Stuff That Happens Here in December After Xmas

I'm really not so much into Christmas as I am into putting more lights out and up and all over.

My collection of  1970s Blowmold Snowmen 

http://www.blow-molded.com/Empire___Snowmen.html

They like to get all rainbow on the mantle.

It's actually the only holiday display of the year. The Child Who Likes The Tree does not live here anymore, so it was just this

And the chair on the porch.

But the Snowfolx electrical situation is disturbing and needs specific repairs.

There's three light cords, one with two bulbs that looks sketchy but is solidly wired. We don't leave these guys plugged in to that outlet unattended. And yes, they have their own smoke alarm.

For one, they need cooler bulbs. LEDs would be swell.

And one string with widely spaced bulbs and a online switch.

None of this is hard, but none of it is off the rack.

Thus, an afternoon on the interweb, finally landing at 

Christmas Light Source.

And no, this is not an ad. I haven't bought anything from them. But I probably will.

They use a lot of their own photography, and many YouTube demo videos.

I mean, check that wrench out.

Direct quote from website: " After we took this photo, Dave and I had a discussion about well-used tools and what they look like."

Awwww, words to warm my heart!

from Christmas Light Source website

https://blog.christmas-light-source.com/repairing-christmas-lights-replace-a-c7-or-c9-socket/

how do I add sockets? HOW DO I REMOVE THEM?

Maybe I just add sockets to a new cord?

I need them about 20" apart, and five on one line (with a three foot gap to get to the Big Guy).

https://www.christmas-light-source.com/c7-spt1-socket-cap-black

Cause I have needs

https://www.christmas-light-source.com/c7-smooth-multi-led-bulbs

https://youtu.be/awlWoNC8Mzw

This is just adorable. The owner is the spokesmodel.

https://www.christmas-light-source.com/Slow-Change-C7-LED-Smooth-Christmas-Light-Bulb_p_2361.html#

https://youtu.be/6Gfx5-1lrg4

WOOOOOOOOOOO

And then there's these guys for your car (no actions photos, sadly)

https://www.christmas-light-source.com/12-Volt-LED-Lights_c_253.html

photo Autofutures website https://www.autofutures.tv/2019/12/09/nissan-leaf-becomes-christmas-tree

But this could give you a few ideas. If you can hook 30 strings together, you could make this work.

Happy New Year, everybody.

https://youtu.be/K1Xkt1E7PJY

Emerald City Comic Con The Headpiece

Yes, it's true. I am obsessed with Daleks

Every Dalek has an eye stalk on it's head. Whether domed or humanoid, you gotta have one.

Last year, I went with a bowler and a short stalk

It's a really simple LED/battery circuit; LED taped or secured to a coin 12v battery, like a 2032 watch battery. The biggest pain is finding the right color LED in stock at the Radio Shack that has not closed near me. They really don't have a deep stock of much, but I really prefer to buy stuff in person, and you vote with your feet.

For this application, I used a pinch of Sugru to hold the battery to the film can lid and stuck the LED into the Sugru to hold it to the battery.

Stick the lid onto the film 'can'

and the can fits into the black piece (formerly the neck of a water bottle).

This year I wanted to use LEDs for the lights on the top of the Dalek dome.

Here we have the drilling of half of the fillable Christmas ornament on the floor drill press.  Thanks Dad for the drill press! Miss you!

Safety tip: support the part of the plastic you are drilling with something you can drill into (scrap wood is nice). You are less likely to have it crack on you.

The toy version on the right makes sounds. The gold part is propped up so the glued bits will stay in the right spot while they dry. The toy is keeping it's eye stalk on it. 

Fun glue tip: you can apply glue to the item, stick it on, remove it, let the glue dry a little on both sides, and then stick it back together. Sticks faster and better that way (works with E6000 as well as rubber cement). 

Yes, it's a water bottle threaded neck, a cap from a sparkling cider bottle, a lot of black spray paint, and a really cool plastic gem I paid too much for at a bead store. I bought two.

So here's the sphere with the holes. I drilled them first to fit the LEDs, glued on the neck, sprayed it over a day and a half with light coats of Montana Gold spray paint.

(Side note: art store in town had those fiberglass fake Grecian columns in their window with the stuff they felt deserved to be on a pedestal. Montana Gold was right up there, as it should be.)

(So this color should be Montana Gold 'Gold')

The bottle cap was the remnant of the first assembly idea. If you ever need to build a bobblehead, I can talk you through it.

Yes, Radio Shack.

The middle of one of those plastic toothpicks is notched just right to fit between the poles of the LED

Lights installed

They need covers.

This took longer to come up with than I anticipated. Bic pens don't have clear caps anymore. I had to raid this box of pens from someone in my family who doesn't know I visited him in Pullman, WA with the clear intent of finding these in his dorm room because I remember buying them for him last fall.

I love my children!

You will get better results cutting any and all plastics if you score them first with a scalpel or a new razor blade. And the Micron pen marks didn't wipe off when handled.

Sawed it down

Trimmed it up

Looks pretty good

Gluing the headband to the dome took some shopping for flexible holey pieces

Which I save. All those plastic attachments, hangers, the 'washers' holding the wired Nerf guns to the boxes.....they are darn handy. And yes, that is a diaper wipe box. They fit well on the workshop shelving unit. 

Sewed a chunk of fabric to the back half, wired it up, took out the wire, and frankly just ran out of time and brain power on this one.

The coin batteries are taped between the poles of the LEDs to light them. Using them all day, I have yet to burn through a battery.

Angry Dalek Woman!

(the smiling one looked out of place)

Can you see the lights?  NO.

The UV LEDs were not bright enough, the blue and white ones were too bright (this is a caution with them: they can HURT to look at directly).

I am not satisfied.

It needs more frame around it. It doesn't read as well as the bowler did. 

It needs to be part of a hat. 

And nothing is ever really done here anyway.

Next: the weapons I did not take with me but spent a pile of time on anyway!