Category: Projects

Project: A Little Bit of Vegas

We were lucky enough to spend our New Year’s holiday in Vegas this year – one of our favorite destination spots.  Red Rock gave us complimentary stays that we couldn’t pass up so we packed our suit cases with our warmest clothes and headed out to enjoy the sun and sights.  Oh, and we hauled out our camera equipment to catch the bird viewing sites and local State Parks.  When we left home it was heading into the teens around here and when we landed in Vegas it was a balmy…. what the ?!? 30 degrees.  The high was only getting into the low 50’s – guess no pool for us hehehehe.  I’ll leave the results of the shoots for another post, but all was good on the other fronts – just stayed in a little bit more than usual.  Today’s project post idea was inspired by a decoration at the New Year’s Eve party we attended.  So without further hesitation I bring you project “A Little Bit of Vegas” … on my mind.

Project: A Little Bit of Vegas

Disclaimer:  I do not recommend you try this project yourself do to the dangers involved!

The decoration we saw consisted of a battery operated light at the bottom of a vase filled with those water retaining gel pieces.  This resulted in a nice glow effect that looked quite pretty.  Now this is an idea I could embrace and extend on.  The first element of change was to make the light battery powered so I could put it up in the ledge below our dormer windows in the great room.  I also needed to replace the gel fill with glass beads since it would not be easy to change once it was put up there – figured the gel would dry out eventually.

Hit the jump to see how this project came together!

Continue reading Project: A Little Bit of Vegas

Project Posey: Janus

Okay everyone, the Posey Project is coming down to the final designs before mass production. For those that haven’t been following my Halloween Project here is a group shot of all my design iterations. Each version introduced new design options that will be evaluated and a decision made on whether it will make it to the final design for the 2015 Haunted Trail. The four on the left have already been discussed in detail on the Blog

Posey Project V6.0

In case you missed those, here is a quick index of their posts – note, Posey V1.0 had already been put away with the rest of the trail decorations so it isn’t pictured above.

Posey V1.0 – Not Shown (link here)

Posey V2.0 (link here)

Posey V3.1 (link here)

Posey V4.0 (link here)

Posey V5.0 (link here)

Today’s post features the option on the far right which I appropriately refer to as V6.0 of Posey which is modeled off of the previous V5.0 twist coupler design. As you would expect (and likely see), this one had its share of new design features as well.

Hit the jump to read all about this latest version of Posey

Continue reading Project Posey: Janus

Project Posey: A Coupler of Enhancements

Hi all, it’s a new year but we have some unfinished business from a year ago….last Wednesday – sorry, old joke but I went with it since I actually heard it no less than three times while out in Vegas last week – maybe it’s making a comeback (likely not).  As you can tell from the title, in today’s post we focus on an upgrade to Project Posey – specifically, version 5.0 which brings with it a major design change thanks to an idea that came while hanging out one day in the PVC aisle at Menards  (almost for an entire day hehehe).  Here is a shot of the finished product, but I’ll take you through the key details.
Posey Version 5.0

There were a few issues with the previous designs that I was hoping to address.  The first of these was how to allow for changing the joint to any angle I wanted and still making the connection point strong enough to bear the weight of the configuration.  Up to now I’ve had to either lock the joint in a specific angle (as in V1.0) or leave the pipes free to move in the couplers but then they tended to give out on certain poses.  The other issue was to improve the storage aspect – the Posey’s were getting up in size and started taking up too much space in the storage area – The locked in version required me to basically rebuild them each season and the loose version required me to pop the pipes out of the couplers which basically started wearing down the connections making them even weaker.  Both of these issues ended up being addressed by a new twist coupler.

Posey Version 5.0

Hit the jump to see how this upgraded version comes together.

Continue reading Project Posey: A Coupler of Enhancements

Project: Home Galleria

Merry Christmas everyone!  I decided to take a break from playing with all my new cool Santa gifts and instead put a check mark next to this month’s to-do item.  Unlike most of my projects, this one is hot off the “reveal” night.  Note, the emphasized reveal word was purposely used to keep from misleading you into thinking this was a quick project – nothing of sorts.  I almost called this project Massi Procrasti because of the amount of time that passed since starting this project.  In fact, it has been so long I absolutely forget how long it has been and can only guess it is upwards of 1 to 1.5+ years in the making.

Project Home Galleria

It all started as a result of a slight case of OCD that I’ve battled since childhood.  Normally it is kept in check but I allowed my wife to hang our photography pictures on a long wall facing into our great room.  Hanging is a scientific, highly mathematical and sometimes requires massive engineering (link here and here).  Unfortunately, my wife doesn’t have those same convictions, her mantra – eyeball it, smack it, hang it, admire it.  I might have been able to struggle through her output better had that wall not led directly into our master bedroom – yes, at least twice a day my alarms would blast forcing me to muster everything I had to dampen it below eruption levels.  For the legal papers it should also be stated that she recently took to purposely tilting the pictures – feel free to ask her to explain herself in the comments!

Like I said, 10’s of months back the inner voice told me to rid myself of this daily stress.  That spark initiated a trip to Menards in search of some nice trim molding.  Hours of searching later this specimen revealed itself.  Note, I couldn’t find the original progress shots so these were taken during the build and finishing stages that were completed recently – these trim pieces were not stained or finished.
Project Home Galleria

Hit the jump to see how this project came together!

Continue reading Project: Home Galleria

Project Chiro: Posey Gets a New Spine

Time for another update on the Posey Project.  If you recall form the last post on version 3.0 (link here), the big change was to introduce the new joint made out of chain link fence caps.  That was definitely a break through moment in the project and my gratitude still goes to the individual that was referenced in that post as the spark.  To be honest, the modification that became version 3.1 was really a result of designing and building this latest version which I refer to as V4.0.  Here is the latest version all dressed to kill!

Posey V4.0

Of course you can’t tell the details with the costume on, so let’s take that off and see what tweaks we have to show in this version.  First off you will see that I stuck with the same chain link fence cap joint model detailed in V3.0.  That is the go to joint for now due to being sturdy and easy to position – thanks again to the individual that sparked the concept.  I do keep my eyes open every time I’m in a hardware store just in case something else will catch my eye – if I could shrink the overall length of the joint down it would be beneficial for a number of reasons.  One area that is completely different is the backbone design.

Posey V4.0

Hit the jump to see the design details and a few more shots

Continue reading Project Chiro: Posey Gets a New Spine

Project Bob Marley: Posey Gets a Better Joint

I hoped you like the previous Kestrel posts – always exciting when I can add a mark to the bird list.  It is also exciting when I can talk about a new revision in the Posey project.  The last time we delved into this addiction.. I mean project we were discussing the desire to add flexibility to the PVC structure (link here).  That resulted in revision V2.0 of the PVC Halloween Decoration Project.  If you recall, we leveraged eye bolts to create the joints in V2.0.  That achieved the desired ability to move the arms and legs into just about any position I wanted.  The issue is the structural stability of the eye bolts .. as in .. not that stable.  One long night on Pinterest (yeah, I said it) looking through board after board on the home haunting groups I discovered an excellent idea from someone that goes by Beelce on the Haunt Forums website (link here).  That idea looked like the perfect answer to my stability problem and immediately rushed out to Menards the next day.  Sure enough, they had 1″ chain link fence caps that matched the ones shown on the forum so bought every one they had – like 30 of them. After some trials and errors I am proud to present V3.0 of Posey!

NOTE: I did make some late updates to this model which I added to the end – please check that out since the modification uses less materials – that version is now being referred to as V3.1
Posey 3.0

This version is 100% more stable than the eye bolt approach and the joints work exactly the way I was hoping.  As with all my projects, let’s give some details.  Again, thanks to Beelce for providing the catalyst and the basis for even more versions – my  motto: embrace and extend.  First off, the hardware list.   Note, this version was built with chain link fence caps from Menards.  They hold a much better tolerance on their 1″ dimension but their connecting hole is 1/2″.  I recommend getting the fence caps from Home Depot instead.  They are a penny cheaper and have 3/8″ connecting holes instead so you save on hardware.  They do have a lot of variance in their 1″ dimension which oddly enough turns out to be an advantage in upcoming versions (more later on that).

  • Drill Press (technically optional, but highly recommended) if not, can uses a standard drill)
  • 1/8″ Drill Bit or whatever size fits the screws you are going to use to affix the chain link cap to the PVC
  • Pilot hole drill bit – smaller the better
  • Screwdriver – manual or electric to put the caps in
  • (16) Chain link fence cross bar caps w/ 3/8″ hole ($0.88)
  • (8) 3/8″ Large Washers ($3.78 – 100)
  • (8) 3/8″ x 1″ Bolts ($4.21)
  • (8) 3/8″ Nuts ($2.28)
  • (8) 3/8″ Split Washers ($2.00)
  • (32) 1″ cabinet, drywall or round head screws (use whatever you laying around that is in the 1″ long range)
  • Two Socket Sets
  • PVC Cement (optional)
  • Duct tape – preferably white
  • Hand PVC Cutter (optional, but highly recommended)

Next the materials list:

  • (3) 1″ PVC Cross ($2.15)
  • (4) 1″ PVC Caps  ($0.45)
  • (9) 1″ PVC T’s ($0.59)
  • (4) 1″ PVC Couplers ($0.41)
  • (10) 1″ PVC Elbows ($0.50)
  • (1)  3/4″ PVC Cross  ($2.37)
  • (1) 3/4″ PVC T’s ($0.45)
  • (5) 3/4″ PVC Elbows ($0.25)
  • (1) 3/4″ PVC Cap ($0.19)
  • (1) 1″ to 3/4″ Reducer  ($0.77)
  • (1) 10′ x 1″ PVC Pipe (depends on size but by two, if you are like me you’ll be making a lot of them) ($2.48)
  • (1) 3′ 3/4″ PVC Pipe (basically just enough to build the head) ($1.50)

Hit the jump to see how to build this version of Posey!

Continue reading Project Bob Marley: Posey Gets a Better Joint

Project Steve Austin: Taking It To The Next Level

Since I was called out last month for getting such a late start on posts, figured I would try to crank one out a little earlier this month.  Besides, it is Dog Show weekend which means I have plenty of spare time for a change.  Today’s topic is really a multi-parter chronicling a slight obsession (as Linda puts it – I refer to it as enthusiasm) with a Project I documented around Halloween (link here).  If you recall, the topic at hand was a new idea for decorations based on putting costumes on a PVC structure.

Killer Clown

This was another effort focused on bringing more scare into the Haunted Trail.  I now call this Posey V1.0 which essentially consists of a fixed posture.  If wanted to change the pose I would have to break the existing connections and make another pose by using different connectors.  The drawback being the pose was limited to what I could create with a limited number of angles (90 and 45 being the core angles available).  Granted you can do a lot depending on how you combine those but just seemed limiting.  This deficiency got me thinking and when I get to thinking… interesting things can happen.  Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you …. drum roll … Posey V2.0.
Posey 2.0

Hit the jump to see how to make this version of Posey!

Continue reading Project Steve Austin: Taking It To The Next Level

Project: Trip My Scare

Well, I woke up on Thanksgiving Day feeling pretty good and looking forward to traveling to see the family and giving thanks for friends and food.  I needed to process some pictures for pending blog posts (including this one) and opted to get those out of the way before loading up the car.  Soon after that my morning went sour.  My Western Digital 2T MyBook was no longer responding.  This was my working storage for my photography work.  We have a raided NAS for the long term storage, but the MyBook is where my active processing happens.  Unplug USB and replug into computer – nothing.  Cycle power on disk – nothing.  Reboot computer and plug everything back in – nothing.  Curse it, punch it, kick it, shoot it – nevermore.  Now I’m pissed not just because I now have to restore 1.3T of photographs, but now I have to scramble for images for the blog.  Luckily the shots for this planned post were still on the camera cards.  Saved for now, but long hours of bit transfers ahead and some shopping on Amazon to acquire some new NAS units – damn you Western Digital.

Let’s stop whining and get to the post shall we.  Today we are going to talk about the latest Halloween project.  If you are like Linda you just said “Why the hell are you working on Halloween projects, it’s more than 300 days away!”  I strike when the iron is hot which translates to “do it while the idea is still in your head and besides, every year I am scrambling to get things done ahead of the big party anything that can be done now helps.  The latest  addition to the Haunted Trail is motion detectors that can be used to trigger my scary props.  This is something I’ve wanted to do since starting the trail, but the units for sale seemed a tad too expensive.  I had no idea how easy it was to make your own until a little web investigation.  I want to give full credit to the originator of this idea (not sure if he was the originator, but his tutorial on the web was excellent!  It can be found on YouTube (link here) or on Pinterest (yeah, I said it).  His approach is very straight forward but he does admittedly make a few mistakes which makes the 20 minute video slightly longer than it needed to be.  The first one may take a little longer to get familiar with the process, but after you do one you should be able to crank them out in 10 to 15 minutes depending on your skills  in the electrical discipline.  Here is a look at the finished product.

Motion Detector Hack

I made a small tweak to the design having confirmed that the metal spikes that screw into the box cannot be found anywhere.  Here are the materials and tools that were needed to complete the build process:

  • Motion detector replacement ($16 at Menards)
  • 5 way outdoor electrical box (~$4)
  • Outdoor receptacle cover (~$2.50)
  • Standard 15V outlet ($0.60)
  • 1/2 inch wire clamp
  • Electrical box PVC adaptor ($0.25)
  • Computer power cable or small extension cord
  • Wire nuts
  • 1/2 electrical PVC – length dependent on high off the ground you want the sensor)
  • Volt meter (optional depending on your power cord)
  • Wire cutters
  • Needle nose pliers
  • Philips screwdriver (possibly a standard one depending on your screw situation)
  • Electrical tape
  • Utility knife
  • A piece of 12-2 gauge solid wire (optional)

Motion Detector Hack

Hit the jump to see how to put this thing together

Continue reading Project: Trip My Scare

How Far Will You Go – The Haunted Trail 2014

Time to get back on the path.. the Haunted Path that is!  As mentioned in previous posts, we held our Annual Halloween Cookout October 4th.  This was earlier than usual thanks to a race I participate in being moved from a Friday to a Saturday.  Although it was stressful in the past having the race on Friday night it allowed me just enough time to get everything in place to have the party the following night.  Then we were overlayed with a friend’s party that pushed us to the early October slot.  One thing for sure, it was definitely better going not having run a half marathon the night before.  Unfortunately there was a lot of rain leading up to the party date, but luckily it broke on the 3rd allowing me to finish clearing the trail and getting at least the danger areas cautioned off.  That left me an early morning to start getting things in place for standard elements (firewood, torches, general cleanup).  My friend Paul came over at noon and we started the long process of setting up the trail.  This year we made a couple of key changes.  The first thing we did was cut the path short and utilized a loop back to the start.  That essentially eliminated a very steep hill our guests had to navigate at the end.. in the dark – we definitely got some thanks for that.  The second major change is this year we took a different approach to the decoration order.  Last year, you may recall, we produced some tears (link here).  A badge of honor for us.. but probably not the nicest thing to do to your unsuspecting guests.  To address that we opted for a “How Far Will You Go” approach.  Translated – the farther you go .. the scarier it is likely to be.  Your choice, turn back whenever you start getting uneasy or the kids start shaking.

For starters, the path has grown over the years and now has more decorations than I can feature in this post.  Instead, I’ve picked out a few shots of new decs or wanted to provide a few comments on.  The full trail can be found on the EddieSoft Gallery Site (link here).  Be sure and check that out to experience the full Haunted Trail experience.

So, the start of the trail was filled with the tame air-blown decorations.

Haunted Trail 2014

Nothing too scary here and something the kids will have no problems with.. unless they happen to be afraid for large purple arachnids in which case maybe not so good of a start.

Haunted Trail 2014

Hit the jump to experience more of the trail .. if you dare!

Continue reading How Far Will You Go – The Haunted Trail 2014

Project: The Rise of Thanatos

I’m back with another new addition to the Halloween Haunted Trail!  Surprised I can still function after writing the last post on a Killer Clown shudder (link here).  While I was on the subject of Halloween decorations figured it made sense to go ahead and post about the other decoration that consumed all my spare time leading up to our party.  I have to give Pinterest a little bit of credit on this one since someone had pinned a picture of a Grim Reaper decoration.  There wasn’t any instructions with it and it really appeared to be more of a professional prop than a DIY.  That picture sparked an idea of creating something similarly themed.

2014 Halloween Decoration - Grim Reaper

What do you think?  I basically leveraged some of the clown structure ideas but the bulk of the frame was a lot simpler.  Linda slipped a bit on standards for her decoration night shots and ended up clipping the right eye on although it does look pretty sinister – just know that it does indeed have two glowing eyes.  It is also pretty tall – forgot to measure it before I put it away, but it is up there!

2014 Halloween Decoration - Grim Reaper

Like last time, hit the jump if you want to see how this was designed and constructed

Continue reading Project: The Rise of Thanatos