Cat Climbing Frame Update

Well as it turns out Tiberius is quite understanding when it comes to forced horrid colour schemes... In fact it actually matches him quite well.

 Now if only he'd sleep up there as much as he plays from ten at night to two in the morning.

Da Vinci Flying Machine

This will probably look a heck of a lot like an older project I posted here, most likely because it's from the same project. In fact it's older than that project. In fact it's the prototype of method for that project. I reckoned mini flying machines (minus the flapping) would float more people's boats than a mask, so here's the model inspired by the ideas of Renaissance Batma- I mean Da Vinci.

For this I used:

• Willow sticks (not too thin and not too thick)
• String
• Cotton for sewing
• Canvas cloth/white cloth
• Small ring shape stuff (something sturdy you can bend into small rings)
• A whole lot of water
• (Optional) nails, hammer and a plank of wood 

    Now I could have made intricate and precise designs for a perfect model, but because I'm lazy I looked to the man himself:

 Bruce Wayne's...

 ...got nothing...

 ...on Da Vinci

And the wonders of Google images for a quick pic to work with:

To the Vinci cave! Nananananananana...

I began to make the base using willow sticks, string and clove hitch knots using this shape/measurement:

Front

Side front

The final thing was a little front heavy, so you might want to try and make the tail a little bigger/wider if you're going to make this. For the wings I took two 35cm willow sticks and warped them by leaving them submerged in water and then carefully bending them on a simple frame I made using nails in a wooden block:

......deja vu?

I did the same with the other parts to make it look a bit like this:

minus canvas cloth

Cut some canvas cloth out to shape to the wing (PVA glue the edges to stop any fraying) and sew it on. It should be sort of clear where the wings rest, but just in case, the wing ends rest just about here on either side of the front:

There

Tie them in place, cut out some more canvas cloth to sew onto the tail and you're ready to fight crime in your Renaissance Batman mask with your Renaissance Batman glider... 

 It's micro sized for storage...

 ...and for actual flight

...Well your hamster is at any rate.

'Stain Glass' Tissue Paper Candle/Lamp Shade

Now what you don't see from my rather beautiful photo shoot of a prototype here is the smoke slowly rising from the top as the naked flame's heat (for some reason) begins to react to the PVA glue and tissue paper frame surrounding it. So if you do want to make a more spherical shaped holder, do make it bigger with a bigger gap beneath or just stick a fake electric candle inside or (as you see from the picture at the bottom) make one with a giant gap above (and make sure you don't keep it lit unattended. I am not liable for any failure in common sense).

Anyway, fire hazards aside, the main point here was just to show how what a would be a more kiddy make (and by my efforts of geometric symmetry continuously kiddy), can actually develop into something which is rather nice to look at in a non-my-kid-really-worked-hard-on-this-so-I'll-smile-and-nod kind of way.

For this I used:

•  Tissue paper
• PVA glue
• Copper rods (optional)

   I was lucky enough to have a college with a spot welder to make my frame out of bent copper rods. However if, like most of the population, you do not own copper rods and a spot welder, you could create your frame using tough sticks and a strong glue (again, fire hazards, do not leave unattended, yadda yadda, liability etc.). Or even find an existing frame of your choice lying about (it could happen).

Get the tissue paper of your choice and cut out pieces for each frame, each one slightly bigger than the area your going to stick it onto. Cover it in PVA glue and attach to the area, while carefully tightening it out as much as you can. When it dries it will tighten even more so don't go too over board.

After it dries (and assuming you haven't made a teeny tiny sphere shape with no gaps like moi) light your candle, pop it inside and watch the pretty colours glow.

And the fun thing is that it isn't just candle holders you can make. You can use it to make electric lamp shades using a bigger cylindrical shape or even a stain glass wobbly, spinning, colour changing thing:

I don't ask what it is. I just make it

PVA glue also toughens the tissue paper right up, assuming you smothered it with the stuff, so it's much more durable and flexible, as well letting more light through... within reason. I can't say it would withstand being smashed against the side in a lamp shade induced rage, but it'll withstand a few knocks and bumps until that lamp shade raging day comes.

Cat Climbing Frame (and the wonders of Hardboard)

So I'm still rushing about, caught in the euphoria that by the end of this week I'm going to have a little kitten running about my room, when a few days ago I discovered the giant pile of hardboard I stashed behind my wardrobe and never used ever again. Hardboard, I've found, is wonderful. It's thin enough to saw easily and thick enough that is isn't going to snap unless you put some welly into it. Use it on the right frame and you can use it to make some nice things: boxes, canvases, use it to cover up that little drafty hole in your ancient house, guinea pig chew toys etc.. So I thought 'what the heck, lets make a climbing apparatus - it'll take up my boredom rather than jumping about the house and I'll save some money.' It's a pretty simple step design but I'm hoping the cat won't notice.

For this I used:

• 2 and a bit pieces of massive hardboard
• Square wooden poles (I just used what I found lying about)
•  Many many many screws
• Old piece of carpet
• Masking tape/Gum tape
• Staple gun
• Saw
• Adhesive glue (optional)
• PVA glue (optional)

So I began with a couple of quick concept sketches.

 And went straight onto measuring sketching and sawing out.

 When sawing out, do try to do it out of the midday summer

 sun in thirty degree heat. I was not wearing my brain that day.

I then got my wood, cut it to size and shaped it. For the main frame itself I used 2x30cm, 4x75cm and 6x322cm (minus whatever the width of the two poles they would be held between). I also stuck on a few other small pieces of wood where the tops would rest.

Using screws I attached the hardboard and the wooden frames together, with a little help from adhesive glue to give it a little ore strength. It also helps to use PVA glue just to hold the wood in place while you screw it together.

To make the steps and keep them sturdy I used another small piece of square wood to screw/glue each piece of hardboard on.

Then screwed and glued these (and the very top) onto the main body.

 

I Gum taped up the sides and opening (or at least I wished to. I could only find masking tape and no shop within reach seems to sell gum tape) to give it a tidy edge.

Now all that was left was to attach the colourful carpet of choice (unless your me and the only old carpet available is an unattractive gold... It's going to be very lucky if the cat even wants to climb on that colour).

 I used a staple gun to attach it while giving a 3cm overlap on either side. I went back over and cut at each corner, then folded over and stapled it into the sides.

And there's a simple feline climbing apparatus which won't cost you a small fortune... not that I know how much cat climbing frames usually cost... and when the economy of hardboard goes crazy you may have a bad time.

Cat Bed Made From a Jumper

Yeah, I can't think of an original title. But anyway it's happened people. It's actually happened. NSA has been exposed, the Rover is on Mars, summer has not yet been a wash out, Hell has decided on the run up for its ice hockey team and aviator schools now welcome pigs with open arms. And finally, after sixteen years in waiting, I am getting a kitten.

Now I need to buy stuff for it. Lots of stuff. With money. Lots of money.

That is until I came across this useful little make using an old jumper to make a Cat bed and cut my cost down somewhat. [I CLAIM NO CREDIT FOR COMING UP WITH THIS, I JUST FOUND IT VERY USEFUL, TRIED IT OUT AND NOW I WANT TO SCREAM TO THE HILLS WHAT A USEFUL MAKE IT IS. I DO NOT KNOW WHO CAME UP WITH IT, BUT WHEREVER YOU ARE, YOU ARE AWESOME AND I WOULD BUY YOU CHOCOLATE IF I KNEW WHERE YOU LIVED.]

On with the making. You're going to need:

• An old jumper (preferably woolen)
• Yarn/wool
• A tapestry needle (or a needle with a very very big eye)
• Stuff to stuff it with (stuffing, cotton, old socks, stripped/cut up cloth etc.)

 First lay the jumper out flat. I used an old jumper that has a hood. It's easier without but I worked it out along the way:

 

This is a tapestry needle:

It is bigger and can hold yarn/wool. Do this with it:

 Or in other words, sew the sleeve to the side halfway along. Here it is on the reverse:

As well this make, today I also learnt how to make a Blanket Stitch (the one I use here):

First make a simple loose running stitch

 Then pass the needle underneath

And pull and repeat

 A running stitch will probably be fine too, but this one seems to be a bit more sturdier, or just giving me the false sense of security at the very least.

Fold up the bottom and the sleeve:

Sew along the top:

Repeat with the other sleeve. Keep the sleeve holes themselves open for now:

Next I tucked the hood in and then stuffed the bottom a little with old holey, cut up socks I didn't need. Then sew up around the bottom:

Stuff the sleeves and sew up the rest:

And hey presto, you've learnt to save ten quid on a cat bed. Now all that's left is to get the cat to fill it and rack up vet bills, neutering, vaccine fees, kitty litter, food, pet insurance, replacement toys, yearly check ups, flea treatment...