00253 bits and bobs for Backgammon

Although I have become much less independent with regard to finishing off the backgammon board (I just don't want to mess it up), I have managed to get hold of these natty mini barrel hinges:



They'll make it so that, when closed, the board will have no metalwork showing - nice and neat, hopefully. Also managed to pick up these small but crazy powerful magnets to hold the board closed. I'll probably try to embed them in the board and put a wooden plug over them to make it look all minimal, like. Now all I've got to do is make the frame up - nervous? me?

00252 South Coast Pooh Stick tour

I'm thinking of doing the ITEX walk this summer, so it occurred to me that I should see something of what I might be in for.
I did about three hours, but just couldn't help stopping whenever there was good stuff to make boats from.
I'll try not to use so many things that are alive for a bit - the penny wort boat was just picked off the hedge and it just doesn't seem in keeping with the vibe somehow.

Also, because of the Flickr Video thing, I got this idea of throwing stones onto a pile while I was having my lunch. Much fun. On own. No mates. Sad-o.

00251 Pooh Stick hit spike

Four words that can't have been seen together before now - surely.

Suddenly thousands of views on the pooh sticks set on Flickr. I'm really not sure why this sudden interest even after a brief trawl through the web. If anyone knows, just leave a comment. Ta.

00250 Moulin Huet boats

Here are the boats from the same place as the vide was shot:




And this time I gave them to the boys to race. Or destroy.

00249 Video on Flickr

Look, look, they do video now. So while we were on the beach the other day I put my camera on a rock, stuck on the Gentled and left it there for a while. Then I just used something called JPGVideo and bob's your uncle. Here it is:

00248 More ideas ...

... to do with time that I now don't seem to have.

More laser cut board games - as there may be a chance that we can return to the woodworking class for an extra term. Maybe I should finish the first lot.

Polystyrene robots - I'm sure there's a way to make things move using really simple electronics and import them into a flatpack cardboard or polystyrene body, so that they can be reduced to a light kit form. Smacks a little of a commercial venture, so perhaps I won't go there.

Beach things book from Blurb - After the success of the kids book (pictures to follow after Gran's birthday) I'll be steaming ahead with the publication of a beach things book. There'll be rake art, eggs and pooh sticks. I can't wait.

Floor sweeper robot - I'm still interested in a sand drawing robot, but maybe I can get myself motivated by making a simple wheeled robot for the living area. The idea is that it drags a small "V" shaped brush behind it and picks up the cat fluff. I think it'll come down to how well I can program it to change direction when it hits something - oh, and whether or not I can build one. This instructable has given me hope. Which reminds me, I must make a water mortar.

00247 Stick boat revival

Either because I'm relishing the idea of producing a book of stuff I've done at the beach using Blurb, or because it's always been nice to do, I've started doing Pooh Sticks again. Two near the Lihou headland and one at Marble Bay. I've got another two from Moulin Huet, but haven't got round to posting them as my computer's off for repair.