A strop is only for honing (the final step to achieving a razor-sharp edge), while a whetstone could be used for anything from shaping the initial bevel to honing, depending on the grit.

If you do buy some Flexcut knives, which I highly recommend, you will probably only need a strop if you properly maintain them. In fact, they recommend you never use a whetstone and only opt for a Powerstrop if you neglect them for too long.

Many sites will recommend you buy tools one by one so you can get what you need, but as another beginner, I was extremely happy I purchased the Flexcut Deluxe Set. It was probably one more knife and one more palm tool than I needed, but it helped me understand what was out there and how to use them. A good, cheaper alternative might be this set.

No matter what you buy, one of the most important things to do from both a safety and usability (and enjoyment!) factor is to keep your tools as sharp as possible. That way it requires less force to move the tool through the wood, which is a common injury mechanism, and it makes it easier to create fun things. For the weird angles with V and gouge tools, I use another Flexcut invention. It works okay, but you can get the same results with folded sandpaper or other methods. I also bought a fullsize knife strop because it really does make a difference and you can get some with a lot more surface area. I haven't needed to buy a whetstone yet.

Also, I've since supplemented my starter set with Dockyard tools, which also come very sharp and keep their edge well. So far I've only used their micro tools, but I understand they have decent sets as well.

Speaking from unfortunate experience, you should definitely pick up a pair of kevlar gloves. I had a pretty serious hand injury (partially severed tendon) because I was just doing some touchups and wasn't using my gloves and got a bit sloppy. It only takes one single wrong stroke, and I had gotten complacent since I'd been so careful in the past. The gloves let me be more reckless and have definitely saved me from cuts, although they wouldn't protect against a stabbing cut. Thumb guards are also popular, but I don't actually like them very much. The gloves are nice because you can get a great grip on the tools.

When you have a knife or a set, you'll need some wood to practice on. I found ebay to be a great resource...just search for "basswood" and pick a few different sizes. 2x2x6 seems to be a good starting point to me. Make sure it is kiln-dried as well. Here is a good assortment that is pretty cheap. Butternut is another good choice, but for a beginner, I'd stick with basswood from personal experience.

Finally, if you are wanting a good book to introduce you to the subject, I'd recommend the Complete Book of Woodcarving. I've bought a number of books on the subject, but it is definitely the best if you are only buying one and need an overview to the entire craft. Old Time Whittling is only 30 pages, but gave some great examples and was very useful to me as well.

We have tried it and thought it was okay, but I would personally recommend buying some alginate and Dragon Skin silicone.

 

For about the same price we got a much better toy--and have materials left over for more cloning fun. Dragon Skin is a professional grade silicone that is pretty widely used by both the movie and sex toy industry. You can choose the hardness/softness you want (we went with the 10A as that was what most forums suggested). It can be bought from Smooth-On directly or on amazon, ebay, etc. As for the alginate, we went with this mostly for the price and convenience, but it worked great.

 

Anything that won't leak (and is large enough to accomodate your anatomy, of course) should work as a container for the mould. We went with a QT cup (cheap and easy), but you can also simply cut the top off of a plastic bottle. Apparently, legos work surprisingly well and are a popular choice, but those little fuckers are too expensive IMO.

 

This redditor explains the process we followed pretty well and Youtube is full of helpful videos on how to do lifecasting. We actually ended up purchasing some plaster to make the positive mould that could be reused. (Side perk: a plaster mould of a cock sitting the bookshelf also makes for a hilarious conversation piece).

 

I realize this route sounds much more involved, but we honestly felt that it was much easier and more cost effective. The clone-a-willy kits seem too finnicky and leave little room for error. Having one shot to get it right can take the fun out of it and makes it hard to, er...stay hard (crucial to the process). Getting some wiggle room and ending up with a much higher quality end product was well worth the extra $10 (at least for us). Either way, I wish you the best of luck!

I'm a noob but no one else has said anything:

Material:

For larger figures you'll probably want some sort of clay as opposed to epoxies like green stuff/ graystuff/ milliput. ( https://www.sculpey.com/super-sculpey/9-super-sculpey-firm ) super sculpy firm is the only polymer clay I've used (oven hardening). Unless anyone with more experience pops by I'd say just get some super sculpy and play around with it. Learn what you like about it or dont like, and branch out from there.

Tools:

https://www.amazon.com/SE-DD312-12-Piece-Stainless-Carvers/dp/B000SVRSRY/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=wax+carving+tools&qid=1573851649&sprefix=wax+car&sr=8-3

I think this is what I have, plenty of shapes and sizes for all your detailing needs. You may also want some files for after you bake the clay:

https://www.amazon.com/10-Piece-Diamond-Needle-Total-Length/dp/B07R3R9461/ref=mp_s_a_1_9?keywords=diamond+file&qid=1573851744&sr=8-9

These work well in my experience. As far as your armature question goes I'd definitely recommend arnatures, I'd just go on amazon and search "copper wire", obviously dont get anything insulated. I think I have 24 gauge wire and it's perfect for what I do on the ~25mm scale, so a thicker gauge may be beneficial to you.

Paints:

Make a thread at /r/minipainting it's a more active sub and has some really good painters.


Again, I'm no expert. The tools/ files I can vouch for, and the clay will be a good starting point if no one else pipes up. Good luck!

Also, I like the drawings!


Edit: I should say that if you're on a budget the files and tools are not required, you can get by with whatever you have around the house. Toothpicks, silverware, hobby knives, paperclips, safety pins, etc.

I've got some ideas. What exactly do you need a laminator for? And are you in a decent sized city?

The Pixma Pro-100 handles cardstock perfectly. It's not going to be the most amazing print quality on most cardstocks. You need special inkjet paper which tends to be expensive. But I find it is more than adequate for my purposes using regular cardstock. I got mine on sale + a big mail in rebate that came with a Visa cash card. Overall I paid about $130 for it which is pretty good imo. I print on both sides of some real thick cardstock and then just cut them out with the paper cutter I'm going to link below. The other good thing about the printer is it handles larger paper sizes. I have 13x19 inkjet paper that it takes and the prints come out incredibly good. And that's a pretty decent size for printing the stuff I'm going to attach to chipboard.

(If you go the Pixma route, I suggest looking at some bulk inks. It has reduced my costs significantly)

I use this for a paper cutter. Works fine. You might do well to find a way to shine a light from underneath the swing arm to line up cuts but it's plenty good enough without it.

I use this corner rounder. I've done thousands of cards with it. Still good. I think if I had to buy it again though I'd look for something that was more like a traditional hole punch in using your whole hand. The one I linked gets your fingers sore after a while.

The reason I asked about where you live is because if you live in a good sized city, you may have access to fab labs. My public library has one with a laser cutter. It makes making tokens a breeze. And because it's at the library for me, it's freeeeeeee. Print on some label paper. Slap the fronts and backs onto a sheet of chipboard. Stick it in the laser cutter and voila, perfect tokens. They'll come out slightly singed but overall they're great.

How much are you going to print and play?

If it's not a lot, I would say just skip the printer. It's $130 at its cheapest and that's not even counting the cost of replacing the ink. If you're only going to print a few games and they're not that intense, just go to a local printshop and use their high quality business laser printers. They print super sharp into label paper and card stocks. Print the fronts on one, the backs on the other, stick em together, cut it out with the paper cutter. It's a bit of work but the finished product looks great.

Scavenger hunts are too much fun! I should be working! RAWR! Thanks for the fun break =]


1.) Something that is grey. My name is makeup and I am grey! WL

2.) Something reminiscent of rain. This color is called "Naughty Nautical". Nautical = water, water = rain. =D?? WL

3.) Something food related that is unusual. Pretty sure most people don't have teeney shaped veggie cutters. WL

4.) Something on your list that is for someone other than yourself. Tell me who it's for and why. (Yes, pets count!) This is for my two parrots! My quaker especially loves dried papaya. I'm teaching her how to fly right now and have been using food as a reward, but we ran out of papaya a couple of weeks ago, and our local bird store has been out of stock for a long time. Turns out that Whole Foods doesn't carry dried papaya either. Rawr! WL


5.) A book I should read! I am an avid reader, so take your best shot and tell me why I need to read it! The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I had heard about this when the movie came out in English. I liked the movie and then moved on with my life. Come this spring, I found myself facing a LOT LOT LOT of driving by myself, so I started borrowing audiobooks from the library. I borrowed all three of these books and REALLY enjoyed them. It wasn't at all what I expected. They're murder mysteries with a lot of themes about violence against women. When I learned about the author, it became that much more interesting. The author wrote these books with the intention of making 10, but died after the third one. They found them after he died. The themes about sexual violence stem from a gang rape he witnessed as a teenager. He never forgave himself for not being able to help her, so he channeled all those emotions into his writing later in life. Anyway.....interesting stuff. Good books. I recommend them :)


6.) An item that is less than a dollar, including shipping... that is not jewelry, nail polish, and or hair related! Pfft.


7.) Something related to cats. I love cats! (keep this SFW, you know who you are...) If I was a cat, this would be my JAM!


8.) Something that is not useful, but so beautiful you must have it. Dresses are admittedly useful for avoiding public indecency charges, but not really useful beyond that. BUT LOOK AT THE RAINBOWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WL


9.) A movie everyone should watch at least once in their life. Why? Not on my wishlist (it's on American Netflix though!), but everyone should be aware of the impact of plastic on the environment and our bodies. Education is everything. Plus, there's a newborn baby at the end.


10.) Something that would be useful when the zombies attack. Explain. 1. Stab zombie in the skull. 2. ??? 3. Profit. The reviews rave that it's super sharp and doesn't stick so it probably wouldn't get stuck in their skull like other knives. WL


11.) Something that would have a profound impact on your life and help you to achieve your current goals. I don't know if I'd use the word profound, but it would sure help me out. A big passion of mine is learning to ID birds. I'm pretty good at most birds, but finding information on juveniles is VERY difficult sometimes. I've used this book before to help identify birds in hand, but I think the information regarding juvenile plumage would help me identify young birds from afar. It's even part of my job to identify birds! WL


12.) One of those pesky Add-On items. This is an Add-On item, but it's also a hair addon =P Not on my WL, but I'm losing my hair like crazy so I might have to look into these >.>


13.) The most expensive thing on your list. Your dream item. Why? This isn't the most expensive item on my list (that was #8), but it's the one that would help me the most! When I do field work, I tend to have a lot of gear on me at once, and the extra strain of binoculars around my neck tends to give me some really freaking sore muscles. A harness would be MUCH easier on my shoulders/neck/back. I start field work again in October, so I plan on buying it for myself by then anyway =] WL


14.) Something bigger than a bread box. EDIT A bread box is typically similar in size to a microwave. This is larger than the average bread box.

15.) Something smaller than a golf ball. I am smaller than a golf ball! WL

16.) Something that smells wonderful. This smells amazing!!! I'm infatuated with cinnamon, but had to stop using cinnamon Crest YEARS ago because I developed a bad reaction to it. This stuff is expensive, but the company is very environmentally responsible and I feel good giving my business to them. WL


17.) A (SFW) toy. This seems pretty SFW unless you're playing Cards Against Humanity. evil grin WL


18.) Something that would be helpful for going back to school. I used sticky notes all the time in school! WL


19.) Something related to your current obsession, whatever that may be. I've obsessed with birds since I was 11. I've been obsessed with rainbows forever. I'm currently obsessed with sushi. THIS IS ALL THREE! WL


20.) Something that is just so amazing and awe-inspiring that I simply must see it. Explain why it is so grand. Hear me out! This baby can keep ice for DAYS. Sitting out in the sun for hours on end? NO PROBLEM! YOU'LL HAVE ICE AT THE END OF THE DAY!! Seriously, Thermos needs to pay me for how much I rave about their stuff. My water bottle has still had ice in it after three days AND being refilled twice. No joke.

BONUS
This beauty was made in OR.


fear cuts deeper than swords. She is my favorite character by far :)

1. The part at the bottom of this post will cheer you up.
   
   
2. Here is something you can use for crafting.
   
   
3. This is comparatively mild, but I lost close contact a couple of my closest friends within a couple weeks of each other. I was dating one, and the other was her good friend. My gf and I weren't a good match, and I initially had a hard time letting it go, but I made piece with it within a few days. I figured we'd keep contact, but she turned into a recluse shortly after.
   
   The other friend just stopped talking to me a couple weeks later for reasons unknown. It was a big bummer.
   
   A couple months later, ex-gf contacted me out of the blue to get lunch. I was super excited at the prospect, so I went. She told me she was sorry for not keeping in touch as promised. Her previous breakups were always terrible, but she realized I actually meant it when I said I wanted to remain friends. We kept in touch for a few years and saw each other on occasion. It was nice.
   
   Moral: If someone needs space, do your best to give it to them. It could turn around.
   
   

   4. [Surprised Crono](http://www.videogamesprites.net/ChronoTrigger/Party/Crono/Crono%20-%20Shocked%20(Front%29.gif), [Lucca casting a spell](http://www.videogamesprites.net/ChronoTrigger/Party/Lucca/Lucca%20-%20Right%20Arm%20(Front%29.gif), emo Setzer - for perlers, of course!
   

   
   Thanks for the contest!
   
   ---
   
   The fact that you are even thinking of doing something like this for people you've never met, especially when it will cost you money that you don't have, is amazing. Never let anyone tell you that you're anything less than great. You've got a good head on your shoulders, and you should be proud of that.

I run this instead of a Dremel brand tool. I have had a couple Dremels die on me over the years, so I tried this one and it has lasted 4 years so far! I also got a lot of my bits from harbor freight. I use the cuttoff wheels (ALWAYS WEAR FACE PROTECTION WITH THESE), Sanding Drums, and grinding stones the most. Use the cutoff for cutting out large swaths of material, sanding drums for tighter areas, and grinding stones to debur and smooth it all out. Most work that needs a dremel can be done with hand tools for better control. Coping saw, files, and flush cutters can go a long way. A lot of the "pros" don't use Dremels because they can jump out of control and hit a part of the blaster you planned on leaving stock and leaving a huge gash.

As for soldering Irons, I've heard wonderful things about this model, but cheaper models will work fine. TBH, I'd grab something in the $10 range and see if he sticks with the hobby. Maybe for christmas you can get him a nicer one if he's still going at it. I use a super duper old school Weller soldering station, so really anything will work. The issue you'll get with the cheaper soldering irons is the tips will tend to not last long and the heating element might crap out after a few months. Don't go cheaper than $10 here as some of them are meant for wood engraving, not soldering and wont get hot enough to melt solder. Any size solder is fine. I personally use lead/tin solder and just avoid breathing fumes as well as wash my hands when I'm done modding. Lead solder is MUCH easier to work with and requires less heat. Look for "Rosin Core solder" as it's easier to work with as it has flux in the center of the solder.

Good flush cutters, hobby knife, wire strippers, heatshrink, wire, loctite, etc are all valuable modding supplies. We sell some on our shop (shameless plug). I would recommend for plastic to plastic bonds he use Devcon Plastic Welder (make sure it contains Methyl Methacrylate as this acts as a solvent weld to bond the plastics together chemically instead of a weak adhesive grip like putty). Putty should be used as a filler material. I use two different putties. Free form Air for large amounts of gap fill, it is 6 times less dense than normal putty so it wont make the blaster weight 8 pounds when done. It is VERY easy to sand, but sometimes requires a thin layer of bondo over top of it to leave a perfect finish. I also use Apoxie Sculpt which is a direct replacement for normal putty for gap filling purposes. It's MUCH easier to sand than JB Weld putty, and leaves a nice smooth finish when sanded down.

Speaking of sandpaper, get various grades of sandpaper from 100 down to 600 grit (I go as far as 1000 if I want a gloss sheen on something).

Other than all of that, the tools I have on my bench that I would hate to mod without now are: Helping hands (for soldering), various different sizes of needle nose pliers, numerous sizes of small to medium screwdrivers, silicone lubricant, hot glue (for securing wires inside the shell), Electric Screwdriver, and various tweezers.

Hi there. If you're looking for a craft, woodburning can be a lot of fun!

I'd recommend picking up a basic woodburning tool at your local craft store or online and give it a try. Most come with some instructions/ideas and a variety of different tips to use. A popular one (which I enjoyed using) is the Versa Tool by Walnut Hollow, since it's inexpensive and you can adjust the temperature. They make an even cheaper one-temp model but if you want to practice shading and such the temperature control is really nice for a few extra bucks.

Other than that, you really just need some wood and you're ready to get started! The craft store will likely have wooden plaques and shapes as well, usually pine or basswood which are easy to burn. But if you just want to practice, any wood will do. I get scraps from local carpenters or lumber yards; driftwood can be fun too. Just be careful you aren't burning wood that's been coated or chemically treated, as you'll breathe in some unhealthy fumes. Just regular smoke from burning can be a nuisance but usually more so when burning larger pieces/burning for long periods of time. So although it may not be necessary for a beginner, down the road I would recommend getting a fan if this becomes an issue.

As for stenciling, I personally use graphite paper to trace designs onto the wood (you'll also find this at the craft store). Carbon paper is a similar option but I find it a bit messier/hard to remove if I've made a mistake. All you do is draw or print off the image that you want to burn. Then you lay the graphite paper (black side down) onto the wood, lay your image on top (I recommend taping to keep it in place), and lightly trace over it. Once you are finished and pull up the papers, the graphite will have transferred onto the wood where you traced and now you have your outline to burn over.

I hope that made sense! I find seeing a visual can often help, so some Youtube tutorials may be a good place to start to learn the basics. There are tons of resources online, and quite a few books on how to do different techniques/use different tips if that's more your style. Or just find some old scrap wood and experiment.

Have fun!

Sling is just thick cotton grosgrain ribbon, QD Attatchments can be found all over the place, and so can the strap adjustment buckle, all for super cheap.

>The stitching on the strap is a little difficult, but other than that...

Nah man, not at all. The real item obviously uses a machine, however you can achieve similar results with some scrap leather (Buy "Vegetable Tanned" leather for crafting, takes dye well and is very strong, you may even find a "Belt Blank" kit already cut into a nice neat strap) and some "leather lacing chisels" also known as Pricking Irons. Simply lay out where you want your stitch-box, double your leather over, line up the fork, smack it with a hammer (into a wooden backstop), and there you have it, nice evenly spaced stitchable holes. From there, you just dye the leather however you prefer (Leather Dye works great, but in a pinch, wood stain works fine and double-brewed coffee can work too), finish the edge with a little bees wax and an edge slicker and hand sew it together with some Waxed Thread and some robust Leathercraft Needles. (I might even lay down a layer of contact adhesive between the leather-strap-leather sandwich for additional hold while sewing). Just take your time and be patient with layout and cutting and it would make for a great afternoon project. For a tutorial on stitching leather neatly, check this out and this edge slicking tutorial. Bonus; you can dye the leather and buy whatever color grosgrain and hardware you want to match or contrast to your heart's content.

Personally I would go with a decent quartz banger. Those glass nails, like the one that comes with your piece, are prone to break - but it is still very usable.

With the piece you linked, you'll need a 14mm female. Here is a very basic article on glass joint sizes and male/female genders - edit: looking for a better reference.

The general rule of thumb for male and female joints is if it inserts INTO a glass joint it is a male - Think penis. If it slides OVER a glass joint it is a female - Think vagina.

For example, the glass dome (and the bowl) on the piece you linked is a female joint because it slides over the male joint (not pictured) on the downstem.

While Ti nails are perfectly fine, I prefer quartz. I think the flavor is better, but this is just my opinion. There are a lot of options out there for nails, try them out and find what suits your tastes.

You can get along just fine with a banger by itself but, to get the most out of it you should learn how to use a carb cap. There is a learning curve with everything but through trial and error you'll eventually get to MLG360no-dome globfather status in no time.

As far as domed vs domeless, the piece you linked comes with a glass dome, which you would need if you used just a regular nail insert such as the glass one that comes with your piece. Here is an example of a domeless Ti nail, and here is one similar to yours with a dome and Ti nail insert.

Notice how the domeless nail has a an opening, or channel, in the middle for the vapor to flow through as you inhale. You don't need a dome to capture the vapor with a domeless nail. This is really the difference between the two types as the standard nail insert is basically a solid dish with no airways on the surface.

There are many styles of domeless nails but hopefully this will give you a general idea about the differences between the two.

I should add that with a domeless nail, you won't need a dome, but you will want to learn how to use a carb cap. Also, as /u/snobord mentioned, the carb caps are going to be different depending on what type of nail you decide to use. If they don't match up or properly restrict airflow, the caps will not work as intended. So be sure to do your research before deciding to pull the trigger.

You'll also need a dabber or dab tool to apply your concentrates to your nail. Personally, I use a Ti dabber with a ball point tip because it makes it easier for me to collect my rosin after I press it. There are a lot of options for dabbers as well and really I think it comes down to personal preference.

edit:

>/u/snobord

>The type of your concentrate is going to affect the kind of dabber you want to use. The ball point wouldn't be ideal for crumble, for example. I personally bought a stainless steel wax carver set from Amazon so I'd have all the bases covered.

Finally, you're going to need some sort of storage container for your concentrates like a wax wallet or something similar. A quick google search should point you in the right direction.

edit:

>/u/snobord

>As for the silicone containers, bought 10ish (don't remember exactly) of them last year, used them one or twice and basically haven't touched them since. The main reason is I pick up from dispensaries and it comes prepackaged in half/one gram packs and the process of transferring it over isn't even worth the effort. This is definitely a matter of opinion though so my point is just that op should try it out before buying a bunch.

Several edits later: If I missed the mark on anything let me know. Op, hopefully if I wasn't able to answer your questions someone more experienced can chime in and get you on the right path.

Good luck, and happy dabbing!

If you ever get the urge to refinish it, the beeswax can be removed fairly easily, and a good wood burner can be bought pretty cheap.

If it were me, I'd spend $20 or so on a small U-Gouge and use it to cut out the lines you scored originally. Because that gouge is 1.5mm, you should also be able to straighten up any slightly-crooked lines by choosing a good starting point for your cut. Since it's a log, I would use a small paintbrush to brush hot water onto each line a minute or so before you start your cut to soften it a bit. With the gouge I mentioned you shouldn't have to re-sharpen, but you'd need to strop it frequently during the process.

After cutting the lines, use the chisel tip (or a round tip 1mm or smaller) of the wood burner to re-trace the lines to get that nice, dark look to them. The kit also comes with a big, blunt, round tip that is perfect for re-making the dots once you've finished with the lines.

That would hold up better and wouldn't fade in the sun. Of course, that all assumes the wood itself is still in good condition, which it might not be.

Anyway, it's a pretty easy and cheap weekend project you could do to restore that awesome board to have a nice look and playable quality. Wish I had some stumps around here....

I tried looking for the one I bought on amazon but it looks like they no longer sell it. But I did some searching and found two:

1. This one looks pretty similar to mine and has good reviews so if it’s anything like mine it’ll be great.
   
   Knit Picks Yarn Ball Winder https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O3GHFA0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_2WO5BbZCAERFF
   
   
2. If you’re looking for a fancier one, this one is more expensive but the reviews say it’s the best thing ever.
   
   Stanwood Needlecraft Large Metal Yarn/Fiber/Wool/String Ball Winder, 10-Ounce https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0078T6KQY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_5NO5BbBJGNRE5
   
   The one complaint I have about mine (and I’m not sure there’s really a product that would do any better) is that sometimes when you’ve wound a big cake if you try to wind too much the whole thing will just fly off...so I wish it had some sort of cap that would keep it from doing that. But I mean as long as you slow down once it starts getting big it’s fine. I suppose it wouldn’t be too hard to come up with a quick fix at home, I just haven’t put any effort into that myself.
   
   Good luck!!! 😀

You can make it effectively solid, which will make it a lot more comfortable on your skin, especially if you want to wear for a while. Look for a product called instamorph. It's basically just little plastic beads that melt when put in hot water.

Melt a bunch of it and roll it into a cylinder about the diameter of a pencil. This way you can easily remelt it if necessary. Also put your ring in hot water so that it warms up a bit. Once both are good and hot, work the instamorph liberally into the groove; you want to have it spilling a little out of the groove. Be sure to push plastic into any air gaps.

Do one side, then melt more plastic and do the other side. Then put the whole thing in cold water for a while to cool.

All that's left now is to sand away the excess plastic and then polish it smooth. Start with a coarse grit, like 60 or 80, and get it pretty close to the shape you want. Then just use finer and finer grits to do your successive shaping and smoothing. A pack of different fine grits like this should be pretty good for what you need.

A few other thoughts:

• Be sure to round the edges slightly.
  
• Lay the sand paper on a flat surface and move the ring against the paper to get the front and back really flat and consistent.
  
• Wrap some sand paper around something round to do the inside of the ring.
  
• If your cage came with extra rings that you don't think you'd ever use, you can practice before committing to modifying the one that fits.
  
  I did this modification to my ring and it was like a whole different product. I couldn't go more than a day or so before my skin got pressed into the groove and became really tender. Now with a little lotion I don't have any problems down there from the ring.

ok. It took a bit but I understand. You really threw me off with the welding & 3d printing.

Pictures would still be useful as not all pipes are created equal.

You have 9" of copper pipe exiting the tub basin. Is it bare pipe or is it threaded? is there a coupling? what is the diameter?

does it look more like A,B,C,D https://sportbig.com/plumbing-diagram/bathtub-faucet-plumbing-diagram/attachment/add-a-shower-and-hand-shower-diverter-tub-spout-kits-for-bathtub-faucet-plumbing-diagram/

Depending on the internal diameter of the original spout could you cut the pipe back & add back the 3" later? You have a lot of choices here for couplers threaded/compression/solder

your best bet is to find a 9" spout with hand shower.

your second best option is to get permission & leave a 6" spout when you leave.

your third best option is to cut back 3" & add it back before you leave

your fourth best option is to use the 6" spout, an escutcheon & to fill the remaining gap with sugru or https://smile.amazon.com/InstaMorph-Moldable-Plastic-6-oz/dp/B004MFLU4Y/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1536268311&sr=8-3&keywords=thermo+plastic

​

it will of course be ugly.

​

​

Honestly, I'd say ditch the kit and DIY it.

First, you want some alginate. This is what you will make the mold out of. A kit is going to give you enough for one try and this is where most people have problems (if it sets up too fast you are screwed). The 1-lb bag on Amazon is enough for four or five molds.

Second, you need body-safe silicone. I'd try either this or this. The 20A is going to be softer than the 30a. The two pints that you get from Smooth-on is enough for 3 or 4 replicas. You can also buy just the silicone from Clone A Willy. They claim that is body-safe and you'd get enough silicone for one dildo.

Third, you'd want to get something to make a tube out of to create the mold. A plastic water bottle like a 1L smart water bottle would work fine.

Fourth, you may want a vibrator to insert into the silicone before it cures (if you want a vibrator instead of a dildo). The one that comes in a kit is pretty bad. A Tango would be pretty awesome.

Finally, a good cock ring is indispensable when it comes to keeping your FWB hard through the molding process.

If you are set on a kit, the Clone A Willy kit works OK. The biggest issue I had was that it comes with a big, piece o' junk vibrator to insert into the silicone. If you didn't use the vibrator there wasn't enough silicone to get the job done. When you did insert the vibrator it was almost impossible to keep it from getting to close to an edge, creating a weak spot in the toy. After about three or four uses a small tear developed and it was no longer safe to use. If you do go for the kit, I'd highly recommend that you ditch the vibrator that comes with it and replace it with a Tango. Better vibrations and the thinner profile would work a lot better in this application.

This item may not seem very fun but it's used to make something super fun and awesome! My family and I go all out on halloween and decorate our house so it looks awesome! The final touches of course are our costumes. This year I'm planning on making a full mouth piece of pointy teeth. I already have the material to make the teeth itself but I need this to make the mouth piece so they stay in my mouth. It basically makes dentures haha they will look sort of like these. Oh and it's $9.99 :) Sunday Funday

Thanks dude! And, yeah that's an awesome design, I think it'd make a cool deck too.

I'll let you in on a secret that took me forever to figure out: the best way to make masking / stencils is to get yourself some transparency sheets, like the kind used for overhead projectors in school, and then take a marker and draw what you want to spray through (best way to make stencils). Then take a 'wood burning kit' (which is just a low-heat soldering gun pretty much) and use it to "trace" your lines on the transparancy sheet, do it light and quick and it'll cut the parts out that you want - afterwards you'll be left with a mask or stencil that's much stronger than paper, easy to clean, and the wood engraver allows you to make more detailed and smoother cuts than if you were masking with tape, or cutting out of cardboard or card stock.

When you finish your painting, you'll want to give it a light coat of clear spray finish, and when that dries hit it with a coact of actual clear coat - I use minwax - that''s 'satin' (which is their way of saying 'matte') listed there but I prefer mine to be gloss. It's important that you hit it with the spray finish first, because it'll seal the paint, and the minwax may cause it to run if you don't. I use a lot of markers in my paintings and minwax will absolutely make them bleed and run if I don't seal them first.

You also want to seal it because the acrylic will easily chip off the deck

Like I said, also be aware that painting on a deck is A LOT different than painting on canvas, the deck will cause the acrylic to paint much faster than canvas so you lose that 'wet period' you normally have to blend paint.

Good luck, post a picture when you finish it! And feel free to drop me a line if you have any other questions.

Apologies for the text wall!

Often times the white acrylic pearled stems are very difficult to get back to perfect when the airway has been poorly maintained (not sure on your color). Best approach I have found with these is to completely submerge it and soak the stem in a mixture of white distilled vinegar and baking soda. You want the solution to bubble and fizz during the majority of the soak (so use a good amount of baking soda in the bottom of your container and a lot of patience filling it). I will usually place the stem tennon side down. Make sure you have cleared the airway as much as you can. You will want to see bubbles coming out through the lip as it soaks. You can soak for 1hr to overnight (this soak won't hurt anything)

Follow up the soak with passes of a bristle nylon brush (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0115SLLLM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_aVXdzb72RVG6S) and hard bristle pipe cleaners if still being stubborn (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000W5R6UA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_DWXdzbXF8T8WV) Pass multiple soft pipe cleaners dipped in the flat sodium bicarbonate solution, followed by dry ones. Aaaand REPEAT as many time as needed haha. It usually works pretty well for me.

You can also use the flat sodium bicarbonate mixture to clean the outside of the bowl and inside the shank to remove some smell! Vinegar and water is often recommended for cleaning hard wood floors that have been freshly stained as it won't remove stain and sanitizes. The extra dissolved baking soda can help with smell as well :)

Thank you! I definitely think you should give it a shot. From what I see so far on this subreddit, I use a different tool than most. https://www.amazon.com/Walnut-Hollow-Versa-Temp-Temperature-Woodburning/dp/B005P1TRAS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1466045184&sr=8-3&keywords=wood+burning , but I really like it.

I'd say that I'm somewhat artistically inclined, but in that I like to be creative. I wouldn't say I can freehand well, aside from stick figures. I use carbon paper to help me transfer images.

The tricky part is more in your steady hand and eye for shading than in your artistic ability, I think! I mainly use three tips: one that looks like a pencil, one that's a tinier pencil tip, and one that looks like a leaf (I use that one for the shading and the others for outlining). That's it!

I've been doing this for maybe a year now, and still learning techniques. Give it a shot!

Special thanks to u/Morgan-3D and u/Lps2 for the STLS! I modified the Poseidon/Mod holder to fit my Joytech infinite....had an error when printing and it ended up being a perfect fit for the reverse banger and grommet. Coil holder and second Poseidon stand are awesome, thanks again to everyone here for providing so many tips. Happy Sunday y'all!

Details:

Joytech Espion Infinite & Sai TAF (Awesome Mod, but no Arctic Fox compatibility. The TCR mode is great so I don't feel like I'm missing out too much; I have a backup VooPoo I'll get around to flashing soon).

Usually running Triple Black Ceramic, TCR 366 / 27 Watts / 360 - 430 / Locked @ 0.29 with the Reverse Banger on a halfway decent rig. I get very solid clouds and throaty strong rips all day. I have some ti & quartz buckets to try but I'm so happy with the Triple Black I haven't got around to it yet.

Favorite items are obviously the 3D Prints and Reverse Banger. Loving this wax Carver kit (you can't beat this price anywhere) : SE DD312 12-Piece Stainless Steel Wax Carvers Set https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000SVRSRY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_CMOQCb61J6RYC

Also, this ultrasonic cleaner and portable case with ice packs is a must for me (all recommendations from waxpen & r/saionara):

Ultrasonic: Yesker Professional Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaner with Digital Timer for Eyeglasses, Rings, Coins https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001DKDAVW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_zNOQCbYCNV3EB

goldwheat Portable Insulin Cooler Bag Diabetic Organizer Medical Travel Cooler Pack + 2 Ice Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01E3MS782/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_7NOQCb3RB56GX

Never would have got this dialed in without these subs & HVT! I am barely even using flower anymore.

My daughter is that age and also loves to finger knit. She has the best luck (and the end product looks the nicest) with worsted or aran weight wool. Bulky is a little too much for her little fingers and the fingering/sport weight ends up looking like mesh.

My daughter regularly uses up the ends of my knitting cakes that are in colors she likes. She even stole one full hank of bright pinky-orange yarn. I would grab a yarn ball or two in colors that she likes. Check out Michaels or JoAnn's shops near you, both are having pretty big sales at the moment.

You may even consider something like a Zippy loom or a circular loom. Both work similarly to the finger knitting, so she should pick it up pretty quickly to make full size scarves and hats!

I'm using some metal sculpting tools, Here's the set I'm using, a lot of sculpting comes down to experience and practice, life-drawing lessons always helped but besides that I've picked up some tips and tricks here and there. note some of these tips only relate to Sculpting with Super sculpy.

• 
  For the love of god make a sturdy armature
  
• 
  Thin pieces of sculpy can be cooked in boiling water anything below 8mm for about 15 minutes
  
  
• 
  when sculpting the eyes/eyelids It's much easier to use solid eyes. I usually roll 2 balls, throw them in some boiling water and then once they've hardened jam them into the eye sockets. It's much more forgiving when the you're trying to tuck in the eyelids around the eyeball and it doesn't give way to your tool
  
  
• 
  You can use lighter fluid to smooth out Sculpy, get a small sturdy paint brush and dipping it into lighter fluid you can use it to manipulate the Sculpy to get some nice flowing lines and soft edges.
  
  thats the most I can think of off the top of my head.
  
  

Looks like a wood burner tool with some sort of letter attachments (like these maybe). I've never used the letter attachments myself but wood burners are cheap to pick up, pretty easy to get the hang of, and loads of fun. You could burn the letters with the regular attachment too but I guess if you don't have the best handwriting or if the wood you're using is tough to burn evenly then the letters make things simple.

Edit: Really cool project OP. Nicely done and a great idea.

If you want an inexpensive laminator, I bought this one from amazon (http://amzn.to/2kxWSdz). It was around $22. It does one page at a time and seems to do a fine job. I only have experience with this one laminator, but for taking paper things and covering them with plastic it seems to work pretty well. It only comes with 5 pages of lamination material, so you will need to pick up a pack of the lamination pages. A pack of 100 of the "laminating pouches" cost around $12 on amazon. "Pouches" is kind of a misnomer. They open kind of like a clamshell (connected on one edge, the other three sides open). You slide whatever you want to laminate inside, then slide it through the machine. It was a little difficult getting the hang of laminating a bunch of small pieces on one sheet. The trick I used was to put a book in front of the laminator that was even with the level of the input slot, that way you could just gently slide the page forward without moving the little pieces around inside. My first few attempts were done just holding it by hand and feeding it in and I ended up having pieces move and overlap and get laminated overlapping each other.

I would also recommend a corner cutter (like this: http://amzn.to/2k64w1u). When I was cutting out laminated cards/pieces, I ended up with pointy corners. It wasn't a big deal, but being able to round out the corners makes things just feel better to handle.

The whole setup cost about $45 from amazon for laminator, 100 pages (of which I still have plenty left) and the corner cutter.

After buying a laminator, I ended up discovering all kinds of things that I didn't realize needed lamination. :)

For you or anyone else that may be considering trying it, first buy extra mold making powder. We used this, Its cheap and changed colors when it was ready. We tossed out the tube after the first try and filled a bowl with mold goo instead, which was way easier to stick his dick in. Use a cock ring to stay hard and use slightly cooler water to make the mold set up quicker. Its going to be messy so I recommend doing it in a bathroom but the mold peels off easily so don't worry about ruining the floor or any tools. Its a fun thing to do together C; I got the glow in the dark viberator. Its actually a pretty nice toy. I got mine from adamandeve.com which always has huge deals like free shipping and 50% off with a quick google search.

I have the same bootleg and you might need something extra to fix those seams in his head. The cement might work, but what it actually does is melt two pieces of plastic together, so it doesn't really fill anything, it can actually melt plastic away if you use too much.

You might need an epoxy like Green Stuff or Apoxy Sculpt to fill them, which when mixed dries into a plastic like material.

You can try the cement, just don't use to much and you might be able to sand the seam line away.

Testors will probably work, I've never actually used it. Just make sure to thin your paints with water or acrylic thinner. It will take a few extra coats of paint, but it'll look smoother and nicer.

As for shiny vs matte it will come down to what finish/sealer you use. The clear gloss you ordered will be great for the shoes and nose, but you'll still want to seal the rest just to avoid paint rub/damage. I'd recommend getting a brush on Matte finish. Paint the whole figure, Seal the whole thing in matte, then brush on the gloss finish anywhere you want it to shine.

I got this set as a gift, but after doing three projects and burning my fingers on the handle I'd recommend buying a tool like this where you can actually adjust the temperature. For more information and inspiration I'd recommend checking out /r/pyrography and good luck getting started.

Heya! Thanks for stopping by.

It can be a bit tricky, depending on what materials and tools he has already.

• Amazon Shows a wide variety of books.
  
  If he wants more whittling-style knives, Amazon is also a place for this.
  
  
• This knife set isn't too bad. See, what you're wanting to look for here are knives that are comfortable to use. The curves and ovaloid shaped handles make them more comfortable for longer periods of whittling.
  
  
• Quite a few people swear by Mora knives.
  
  If he's the outdoorsy type, then any nice range pocket knife will work (as long as it looks / feels comfortable to hold!). The spirit of Whittling is in the doing, not so much in the materials used.
  
  Other accessories that could go well could be safety gloves (no one wants to cut themselves !), A place for him to store wood, or even a bench perhaps.
  
  Really, it's up to what he already has and his wants. Hope this helps!
  

Looks pretty good. Always come in at least 3/16 of an inch from edge for stitching. Get yourself a stitching groover too. It cuts a groove in the leather both to help heep stitches straight, and so your thread doesn't sit proud if the leather. Especially for an item that will be in and out of your pocket. Get a set of diamond stitching chisels too to help you with spacing, and clean up your stitches. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014549SNG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_1.CJDb1VV85PN
Other than that. I would personally do this with a thicker veg tan leather, obviously you have what you have. But thicker veg tan allows you to better finish the edges of the leather and use an edge coat to both make it pop, and to protect the edge of the leather which is what will surely start to wear first on this item. You dun good, though, just need to practice!

A few days late here, so for all I know you've already purchased, but I have one called the "Sunstar Kadomaru Pro, Corner Cutter (#S4765036)" and I really love it. It does three different corner sizes, so you can experiment with an index card or something and see which angle works best. I got it from Amazon here:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0076FJ7SS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I've trimmed the borders off a number of decks, and this guy always makes my corners look great. (I wish the same could be said for my edges -- I'm still working on doing those cuts as evenly as I'd like...but hey, at least my corners always look good...)

So I got the idea off YouTube from a guy called MTB Alan. Super awesome video of him showing you step by step. Check it out.

https://youtu.be/SUtwXFQMA6w

$10:
Sugru Mouldable Glue - Black (3-Pack) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BFE0KNQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_5azoDb9ANG90W

$7:
Suptig Tripod Mount Adapter for Gopro https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071XVZKP1/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_0czoDbBPVN334

That’s it. IMO looks way better than zip ties, holds much better than zip ties. The Sugru is tested for 4lbs (roughly 2kg) and it feels solid as a rock. Took about 5 minutes to knead, 2 minutes to mold, and then let it sit for 48 hours. The pack says 24 will be plenty but since I used all 3 packs I decided to let it sit a little longer.

Hope it helps somebody! 🤙🏼🤙🏼

I picked up the Creative Versa-Tool kit for $29.99 at a local store. It's currently $26.31 at amazon.

Thanks! One thing that I realized while doing this project is that it will require you to a) learn how to draw, or b) find some creative way to sketch a pattern onto the wood for you to trace. I ended up free hand sketching the design on a piece of paper (while looking at a wiki image), overlaying it onto the wood, taking a pocket-knife and poking holes through the paper/onto the wood at the corners of the shapes, playing connect the dots with the resulting holes, and then traced over with the wood burner. However, I'm pretty sure there are easier methods, this is just what was in hands reach.

I'm a beginner who probably has more money than skill, but I would absolutely recommend a Flexcut set. This would be a great choice on a budget.

Most important thing is to make sure you keep the tools as sharp as possible. Flexcut makes a "variable" strop that works on a bunch of different tools and comes with polishing compound.

If you only want to buy a knife, Mora is a great alternative to Flexcut. A knife similar to the KN12 should be roughly the same cost-wise. You can make your own strop out of an old leather belt glued to some wood, so just do some research online for more info and then all you need to buy is some polishing compound.

For getting rid of molded clothes, and so many other super useful things, I recommend owning a dremel, or other rotary tool.

You don't need a fancy one. I've got 3 dremel tools, of varying degrees of torque and power. One is identical to this one - only without the pet grooming branding. It's still a dremel - it'll still work.

Dremel 7300-PT 4.8V Pet Nail Grooming Tool https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003TU0XG4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_jF4xDb8CJPTXW
$30


I did find this guy for a super cheap price -
WEN 23006 Two-Speed Cordless Rotary Tool Kit with 10-Piece Accessory Set https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MSL9PW4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_4C4xDb9MG46FY
$12

Can't vouch for it being any good, given its price, but it should be compatible with the dremel rotary bits, and for a starter tool, and just working on dolls, it should be fine.

Whatever rotary you get, you'll need a few things to go with it. I recommend one or both of these -

Sanding drums
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BK1VRH6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_yJ4xDb738D61Y

Abrasive buffing wheels
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075C72PGK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_NH4xDbCZ6DM5C

The buffing wheels are pretty good a removing tiny molded clothing details without eating up the plastic a lot.

If you ever do anything with apoxie-sculpt, the dremel can come in handy with grinding down things after its cured.

OH - and sand paper. Buy sand paper.

I recommend getting some 120 grit, 220 grit, and some 400 grit. You work your way from the lower, rougher paper, up to 400 to get a smooth finish. When you get up to 400, make sure you sand in circular motions to avoid leaving gouges in the plastic.

i had a patient that made his own denture that ive wrote about before. it was a nightmare. he had nonrestorable dentition and needed full mouth edentulation and denure fabrication. he couldnt afford it and disappeared for months. then on a friday at 430 he showed up as an emergency on my schedule. he used these beads that he bought off amazon that they make hollywood masks out of and stuff. i guess you heat it up to make it moldable? so he heated it in his oven and then shoved it in his mouth. it bonded to all of his tissue and remaining teeth. he had it in his mouth for 3 days before he had the courage to admit he needed help. i had to try t oget him numb under it (which was crazy difficult) and section it surgically. when it finally became removable, it brought teeth and tissue with it. he needed bone and tissue grafts, residual root tip exts, and a denture made afterward. all and all it ended up being way more expensive than if he would have just had regular ext and dentures made. this was maybe 5 years ago. i had taken a ton of pictures for liablity reasons at the time. but since then ive moved across the country and opened my own practices, so im pretty positive i dont have the pics anymore

edit: im pretty sure he used a material similar to this https://www.amazon.com/InstaMorph-Moldable-Plastic-6-oz/dp/B004MFLU4Y/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8 ... it was definitely all white and looked more like a mouthguard than a denture

Welcome welcome


I would recommend a few things depending on what you're looking to do.

For helping smooth out the print I regularly use XTC-3D by smoothon- You basically coat your print with the epoxy and it dries smooth. You really need to put it on really thin or else you will lose the details of your print. Once its dried you can sand it further or paint.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZopV6He4cqE

I also regularly use a dremel to remove excess pieces or grind away parts I cant tear off.

I also picked up these needle files that are awsome for sanding down detailed areas.

http://www.harborfreight.com/needle-file-set-10-pc-69876.html



I also use sculpting tools to help remove stubborn support materials.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000SVRSRY?keywords=sculpting%20tools&qid=1451425886&ref_=sr_1_2&sr=8-2

Specifically the forth tool from the left

Other than that I just use sanding paper when needed.

Hope that helps and hope you are enjoying the witbox

I always suggest flexcut for beginners for two reasons, they are fairly inexpensive, and they are sharp and hold an edge well. (I would not suggest using them on anything harder than mahogany or perhaps oak)

If you find you like woodcarving, then I suggest move on to more traditional (And fairly expensive tools like Pfeil, Ashely iles, Two cherries, Auriou, Henry Taylor, Robert Sorby etc)

They do have a small set similar to what you're looking for,

https://www.amazon.com/Beginner-Palm-and-Knife-Set/dp/B005EG033Y/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1483717685&sr=8-4&keywords=flexcut+set

As for wood, basswood is good for beginners, also butternut. I personally hate basswood and prefer to carve woods with a janka hardness of 1000 and up. That's just me though and many folks love basswood, I just find it too soft for my style of carving.

Cleaning, I just pick up the larger shavings and vacuum the rest.

Some resources,

http://www.wood-database.com/

Database on wood with detailed info on each species.

https://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/store/index.php

Very good supplier of woodworking/carving tools, I use them often and they are usually very prompt in shipping.

http://www.constantines.com/

I order from these guys every so often, usually 12x12x2 mahogany blocks.

http://www.japanwoodworker.com/

Another supplier of tools, they also have wood.

http://www.bellforestproducts.com/

Wood supplier, excellent stock of more exotic lumber, I tend to browse the "Hand pick your board" section often.

Also, ebay is a nice place to find carving wood.

I block the mouth end with an old cut-up q-tip after removing the mouthpiece. Sometimes I'll scrape a bit of goo right away on the top with a dry q-tip but I do the finishing steps near the end by spraying a tiny amount of 99% iso on a qtip and rub away.

I dab the inside of the oven with 70% iso and I start scraping with a knife.

I finish off the oven with a green scouring pad that I cut to 1 cm/2 and dip it in iso and I use a precision screwdriver and I rub it in the oven.

Then I remove the old q tip and use those plastic lined pipe cleaners and dip it in iso and go to town on the vapor chamber.

I also wipe off the flat mouthpiece first with a towel to remove most of the goo and then I use cold water, an old toothbrush and dawn dish soap to clean it since you should avoid using iso on rubber if possible.

To clean the screen I just burn off the stuff with my torch lighter and it's like new.

Sometime I'll scrape some crap off my half pack oven lid with a knife if it gets too bad, then I clean it with iso and a qtip.

At the end I make sure to thoroughly wipe everything with 99% iso as to not inhale small scouring pad particulates that might have been left behind.

I have a tip to help with maintenance, if you're using the original screens, use a pair of pliers and bend the sides a little bit so it's easier to remove. On that note I remove the screen after each use and wipe the pax oven/screen with a dry q-tip, I use a bamboo skewer to help pry it off (by pushing on the side of the screen) and I can use it as a tool to scrape some abv that's stuck in the oven.

I have a Pax 3, a Mighty and a Dynavap M 2017 and yet my go-to is the pax3. If you treat it right, it's amazing.

Not sure if you want something entirely empty like OP's base, but I just finished a set of 12 Bones skeletons (there's probably a joke there). Anyway, I used some plain 1" round bases and Apoxie Sculpt to blend the hunk of plastic down smooth with the base. Some of them are propped up on rocks I sculpted if their existing base was too wide for the new base. They all came out looking pretty nice and it didn't take too much effort. I can grab some photos later if you like.

I'm also very new to this so do take this advice with a grain of salt, there are probably better solutions out there, but this worked for me.

hah yea. I got a corner punch just for this campaign. I print on cardstock so they have some thickness to them. All my HotAC printed cards are cut that way :)

Its time consuming, but looks really good.

[edit] Wow. I made a list in Excel of all the extra pilots and i totally missed Braylen :| feels bad. Glad you got it in your list tho haha.

It looks like you are all ready done with them, and they look great.
I really like apoxy sculpt. This is really easy to use, has an long work time, and you can really smooth it out with wet fingers. dries and sticks great.
https://www.amazon.com/Apoxie-Sculpt-1-Lb-Natural/dp/B000V58DS0/ref=sr_1_5/141-7678837-0075305?ie=UTF8&qid=1524152792&sr=8-5&keywords=aves+apoxie+sculpt

It's a little blurry, but it looks like you need to mesh the greenstuff onto the cloak a little better. It looks like there is a gap between the two?

Having the gap on the shoulders is fine, since it is sitting on top of them, but you want it to blend into the cloak itself, since it is supposed to be part of it.

Do you have a sculpting tool? They help a lot when dealing with greenstuff, especially for keeping your fingerprints off of it.

This is what I use;

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000SVRSRY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

No problem at all!

That top section is just spare insulated electrical wire I had floating about, with those grey blobs formed out of Apoxie Sculpt. If you're not familiar with it, it's two-part epoxy clay that will harden to a rock a short time after you combine the two parts, so you can mold it to whatever shape you like and set it fairly quickly. I just slapped it around the wire and hoped for the best, but another option that might look neater is if you find rubber tubing just large enough to slide over the wire in those sections.

For the anchoring, I'm going to MacGuyver this, mostly because I'm having a brain fart and can't think of a search term for what I actually want, so let's start from the bottom of the construction. Get your bucket lid that you'll be using for the base. Epoxy (or screw, if you're feeling adventurous) a light bulb socket to the center -- this will provide that wide, stable base that I failed at when I was building mine. Scoop out a hollow in your styrofoam round large enough to make it sit around that socket, and cut a hole over the socket part. Glue the styrofoam to the bucket lid once you're sure everything lines up properly. We'll be adding the dowel next, but we need to see how long that dowel needs to be.

Take your mannequin head, and flip it upside down. You should see the hole in the bottom of the neck for conventional use. That will not be nearly deep enough. I speak from experience. If you're using a plastic one, you might need to drill to get past the stoppage at the end, if you're using styrofoam a long knife or screwdriver and some patience should work. Get all the way up into the head if you can, but at the very least get a few more inches to work with. Now take your dowel, and push it in as far as it will go. Mark that point on it, that's one end of the depth. Do the same into the socket under the foam. Measure to those marks and add them together, that is the total length of your dowel, cut it to that size.

The most important part here is getting a solid connection from the dowel into the socket. Epoxy should be strong enough, but whatever you use, make sure that the dowel is not moving, it will only end in tears. Once that's solid, cut a hole in the bottom of your (already colored) bucket and slide it down the dowel, attach to the foam round with epoxy. Volia. You have a solid anchor that's long enough to actually hold the head up. That should be able to handle bobbling around, if rotation becomes an issue and you don't expect to take the head back out, you can glue the head to the bottom of the bucket, but if removal might be needed, velcro should do the trick.

I hope that was clear enough!

Edit: Oh I'm a dumbass, you were probably asking about the part behind the wire at the top. That's actually part of the bucket I used and just painted to match, I went digging and found my old order for it. Not sure if that one in particular is still available, but as long as you have that little lip area where the lid connects, you should be fine.

Which would be easier to start with? I see the benefit of both. Do you have a rotary tool that you would recommend? I've browsed around and was thinking about the Dremel 4000 here but part of me wants to go the hand route....I can do that inside my house without pissing anyone off as much with a rotary. Any recommendations on knives and micros? What about there and here. I'd like to stay under or around $100.00 on my first go of tools. Thanks again

A ball winder and swift is the best investment I’ve made! Especially now that I buy lots of hanks. Here is the ball winder I have and here is the swift I use.

You can watch any YouTube video for instructions, but a very important tip. Never cut the ties before you put the hank on the swift!! Good luck!

No problem. You'll probably be cleaning lint etc mostly from it if you plan to carry it around. I tend to go a little overboard when I clean my guns, but I typically don't clean my rifles/shotguns all that frequently and will go between multiple thousands of rounds before I do.

When I clean my guns I use a mat like this to absorb oils etc and this to get all of the black carbon out of it. I use these to clean the bore/inside of the barrel. I use these and these for the hard to reach places that still have something building up on them.

When you're done cleaning everything, you'll want to make sure you put oil/grease on all the components that come in contact with other parts. Basically if it rolls oil it, if it slides grease it. I use this on the slide/rails where they contact each other and use this in most other places. Then I'll wipe down the exterior with this.

Really all you have to make sure you do is get most of the debris out of the gun, and make sure you have oil on surfaces that create friction or need some kind of rust preventative coating.

Your vapor path is probably clogged. Your unit is getting hot because it's either clogged and you can't remove the vapor and heat that's being produced, or, it's getting hot because you didnt pack it tight enough and the heater is being over worked.

https://www.amazon.com/Zen-Bundles-Cleaners-Bristle-Count/dp/B000W5R6UA

I use those to clean all my vapes. Remove the mouthpiece. Dip one in 90% iso and stick it through the vapor path holding the unit upside down. Any excess alcohol will drip down the pipe cleaner and get absorbed or drip to the floor. You dont want to risk alcohol getting underneath the silicone and getting into your electricals. The pipe cleaner will pop out the screen and you can scrub that down. Then run the pipe cleaner back and forth while twisting to get a good scrub in the vapor path. I usually have to use two pipe cleaners to get the vapor path clean. A clean pax is a happy pax.

Another good option for hand shaping parts is 2 part epoxy modelling compound, like Apoxie Sculpt. When it cures it's rock solid and very rigid so even thin parts are structurally sound. It's not the cheapest, but I love having it around for repairs and makes. It's the bomb. https://www.amazon.com/Apoxie-Sculpt-Natural-modeling-compound-x/dp/B000V58DS0

I always put everything away as soon as I've finished, that way I know I'm not going to bump into it, knock it to the floor, etc.

Cleaning on a weekly basis is a good habit to get into, the alcohol and salt is pretty cheap compared to the chemical solutions that are sold that do exactly the same thing and get it no cleaner in the end. Don't forget to clean the bowl and stem. Purchase bottle brushes for the purpose and clean those off after use every week. It will keep your bong looking like new and make sure every different strain smoked tastes as it should.
Also stop by the tobacconist to purchase pipe cleaners, the ones with metal filaments in them, they do an excellent job of keeping those stems clean.

This is what the pipe cleaners I'm talking about look like. I usually cut them in half 'cause they're too long as is.

http://www.amazon.com/Bundles-Zen-Pipe-Cleaners-Bristle/dp/B000W5R6UA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1415465541&sr=8-2&keywords=pipe+cleaners

I agree with /u/redsnappa127 . The materials that make up the clone willy kit are standard life-casting materials. Search for molding alginate on amazon. You can get a pound of alginate for $15 http://amzn.com/B007PULSRM or you get get 4lbs from Smooth-on which is the company that professional body casters use for $32: http://amzn.com/B000QCM27Q or from smooth-on: http://www.smooth-on.com/Life-Casting-Alja-/c3_1185/index.html?catdepth=1

Then you need a platinum cured silicone which is the more expensive part $38: http://amzn.com/B00EOA25X2 or www.smooth-on.com/Silicone-Rubber-an/c2_1115_1131/index.html?catdepth=1

SmoothSil 940 is platinum cured and food safe so it should be safe to make into a dildo.

You just need a molding container and that would be easy to make out of an old water bottle, the 1L smart water bottles would be good as they are decently sized and smooth sided.

Adding to all this:

Get a soldering iron that allows you to control the temperature. That made all the difference in the world to my own soldering abilities.

This is the one I've been using lately. Only costs approximately $20USD shipped, and does have a temp dial. Now the placement of the temperature dial is a problem for some people, because it's on the cord close to the iron itself. I have never had an issue of the dial pulling the iron off the table, but am really careful to avoid that scenario in the first place.

Practice safety with regards to any hot tools like soldering irons: turn em off when done, don't leave em unattended until they cool down, and ALWAYS unplug em when not in use. Never depend on an "on/OFF switch on anything in your shop/work space. Always unplug, making sure the cord (and everything else) is safely away from both the hot part of the iron and keep all things from the edge of the table itself.

The helping hands clamping devices on the market today have much smaller bases. I have 2 and the one with the magnifying lens is made useless because of the small footprint of the base. A regular helping hands would probably suffice. I bought a cheap lamp that has a built in magnifying lens which does the job for me.

Have you ever played around with this? https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004MFLU4Y/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1495313333&sr=8-1-spons&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=instamorph+moldable+plastic&psc=1

It's a plastic that turns clear, sticks to itself and gets a texture similar to silly putty when you put it in 55 degree Celsius water. Once it cools, the plastic hardens and is actually pretty durable. I made a cone shape like a party hat and smashed it with a hammer a few times and it flexed but sprung back into shape immediately. The plastic is remoldable if you just heat it back up. You could mold it into any shape or thickness you want, and it is actually pretty strong.

I work in architecture and have a pretty deep understanding of reprographics and what any decent print shop is capable of. I'm personally very excited to make what should be, in most cases, much nicer cards than what PP used in the past. I just checked the errata card PDF they released and you can get a 600dpi image for each card, have it printed on a nice linen or even plastic cardstock and use a corner punch so they have nice rounded corners and fit perfectly into some of the better sleeves available specifically for MTG/popular card game sizes.

I know the DIY/crafty aspect to miniature gaming hasn't historically extended much beyond painting/sculpting/terrain modeling, but why not give a nice set of cards the same treatment we give our beloved minis?

Honestly, the biggest thing is having the right tools. My friend is a circuit board engineer and he let me use his workshop which saved me days. From a technical perspective, nothing here is too difficult -- the tricky parts are in the details, like wiring up the original power switch and reset switch to work with the Raspi global input/output and somehow wiring up the LED light, but these things aren't really necessary for it to function, just added flair. Apart from that, you literally just throw the img file onto a micro sd card, put that on a raspi, mount the board to something and you're pretty much done.

That said, I did discover that this stuff is effing awesome.

Let it cure a bit for hard edge sculpting. Use an old razor to slice off little equal chunks. It's pretty sticky and will ruin a nice blade. Cut off very small amounts at once until you get a handle on your skills, think a few grains of rice. When you pas the sculpt time, just smash the blobs onto bases and make mud or sandstone. When it's to far gone, it will just fall off, so rocks can easily be glued back done. Balancing stickyness and hardness is really key.

Go out and grab a huge pile of dental tools for cheap. The little paddle and shovle kind, not the wire picks. I own several real deal sculpting knifes but I go back to that one dental tool I like the best. Amazon has lots, but they are really common.

A good first project is layered sandstone for bases and other base elements to get a feel for moving it around. Then try out gap filling then furtrim and chain mail.

For belts, have you considered ordering custom-made ones such as from this site? Alternatively there are guides for making your own that can be found in /r/malefashionadvice and it seems to be pretty easy and cost-effective. I also love my leather hole punch, which I got for less than $10 on Amazon. Hope you find that helpful!

Yeah, it is. Flexcut makes great equipment, I've got a fair number of their tools myself. Personally, I'd spend a bit more and get this set, which will really open your options up and make it easier to create:

http://www.amazon.com/Beginner-Palm-and-Knife-Set/dp/B005EG033Y

The flexcut tools are so well made you only need a strop to keep them honed if you take care of them...no need for a sharpening stone(s).

One idea I had for this is to use epoxie sculpt. It's a two part solid that you combine into a clay you can sculpt. It becomes hard as a rock after about a 30 minute working time or something like that. Using water can help smooth the surface.

I was thinking about trying this on a pick just to see if it would hold up to use since it'd be a really fast, easy way to get a completely comfortable grip molded to your hand and how YOU hold a pick.


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0013UDWXI/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Amazon has full 2’x4’ sheets of Kaizen foam for $32.50, you’d just have to cut them to fit your PACKOUT. The link is for the 57mm (2-1/4”) foam, so may have to browse for the thinner ones if that’s what you need. Fastcap does sell their own adhesive to hold multiple layers together, but you could probably use something like 3M’s Super 77, which can be found at most craft/home improvement stores. Fastcap Kaizen Foam 57mm (2-1/4”) Black

Otherwise you can buy them pre-cut fromKaizeninserts.com for your particular box. Comes in different height/color options, just cost a bit more.

I know the feeling. Once I did my first foam build, I wanted to do more and more; not just for cons too! Also, it's never too late to add additional details or weathering to an existing costume.

Casting is a whole other world that I've only done a couple of times, w/out huge success unfortunately. So I've stuck to more time and budget friendly alternatives like foam clay and instamorph. For me, I found that foam clay was good for quick shapes and I could easily detail with a wood burner and dremel. As for instamorph, I've used this sparingly cause it involved being quicker moulding the plastic and having to use a more controlled dremel technique for adding details. BUT, its benefit is that it hardens nicely and will withstand more.

Well, you could just mouth hit it with a lighter and not inhale it. You know, until you stop tasting burnt cotton. Then just blow out all the burnt stuff.

Also, if you REALLY wanna clean it out...

Your best bet for wood is probably going to be pipe cleaners. They were originally created for cleaning wooden and clay pipes. This with a light alcohol/water mix (probably 30alcohol/70water) and a nice drying overnight should have you in ship shape.


Hope this helps.

Great job! I do this as well but I only trace stuff I find online or create on my own. What tools do you use?

I own this:
https://www.amazon.com/Walnut-Hollow-Versa-Temp-Temperature-Woodburning/dp/B005P1TRAS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1469129344&sr=8-2&keywords=wood+burning+kit

In my experience, I find basswood the easiest to work on. I am still very new to this so any advice/links would be greatly appreciated. I have done approximately 6-7 pieces.

Absolutely. I would recommend a few tools to get started - a cheap set of stitching chisels to get you started (these poke the holes for the needles to go in and out of), a cheap wing divider to scribe a straight stitching line, some waxed thread I linked Ritza Tiger 25 in 0.6mm because it's pretty much all I use, there are cheaper options, but this thread is wonderful to work with. Most of the other thread on amazon is going to be thicker and look too chunky with a 4mm iron IMO. Lastly, some needles. I use and like these. Then just look up a few youtube videos on saddle stitching. You'll have it down in no time. It's really not super difficult, there are a few tricks to making it look nice.

I'm a big fan of Pyrography or Wood Burning Art and the amazing art it makes. You should look some up if you have the time. If not just comment and I'll post some links of some cool stuff. You need this puppy to put the art onto the wood. I find the entire process very relaxing. Hope you may considering venturing into this awesome art form.
Oh and...... Stillneverwrong is so groovy

Honestly, though, I got a super inexpensive swift on amazon, and a KP winder. Best investment ever.


https://www.amazon.com/Cutehill-Umbrella-Operated-Knitting-Winding/dp/B00VGD39O4/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&ref_=ppx_yo_mob_b_inactive_ship_o0_img

https://www.amazon.com/Knit-Picks-Yarn-Ball-Winder/dp/B00O3GHFA0/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=yarn+winder&qid=1573524391&s=arts-crafts&sr=1-4

So if you have prime, or know someone with it, for $30 you've got your setup

Unfortunately, most cheap sets aren't worth buying. A nice combo set, which has the two most common types of blades and the two most common types of "gouges" can be had for around $55. This, IMHO, is a great starter kit.

Do you think he'd be more interested in carving figures, like whittling, or relief carving, which is like creating scenes on flat panels?

I have the Knit Picks winder, which works wonders for me.

Recently got a swift and it's not the most amazing thing but it was $16 which is right in my price range! Here is the Amazon link.

I got this swift because another reddit user commented that they got it and it's worked for them for three years. Obviously because it's plastic and thin metal you need to be careful when using it and store it safely, but it fits right back in the box and I love it so far.

I built it so long ago that I don't remember the exact parts, but it was pretty simple.


They key thing I did was use hard boiled egg holders to hold the touch controllers. Basically you drop the bottom of your touch controller into this holder, then wrap your hand around the egg holder itself. Holding both the controller in the holder, and the holder itself.


The PVC parts are just 1' PVC pipe with a pair of PVC 90 degree elbows. You'll need something to cut the PVC pipe, a hacksaw works well, I used a dremel, or you can pickup a pipe cutter while you're on amazon


I also used one small piece of 3/4 inch PVC pipe wrapped in duct tape to hold the AR-15 stock onto the end. This is a luxury, but as someone who shoots real guns a lot, having a real gun stock on the end of it really makes a difference to your cheek weld.. So if you want dat real AR feel, you can pickup an AR stock right here.. All you need is the plastic stock, the tube and all the other stuff isn't required. I just warpped the 3/4 inch PVC pip in tape until it fit VERY snuggly into one of the 1" PVC elbows. I left it about 6" long, so that the rreal AR-15 stock would slide over it. I used a bunch fo tape around the 3/4" PVC pipe until the AR-15 stock very snuggly.



You will also need some 5 minute epoxy, and I used some instamorph. I used the epoxy to glue the egg holders onto the PVC pipe, and then wrapped the bases in electrical tape. Make sure you scuff up the PVC pipe before putting the epoxy on. I used a knife to scratch it up, and then some snad paper to really rough it up. This helps the epoxy hold.



I wrapped the base of my touch controllers in plastic wrap, then I heated up the instamorph and placed a bunch of it in the egg holder. Then I pushed the touch controller into the egg holder, so that the instamorph took the shape of the touch controller. DO NOT use epoxy for this.



After that, all you need to do is cut your PVC pipe to length and put the 90 degree elbows on there. The AR 15 stock is optional, not required.


I also recommend a sling, so that you can pop your hands in and out of your stock as need be. When your done with the stock, it'll just hold on the sling. And old cheapy rifle sling will work.

I had considered doing a plaster mold of my feet, then filling it with something like this thermoplastic so I'd have 3D models of my feet. Then just sending that off to manufacturers and asking if they'd see what size would fit those feet the best.

Never got around to it, though. Plus, I'm pretty sure everybody would think I'm really, really weird (not that they don't already).

You can buy them here. You have to buy them in packs of 50 for like $70. I believe they're priced that way because they own a patent for the matte finish laminate and they are "industrial" grade. It works amazingly well with thicker mecahnical pencil lead (0.9mm or thicker). It almost looks like you're writing with a marker, and then completely erases with no trace.

They sent me a free sample of them, so I did a couple for AQ, too:

• Arcadia Quest campaign trackers from official PDFs
  
• Arcadia Quest campaign tracker on matte side, rules on glossy side
  
  I bought a corner cutter to clean the corners up. Works very well, too. I got that from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0076FJ7SS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  

This is what I got, less than $6 for 500 eyes, with Amazon Prime: http://www.amazon.com/Watch-them-wiggle-Black-PIECES/dp/B0074MHV7W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376416990&sr=8-1&keywords=googly+eyes

Only downside is that they're not sticky-backed, so you'll need to buy some super glue. I got a bottle of super glue with a brush applicator, and it works great.

The Yi cameras are really very good for the money. The Yi Lite gets great reviews and it's cheap, and you can use all the standard GoPro mounts, so you can use some Sugru to custom implant a GoPro mount on the face of your helmet. You can also use your general 3M tape to stick the mounts on nicely as well.

I need doll-modding supplies!

Like clay or tools or acetone pens or embellishments or brushes.

With practice, I hope to be able to work with some very talented doll artists in my community, as well as crafting custom dolls for people over the Internet.

While I have no experience making prop guns, I have made prop swords using PVC fake-wood, which is very easy to cut and sand. I usually cut the general shape of the sword, then use a dremel to sand to a better shape. Once I am happy with the shape, I do detailing with Apoxie Sculpt, which becomes rock hard, but can make some very nice details.

However, I usually do a single piece construction, so more complex shapes like guns may need to be made separately and assembled. If you aren't happy with the detail on pepakura files, I would recommend trying to use Apoxie Sculpt to add the details once the model has been hardened.

I've been using a woodburning tool which is an adjustable temp soldering iron type of deal with multiple nozzle attachments when I want to heat smooth any PLA, works great if a little awkward to hold due to the heat shield. I mostly use it for the exacto blade attachment since it slices PLA like the proverbial hot knife through butter and couldn't be happier with that aspect of it and would be kind of lost without it.

​

I picked mine up at a Michael's in the wood crafting section, if you're in the US go there or amazon something like this https://www.amazon.com/Walnut-Hollow-Versa-Temp-Temperature-Woodburning/dp/B005P1TRAS/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?keywords=wood+burning+tool&qid=1559074816&s=gateway&sr=8-2-spell-spons&psc=1 as I think that's my exact model.

​

I also do heat welding/smoothing with a 3Doodler 3dpen with the nozzle removed and a pin vise drill bit embedded in the hot end to conduct heat to a fine pointy tip for super fine detail. About the only use I have for that 3d pen since it's incompatible with my typical filament diameter and I won't buy their proprietary overpriced filament on principle lol. But the little attachement modification I made to it is too useful to return the device so I keep it.

​

This isn't a perfect solution, neither of these are and are going going to be useful in certain circumstances but you can royally mess up your prints with heat smoothing, especially when you're not mindful and the heat shield melts off a giant chunk of your piece. Not to mention toasting the hell out of your fingers from time to time. Anyway it's useful but not a magic bullet. Best way I've got to smooth prints is using filler primer, filling compound and sanding and I stick to the heat tools for cutting and welding these days, but I did try for awhile to perfect this, just not ideal for my needs. Useful tool to have though for this hobby, like I said couldn't do without the exacto attachment it's worth it just for that!

This is just my second wallet, heavily inspired by /u/sgircys (thanks for the awesome tutorial). The leather is 2-3 oz Oak Leaf from Tandy. I've given it a couple of coats of neatsfoot oil and left it in the sun for a day. The tread is 0.8 mm black tiger thread. Chisels are these cheap ones from amazon. I've used the 6 prong one to do all of the holes in the wallet.

Another side question, if I want to get a dye would you guys recommend the oil based ones or water based?

In 2011 I did a scary pumpkin head mask... I got a foam pumpkin at Michael's, carved a face in it, and made an opening at the bottom so I could wear it. I fastened a brimless baseball cap inside so it would fit securely. Then I put a piece of clear plastic inside the eyes at an angle, and mounted LED eyes inside the top of the mask, pointing down. Because of the plastic reflector, from the front the LED eyes looked like they were deep inside the mask. (same technique as the Terminator mask in this video)

This year I plan to revisit the concept, but with better carving. I will use some Apoxie to give the pumpkin some thickness near where it's carved. I'll put a closet push-light inside the forehead and run a wire out of the head so I can switch it on when I want, and I'll wear this mask directly on my face.

I'm planning to cut the mask into a face part and a jaw part, and fasten both parts to a morphsuit face stocking so the mask mouth moves with mine. It should be pretty unsettling.

I use this dial controlled “pyro pen” or wood burning tool for various cleanup tasks, especially removing supports from small bits on figures. The included “x-acto” blade works great. This specific model will dial down pretty low though I’ve never actually measured the temperature.

Walnut Hollow Creative Versa Tool with Versa-Temp Variable Temperature Control & 11 Woodburning Points (Tips) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005P1TRAS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_7SkWCbW11FD6E

I use this stuff called apoxie sculpt, it is great for that stuff. it mixes in two parts (like an epoxy) stays workable for about 2 hours, adheres to almost anything, is pretty cheap and hardens like the original plastic substance.

*oh, and it can be tooled once cured.

I've had very good results with this stuff. Has a much longer sculpt time. Water soluble. Dries hard but with a stoney, chalky texture that makes it great for carving details if you need. Because it's water soluble, you can work it into the seams, then wipe off the excess with a cloth and get a perfect fill which doesn't need sanding.

Also, remember that you can always try stuff on scrap pieces. No need to guess how it will come out.

I have a process down that I love (since I'm not artistically gifted at drawing or writing pretty). I neither free hand, nor draw it.

I use an inkjet printer and print the image, phrase, etc. onto wax paper (but it has to be mirrored horizontally). The inkjet printing on wax paper will not allow the ink to dry. You can then press the paper onto the wood (do some careful measuring and marking to ensure that you get it where you want it). Make sure you do it once and do it right without moving it (otherwise the ink will smear). Then you basically have a printed version of whatever you want to burn on the wood piece all drawn out for you. You can then trace over the ink with a wood burner (see link below for cheapo kit I have used for this method which works great). This saves me from having to be skilled/artistic, and I also find that the ink burns into the wood and helps enhance the blackness of the burn marks.

​

I spent about $150 a couple years ago for a cheap cheap inkjet printer, a ream or two of wax paper, and the wood burning kit and I have gotten a ton of mileage out of it.

​

Link for transferring printed item to wood

https://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/print-on-wood/

​

Cheapo wood burning kit I use

https://www.amazon.com/Walnut-Hollow-Versa-Temp-Temperature-Woodburning/dp/B005P1TRAS/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=wood+burning+kit&qid=1569870300&s=gateway&sr=8-7

Sweet. Keep us up to date on the ammo counter! Get this, stuff works great =)

Gotcha. Does it stretch or move a lot when you cut it?

Yeah that’s not the best way to mark stitching lines so I recommend a wing divider. This will be cost effective and will help tremendously with your stitching.

I bought these two when I started and still use them.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0779R5FCJ/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_A727AbF4N33A3

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014549SNG/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_a827AbKEF359B

They work great for me and will eventually upgrade to some quality tools like KS.

Probably Knifty Knitters, which is hard to find now, but this one I got recently is a super nice quality. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001GAHFHY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Came with lots of different sizes too!

This is gold leaf. It's insanely thin, about 4-5 millionths of an inch according to Google. You can get 100 sheets of it for $12. I don't think it's quite as much of a splurge as you believe. It's pointless, but it's not something only the richest of the rich can do.

I really want to try my hands at woodburning! I have this tool on my crafts and hobbies wishlist. It can make some pretty cool stuff! LOOK AT THIS! I want! :D

/u/fatalis_vox duuuuuuuuuuuuude let's get creative in herre

I have this one and I love it, I found mine on ebay used for only 10 bucks. Just be careful not to go too ridiculously fast otherwise nice softer yarns can fly off. It works like a charm though.

https://www.amazon.com/Knit-Picks-Yarn-Ball-Winder/dp/B00O3GHFA0/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=yarn+winder&qid=1550710566&s=arts-crafts&sr=1-1-spons&psc=1

Instead of foam you could use bits of old sweater. Easier to felt into, and they have a nice weight to them. As for wire, I really like using actual pipe cleaners, not the craft kind. They have really hard bristles that catch the wool and make a great base. They’re not perfect for tiny details, cause they can be spiky, but they are quite strong.

You use a special tool that's basically a soldering iron with special tips. I currently use one of these. The red comes from stain applied after the burning. And thanks :)

Okay, thanks. Would this be a good starter set you think? Then if I enjoy it enough and get some more cash pick up some of the north forge ones eventually.

You could always make shadowed socket holders out of Kaizen foam and place the sockets exactly where you want them. You can use a hot knife, long thin razor knife and/or a hole saw kit to make cut-outs for your sockets.


A wood burning kit like THIS works great on the foam for making finger grip holes and for cleaning up the bottoms of shadowed spots that are less than the thickness of the foam.


FastCap's long nose permanent markers are great for marking out the patterns of your sockets or other tools for you to cut on.

​

Just my two cents.

What kind of advice are you looking for? Most fursuits heads are made of foam or resin. The foam is generally carved using a electric knife or a serrated knife. It needs to have teeth. An alternative would be to use something like Varaform, It is not used in the fandom that iv seen. I would assume long term structural issues and the fact that its soft at 160F.

If you haven't already, get a styrofoam head from a place like hobby lobby to assist with modeling. If you plan to do this a lot, id spend money on an life sized bust from monster makers or some other place.

Also check out Apoxie Sculpt Its commonly used around the eyes on fursuits, and is easy to work with. One of the nice things is that early in the setting 30-40 min in you can dip your finger into water and smooth out most of the scratches and some lumps to give a smooth finish.

my best advice, as a semi-novice myself in wood burning:
i'd start with a cheaper wood burning tool. can find one at wal mart, home depot, craft store... it'll look like a soldering iron. get one with a few interchangeable tips, maybe one with a heat regulator if you're so inclined to spend the extra money. they can get complex and expensive, so depending on your involvement in the hobby it can get expensive, but you'll definitely see a difference in the heat consistency in the more expensive tools. but for a beginner, something like this is perfect to figure it out: http://www.amazon.com/Walnut-Hollow-Creative-Versa-Temp-Temperature/dp/B005P1TRAS

As this is just the chamber portion, I recommend getting a good chunk of a thermoplastic like (InstaMorph https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004MFLU4Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_96RKzbBT7Z845)

Or you could maybe use a modelling clay. I would go with a cook gold colour or something, and then wrap a design around it, partially for strength, and partially for looks.

100 sheets of gold leaf measuring 1.7" by 1.7", totalling 289 square inches, cost $12.55, with free two-day shipping. I'm sure actual artists can get better deals on bulk quantities. Gold leaf isn't actually all that expensive since it's only like an atom thick.

That's the stuff I use! I ended up going with the original version with wall clips rather than the Open Lock version. Then, we used a mold-making kit to mass-produce them out of plastic. I haven't painted them all yet, but for the ones I have I sprayed the standard gray primer and then dry-brushed with a lighter gray to get a really easy, cool look.

Here's the current state of affairs: https://imgur.com/a/ZAmYH

+1 to just ISO (99% OR 91% Isopropyl alcohol) and salt. Though I learned the hard way that if you're cleaning a grinder just use ISO. The salt makes it more difficult to reclaim the goods.

This process will take a couple/few hours but just let it sit in a bag, shake it around every so often, and of course one bag per item if it's glass. You don't want to lose a piece in the cleaning. Overnight is great too if you want. I strongly recommend pipe cleaners with hard bristles too.

[Here is a link if you are interested] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000SVRSRY/ref=oh_details_o00_s01_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1). These things are awesome because you cannot break them, like I just did with my glass one, there is at least one that works perfectly with every consistency of wax!

Edit: If you want to see any of them close up, I can take some more pictures!

I use Aves Apoxie Sculpt; the regular is a grey color. Tutorial hereSame two-part compound idea, but it will thin (and clean) with water before hardening and is a finer grain than green stuff (so it files/sands nicer (smoother). Very easy to manipulate & shape with wax shaping tools

I just jumped on this topic yesterday. I am not repairing toys I am trying to make custom feet for Combiner Wars toys. I have a Perfect Effect set, and I have the original (horrible) small feet. I want to use the hinge of the original one, make a custom shape using DAS clay, sculpt the foot, use it to make a mold and cast plastic feet for my combiners. It will probably become lot of work for a poor result, but I am going to give it a try. :)
I read a lot about products and it seems that Smooth On offers good result.
http://www.amazon.com/Smooth--Silicone-Making-Rubber-Inc/dp/B004BNF3TK/ref=sr_1_1?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1462795907&sr=1-1&keywords=smooth+on

http://www.amazon.com/Smooth--Smooth-Cast-Liquid-Plastic-Compound/dp/B004BN7G0E/ref=sr_1_2?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1462795907&sr=1-2&keywords=smooth+on

You can make flat panels/scarves and such on a round loom. All you do is not knit in the round, you would knit to the last peg and instead of connecting it to the first peg you would turn and knit back the opposite way.

Most of the people I know start with a set like this: https://www.amazon.com/Darice-Plastic-Knitting-11-inch-9-inch/dp/B001GAHFHY/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1541170279&sr=8-10&keywords=loom+knitting

That way you can make different size items more easily since it comes with different sized looms. I use the smallest to make socks/slippers and the largest to make panels for blankets. I started with a set like that, then bought some long rectangular looms, and also an infinity/afghan loom. I think the circle ones are a good starting point for people just getting into this. Double knitting with the rectangle looms is good for when you want something thicker and warmer, but you could also achieve that by using a thicker/chunkier yarn on a round loom.

Loomahat.com has a load of tutorials for casting on, using different stitches, fixing mistakes, and finishing a project. She also has a youtube channel with easy to follow guides.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions, I've been doing loom knitting for a decade now lol.

This is the burner I'm currently using, but it's pricy. I started Woodburn initially using this,to see if I'd like it, but the thread for the tips melted with extended use. I invested in the fancy professional one when I felt certain I was going to keep this hobby going, but the first one I bought really worked well for practice and testing out the hobby!

These are awesome for getting in there and getting things clean. highly recommend them.

http://www.amazon.com/Bundles-Pipe-Cleaners-Hard-Bristle/dp/B000W5R6UA

That makes sense. I was looking into this. I would like to find something a little easier though. That low melting point plastic seems like a good idea as well.

Yeah please don't do this, it's awful enough to work retail as it is. Want to have some fun, then buy some of these and place them on things to give them ridiculous faces. It doesn't torture underpaid people working on thanksgiving and it's actually quite a bit funnier:
http://www.amazon.com/Watch-them-wiggle-Black-PIECES/dp/B0074MHV7W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416598670&sr=8-1&keywords=googly+eyes

i used this tutorial for the scarves and a knitting loom like these for the hats. i used lion brand hometown USA for the yarn on all of them, they are easy to find for about $3 a skein from walmart. Hope this helps 😁

alright just getting an idea of what you used, I was using soldering iron first then got
https://www.amazon.com/Walnut-Hollow-Versa-Temp-Temperature-Woodburning/dp/B005P1TRAS/ref=pd_lpo_21_bs_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=GRGCG1F455C6GW8D7XXJ
and my stippling went from what you got there to PRO looking overnight the variable temp is the way to go. I also did alot of prep maybe too much but i used just sandpaper (120>300>600) grits to get it super smooth, then stipped with a fine or med point. Not telling you that it looks like crap I just want you to know that the wood burner can take it alot farther than the iron ever will without any more practice involved.

This product has a pretty long working life, so you'll have time to mold it exactly as you want it while it hardens, without sanding it later. Maybe rub a little piece of smooth wood over it, or use a putty knife, after you apply it, for a good edge. Apoxie Sculpt 1 Lb. White. Good luck.

One Idea I have had for this was the usage of products like Gorilla plastic or InstaMorph to create an ergonamical Grip espacially designed for my Hand, like Tournament Guns are having it.

Get a knitting loom! Like this!

https://www.amazon.com/Darice-1171-58-Round-Plastic-Knitting/dp/B001GAHFHY

That way you can set it down and don't have to worry about dropping stitches. It's really simple and relaxing :)

I like Oom-Moo 30 and SmoothCast or CastingClear for starters. That is if you are going for repeatable results.

You could also simply start with some plaster of paris or algaenate from your local art supply for single casts.

Good luck and post pics of your experience!

After trying just about every method of using concentrates, I find that my prefered method is a nectar collector, This one is a great starter kit. This guy makes awesome stands with a 3D printer and sells them super cheap. An enail is outrageously expensive and more for the party session style. Pens just don't get hot enough and it's not an on-the-go kind of set up. Get a professional grade butane torch like this one, and borocite dish like a mini-ramekin. Oh, I almost forgot, I would upgrade to a quartz tip as opposed to the titanium one it comes with. Sorry, I'm at work and keep remembering things to add- essentially, of all the methods, I prefer the nectar collector or honey straw method simply because it give the most control when hitting. Another handy thing to pick up is a set of wax sculpting tools
.


As far as my "recipe", I usually get diamonds or crystals and then top them off with some distillate sauce. This is mostly because I draw really hard and can't help it, so sauce prevents the crystals from shooting straight through the straw.

Overall, I hate to say it, but when learning how to use concentrates, just be flat out prepared for losses and accept the trial and error process. Eventually, you'll find your groove with it. I promise.

Saw this awhile back. Add some foam to it and you should be good to go :) a good budget option if you ask me.

If you're looking for something more customized, there's these custom sleeves that are affordable. There's also Modern Coup if you have the money and want something classier.

Loud whistle - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FOJRF64/

Heavy duty velcro - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001O6T2ZS

Sugru throttle nub - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BFE0KNQ/

I liked the recent post with the bicycle bell mod, really anything to enhance safety, especially in NYC, where jaywalkers cross roads diagonally with their heads buried in their phones and then proceed to do the "evade me" shimmy when they finally see you coming.

I use it sparingly, 120 dB is on the human pain threshold for hearing, so it's quite jarring. A quick toot toot tends to resolve most antsy situations, but a nice sustained hard whistle can even help you be heard from inside yellow cabs.

I use this and another one. Sadly I lost all the tips recently and I'm working with just one. Don't loose them, they come in handy when you get better.

It's kind of like a pen with a steel (?) tip that's interchangeable depending on what you're doing. I would suggest getting wood from a craft store (Michael's), heating up the woodburner and trying things out. It can take a lot of patience at first to even do lines. Experiment with how long to hold it on the wood to make a line.

Oh, also if the wood isn't pre-sanded, make sure to get some sand paper and sand it down. At least that's what my grandma always told me to do, so it's now habit. :o

I also trace lightly in pencil what I'm going to do before I actually go and burn something. If you're not a very good artist you can always tape something to the wood and press on the paper and trace. It won't leave a pencil/pen mark, but it will leave an indent you can see and go over with the wood burner.

Afterwards stain it and leave it out to dry for a few hours.

Have a lot of fun and experiment. It's such a fun hobby!

Is the screen or the pipe itself getting clogged. For the pipe I recommend the pipe cleaners that have metal bristles mixed in with the soft ones as well. As far as the screen I've found that if you make sure to hit the bowl and empty the ash and scrape the screen the second you are done, before the resin and ash can harden it helps keep it clean. Don't leave half smoked bowls. If it is attached and won't clean well it may be worth cutting out and leaving just enough around the edge to hold another screen in place, and just replace that one when it gets clogged.

Edit these are the pipe cleaners i'm talking about

Pic of the broken part? Used is definitely the best option, but could the broken part be put back on? Little super glue? Depending if there is a lever you can put some Sugru on it as a nice grip that won't cut your finger.

https://www.amazon.com/Sugru-Mouldable-Glue-Original-Formula/dp/B01BFE0KNQ/

This is excessive and wasteful, but putting it on a burger and selling it for $100 or whatever is just duping gullible rich people. It's like (at most) $5 worth of gold on a $12 burger.

Gold foil sheets are actually not outrageously priced. Here's an example from Amazon 25 sheets for $43 bucks.

Gold gilded sheets are even less expensive, 100 for $13, not much more expensive than any other kind of fancy decorative supply.

Here is an entry-level knife set with two useful palm gouges

He would also need honing compound to keep them sharp. He'd need to find a strip of leather to glue onto a nice flat board to apply the compound to. You can buy just plain leather all over the place, like here.

I don't know too many people that carve with balsa, never tried it myself either. Most carvers in North America though use basswood or tupelo.

Oh, wow, that's beautiful. I've been looking at that one in my local store for a while.

Still on the little pen-type burner.

I'm only experienced with a basic kit, which has a few different tips. Basically, I use 3, a fine point, medium point and a thicker point to fill.
Something like this should work for what you described....
Walnut Hollow Creative Woodburner Introduction Value Pen for Beginners and Intermediate Woodburners https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VRTG8Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_tJZkDb8K213ZE

Couple of helpful accessories that people always mention on this subreddit include:

• BudKups - these are basically storage compartments for your herb that can be prepacked all at once and then simply inserted and removed, meaning you pack 6 of them at once and then you don't have to repack until all of them are out
  
  
• Pipe Cleaners - these pipe cleaners with bristles will help you greatly when it comes to cleaning your device, they're similar to the ones PAX includes in the full package; you'll also want a very high percentage (91 or 99) isopropyl alcohol to help.

I'd recommend redoing the wording using an epoxy modeling clay. Something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000V58DS0/

You'll have much nicer lines that way. Hot glue isn't really much good for creating a finished surface.

I used these to burn the lettering:

1. Walnut Hollow Creative Versa Tool... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005P1TRAS
   
   
2. Walnut Hollow Hotstamps Uppercase... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0019N4VSO
   
   Definitely want to sand the finish off the handle first - makes the burning easier. Also need to go slow with it since the curve won't allow you to get the entire letter burned in at once. Kinda have to roll it up and down.
   
   Did the whole thing (including hammer) for about $50

Well, if you are looking for a wide variety of tools: i started with these

Though to start you would probably do fine with just a knife

or if you want to spend a little more you can't go wrong with drake

It's tough to recommend a knife as a starting point though. Obviously I don't want to say "You need to go out and spend a bunch of money, or you'll regret it" Because the truth is you would probably be fine with the knife sets you were looking at before.

I would say 1 good quality knife is better than 5 poor quality knives though. I have no personal experience with the sets you were looking at, but I have seen a few random posts where people have expressed that the sets they found at hobby lobby didn't hold their edges very well, which can be a frustrating experience.

At the same time, spending 10 dollars on a set of knives, might be all you need to decide if you are into the hobby or not and want to spend more money on it. It's tough. I would however go into that situation knowing that if you spend 10 dollars on a set of 5 knives, odds are good in a short amount of time if you decide you are into the hobby, you will feel their lack and want better knives.

Hi! Thanks! I use this It’s $19.99 on Amazon, very affordable. It’s nice to have the right tools.

$50 is for a fancy wooden one. I've had this $16 one for about a year now, and it's worked great on hundreds of cakes. Staci Perry had this slightly more involved $18 one in the past, though she does have a nice wooden one now.

Like the idea. If you have $10, get one of these: Woodburner Really easy to do detailed burns. Just make sure to burn before staining!

I like using alginate. Solidifies cold, can do all sorts of fine detail, and is super soft so it's easy to get out of.

This is the pen that I used to make this. I taught myself by just messing around on a blank piece of wood and it wasn't too difficult, but I'm sure you could find some good videos on YouTube if you just search "Pyrography".

I wanted to give a heads up for those looking to save money with DIY foams. I went through 3 orders of Comply tips over a 3-4 month span. They would literally tear up due to the excess earwax after 2-3 weeks of use(even with the earwax proof version). I got fed up and ordered these

I've been using these DIY tips for a long time and its been amazing.
Puncher
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NK5VY2/
Tips
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0013A0C0Y

http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Noise-Isolating-Earbud-Tips/

I've gone through about 8 pairs of DIY foam tips with my Triplefi v10 and still have tons of spare foam tips left.

These are the best. Hours of entertainment for all.

I got a small 16$ set from amazon ( Electop 31 Pcs Leather Sewing... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07998XNQK?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share )

A small all metal diamond punch set ( Aiskaer White Steel 4mm 1/2/4/6... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014549SNG?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share )

And a really nice, cheap, knife ( BANYOUR Leather Knife Cutting... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07LD4PC2D?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share )

They worked for what I needed, especially as a beginner!

Never cared for the ZS Crossbow, but minimized and painted it looks pretty cool.

An alternative to epoxy putty is Apoxie Sculpt. Pwntatoz has a good video on it.

Thanks for all the replies! So let make sure I'm getting this info correct, it's fine to dab with Stainless Steel? I would not be endangering my health by dabbing with these? http://www.amazon.com/SE-DD312-12-Piece-Stainless-Carvers/dp/B000SVRSRY/ref=acc_glance_sg_ai_ps_t_2

Yea, I broke some off its fingers taking the supports off my prints of this model as well. And really your print looks as good as mine does. Maybe you could slow print speed down a little more, to like 1500 mm / min, and get the remaining fingers to look a little more round.

I use a product off Amazon called InstaMorph to mold replacement parts for stuff that I can't just glue back together.

A swift is only necessary if you are winding hanks of yarn. I would be afraid the yarn would tangle without a swift if winding a hank. There's a relatively inexpensive swift on Amazon here: Umbrella Swift I have it and while no, it isn't as visually attractive as the nice wooden ones, it works very well and stores easily.

I highly recommend zen pipe cleaners They're really cheap and work great.

These things are great.

I picked up a set very similar to this and, though I haven't used every tool in it, it was a worthwhile investment.

Not for this price, they don't :)

And my local shop doesn't, actually. At least, they never do when I've shopped there, but they're much more porn oriented, the smoking accessories are relegated to a corner and most of it is way overpriced glass pieces. I wish there was a proper smoke shop like some of the ones I've seen online around here.

$60 on Amazon . 2 knives and 2 gouges. they come sharp and are pretty easy to keep sharp (I bought that brand's slipstrop for sharpening).

Stupid good for modeling and so strong that 24hrs after I mixed it I sometimes carve it with a dremel, amazing modeling clay.

Instamorph is also great stuff. You soften it in boiling water and it is workable like silly putty until it cools. Repeat as often as necessary to get it right.

Using something like this is a lot cheaper than buying new belts. Works great.

Milliput and green stuff both work well for gap filling and smoothing over rough areas. Liquid green stuff is garbage. I find that milliput is more fragile than green stuff, so if you're putting it in areas that are likely to be touched a lot (or you're fabricating detail) I'd use green stuff. But I like it a little more for seam filling just because of how easy it is to sand and carve.

Get yourself a cheap set of tools and remember to smooth it over with watered tools/fingers.

Thanks for answering. Is this beginner kit on amazon good for doing beanies?

https://www.amazon.com/Darice-Carryi-Round-Knitting-7-inch/dp/B001GAHFHY

Flexcut makes good carving tools at reasonable prices. This is a great starter set, IMHO.

Flexcut Beginner Palm & Knife Set, All-Purpose Cutting Knife and Detail Knife Included, with 2 Palm Tools (KN600) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005EG033Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_XORFDb8F3QMA6

Use a wing divider to draw your stitch line.

Leather Wing Divider KangTeer 5.5 inch Leathers DIY Tool Adjustable Craft Edge Creaser Rotating Leathercraft Tool https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CK2569L/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_.gN1Bb9T67MEM

Then, use a diamond chisel to punch your holes.

Aiskaer White Steel 4mm 1/2/4/6 Prong DIY Diamond Lacing Stitching Chisel Set Leather Craft Kits (4mm) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014549SNG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_uiN1Bb2NAQ60Z

I use both of these products and have zero issues getting clean stitching.

Thanks! I use the knitpicks ball winder. This one in particular! I do hold tension on my yarn while winding and I bent the metal holder to fit the large ball lol Knit Picks Yarn Ball Winder https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O3GHFA0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_p.HPCb2F75KKG

Ok good because I’d recommend this stuff. It’s very easy to work with and fill holes. A little tip is to wet your fingers down after it’s pretty much in place and smooth it out. It takes awhile to set up but after that a little sanding and paint away.

This is the foam I used. 1 sheet is enough to do both those drawers fully without having to mess with piecing offcuts together. I know, it's pretty expensive for what it is, but once you get used to it there's no going back. It's like power windows or having the ice dispenser in the fridge door.

Optional but highly recommended is cutting the foam with a hot knife. I bought this one and it's decent.

The foam I used has a weird silicone- or wax-impregnated backing so no marker or pencil or pen I tried would write on it usefully, so I had to make all my marks on the backing with shallow exacto cuts, then cut through with the hot knife. It's important to remember that since you lay out the marks on the backing that everything will be mirrored left-to-right from the finished product. I took pictures so I'd be sure everything would be where I wanted it when I flipped back over.

This is what I use for my customs.



Example



It's really sturdy & you can even get long/thin/sharp details without worrying about them breaking off.



Look up some tutorials & be sure to play around with it.



Haven't used it but a lot of people say "Green Stuff" is good too.



Just whatever you do, stay away from any air/bake dry clays I've yet to see any custom using those turn out decent.

You can get them pretty cheap. This is a pretty decent starter one with temperature control.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005P1TRAS/

I asked for a set of pom pom makers, a yarn winder, a nice-looking yarn tote, a set of blocking mats, and some awesome crochet books!

Tried my best to measure with a ruler at work, here's what I found:

• 10.125 (10 1/8) inches total
  
  
• 9.56 inches from end to end of band (not including metal clasp thing)
  
  
• 8.75 inches from end (not including clasp) to biggest hole
  
  
• Just under 6 inches from end (not including clasp) to smallest hole (bonus for small wristed people)
  
  [EDIT]
  Cheap leather hole punch tool if anyone ends up needing to use it, it works well: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NK5VY2/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_Hfhiub0RM4ZS5
  

You could make a custom extension using a moldable thermoplastic like instamorph. You soften the plastic with a hair dryer or by submerging it in boiling water and then you can form it into whatever shape you like.

Just be sure it's up to code, as other people in this thread have mentioned.

You can buy a leather puncher at Hobby Lobby for $20 ($10 if you use a coupon). Here is one for $7 off Amazon. One of the best purchases I've ever made!

Nice work, really well done.

Here is an inexpensive punch I have used for years that works well: SE 7924LP Heavy-Duty Leather Hole Punch Tool, 2.0 - 4.5 mm https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NK5VY2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_exDxybKCYTQBP

Another quick question and I'm done for now: is it okay if I get gold leaf that isn't entirely real gold but a blend will it work? (I might be wrong but I've found some listing that says it is like 999/1000 real gold which I read as meaning 99% real gold, so I might be wrong).

Better way of putting it: will these be alright?

https://www.amazon.com/Hem-Dragons-Blood-Incense-Sticks/dp/B0016Z3BA4

https://www.amazon.com/Gold-Leaf-Sheets-1000-Real/dp/B00VALQQ60

It’s actually sold by Knit Picks through Amazon, just FYI, but good to know anyway!. Knit Picks Yarn Ball Winder https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O3GHFA0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_75X3Cb6KH6JBT

How did you make the corners super round?

I'd really like that. My current cards are sharp and pointy.

Aha! Found out.

https://www.amazon.com/Sunstar-Kadomaru-Corner-Cutter-S4765036/dp/B0076FJ7SS

Which opening did you cut with?

All of these: https://shop.tesla.com/product/gen-2-nema-adapters

And this: https://shop.tesla.com/product/corded-mobile-connector

In this repurposed Dewalt toolbox: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M3SP97Z/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_R3B0DbVARKYQT

Using scraps of this Fastcap Kaizen Foam 57mm (2-1/4") Black from another project: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007J2JJYK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_TaC0Db2YE2QW8

Hope this helps. You could use other foam. This is just what I had on hand from another project.

you can find a big airsoft backpack and put a foam like this , cut it and you are surely safer than the strapped backpaks IMHO

yeah, I ended up using it twice. It still functions fine and temp is good, it's just it feels like the fuzziness is killing the drag and not allowing smoke to come out well

just for opinion, do you think this product is good for Pax?

http://www.amazon.com/Bundles-Zen-Pipe-Cleaners-Bristle/dp/B000W5R6UA

A pretty ok wood burner is about $28 on Amazon

Here’s the one we have

It's basically wood burning. You take a sanded piece of wood and then start drawing (burning) with this tool as if you would with paint. Takes some skill, yes, but the most basic of patterns are very easy to do. Then just apply varnish and let it dry.

Pipe cleaners

I hope you feel better!

alternatively, there's some cheap yarn swifts on amazon - I bought this one https://www.amazon.com/Cutehill-Umbrella-Operated-Knitting-Winding/dp/B00VGD39O4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1539610044&sr=8-2&keywords=yarn+swift . Its definitely not the greatest swift in the world but it does the job surprisingly well

Get a leather hole punch for best results, they are cheap. I've cut down a couple belts. Then I just used a pair of good scissors to trim off the excess leather.

This is the exact burner that I use: https://www.amazon.com/Walnut-Hollow-Versa-Temp-Temperature-Woodburning/dp/B005P1TRAS

I just bought mine at a crafts store in the city I live in. However, pretty much all burners are the same, so you can definitely buy a cheaper one and it will probably work just fine. I used to have one that I got for $15, but I upgraded to this one for the temperature control abilities.

I loom! And by that I mean I crochet/knit with a circle loom. Here's a little guide for stitches and getting started with looms. Personally, I make hats, scarves, and sometimes bracelets and anklets. You can get a cheap set of looms on Amazon and yarn isn't too expensive. Once you get the hang of it, it can actually be pretty addictive. I sold one of my work friends a scarf for $20, but mostly I just make gifts rather than selling them. I made myself several hats, and my siblings hats for their new born babies. :)

Gold leaf is pretty cheap stuff. A nice sentimental gift, but no notable monetary value.

This stuff is ideal for applications like these.
SUGRU

How about this video?

Or this one?

or a picture

Laugh You!

around $5 THINK OF THE POSSIBILITIES

Are you also into print and play then?

Thanks for the link, I'll go for this one instead. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sunstar-Kadomaru-Corner-S4765036-Japanese/dp/B0076FJ7SS/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_pdt_img_sims?ie=UTF8

Yarn Swift. There's two kinds: an Umbrella swift, and an Amish swift. The ubmrella swift has a mechanism that "opens up" like an umbrella, and holds your hank in a loop. They usually attach to a surface like a countertop or tabletop. The Amish swift doesn't attach to a counter or table, but rests upon it, and has little "arms" that holds your hank in an open loop. You stick your hank on the swift, then cut the ties (don't cut the ties before it's on the swift, that's asking for trouble), then use a ball winder or your hands to form your ball/cake/whatever.

As long as you cut the ties AFTER the yarn is on the swift, you should have a relatively easy time. Though, that assumes that the dyer/manufacturer of the hank didn't screw it up when dyeing and or tying the hank. But if the dyer/manufacturer screwed up, there's not much you can do about that, swift or no swift.