Using Cupric Sulfate as a Zinc Patina for Sculptures

More examples of zinc patina in this post.

1. Clean metal with wire brush to get off all zinc oxide.
2. Paint on a thin layer of Cupric Sulfate (while wearing gloves) Get Cupric Sulfate here at Rotometals
3. Wrap in thin layer of saran wrap so it does not evaporate
4. wait 3 hours.
5. brush off the high spots with wire brush.
6. Three coats of clear coat.

Frozen Sceptre TV how to fix. (how to restart)

1. turn off the tv (unplug if you have to)
2. hold down the S on the side of the TV.
3. While holding the S button press the power on button
4. when you see the menu screen release the s button.
5. hope for the best.

if you are in the window for a return DO IT NOW. it is a terrible TV. If not write these instructions down you will be using them alot as this tv has something wrong that makes it freeze all the time.

Sceptre TV review

Don't get one.
Poor encoding leads to very slow channel changing long unresponsive times.
Freezes and needs to be restarted.

lost wax casting a bust of jp2. my first attempt at lost wax.

This process is described in detail in the figure sculpture in plaster and wax, The needed supplies are, plaster of paris,Microcrystaline Wax , a can, Zinc ingot (available online for 2.40/lb from Rotometals) various tools for carving wax and pliers for moving the can.

Good safety gear is a must. Goggles that can handle the heat, welding gloves, respirator.... the main risks are fumes and flying molten metal so dress appropriate. This is not a safe process and i don't recommend you do it!

1. The bust built in wax. note the vent from the chin and the large reservoir to get a mass of metal pushing in.

2. nails are put in to make blind vents.

3. Plaster is painted over the entire piece and then the nails are pulled.

4. after pulling the nails it is wrapped in rags soaked in plaster. and a small can is attached to make an easy spot to pour.

5. the can is cut to allow for the wax to flow out and the can is put in the boiling water.

6. a coffee can holds the heat on the mold. The wax that flows out needs to be constantly removed to stop it from exploding with steam under a continuous surface of wax.

7. The wax burned out a little longer over the fire

8. video of the pour. The zinc from Rotometals is heated in a normal can that food comes in. it is bent with pliers to make a nice spout. As you can see the burnout was inadequate and lead to a metal volcano.

9. after the pour some wax was not burned out and caused steam to prevent full filling of the mold.

Popesicle

Used "amazing mold putty" material to make the mold from a wax sculpture of JP2 for this one. gotta redo it with some good popsicle filling like cherry. maybe add the tall pope hat to make it more obvious.

Making a copy in wax of a small sculpture

I am about to cast a wax sculpture that took a long time to make. because of my fear that it will not turn out I duplicated the head in wax.
Here is the original

Wrapping the head in Amazing mold putty. I only did the head because this stuff is not cheap. It is a very easy way to make copies of just about anything though. It is like two tubes of silly putty like substances that you mix. After it sets i cut the back of the mold with a razor.


Here is the mold being filled with wax. I melted microcrystaline wax in a can sitting in boiling water. The back of the mold is held shut by the can.


The completed head not a perfect replica (lost an ear). but enough that i can work from if I need to.

Buffalo style hot tofu bites recipe (veggitarian buffalo wings)

Cooking vegetarian does not need to mean cooking healthy.
1. drain two boxes of extra firm tofu. cut in 1/2 the long way and cut in 1/2 in a horizontal plane. cut a number of strips as shown below. Then marinate in Franks red hot.


2. mix 1/2 cup corn starch, 1/2 flour, 2 eggs and water until the texture of pancake batter. Roll bites in flour and then...



3. dip in batter.





4. fry until slightly brown. These were done in olive oil on medium. Olive oil is not ideal but is what i had. I usually use canola for this sort of thing. Then cover in buffalo sauce (2:1 franks:butter) and eat!



shipping kills it but whoa lot of hot sauce.

Take this France: Bologna and American cheese crepe

Lost wax Lenin bust.

Not sure yet what i am going to do with it yet. maybe a bookend.

Jesus on crucifix in wax

to get scale i am working from a photo. above are the original photo. the printout i am using and the first draft of the wax.

Planning for spring with Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew

My Brother got this book as a Christmas gift and I have been digging (lol) through it for tips for next year. Will be growing the same plants as always but using some of his tips to hopefully improve the harvest.

1) I will be building up as he suggests with a 1:1:1 compost/vermiculite/peatmoss mix. I will likely not go for the full 6" as my existing soil is fairly good and was mixed with compost in the fall.

2) Excited about the appendix with timing for starting seeds and transferring seeds outdoors.

• Broccoli (12w before spring frost, 5w before spring frost)
• Lettuce (7w before spring frost, 4w before spring frost)
• Pepper (7w before spring frost, 2w after spring frost)
• Summer Squash (2w before spring frost, after spring frost)
• Tomato (6w before spring frost, after spring frost)
• Basil (4-6w before spring frost, whenever soil is warm)

Find average last spring frost date here

3) Lots of other info on his particular system for making the plant beds and structures for his system.

Going to be trying out the new led lamp for starting seeds this year and using the paper pots from this post for the larger plants.

Of course this book did not cover the barley, for homebrewing, which I will start outside a few weeks before the first frost and the hops which are perennials.

Here is the book: All New Square Foot Gardening: Grow More in Less Space!

PADD (a la startrek TNG) background for iphone or other smart phone.

here is the image.

Scope and Scalpel

Scope and Scalpel
Just casting my google vote for Pitt Med's amazing yearly play.