncLze3b7Jkom6u9aIBE/s320/IMG_4592+taped.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450345597174301378" border="0" /></a>Duct tape "hammer" + nail sink + needlenose pliers -> easy holes, exactly the right size.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBN1pL_96xM78BeGgBTpTpKXH_y5shyGjWnXI20ySdzqtv1IJaqgOfOy8BdxuZsqt_kyyLTWv_QGG78XvlikyJJh9cwwJFYO8NZndAZegiGwLFR1DWP06cIGouRxyMHSZOnb-Bigdtosk9/s1600-h/IMG_4594+markings.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBN1pL_96xM78BeGgBTpTpKXH_y5shyGjWnXI20ySdzqtv1IJaqgOfOy8BdxuZsqt_kyyLTWv_QGG78XvlikyJJh9cwwJFYO8NZndAZegiGwLFR1DWP06cIGouRxyMHSZOnb-Bigdtosk9/s320/IMG_4594+markings.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450345585596051682" border="0" /></a>Loud = volume, Angry = gain :)<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />A lot of people asked about volume vs. gain. As I understand it, the chip already amplifies input sound by a certain amount. The gain feeds from the chip back into it, so that basically controls how much the chip amplifies the signal (sound). (Past a certain level, this creates <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clipping_%28audio%29">clipping</a>, which makes it sound gritty.) The volume is between the chip and the speaker ("after" the chip), so it controls how much of this already-amplified signal is put through the speaker.<br /></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMui46Max5RODKhtJC3DYwbM4GpuV5jn1QWAhgpoVZKMSsQJxEvr-N3LjTmNc8ryTSqFUjaJlNVcZvMMleo_6GTFatpbNtN8B2LmCO143dVHJ3IYnz6soAHlgDRYSfzwkkMaUtA4ICf_86/s1600-h/IMG_4596+inside.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMui46Max5RODKhtJC3DYwbM4GpuV5jn1QWAhgpoVZKMSsQJxEvr-N3LjTmNc8ryTSqFUjaJlNVcZvMMleo_6GTFatpbNtN8B2LmCO143dVHJ3IYnz6soAHlgDRYSfzwkkMaUtA4ICf_86/s320/IMG_4596+inside.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450345577716206466" border="0" /></a>Left side: on/off toggle, 1/4" jack<br />Center: volume rheostat, gain potentiometer<br />Right: speaker<br />Bottom: PCB, 9V battery<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXzyCaHdV79RwIi1Wp_JGDvwfc1Zu3vHyTDlKzqJGtvMwIpraRJaLfHW1hDf6m48NExGLE2X7IQyVFGTI0R5wjwyXRJ1rKj0In3v7ovpXybVOfNoldpPfL-0TlKNdPS10fnnIWSveGKebX/s1600-h/IMG_4599.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXzyCaHdV79RwIi1Wp_JGDvwfc1Zu3vHyTDlKzqJGtvMwIpraRJaLfHW1hDf6m48NExGLE2X7IQyVFGTI0R5wjwyXRJ1rKj0In3v7ovpXybVOfNoldpPfL-0TlKNdPS10fnnIWSveGKebX/s320/IMG_4599.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450362726368327138" border="0" /></a>Finished! Here's a short <a href="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/alexglow/PXua6EyRHHr6ymaUiF9cwgPWT5ewbDFO5O2C7yXO6WuzzIHWQFrfcwBS950u/amp_tryout.mp3">sound sample</a> with the mandolin. There are some images up already on Facebook, as I brought it to Build Night last night at <a href="http://www.allhandsactive.com/">AHA</a>...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkthIBIb9RvkmYCfzZbVcV95Wy4yZ7UL9W2XHeVPq_iphFPfy8xgRLy79CZi-PUIDUZu28xDbPgztAccejMtmsxMmTqkUA8rJ2nGWSLMk0hjI_O4WzhUZtlUMf43kdCyF3zFPqo4Bzffea/s1600-h/amp+mando.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkthIBIb9RvkmYCfzZbVcV95Wy4yZ7UL9W2XHeVPq_iphFPfy8xgRLy79CZi-PUIDUZu28xDbPgztAccejMtmsxMmTqkUA8rJ2nGWSLMk0hjI_O4WzhUZtlUMf43kdCyF3zFPqo4Bzffea/s320/amp+mando.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450362716624004066" border="0" /></a>Rocking out (as best I am able) at the shop.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaeMPiuIba5Xpso9IR76VDgyKfM7yV90xgHClGOC-hPsNx3jIgvj6iXX-3QWto9-rpLXzsRdxK6tcBdk0D17wyOREz26elRZiBUZUS1lodfm6lmp0tAxGt8dJb2ne9z76ndadXA9Ev7Eak/s1600-h/amp+drum.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaeMPiuIba5Xpso9IR76VDgyKfM7yV90xgHClGOC-hPsNx3jIgvj6iXX-3QWto9-rpLXzsRdxK6tcBdk0D17wyOREz26elRZiBUZUS1lodfm6lmp0tAxGt8dJb2ne9z76ndadXA9Ev7Eak/s320/amp+drum.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450363813857779202" border="0" /></a>We also taped it up to the illustrious Amanda's amazing propane tank steel drum. That thing sounds amazing, though as with the mandolin, only the higher registers worked with the amp's distortion. Apparently, I can switch out one of the capacitors, and it'll pick up more bass... so I guess that's a logical next step with this thing. I already tried hooking up some red LEDs inline with the speaker (so they'd pulse along with the sound), but alas, they were too much of a voltage drain and barely any sound came out.<br /><br />The last couple of photos are from AHA's Facebook page; I believe they were taken by Josh, one of the proprietors of Digital Ops, our venue. I am inexpressibly happy that this space, the group, and the people in it exist. Dudes are seriously awesome.Traumereihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02172237714179404537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2610660547975697378.post-18085660131389843312010-03-14T19:21:00.004-04:002010-05-18T10:39:16.290-04:00Nobody understands meeee...though mainly because I sing in made-up languages.<br /><br />I've been having pretty good times lately. The days are particularly grand when I can get a reservation for the V-Room (UM's sound recording booth). I finally recorded three folk songs I wrote while studying abroad in 2008... the vocals are dodgy as always, but I think the language alone gives these interest. They're written in my conlang, mazlaani. The tunes are stolen from other places; lyrics and loose translations follow... click the song titles to download, or <a href="http://alexglow.posterous.com/mazlaani-songs">here</a> to listen to all of them on Posterous.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/alexglow/yKjE7yrInsCsmBGU1Zcf9oEqCQPpsPSr5lZCAcZD7giXVnfeQeVQ2nor2MD2/inothaye_eila_hi_fari_split.mp3">Inothaye eila hi fari</a> - Tune: Navan, "Seoithín, Seothó"</b><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><table style="width: 472px; height: 256px;"><tbody><tr><td>Inothaye eila hi fari<br />A’santu mari imkarenni<br />Inothaye eila hi fari<br />Kaadie tsuoheta leme eiyon<br />Xiyora lorelea oreni<br />Lentah pakaiyu sefura faa siten<br />Xiyora lorelea oreni<br />S’akal naarana kte’u<br />Inothaye eila hi fari<br />A’santu mari imkarenni<br />Inothaye eila hi fari<br />Kiie xituran oreni ridae.</td><td>To wander this land is good<br />This is a place of peace<br />To wander this land is good<br />Green leaves filter creamy light<br />I drink in the richness of the days<br />My feet walk in cool water<br />I drink in the richness of the days<br />High sunlight warms my skin<br />To wander this land is good<br />This is a place of peace<br />To wander this land is good<br />And I have days to wander.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><b><a href="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/alexglow/FTFePn4aQSLWEYjluk0kQydSZCu8fKVE6tED1rHRtR9MFkYSp1szV7gFDvBd/elemnen_kiranaiyo_single.mp3"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Chilun tumnanaii</span></a> - The Chieftains, "Don Oiche Ud I mBeithil"</b><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><table><tbody></tbody><tbody><tr><td>Elemnen kiranaiyo<br />Kinarolan s’amna me<br />Ruuara-tsorun xala,<br />A’sachti faa lihte hou.<br />A’quuro s’idusa faa<br />Saahta rochai’an;<br />Janaï-to lonn faa charam<br />A’chairechta kummnaou.</td><td>The embers of summer sleep under fallen leaves<br />When I inhale, I awaken<br />and my breath is mist on the wind.<br />A fire begins to ignite itself in the air;<br />Sparks drift red from high branches in the twilight.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><b><a href="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/alexglow/HohS8VJoVtIXkelj7uaVaKGPa8N8h4afhWc4bsLxZWDBbpjcWYwfiszRXw4m/asailu_xirhara_lani_split.mp3">As'ailu xirhara lani</a> - Ugnëlakis su Kûlgrinda, "Skauda Galvelá, Negaliu"</b><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><table><tbody></tbody><tbody><tr><td>As’ailu xirhara lani<br />Fairech naarai tumnanaii<br />Xolts’e o rinta leai<br />Reiya petuvin xani, pexeiya<br /><br />Inlaat xe xiute raas’in<br />Rilun, razlaani a’xalsin<br />S’e o s’inna kinuta’u<br />Faolan, o eila-urun xa s’inna<br /><br />Pala’u tchenden nolurinna<br />Xatou as’tir tuorunna<br />Qulann'u s’estoh yunao<br />Lechat’u seiyonna ochai<br /><br />O as’ach as’ailra saati?<br />Taapra canssto, taapra s’altï?<br />Tsuohe-urun a laanti;<br />Tukran-to s’aarai eila...</td><td>From my window I see them,<br />Sparkling with autumn sunlight.<br />I would go and run with them,<br />but cannot; it is not given to me...<br /><br />How can I stay and whisper?<br />Now I want to speak, to sing.<br />The world will see my heart beating!<br />The whole world will see me.<br /><br />My drum is the storm’s lightning;<br />I wear the mountain’s gale.<br />My music is the beating rain,<br />My torch is the moon’s flame.<br /><br />Will my eyes turn back to the window?<br />Is home a friend or an enemy?<br />Now all the leaves are falling,<br />The world gleams copper...</td></tr></tbody></table>Someday I will add backing to this song; right now, I'm thinking tambourine, electric mandolin, and electric mediocre viola. (More on these later...)<br /><br />Upon reflection, I think I subconsciously stole a couple of words from Elvish: check "laanti" (they fall), with Tolkien's "lantar" (same), as well as "oren"/"aurë" (day). This is not at all surprising, and as any giant dork will observe, the themes are also pretty similar. I wrote a lot about autumn because I had none that year, being in the southern hemisphere for five months; the vocabulary is also limited, because of the size of the language so far.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">•••••••••••••<br /><br /></div>There's more in the offing, but I can't give away all my secrets at once. I'm planning some fun stuff for the Maker Faires this summer (<a href="http://www.a2makerfaire.com/2010/">A2 Mini</a> and <a href="http://www.makerfaire.com/">MakerCity</a> in Detroit)... definitely working with the <a href="http://www.allhandsactive.com/">AHA! Shop</a>, possibly the <a href="http://aahom.org/">Hands-On Museum</a>, and/or a couple other excellent peoples. It will be a good season.<br /><br />[Side note: AUGH FORMATTING... I will try and fix this, but no promises. ;_;]Traumereihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02172237714179404537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2610660547975697378.post-91613064833673948492010-03-10T10:07:00.012-05:002010-03-10T11:16:04.987-05:00Juggling balls (Part 2)These juggling balls are more time- and labor-intensive than the <a href="http://alexglow.blogspot.com/2010/02/juggling-balls-part-1.html">others</a>, but you end up with a much warmer, more personal final product. They're basically hacky sacks, but for juggling you need 3+.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH1gcXjyfwbUxLVc7IGoUJ2EBVNv7iLzJYDmyV3xyz9XRCK0ENVbXtUXSfg8sKkXdQdBVrDomOqpjgg_Tbt6HhA68ofSuYEddZsTmGKTvKurGt2oRAYeeJXZg_4TO1-1J5fpu5mQbI5KMC/s1600-h/red+juggling+balls.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH1gcXjyfwbUxLVc7IGoUJ2EBVNv7iLzJYDmyV3xyz9XRCK0ENVbXtUXSfg8sKkXdQdBVrDomOqpjgg_Tbt6HhA68ofSuYEddZsTmGKTvKurGt2oRAYeeJXZg_4TO1-1J5fpu5mQbI5KMC/s320/red+juggling+balls.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447027374755251810" border="0" /></a>My first attempt / only complete set so far.<br /></div><br />There are various ways of making these; the general idea is that you're making a soft cube, so you need six squares in some configuration, plus some space for the stitches to hold. I use two rectangles of suede for each ball, each 3 squares long (kind of like baseballs). You can also use three rectangles of two each, or two L-shaped pieces of 3 each. Or whatever else your little heart desires. All it really affects is the pattern of the colors.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGWxRBcK-1qQC3utGm-Q938pST90z0YgJGlcuvf5cCw93GW3Q7q_eJTJB7lnFEGOyw5H_DFWTG5-e6WKillB-Uet3OrKvtLqm4YAlHiibPxGUubJG44VfuDz_RsDAYfRqtnIrk-JSCoJLy/s1600-h/IMG_4553+materials.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGWxRBcK-1qQC3utGm-Q938pST90z0YgJGlcuvf5cCw93GW3Q7q_eJTJB7lnFEGOyw5H_DFWTG5-e6WKillB-Uet3OrKvtLqm4YAlHiibPxGUubJG44VfuDz_RsDAYfRqtnIrk-JSCoJLy/s320/IMG_4553+materials.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447025394330664146" border="0" /></a>1 red-orange and 1 sage green for each ball. The balls in my original set are filled with black beans, which produces a very pleasant noise. Now I'm trying to make some with jingly bells inside, which will sound sort of rattly when muted by the stuffing... kind of meh, but it'll provide variation. These are for use in <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJvlxvsUgRs">juggling rhythms</a> (I've gotten a bunch further since that video... exciting).<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXrbFbPfPN5cBqyqJua3aP_nFnq1vJCk8PlN4AgaOO5tKZdZsAHJ-CeaYd5yV2kaXC8cklG3J9hXxmRZvub2FG-XXaDKg1TkxlPYkCMXu5o4SleBKaByibLcRa7nyXbPYEwXi3TB4t_XSs/s1600-h/IMG_4557+bells.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXrbFbPfPN5cBqyqJua3aP_nFnq1vJCk8PlN4AgaOO5tKZdZsAHJ-CeaYd5yV2kaXC8cklG3J9hXxmRZvub2FG-XXaDKg1TkxlPYkCMXu5o4SleBKaByibLcRa7nyXbPYEwXi3TB4t_XSs/s320/IMG_4557+bells.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447025384226856802" border="0" /></a>Materials!<br /></div><br />I'm using doubled thread to sew the edges together, with about 1/4"-1/2" of edging. As with most needle-and-thread projects, this is sewn inside out, except for an opening, then inverted and finished.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqdgF6V62lKpItbz6WzSwigQh4jNH_T12-1GPdFImHbhGY7CghHxgZeVQ4wmsPD8KYUW0-vvHkeKm55uoBPozz5MO19PHnvhyphenhyphenFu5CYTY66heKHAdt9GSaImEsLbyFdPujHXQKbz49DXi67/s1600-h/IMG_4560+sewn.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqdgF6V62lKpItbz6WzSwigQh4jNH_T12-1GPdFImHbhGY7CghHxgZeVQ4wmsPD8KYUW0-vvHkeKm55uoBPozz5MO19PHnvhyphenhyphenFu5CYTY66heKHAdt9GSaImEsLbyFdPujHXQKbz49DXi67/s320/IMG_4560+sewn.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447025026698656706" border="0" /></a>Halfway through...<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRedgbr14IixR5hYTSl5KgYEQg5xpYPcY4sLFB9q8IZV0xuLub84NocW5oM5v2O517FoHALH0eQ-vvgTicbYm4pLWRvEHv0jBZ1q4fPDOtOiVK4ZIIy8zvxcsvg3ZcIajGU2oeH5zrqhl_/s1600-h/IMG_4563+sewn.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRedgbr14IixR5hYTSl5KgYEQg5xpYPcY4sLFB9q8IZV0xuLub84NocW5oM5v2O517FoHALH0eQ-vvgTicbYm4pLWRvEHv0jBZ1q4fPDOtOiVK4ZIIy8zvxcsvg3ZcIajGU2oeH5zrqhl_/s320/IMG_4563+sewn.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447025017223081010" border="0" /></a>End of each rectangle attaches to the middle third of the other. Suede is a bit more finicky than the cloth I used before; I had to cut a small triangle from each straight edge where it folded around the corner of the other rectangle.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEaa1Hkc8A_u94qaJWlnUjd1y9IU0mMq_kbjPWtHgZC3DsBUX33mkZrxyANGq1tXBfFeo2APvLjk1CL8-qrUAi1IwfMDvUSKNY0Qt4FwoP_JTiQ-gL3mNAuHmxVcnLX8BtY-YASsYiUNwB/s1600-h/IMG_4564+inside.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEaa1Hkc8A_u94qaJWlnUjd1y9IU0mMq_kbjPWtHgZC3DsBUX33mkZrxyANGq1tXBfFeo2APvLjk1CL8-qrUAi1IwfMDvUSKNY0Qt4FwoP_JTiQ-gL3mNAuHmxVcnLX8BtY-YASsYiUNwB/s320/IMG_4564+inside.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447025011196782306" border="0" /></a>Flipped...<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaGFnURPgwjMrxpeNrfIUk_33f6rU0a4NVYz6VrnWTvhht8v4HnBVJVkUlT6VbVsV6ZSczAdcbHPrhU4SrfHEYGH8eLRFux1RQJemGh-Ey3CxuaengBr5-xaeEA6f-F3tv-ojemEnlZb7e/s1600-h/IMG_4565+ploomp.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaGFnURPgwjMrxpeNrfIUk_33f6rU0a4NVYz6VrnWTvhht8v4HnBVJVkUlT6VbVsV6ZSczAdcbHPrhU4SrfHEYGH8eLRFux1RQJemGh-Ey3CxuaengBr5-xaeEA6f-F3tv-ojemEnlZb7e/s320/IMG_4565+ploomp.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447025004626358994" border="0" /></a>...and inverted. This is just to show what it should look like - a couple more sides need to be sewn before this can be finished. Not all my projects can be fantastic successes, and I ended up abandoning this ball because the suede was too thick and stiff to invert through the hole I had left, at least without undoing a lot of previous stitching. This also happened because I used smaller rectangles than before, which provides less leeway: 1.5-inch squares (so 5.5" x 2.5" rectangles, including 1/2" of slip), instead of 2-inch squares (7" x 3" rectangles). I didn't want to have to stitch up a whole side from the outside, as my attempts at "pretty stitches" usually produce the following:<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNK2t_JUox_I2-1tIO6m3H-0fXBshzj2PGhA1N-8UDgFpoPuWhBehI3r7vsDaIuw0WvRj2Ue1lf6wg0_AgznQoSUsB2Z1S_w4WyZATfvRwhILlmhGN-y3gmy74BOZknvuCEXB6W9c1w4Lh/s1600-h/IMG_4572+stitches.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNK2t_JUox_I2-1tIO6m3H-0fXBshzj2PGhA1N-8UDgFpoPuWhBehI3r7vsDaIuw0WvRj2Ue1lf6wg0_AgznQoSUsB2Z1S_w4WyZATfvRwhILlmhGN-y3gmy74BOZknvuCEXB6W9c1w4Lh/s320/IMG_4572+stitches.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447024993400185650" border="0" /></a>These are the stitched-up holes from the first set, after stuffing the stuffing in. (Note on that: put in much more stuffing than you think you need, so that the ball is quite taut. Failure to do so will resort in a loose final product that expresses ennui, rather than exuberance. You want EXUBERANT BALLS.)<br /><br />I'm happy sticking with these ones, as they are very aesthetically pleasing to me. Each has one rectangle of red-on-blue brocade, and for the other rectangle, they have burgundy suede, iridescent red/black cloth, and the reverse of the brocade (blue on red). Hey kids, patterning is cool. B)<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu-fNlc9p97zA9k-JloIOk5P3EEOnLl6Mu5SkbRgt1nJBWLCpUBWXXFsRpWqe6beNQYecD37Vedwlg9yjqoS15sL4kex4lWxz_LP-T8zi5TeuO4OhUmj0kiFsKojyDZV1ZEEXI_ZcXx3kz/s1600-h/IMG_4570+pop+stitches.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu-fNlc9p97zA9k-JloIOk5P3EEOnLl6Mu5SkbRgt1nJBWLCpUBWXXFsRpWqe6beNQYecD37Vedwlg9yjqoS15sL4kex4lWxz_LP-T8zi5TeuO4OhUmj0kiFsKojyDZV1ZEEXI_ZcXx3kz/s320/IMG_4570+pop+stitches.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447033638961533922" border="0" /></a>Ugly stitches: EXTREME CLOSEUP<br /></div>Traumereihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02172237714179404537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2610660547975697378.post-79700070736298754702010-02-25T16:08:00.000-05:002010-03-12T14:38:40.091-05:00Holograms!<span style="font-style: italic;">A full set of awesome photos to accompany this can be found on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2720062&id=2227831&l=710cb2fe69">Facebook</a> (public link).</span><span><span style="font-style: italic;"> There is some basic information there; this entry is more in-depth.</span><br /><br />Feeling artsy-fartsy? Wanna play with LASERS? Make holograms! (Disclaimer: this actually takes quite a bit of equipment, which I sadly lack in any independent sense...)<br /><br />This is the perfect art for people like me: arcane, extremely sensitive, involving complex machinery and glass plates, </span><span>shrouded in velvety darkness... there are lenses to adjust and light beams to guide, and at the end, a 3D illusion is captured in your hands. </span><span><br /><br />These holograms (specifically, Denisyuk-type reflection holograms) are physically composed similarly to photographs: a light-sensitive emulsion in a thin layer atop a flat medium. In photos, of course, there's usually a middle step (the negative), and you end up with light-and-dark patterns on paper, whereas in holograms, the light produces ridges in the emulsion that act as highly complex lenses on a glass plate. Technically, the emulsion is also on the back of the plate - with the emulsion on top, you see the reverse image. You can see a "larger" part of a hologram from a small shard because it compares somewhat to a flashlight: your view of the object in that case is akin to a shaft of light beaming into darkness (anything that is not exposed emulsion). The hologram records the interactions between the</span><span><span style="font-style: italic;"> reference beam</span>, or the spread-out direct laser beam</span><span> (which, when you view it, is replaced by your light source) and the <span style="font-style: italic;">object beam</span>, the light reflected back off of the object (which becomes the image you see). You are viewing a reconstruction of how the light reflects off of each part of the object. Since I was using a red laser, the finished hologram reflects this same wavelength of light - so the image looks red. Also, because of how it is constructed, a finished hologram is best viewed under light from a compact point source (like an incandescent bulb).<br /><br />You may know that the word "camera" is short for "camera obscura", or dark room. Well, when you take a hologram, the entire room literally is the camera, and it contains the plate (vaguely analogous to photo film), darkness, the light source, and your subject. Your setup includes</span><span> a laser, a shutter blocking the beam, a mirror to angle it toward your plate, several baffles to block stray light, a spatial filter, the frame that holds the plate, and then your subject. </span><span>(A diagram can be found <a href="http://laser.physics.sunysb.edu/%7Ekarl/webreport/holo1.gif">here</a>, though the spatial filter is missing - this is what spreads the beam into a cone.)</span><br /><span><br />The spatial filter is a fun piece of equipment, which can take anywhere from a minute up to several tense, fiddly hours to set up. It's essentially a lens, or set of lenses, and a pinhole that you adjust to spread and focus the laser beam </span><span>(Mike made ours from old microscopes)</span><span>. The filter has to be aligned vertically and horizontally so that the beam goes straight through, as perfectly as possible, which is the fiddly bit. Once you have this done (on an extremely stable surface), spreading the beam should yield a series of light and dark concentric rings - interference patterns - because the light is passing through a lens. In the center is a bright spot. You move the lens closer to the pinhole until the bright spot is large enough to cover your subject. Then you close the shutter, turn off the lights, set your plate, and leave.</span><br /><span><br />In order to produce a successful hologram of this type, vibrations and environmental light must be minimized. Blocking light is relatively easy: you set up</span><span> baffles to keep reflected laser light from hitting the plate, </span><span>turn off the lights, shut the door, turn off the lights in the next room, and shut that door as well. Blocking vibration is more difficult; Mike Hannum, the awesome Residential College photo/holo prof, built three tables in the basement for this specific purpose. Each one has a bottom layer of 6 inner tubes, then layers of sand and tennis balls for dampening, then more sand and a thick slab of slate on top. It is recommended to work at night, when students are moving around less upstairs and the traffic outside quiets down. And once you've set your unexposed plate in the holder, you leave the room for five minutes to allow the </span><span><span style="font-style: italic;">air currents</span></span><span> to settle before exposing the plate. Yes. The <span style="font-style: italic;">air currents</span>.<br /><br />(Do you see yet why I love this art?)<br /><br />I always picked the table with a shutter switch located outside the room, so I wouldn't have to disturb this setup in order to take the image. Depending on the intensity of the light wash and the reflectivity of the subject, I typically exposed plates for between 5 and 30 seconds. Then, I slunk back into the room, blindly put the plate in a dark sealed box, and brought it out, ablaze with premature triumph. Occasionally, I would end up getting foiled somewhere along the way by developing the plate for the wrong amount of time (this also varies, depending upon the exposure time and such)... but I got some really nice ones along the way, and now I've found my favorite test plates from way back. These and some project materials are now up <a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2720062&id=2227831&l=710cb2fe69">online</a>, though most of my project work and some of my best overall holograms have been stored elsewhere or given away.<br /><br />If you want to make simple 3D images but don't have the equipment, check out <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUy8lELWhJg">this awesome handmade hologram video</a> David showed me a while ago... Also pretty frickin' sweet.<br /></span>Traumereihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02172237714179404537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2610660547975697378.post-75400733920168947282010-02-04T11:50:00.006-05:002010-02-04T12:20:01.041-05:00Juggling balls (Part 1)<span style="font-style: italic;">Warning: this post may provoke puerile giggling.</span><br /><br />Last May, the excellent Bob tried to teach me to juggle. He lent me some balls for the day, and of course I immediately lost one. Now I seem to have recovered from those unfortunate associations, and have been learning to juggle for a couple of weeks. The results are <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xNCPdDYv5s">surprisingly marvelous</a>! (YouTube vid. Beware of ball hitting computer at the end...)<br /><br />These balls are quite heavy, for two reasons: a) it makes them easier to handle as a starting set, and b) the fact that they work my hands/arms is a motivator for practicing. This set is made from latex gloves, filled with (dry) Quikrete. The bag coverings make them easier to handle and much more durable.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmLs5cPcLSYsEkmSP3Xgv3iju-x5wljqF2R2Kx06Ji0NCYHOmLYem-d_6dNee2U4DG5LEmQOKCQEGsm__XeXeMXDX_iqkyHMDeXl7Up0m9-vMhUgGTuATGhXbEryMMEafugyo8ZKpFYIQi/s1600-h/IMG_6485+materials.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmLs5cPcLSYsEkmSP3Xgv3iju-x5wljqF2R2Kx06Ji0NCYHOmLYem-d_6dNee2U4DG5LEmQOKCQEGsm__XeXeMXDX_iqkyHMDeXl7Up0m9-vMhUgGTuATGhXbEryMMEafugyo8ZKpFYIQi/s320/IMG_6485+materials.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434434899139225954" border="0" /></a>Materials: satiny bag, latex glove, Quikrete (and an empty medicine bottle for scooping)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOLh-AjEI3gJyeTIJXKEXAUmwAbIC_WqDb1W7nmEP7s1NQvzfTkXwWMgNCw4NdLsKUGx12M0QKPRa9v2pdzVyZ8CGyTzhaQL65igs3mUD5eYs6L6TeUBUHMSsml72JrltU-FwDyctcTnSH/s1600-h/IMG_6487+glove+fingers.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOLh-AjEI3gJyeTIJXKEXAUmwAbIC_WqDb1W7nmEP7s1NQvzfTkXwWMgNCw4NdLsKUGx12M0QKPRa9v2pdzVyZ8CGyTzhaQL65igs3mUD5eYs6L6TeUBUHMSsml72JrltU-FwDyctcTnSH/s320/IMG_6487+glove+fingers.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434432812933315890" border="0" /></a>Tie off the fingers.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxrHUviOhrFHA8_tCju64u7aV00hoCGtdrLKJRFqDtt7y85uf8a6_U75slg67EiIH58slqZ8DtRUVGC7IvVjrA_1o3g6cZIB5Ulzm85gVqQFu-xS1PgtV6iyx0yOFbE5IiUEszVXDNRp1T/s1600-h/IMG_6489+quikrete.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxrHUviOhrFHA8_tCju64u7aV00hoCGtdrLKJRFqDtt7y85uf8a6_U75slg67EiIH58slqZ8DtRUVGC7IvVjrA_1o3g6cZIB5Ulzm85gVqQFu-xS1PgtV6iyx0yOFbE5IiUEszVXDNRp1T/s320/IMG_6489+quikrete.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434432808069418754" border="0" /></a>I used maybe 4 scoops per ball; these photos are of a replacement ball (I lost one), and it ended up larger than the others because I didn't remember how much grit went into the old ones.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj2Hh4Wqrb3K28UfA2x8SOT-Oc_cD7FwNqSKQAZNXTduRFEb0U5QoS1zGMtBJpDPSAhe7ndQ0P8wXYPnQ3JWsoFW4DzmCD8t01b2_NF0QZCMsxdTCQ8cQvsm4JA0nnkUpd57VGhQEKMVhE/s1600-h/IMG_6492+filled.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj2Hh4Wqrb3K28UfA2x8SOT-Oc_cD7FwNqSKQAZNXTduRFEb0U5QoS1zGMtBJpDPSAhe7ndQ0P8wXYPnQ3JWsoFW4DzmCD8t01b2_NF0QZCMsxdTCQ8cQvsm4JA0nnkUpd57VGhQEKMVhE/s320/IMG_6492+filled.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434432800141213234" border="0" /></a>Hefty!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6TTSYpCZ7jAQqO0o51ns9RDXTzh44_yihzQfL8Mel0NI4bKH2a4FFq8K8ctb2wBMA_CXGgfPntiJPXqz2UIhNtxRWBtqwPTB4fvJyvtPF846CHeyNCvYOMmhuTds7AgxP6wdl6KruTuLh/s1600-h/IMG_6494+in+bag.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6TTSYpCZ7jAQqO0o51ns9RDXTzh44_yihzQfL8Mel0NI4bKH2a4FFq8K8ctb2wBMA_CXGgfPntiJPXqz2UIhNtxRWBtqwPTB4fvJyvtPF846CHeyNCvYOMmhuTds7AgxP6wdl6KruTuLh/s320/IMG_6494+in+bag.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434432795515332146" border="0" /></a>Satin-y! (Inside out, so it'll end up pretty. The bag is about twice as large as we need, so I twisted it around and stretched it back over itself, à la breadbags.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK0qrr7mrErydjBHDZzOjCXLJ6iM6qPYtF1MiRs-cT2_3ugSiJEZbzVNhBhtH023ugFc6E5eq5F8RM8kDaSTmCjlD5_GJd-x8qQ4Z-Ini72DabnTy3owDSgMRuxYnHnLDYfHsMQSdOBFkV/s1600-h/IMG_6495+almost+done.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK0qrr7mrErydjBHDZzOjCXLJ6iM6qPYtF1MiRs-cT2_3ugSiJEZbzVNhBhtH023ugFc6E5eq5F8RM8kDaSTmCjlD5_GJd-x8qQ4Z-Ini72DabnTy3owDSgMRuxYnHnLDYfHsMQSdOBFkV/s320/IMG_6495+almost+done.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434432786216585170" border="0" /></a>Drawstring pulled tight and knotted; the last step is to tuck it into the fabric so the ball doesn't catch on things.<br /><br />Final bonus: these make a very satisfying "tup" noise (now that I can actually keep them going without dropping them frequently).<br /><br />Part the Second coming sometime, in which we explore the more effortful way of making these things...Traumereihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02172237714179404537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2610660547975697378.post-42774461838131076592010-01-15T10:47:00.022-05:002010-01-15T12:30:13.406-05:00Sepia!I found a box of old photography paraphernalia in my family's house; apparently my mom got it at a garage sale some time back. Included are some developing chemicals and flash-pistol cartridges, baffles for creating ornamental borders, etc. (All of this will be documented later.) The information on the flash-pistol cartridge box matches an ad placed in several photography journals from 1909 (go go Gadget websearch!). Included is a half-pound can of "Rumford Baking Powder", emptied out and used to store photo negatives. Some of them are really gorgeous and well-composed. This morning, I got up early and walked through the mist-grey air to scan them... for you!<br /><br />Below are the negatives; mouse over for positive-adjusted versions! (See what I do for you.)<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/sorsimmanis/1909Photos#"><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj832iXEzT27BNKd9NwPPxtEf4l3Ex_4X5D7WNEPTNqFrVVWfmbVTnOl2WuSF30br1TPRWZGE_L_5ARy4y-_HG70SD39AqjjPSxxizFIeUCgP-pHe_8VVn1f2im18_453ISKSawnyU8lCVF/s720/photo1.png" alt="Ooh baby don'tcha know I suffer" onmouseover="this.src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuAUr8Sx9BLRetjdLQbnTFnK58fNwBmA2Lt2spzhWslEo0LzZnHTWppDasllZ2shFjsiKyz527Xoirc98A2CUMXWOikTm9gf7Jt-K9SnlrzDz1XQwOTQ79BB5CYs-npAtXMgrxuo9wNASx/s720/photo1%20inv.png';" onmouseout="this.src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj832iXEzT27BNKd9NwPPxtEf4l3Ex_4X5D7WNEPTNqFrVVWfmbVTnOl2WuSF30br1TPRWZGE_L_5ARy4y-_HG70SD39AqjjPSxxizFIeUCgP-pHe_8VVn1f2im18_453ISKSawnyU8lCVF/s720/photo1.png';" border="0" width="400" /><br /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/sorsimmanis/1909Photos#"><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFNGSx0NMZa6cZTDdAY7u1hQrcrJNZMwQx-JF7lQDzlWmD8JsUJLW899wxCIrPrRLBy6mBOav0p553Nx_b7MNn5HX2xvOI4rPSwsyunJQOfzQXwocj4Fb85GTeYfTA18PydVxlA2LeZ2lB/s720/photo2.png" alt="Ooh baby can you hear me moooaaaaan" onmouseover="this.src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaBdHe0spg1vXfVrdkYB_3ty8eMwRE6JpVJc2y7TgKQwtz2kK0s5Y_7vruNwejHwzSW9JxcndqzTr9O8AW7BlEwdakNgiZI8pfdy6vMvkKX78TH5BEozxdj4tfD0kAF7Xo1NbxWBO5VEbG/s720/photo2%20inv.png';" onmouseout="this.src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFNGSx0NMZa6cZTDdAY7u1hQrcrJNZMwQx-JF7lQDzlWmD8JsUJLW899wxCIrPrRLBy6mBOav0p553Nx_b7MNn5HX2xvOI4rPSwsyunJQOfzQXwocj4Fb85GTeYfTA18PydVxlA2LeZ2lB/s720/photo2.png';" border="0" width="400" /><br /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/sorsimmanis/1909Photos#"><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFu8Lmkan-2W-Pr9dcToYMujVANZjWohGVbXkmctzHQkxGERbydU6KXAbXjWgvCZXI37wibiAkBwdnT4iklaejxiLcdSJKplMZ4nGlE9AvqoBiDDxzl0ZKV5FiVvCHBYKkM08JKKlkOOUn/s720/photo3.png" alt="You caught me under false pretenses" onmouseover="this.src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpiEkswZLSheZSruB-Bs2YOgz10KNd3iK0hqwM92Th6m2IfCU3vjFkioxySRgctHDB-G49o3ZaL5v2S7qQJTMzmr0CdwDBazHkgN-8FLqZJ0hbmJPH5m1I685idTIMWYYfyizbY6EomcwW/s720/photo3%20inv.png';" onmouseout="this.src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFu8Lmkan-2W-Pr9dcToYMujVANZjWohGVbXkmctzHQkxGERbydU6KXAbXjWgvCZXI37wibiAkBwdnT4iklaejxiLcdSJKplMZ4nGlE9AvqoBiDDxzl0ZKV5FiVvCHBYKkM08JKKlkOOUn/s720/photo3.png';" border="0" width="400" /><br /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/sorsimmanis/1909Photos#"><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYHvkEWGBzj0RDsy47H1pQkR6kLQ1LS5PFqvYY98XdMQ4T-qOcSQsiGjhN-RIGpjMUEJQjrmKBVTszsem4lWE2xrQ3Z2pDWNpfqJw99x5RvmgSAbswrQBPgDf3_r9YJ5AwvLf_bP1MyOno/s512/photo4.png" alt="How long before you let me go?" onmouseover="this.src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxiOT-9MZCAxKv9WxpQjjSe79aKPmqMYMHhyVQ0g9edQe_9120DIa2iEdoe4vZ0HTLItQcDKrywqLPWmzahbkmowdKsoUPCgzlvMeCBF1eWm-tiwI1OusJEhgUVAfajMyTIMoXlJzVkjs3/s512/photo4%20inv.png';" onmouseout="this.src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYHvkEWGBzj0RDsy47H1pQkR6kLQ1LS5PFqvYY98XdMQ4T-qOcSQsiGjhN-RIGpjMUEJQjrmKBVTszsem4lWE2xrQ3Z2pDWNpfqJw99x5RvmgSAbswrQBPgDf3_r9YJ5AwvLf_bP1MyOno/s512/photo4.png';" border="0" width="400" /><br /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/sorsimmanis/1909Photos#"><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIN4xhWmiPbYvPmzBsPD5U1EWeAJtYuYgD4nQhSJWZhkMOVbzrprWqBscVAGgWKqgkYGorBhrQ9mGd9SSDzzBO3vpesnTTKKkqgRG1-TMEllmqJuSu7SVXf1vypIfj3CLVOsB1zK1KlMra/s640/photo5.png" alt="Ooohhhhhh, you set my soul alight..." onmouseover="this.src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUlPWDXMlsa8YZBMfDmfNcDwkEsHF2EBDywwlnuX56Xysl3ChFwTOaOka2PCdatGh3CBqzHwKMyNnz-lKO03QRcHJcBMNizm3h8Q0aNmEobsNvJhapi3L33wtJrT-c8SJw1Wpm38PsolDb/s640/photo5%20inv.png';" onmouseout="this.src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIN4xhWmiPbYvPmzBsPD5U1EWeAJtYuYgD4nQhSJWZhkMOVbzrprWqBscVAGgWKqgkYGorBhrQ9mGd9SSDzzBO3vpesnTTKKkqgRG1-TMEllmqJuSu7SVXf1vypIfj3CLVOsB1zK1KlMra/s640/photo5.png';" border="0" width="400" /><br /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/sorsimmanis/1909Photos#"><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt5egKqpcjP1IhWbOQY-stgaEBN2L66hmv92T6ZC7VmzdZxwv2OCi5McsUOVdyL3RldgvoutkIhB6e1JvWInkGGkTiDeXISBztFvu4m7k6Cwc4xVOWMWv0RrjHCmEUOfPQV_Rv0J-S5kgr/s512/photo6.png" alt="Glaciers melting in the dead of night, and the superstar's sucked into the supermassive..." onmouseover="this.src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibK2q5XaKmWfZ5ohPomLRZcA4tomIt6ejQgzscZ28O92FkvPuBetQaq7pwYlD6-ILv-BJTjj9NAmpnrIL6QPmjo8KPr5bXuecmuEvI0E1laqgkG_rb-iZ6PGYZOnjGQYsKUr64wOfUJXuv/s512/photo6%20inv.png';" onmouseout="this.src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt5egKqpcjP1IhWbOQY-stgaEBN2L66hmv92T6ZC7VmzdZxwv2OCi5McsUOVdyL3RldgvoutkIhB6e1JvWInkGGkTiDeXISBztFvu4m7k6Cwc4xVOWMWv0RrjHCmEUOfPQV_Rv0J-S5kgr/s512/photo6.png';" border="0" width="400" /><br /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/sorsimmanis/1909Photos#"><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-jExBo53PTg6ozH2uEWQLeaiEteS9y-5Y1kGCh5nPLZ8I71DAI-5R1LC87b6xbtIdg9dT0Qiho5jPC_ycuxRmDlkd1FRRb_g4RVK9g-wbxQhEsHaZx8Prd27ZmxMbNv54EPQal3AxI31/s720/photo7.png" alt="I thought I was a fool for no one" onmouseover="this.src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLdX42XEvXimYhYSecwBlOMqTagAh96PvMTfWGc0mL_hSS6QDtVJs7b8EAyIwui9mR8XbA19X7lGoxdMDniUy_Pu0w-79Dahq48owBDGjdYeIuKyPZI_SpTkr1AAWwIxOwHaRLOxWDevxg/s720/photo7%20inv.png';" onmouseout="this.src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-jExBo53PTg6ozH2uEWQLeaiEteS9y-5Y1kGCh5nPLZ8I71DAI-5R1LC87b6xbtIdg9dT0Qiho5jPC_ycuxRmDlkd1FRRb_g4RVK9g-wbxQhEsHaZx8Prd27ZmxMbNv54EPQal3AxI31/s720/photo7.png';" border="0" width="400" /><br /></a><br />Alas, this one didn't come out well, but the negative looks clearer than that; I know I can get a better image. Try, try again...<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/sorsimmanis/1909Photos#"><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg53CD49TuZ-byHCKcKgTTFASDbnzlGNbh4Dea2cetNDoZQPOqGvrbEIjhb2dWZ1RkVAqFdf8wvhf5oXsKPubAQenBu9E-_lkUqen60mUaYeEbMBfmBCpLKaFSPuD55WZc1XTnrt_Vvsdlw/s720/photo8.png" alt="but ooh baby, I'm a fool for you..." onmouseover="this.src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7kaXdJEK3gFsDZGrRUNkXRXoX0G-1zL9CdeXecyJlktVSzMzmRMsq4pM_WU7jSKwY1iSPr1AQKQJ-1OsR9cFGe6DcI-mx5uOHqiNSOUy5gMcqvP3pcdNyqYezHEWnH8PvkRCVHTZfMNTw/s720/photo8%20inv.png';" onmouseout="this.src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg53CD49TuZ-byHCKcKgTTFASDbnzlGNbh4Dea2cetNDoZQPOqGvrbEIjhb2dWZ1RkVAqFdf8wvhf5oXsKPubAQenBu9E-_lkUqen60mUaYeEbMBfmBCpLKaFSPuD55WZc1XTnrt_Vvsdlw/s720/photo8.png';" border="0" width="400" /><br /></a><br /><br />Clicking -> Picasa album. These are all the negatives - but there is plenty of photo'ing yet to be done! At some point, I'll share pictures of the rest of the stash (containers, etc.). I'm sharing all of these under Creative Commons (I doubt that the mystery photographer is still alive). You can use and alter them however you want, but please give credit.Traumereihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02172237714179404537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2610660547975697378.post-9719365542820522002010-01-07T15:11:00.006-05:002010-01-07T15:40:18.530-05:00Percolating.I haven't finished anything recently, but that certainly doesn't mean I haven't advanced. I have a sort of book-exploration thing I'm working on, involving such delightful things as mirror poems and inter-language homographs. I've stolen most of the plot and characters from my dreams, which is how I'm getting around my general failure at writing fiction. :)<br /><br />This is also an excuse to work up a bunch of interesting material. Here are some practice pages from almost a year ago now, when I was being all inspired by old manuscripts (I was taking a Medieval Spanish/Arabic literature course at the time):<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCmScZTKLq198zQxnpNsASLlUceknrVGwoDt6NumjaxSEKi3SSGlRgdk8vytn3IWrmL5gPD_KxDa7Ta2IO18FdtuXOn3agNUq3UYz8CRnkzCbwXNNn9jxxUH8Aptzxnloz_h2iG9oei6o0/s1600-h/practice1+2+3.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCmScZTKLq198zQxnpNsASLlUceknrVGwoDt6NumjaxSEKi3SSGlRgdk8vytn3IWrmL5gPD_KxDa7Ta2IO18FdtuXOn3agNUq3UYz8CRnkzCbwXNNn9jxxUH8Aptzxnloz_h2iG9oei6o0/s320/practice1+2+3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424096756988941858" border="0" /></a>(Text is Mazlaani, my constructed language.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihf5YBrFWUldHT0JNJ-dqUU2srB66kA215j1w_LXYm9FFWwadUe9J0lJxCaoVpCJwYE-Kj-oT3n0PY43-Ytum-uo4LTSD7hGuRVZylF6V2aLrxyv00JLr6jycOarooRcbSq8u-BeSbsSmP/s1600-h/practice1+4.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihf5YBrFWUldHT0JNJ-dqUU2srB66kA215j1w_LXYm9FFWwadUe9J0lJxCaoVpCJwYE-Kj-oT3n0PY43-Ytum-uo4LTSD7hGuRVZylF6V2aLrxyv00JLr6jycOarooRcbSq8u-BeSbsSmP/s320/practice1+4.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424096692080084546" border="0" /></a>(Text is English, written in... well, I don't think we need to give that away. It's a bunch of quotations I like, from a variety of sources.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzGAJVPG3YWkodlFOnjX-JRdB7TcyFRrI1MGr6Jiwm95qWZ0uLIhb4eP8MvCFN5g5WxUOZSSSxc5efdval6vUdK2zc-lN76MU2LAirm026oNhdusOvB9fYTMtTqxquaZA91pFv-wSdPMCg/s1600-h/practice2+2+3.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzGAJVPG3YWkodlFOnjX-JRdB7TcyFRrI1MGr6Jiwm95qWZ0uLIhb4eP8MvCFN5g5WxUOZSSSxc5efdval6vUdK2zc-lN76MU2LAirm026oNhdusOvB9fYTMtTqxquaZA91pFv-wSdPMCg/s320/practice2+2+3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424096513767058626" border="0" /></a>(Basically the same thing.)<br /><br />Here's a chord wheel for transposition and whatnot; there's some kind of book out there, but the author's wheel makes no sense to me. This is what does. It's a bit janky, visually, but it flows in a logical fashion: you start in the center, and go out to see what chords line up harmonically. If your song uses the first and fourth boxes in a radius, they'll be the same interval apart but in a different key for each other radius. It progresses like cello/viola/violin strings: 7 semitones apart, ascending clockwise. I use this because I'm lazy and find complex chords intimidating.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirHnCfBcX1O2nqmXjr6KnP8qrOc76sVnzsZgWVvtFBbl4QrkjygqG1WSuf0Xc_xUuTYXgK2K3AGqCe3Ad60bGKri9Ols0mDIBaDh8xn7mFwYUte9ovmoDAKTlVTWuutaWD3IWoDRrXIhLC/s1600-h/chord+wheel.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 278px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirHnCfBcX1O2nqmXjr6KnP8qrOc76sVnzsZgWVvtFBbl4QrkjygqG1WSuf0Xc_xUuTYXgK2K3AGqCe3Ad60bGKri9Ols0mDIBaDh8xn7mFwYUte9ovmoDAKTlVTWuutaWD3IWoDRrXIhLC/s320/chord+wheel.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424096035244113378" border="0" /></a>Traumereihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02172237714179404537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2610660547975697378.post-71201789340636114802009-12-04T15:45:00.006-05:002009-12-07T11:55:09.191-05:00More near-IR pictures<span style="font-style: italic;">Edit: many more photos on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2685569&id=2227831&l=9943974a99">Facebook</a>. :D</span><br /><br />Playing around with the webcam again. It's a GE EasyCam, which was quite easy to customize: the head assembly has two halves that snap apart easily after a screw is removed, and then the whole lens part screws off and that part has the IR filter in back. Pry it out with a needle and cut a couple of tiny squares of black film negative, put them in place (mine fit perfectly under the tabs, w00t), reassemble, done. I realized during the process that you don't even have to remove the stand.<br /><br />So here's what I've got this afternoon, while the clouds are clearing up but the sun is setting. First, my black sleeves show up lighter than my powder-blue T-shirt:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghwoXkaG2Mot5C5xrPMSod-IkWDmpDqAJ44_o8x1RawWuy4LGvbW7UZvE0cOL_Nj5MupxopHtBAKNyduvVv53MIrqa6DdEYkGfQTOGi1a7QJQ4vYBekV8zwIdekn0NjqNEdEX5gZrUxjnY/s1600-h/black+sleeve+blue+shirt.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 262px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghwoXkaG2Mot5C5xrPMSod-IkWDmpDqAJ44_o8x1RawWuy4LGvbW7UZvE0cOL_Nj5MupxopHtBAKNyduvVv53MIrqa6DdEYkGfQTOGi1a7QJQ4vYBekV8zwIdekn0NjqNEdEX5gZrUxjnY/s320/black+sleeve+blue+shirt.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411489512547622530" border="0" /></a><br />Lighter even than my (Polish/Viking) skin:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxzdHlV-qf_iL9wfoDYruyTVvIigCe-i-BxcahdiQArCgcXyZUymCZhemjRiMQ6V9Lg7uMukmoEAtHNMjxWr6fqA3bnUBDygPWyg210E-yUUwBoXEV6qRQtZeE9ZPRi9LFlQNqimX1TAca/s1600-h/black+sleeve.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 262px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxzdHlV-qf_iL9wfoDYruyTVvIigCe-i-BxcahdiQArCgcXyZUymCZhemjRiMQ6V9Lg7uMukmoEAtHNMjxWr6fqA3bnUBDygPWyg210E-yUUwBoXEV6qRQtZeE9ZPRi9LFlQNqimX1TAca/s320/black+sleeve.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411485922587412018" border="0" /></a><br />Also, the near-IR spectrum does freaky things to eyes (not just an anomaly in this picture):<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGgBjR9sUuO977xWEBHHoQTvc6rlV0mgSYYuNKHPeUZ9zNjLev2EUasC_gWF1VNI7HXg427Pge4wfNesrBdpRedU3TipJ0ETxnNBbn1fLhlVQrxG9Htpo3yfy59xt-pgPzieRXO23fPNcr/s1600-h/black+eyes+whoa.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 262px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGgBjR9sUuO977xWEBHHoQTvc6rlV0mgSYYuNKHPeUZ9zNjLev2EUasC_gWF1VNI7HXg427Pge4wfNesrBdpRedU3TipJ0ETxnNBbn1fLhlVQrxG9Htpo3yfy59xt-pgPzieRXO23fPNcr/s320/black+eyes+whoa.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411487693824329794" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(A goth kid's dream.)<br /><br /></span></span></div>The dark, yellowish-green bushes outside contrast with the more bluish-green fir tree:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCXylok2gD2B_YikfIUsobNn2mUlgt9dDsa4m8dyCv75UVrlXRbhfUeA-GGtDhrCEwY_itYDAwvOOpeZO38XSBbMCknfP_jvq7-ayQE6qLRuq8hkcSsNPFLe0nKVx12LJ0x9r3-U_5vDC3/s1600-h/trees+bushes.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 262px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCXylok2gD2B_YikfIUsobNn2mUlgt9dDsa4m8dyCv75UVrlXRbhfUeA-GGtDhrCEwY_itYDAwvOOpeZO38XSBbMCknfP_jvq7-ayQE6qLRuq8hkcSsNPFLe0nKVx12LJ0x9r3-U_5vDC3/s320/trees+bushes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411485904715423314" border="0" /></a>And another for extra credit.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGwZCTwM__pyEGu7sXGgqVPo_tpqj-HJhgZGMu3sENVf05Mguh-aa6KaFtLsmF5P51jT6nMuFXl0dfnvln8CanYIYOwK0k_FDf5KkfFKz8JL6YQlhQRK3LCfIFpGdXqJVVCy5MeB7127Vc/s1600-h/tree+sky.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 262px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGwZCTwM__pyEGu7sXGgqVPo_tpqj-HJhgZGMu3sENVf05Mguh-aa6KaFtLsmF5P51jT6nMuFXl0dfnvln8CanYIYOwK0k_FDf5KkfFKz8JL6YQlhQRK3LCfIFpGdXqJVVCy5MeB7127Vc/s320/tree+sky.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411485900591452930" border="0" /></a><br />:)Traumereihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02172237714179404537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2610660547975697378.post-72582908801378639922009-11-28T20:50:00.003-05:002009-12-04T16:08:46.611-05:00Infrared funSo we were messing about on YouTube, and David found a video about making an IR filter for a digital camera. We determined to attempt this tonight, and I'm quite pleased with my efforts. I used an aggregate process culled from various online tutorials, so the project is by no means original. But it is very fun!<br /><br />I took a few pictures of the process, but really it's no different than anything else you can find out there. I'm just happy about the output I've got so far, which is up on <a href="http://alexglow.posterous.com/infrared-webcam-experimentation">Posterous</a>... nice video of the mini-blowtorch and a hot needle. Huzzah!Traumereihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02172237714179404537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2610660547975697378.post-50514026887525119062009-11-24T14:19:00.008-05:002009-12-04T16:09:52.405-05:00Oh. Yes. That.What? Hmm? You've noticed my flash drive looks a little strange?<br /><br />Rather like a ray gun, perhaps?<br /><br />Perhaps.<br /><br />I'd toyed with the idea of making some steampunk goggles, but for several reasons dragged my feet. A, they're overdone, B, I don't do plastic but hunks of metal + face = cumbersome, and C, I couldn't immediately come up with a solution for the lenses. (Again, I don't do plastic.) But I wanted another project. And then one night I was sitting around, and I realized what I must do with those clock gears I've had laying around my bedroom.<br /><br />It's time to build a ray gun.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWRl8ACz4E55EwXjxZYmTYDmm-4ux01hcVQuKRgO_2xnsDJSEBrlrHPjJlhXBDBRS-D68XwTLsPbm_6f-cQvsHWRt7mLPRZltOJ6NzBLAYqN5aHm7HOQBzkq1kvTadm82XH3MmH4TGmM8W/s1600/IMG_6204+diffuser.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWRl8ACz4E55EwXjxZYmTYDmm-4ux01hcVQuKRgO_2xnsDJSEBrlrHPjJlhXBDBRS-D68XwTLsPbm_6f-cQvsHWRt7mLPRZltOJ6NzBLAYqN5aHm7HOQBzkq1kvTadm82XH3MmH4TGmM8W/s320/IMG_6204+diffuser.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407752577711236578" border="0" /></a>This will be a secondary blaster, mounted above a larger one and set back a little. I'm currently thinking of making TWO guns, because I have too much excellent stuff to fit on one. I have:<br />• Clock gears/sprockets<br />• Burgundy and black suede for the grips (only one grip color for each gun)<br />• A small purple glass flute vase for a barrel (with ray-shooter mounted inside)<br />• A double-lensed jeweler's loupe<br />• Two frightening-looking needles (I think they're for injecting marinade into meat... but for me they shall be ray-focusers):<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiVTTcVRjlUjRxrQV0BS8-UUYWRZsn2Gtu1a-IaMOLhS-t-mPI7T-zOYWSKtk4FqTk1vNjSjFwCa95L6iIfpHhGOvgOOA3_AmLIUWJJmRT5VDqk5M8YJArecOqqMoFeGNCRohDMb8QaAOl/s1600/IMG_6206+sprocket+needle.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiVTTcVRjlUjRxrQV0BS8-UUYWRZsn2Gtu1a-IaMOLhS-t-mPI7T-zOYWSKtk4FqTk1vNjSjFwCa95L6iIfpHhGOvgOOA3_AmLIUWJJmRT5VDqk5M8YJArecOqqMoFeGNCRohDMb8QaAOl/s320/IMG_6206+sprocket+needle.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407752569800267282" border="0" /></a><br />• Ring of ball bearings, clock part for crosshair, random bit of copper, clock part for trigger:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjarcRZjLG8QRxhiihbmSDTuClT-6dwXwwppJkqN16O7-PVnkD3necWKHbYsXfhwGEUyHmJlaLnRfEdy8xQrLy55FyZwMmMyZ5C-6vygcRtgj0_2gwacbODqlboQfK-s-U-0Butzol9AyKc/s1600/IMG_6207+bits+bobs.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjarcRZjLG8QRxhiihbmSDTuClT-6dwXwwppJkqN16O7-PVnkD3necWKHbYsXfhwGEUyHmJlaLnRfEdy8xQrLy55FyZwMmMyZ5C-6vygcRtgj0_2gwacbODqlboQfK-s-U-0Butzol9AyKc/s320/IMG_6207+bits+bobs.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407752566375213042" border="0" /></a><br />• 5-gigabyte Rio Carbon that largely died a few years back, but still functions well enough to work as a storage drive:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC__oPbVBO6ygJ1wtN3OVNHPrmPwgK2uAchZ0bYpFMx7feYNKaLLzYDVJ6uT-yibVTIDS8iUlXs4KfKUhHTPmrKGv6DBz0PIFSPmJ7bNGdJT11wNFPJH9EbuFBdhFcxgHvn30zBM68nAq1/s1600/IMG_6211+rio.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC__oPbVBO6ygJ1wtN3OVNHPrmPwgK2uAchZ0bYpFMx7feYNKaLLzYDVJ6uT-yibVTIDS8iUlXs4KfKUhHTPmrKGv6DBz0PIFSPmJ7bNGdJT11wNFPJH9EbuFBdhFcxgHvn30zBM68nAq1/s320/IMG_6211+rio.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407752547516382546" border="0" /></a>I'm particularly excited about this last element. I reshaped the metal backplate to fit more snugly around the thing's guts, and it will be the crowning bit of geekery inside. I've also changed the settings to keep the backlight on, which will give me some red LEDs to display. I also have a ring of 9 white LEDs, which are lovely and bright, so I can even have it be a flashlight as well. Bwaha. Bwahahaha. Bwa... ha.<br /><br />(I am very happy that this has inspired my friend Link to make himself a raygunlight for use at the office. Excellent, excellent.)<br /><br />In other news, I brought my mandolin up to North Campus and recorded <a href="http://alexglow.posterous.com/im-not-sorry">a far more strange version of "I'm Not Sorry"</a> (steampunk/speculative folk song), with layers and layers of mandolin. I'm very happy about this, as it has much better vocals. I still trip up a couple of times, but my voice isn't all over the place. I also got to sing with Jess when she performed at Café Verde last Saturday; we did "Sons and Daughters" by the Decemberists, an excellent song and oh so improvisable.<br /><br />Good times.Traumereihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02172237714179404537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2610660547975697378.post-50125497516865788812009-10-19T10:53:00.007-04:002009-10-21T15:02:06.423-04:00Bleach!It's been a while since I came across this technique, so I'm not sure where I first heard about it. Anyways, the idea is to take a piece of cloth and paint or spray bleach onto it, to selectively lighten the fabric. This is so fun and simple that I am having a bleach party next weekend; we will throw bleach EVERYWHERE and create MASSIVE DESTRUCTION. (Perhaps I EXAGGERATE slightly.) It will be MARVELOUS!<br /><br />I have lots of somewhat-ill-fitting solid-color tank tops from thrift shops, so it was easy to pick out some fabric to play with. Natural fibers, of course, work best as they will absorb the bleach. However, the bleach will weaken it, so go easy. I diluted the bleach a little, so I'd have more time to draw before I rinsed and the designs wouldn't appear gradiented. A while back David and I liberated some sheets of plastic from the Art Museum dumpster, and those make excellent mounts: they provide a stable surface and prevent the bleach from leaching through to the other side.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNl_ZOnSKg_hd50X0I_cfxw-eJkcWVmWJvDtC91lOymjilZ9qvn28wNqBy53-sypxBMp7IEoNsZGlw2oPWofSk5Kg_i7WaSYtm58Ot7wG_orxmIp91Ck-aX61Pnqs_EHMb1uRrJUuZuXm6/s1600-h/setup.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNl_ZOnSKg_hd50X0I_cfxw-eJkcWVmWJvDtC91lOymjilZ9qvn28wNqBy53-sypxBMp7IEoNsZGlw2oPWofSk5Kg_i7WaSYtm58Ot7wG_orxmIp91Ck-aX61Pnqs_EHMb1uRrJUuZuXm6/s320/setup.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394335668351622914" border="0" /></a>I set up some newspapers and one tub of bleach, one of water. I needed way less bleach -- you really don't use much at all -- though most of that is water, later cast out because I wanted the solution more concentrated. I didn't end up using the gloves either; I did 5 shirts, and my hands are fine. Those brushes have nylon bristles, which held up fine to the bleach, and they will be dedicated for this specific use.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB4HnPD0xgyCxkHr-T4vbO5kVTSIWR5fKK3_A0hxW45Io0t9RrnKM3K1zKOs-s_jnroYNrobETJ6t96yKApJLhEDCyqaRbVlK8C4RRhil4-qPECrgtKN4Fj3ZU4JDwJ0SyK3HUHb_jhiBm/s1600-h/shirt+on+board.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB4HnPD0xgyCxkHr-T4vbO5kVTSIWR5fKK3_A0hxW45Io0t9RrnKM3K1zKOs-s_jnroYNrobETJ6t96yKApJLhEDCyqaRbVlK8C4RRhil4-qPECrgtKN4Fj3ZU4JDwJ0SyK3HUHb_jhiBm/s320/shirt+on+board.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394329136845265490" border="0" /></a>Shirt on long plastic board, which I could rest on my legs and lean against the table as a sort of easel. This was my experimental shirt: I was still getting the concentration right, so there's kind of a crappy drawing of birds and dinosaurs on it now. My drawing technique also improved dramatically over the hour or so it took to do five of these.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkQTYYAefJxjJ8OXafkVjmCk5ld4S2oQh8CrGhPRnEXsY5EDPLjFKjnrAv_1OfuYb3Y9llUfA_8wxDdCpYYznOc6Cnd_wYG_h4b2r1DCv2tu9Xf9EHKEh7mq8LN3Wj1LbA_FOS4yEr448I/s1600-h/IMG_5984.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkQTYYAefJxjJ8OXafkVjmCk5ld4S2oQh8CrGhPRnEXsY5EDPLjFKjnrAv_1OfuYb3Y9llUfA_8wxDdCpYYznOc6Cnd_wYG_h4b2r1DCv2tu9Xf9EHKEh7mq8LN3Wj1LbA_FOS4yEr448I/s320/IMG_5984.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395080398586100610" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Some crappy nature tableau.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_BNY_aB8FB5zps_g1CCed5iF68RinL_UIwxmTj87D8tN7KT9wY_gQmFv8hMvuu3vKwt5MKHv97UZoiswh3OIqYKPkiRH_vadiS6hVgZekof3tJWS64uYFP7TwxzndzUQhdPKxbd3j4aJe/s1600-h/IMG_5977+reclamation.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_BNY_aB8FB5zps_g1CCed5iF68RinL_UIwxmTj87D8tN7KT9wY_gQmFv8hMvuu3vKwt5MKHv97UZoiswh3OIqYKPkiRH_vadiS6hVgZekof3tJWS64uYFP7TwxzndzUQhdPKxbd3j4aJe/s320/IMG_5977+reclamation.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395080299388002066" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Attempt to recreate the Reclamation logo from <a href="http://templaraz.com/">Templar, AZ</a> (plus identifiers for Soviet 12). All-cotton shirt; brown dye -> pink. Meh.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiGjUnn9dwi0HuShBnxtOtufmjWTdmK7RxSCLgfRe_EGlSOQbDfT0oPJkggroIuARgk2IRMdkGSHH36lrHMH0gq3pX_heNsc91aa9ol7-y5tv5v22B_4ikMdntBPO9SkaMlvihCBV22vCS/s1600-h/IMG_5981+teo+life.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiGjUnn9dwi0HuShBnxtOtufmjWTdmK7RxSCLgfRe_EGlSOQbDfT0oPJkggroIuARgk2IRMdkGSHH36lrHMH0gq3pX_heNsc91aa9ol7-y5tv5v22B_4ikMdntBPO9SkaMlvihCBV22vCS/s320/IMG_5981+teo+life.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395080295586465250" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">About 5% cotton tank: took several applications, but that looks kind of cool anyway.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSNhC8szocCgRhjHZEEukM2tzzfM5WaqnBykfklDdLyka_MTLm1PdDNAvfu8nYEGbiKP-U14FVSyxG-1AfqQWXywHYFh9caXzZajFtXyJZE4czb3Uyj38I0dvKo0fiRvu2dRw6NwV-aoAY/s1600-h/IMG_5972+mandelbrot.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSNhC8szocCgRhjHZEEukM2tzzfM5WaqnBykfklDdLyka_MTLm1PdDNAvfu8nYEGbiKP-U14FVSyxG-1AfqQWXywHYFh9caXzZajFtXyJZE4czb3Uyj38I0dvKo0fiRvu2dRw6NwV-aoAY/s320/IMG_5972+mandelbrot.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395080305688708626" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Mandelbrot set tank. 95% cotton, black dye -> pinkish orange. Came out quite nicely, and got a lot of comments. Etsy?</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuvz0HHdbDGTzn7Sd2av4wmJdaFMiL-2zY4gWzayawabi21q3sxz7clA57vyVYmZRBjbxEAG_2EVJ1P7AqJpCHLeuAADDqULU5hyphenhyphenlAzXWZIg6QI1fKLhCNX6ZIBaTns8Hrt4nO0_jKbG3A/s1600-h/IMG_5973.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 176px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuvz0HHdbDGTzn7Sd2av4wmJdaFMiL-2zY4gWzayawabi21q3sxz7clA57vyVYmZRBjbxEAG_2EVJ1P7AqJpCHLeuAADDqULU5hyphenhyphenlAzXWZIg6QI1fKLhCNX6ZIBaTns8Hrt4nO0_jKbG3A/s320/IMG_5973.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395080283964473794" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Balloons! Balloons balloons balloons. There's a UFO on the shoulder. All cotton; very fast color change. Kind of pinkish.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFZmSNoIhqTL_MRsqom_FwU_bNgUVrJkDatV84nHQfY8lQ-SM1dCX1P17DFtZUjrhHSZcrMl1Jc8HJ7LjuIL6PMh-DIDZuiahGX6Hf1M0JpH2Q4qWD1T1Fm9de7zXN50Gn1GSSpew7crEs/s1600-h/IMG_5975+curious+yellow.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFZmSNoIhqTL_MRsqom_FwU_bNgUVrJkDatV84nHQfY8lQ-SM1dCX1P17DFtZUjrhHSZcrMl1Jc8HJ7LjuIL6PMh-DIDZuiahGX6Hf1M0JpH2Q4qWD1T1Fm9de7zXN50Gn1GSSpew7crEs/s320/IMG_5975+curious+yellow.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395080281343824738" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">A reference to the excellent </span>VURT<span style="font-style: italic;">, by Jeff Noon. Greenish fabric -> yellow.</span><br /><br />After painting each shirt, I ran it under a stream of warm water, which worked fine to get the bleach out. At the end, I ran everything through the washer with no detergent (I'm not sure this matters) and the dryer. The lighting was poor by that time, and so result pics will have to wait until this afternoon.<br /><br />Some observations:<br />• Colors: Brown dyes and some blacks tend to go pinkish, while greens come out more yellow. Fabric with a low natural fiber content will come out with a fainter design, but it will match the overall color fairly closely. A black 5% cotton shirt bleached to a subtle medium grey, though it took a few applications for the design to really show up.<br />• Brushes: Small tips offer great control, but they also hold less bleach, which means less of a feathering problem. Bleach mostly stays where it's put. I've heard of using spray bottles, which might be fun to try, but I don't have the patience/control to cut out stencils.<br />• Fabric: Ribbed material will leave dark lines in the design, unless you want to bleach the hell out of the fabric. So it goes.Traumereihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02172237714179404537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2610660547975697378.post-24236357278072126792009-10-15T10:34:00.008-04:002009-10-16T19:46:35.602-04:00Tea and a blowtorch<span style="font-style: italic;">Note: Blogger is being a jerkface, so I've put metal-patina photos up on </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://alexglow.posterous.com/">Posterous</a><span style="font-style: italic;">.</span><br /><br />Last week was a good friend's birthday, and I wished to make her something... however, the risk is always making it more of a "you are cool and deserve something unique" thing, rather than "oh look, see what I made". My current solution is to take something I already know they like and tweak it a little. In this case, she's been into rooibos lately, and the local <a href="http://www.peoplesfood.coop/">PFC</a> has many excellent tea ingredients in stock (for cheap!). Thus: Rooibos Dream Tea!<br /><br />Rooibos has a kind of gentle, nutty flavor that is best accentuated with something that cuts the softness; in the past, I've used lemon juice, but I'd rather blend dry flavors. I bought some ingredients that sounded like they'd go well with it: rosehips, hawthorn berries, licorice root, and hibiscsus flowers. It all came to about $5. I first tried hibiscus in tea after having a dream where some friends and I were eating hibiscus flowers, dancing on the moonlit shores of a stream that was lighted from below. Hence, dream tea. The hibiscus imparts a gorgeous, deep red color and delightful tartness to tea, but too much of it is harsh (many commercial teas get this part wrong). Licorice has a strange sweetening effect that comes on as you swallow the infusion, which I find pleasant mostly as a mixer; it doesn't taste like licorice candy. I didn't know beforehand what the rosehips and hawthorn berries would do.<br /><br />Brewing a little of each ingredient in its own cup, I sampled them along with a mug of the rooibos. The hawthorn berries were disappointing; they imparted almost no flavor (or color). The rosehip brew also didn't taste like much. The licorice was potent and too intense in proportion to the water, and the hibiscus was perfect. I poured some of these last two into the mug of rooibos until I had something delicious, then blended approximately proportionate amounts of raw ingredients, et voilà. A blend to warm the autumn.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">•••<br /></div><br />Of course, cold weather also calls for fire. Last Christmas, I came into possession of a butane-powered cordless soldering iron, and since then I've been searching for fuel for it (it came empty). A recent flash of inspiration led me to the local smoke shop (Smoka Hookah), and I spent the afternoon experimenting!<br /><br />Apparently, since high school FIRST Robotics, I've lost any soldering ability I had. I improved after a couple of tries, but got bored of waiting for the tip on the iron to heat up and cool down. So I took the tip off and took the mini-blowtorch to some scrap copper wire, putting a patina of color on its surface. I'm going to experiment with finishes and see if I can seal the color in. I had an issue with thicker copper losing its color as it cooled down, which seems to not happen if I quench it in water once I've got a pattern I like.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">•••<br /></div><br />Finally, I have long sought an online source for free classical sheet music, and now my friend Murphy has introduced me to <a href="http://www.musopen.com/">Musopen</a>! They also have lots of recorded public-domain music for download. <3Traumereihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02172237714179404537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2610660547975697378.post-40947656745963158202009-09-26T17:16:00.005-04:002009-09-26T17:43:13.821-04:00MusicsSo...<br />Steeleye Span.<br />Marvelous British folk-rock group, to which my sibling Andy introduced me rather a few years back. A couple of months ago, I saw they were coming to <a href="http://theark.org/">the Ark</a>, and decided that this was necessary. The concert was on Wednesday, and it was all that I could have hoped for. They played a lot of new stuff, and then their first encore song was my first Steeleye experience, "All Around My Hat". Sing-along-age was had. And then they played "Hard Times of Old England". And all was right. Also, David and I got a free copy of their "Bloody Men" CD!<br /><br />This ties in with my recent joy: writing steampunk folk songs. I'm not sure where the idea came from, but I certainly haven't seen anyone else doing them. Anyway, these are the first songs I've ever written that sounded decent, and <a href="http://codenamepancake.livejournal.com/">the excellent Jess</a> and I recorded some today in the studio up on North Campus. The time constraint means I can't scrap 12 takes running -- good for my sanity, not so great for quality (the vocals are rather dodgy) -- but eh. Free studio space! :)<br />I have two done, and they are called <a href="http://alexglow.posterous.com/steampunk-folk">"I'm Not Sorry" and "Firefly Waltz"</a>. One is about zeppelins and betrayal. The other is about betrayal and robots. I do want to do cleaner versions, and hope to add some mandolin soon; I just haven't got a mando part worked out yet. Plus, that requires either multiple sessions or bringing both guitar and mandolin up on the bus. Bleh.<br /><br />So, yes... forays into musicality. Besides the hour spent fixing machinery, and the lack of water, most excellent. And I am going to branch out genre-wise. It is exciting.Traumereihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02172237714179404537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2610660547975697378.post-26954350362137609052009-09-21T10:48:00.005-04:002009-09-21T13:07:02.256-04:00Magnetic fingers!It sounds pretty awesome to have a sixth sense, for electromagnetism (à la <a href="http://www.wired.com/gadgets/mods/news/2006/06/71087">this Wired article</a> on rare-earth magnetic implants). But I'm not so keen on the surgery, stuff breaking down inside me, and possible infection aspects of the process. Plus, the "non-removable" part seems a tad impractical. And then, last night, David (my most marvelous S.O.) reminded me that he'd once brought me some broken neodymium ring magnets.<br /><br />...Experiment time!<br /><br />I happen to have a decent collection of different types of wire, for 2D twisted-wire <a href="http://alexglow.posterous.com/wire-drawings">drawings</a> (I got into this when making things for a holography project) and jewelry-grade maille rings. During a couple of short house meetings, I came up with three of these:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCltAF9qAEPzOcOZYcT5UA3ke5EQF3pgDZMN0G2cQIQcUCchOtWQ87eeZe_JL3xAVwjv3R7Wu8jbJRw-pFRdnboMZAskpZiZYeAs71vH63Q9E2R2TqjF46HRtluJSej_yVXNspsDNGPo_K/s1600-h/IMG_5803+crop.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 155px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCltAF9qAEPzOcOZYcT5UA3ke5EQF3pgDZMN0G2cQIQcUCchOtWQ87eeZe_JL3xAVwjv3R7Wu8jbJRw-pFRdnboMZAskpZiZYeAs71vH63Q9E2R2TqjF46HRtluJSej_yVXNspsDNGPo_K/s320/IMG_5803+crop.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383936302427176514" border="0" /></a><br />Each is made from a single piece of brass wire and a magnet (I think the brass/nickel combo gives it a touch of steampunk aesthetic). They're probably not quite as sensitive as the implants, as they're not right against the skin, but they certainly work. The magnets are very strong, and I'll definitely keep playing with this concept. More pictures to come, including detail shots of all three, plus whatever else I come up with.<br /><br />Thoughts and observations:<br />• It works best when the magnet is loose in its holder (though still secured against possible escape). This allows it to oscillate freely, which I can feel via the wires.<br />• Smaller pieces seem to work better, probably for the same reason - free oscillation within a cage-style attachment, while larger pieces suggest a wrapped fixture, as above. Due to these factors, plus the fact that many feedback wires attach magnet to finger, the first fingertip I made (left in the picture) is the most sensitive.<br />• I'm going to try making earrings, though these will probably be ear cuffs in the same wire-wrapped style, rather than with magnets sandwiching the ear. I do not wish to have my flesh squeezed. But I have a tendency to lose ear cuffs (part of why I make, rather than buy, them), so I'd have to make these extra-secure.<br />• I am a total sucker for jewelry that does stuff. These are a bit impractical for everyday wear, but the cuffs will definitely be making an appearance. :)Traumereihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02172237714179404537noreply@blogger.com0