MWAHAHAHA!!! BOOOOW BEFORE ME AND MY AWESOME SCREW MAKING MIGHT!!! *flexes and poses*
btw, this is what my most recent journal was talking about....
So this is actually my first tutorial, because, well, this is the first thing I've had to be worthy of making a tutorial for.
So. let me know if it's good, or bad, why it's bad, what could be better...
And if you like it, or need it, or know anyone who needs to make a screw or needs to make a NEW screw, please pass it on.
btw, I found the noisemaker at Party City, but it took me, like, MONTHS to find, apparently they're a seasonal thing in some places, so if you think ur gunna need'm, and see'm, get'm!
Criticism please!
NOTE: I found out that spackling and sanding the styrofoam is almost a better alternative to tape, since there would be no "seams" or anything like that. (although to be honest, I didn't do the spackling, so it didn't turn out all that well, but I have a bit of confidence that it'll turn out much better, as I'm intent on remaking the screw YET AGAIN)
Or using Insulation foam is good too. Much more sturdy. Still involves cutting, spackling and painting, but it's up to you XD
btw, this is what my most recent journal was talking about....
So this is actually my first tutorial, because, well, this is the first thing I've had to be worthy of making a tutorial for.
So. let me know if it's good, or bad, why it's bad, what could be better...
And if you like it, or need it, or know anyone who needs to make a screw or needs to make a NEW screw, please pass it on.
btw, I found the noisemaker at Party City, but it took me, like, MONTHS to find, apparently they're a seasonal thing in some places, so if you think ur gunna need'm, and see'm, get'm!
Criticism please!
NOTE: I found out that spackling and sanding the styrofoam is almost a better alternative to tape, since there would be no "seams" or anything like that. (although to be honest, I didn't do the spackling, so it didn't turn out all that well, but I have a bit of confidence that it'll turn out much better, as I'm intent on remaking the screw YET AGAIN)
Or using Insulation foam is good too. Much more sturdy. Still involves cutting, spackling and painting, but it's up to you XD
I had a relatively hard time finding regular styrofoam discs, and ended up using the green styrofoam - used for floral arrangements. Digging out the foam and packing in the noisemaker went along as you instructed, and I used clay to cover the entire side of the styrofoam with it, as otherwise the side was very uneven. From there I sealed with mod podge, and painted the screw with acrylic. I followed your pipe instructions relatively to the letter, using a similar colored spray paint to achieve a "put together look." Unfortunately, my pvc was much too big around the noisemaker's handle, so I hot glued a marker to the handle, and then hot glued the pvc to the marker.
Now here comes the hard part, while it seems relatively light, the screw is much too heavy for my headband. Each time I try to hot glue it, it comes off, or the headband begins to slip further and further left until the end of it is digging into the area behind my ear and the only way to avoid this is by glueing it obscenely high, to the point where it sits like a horn.
Do you have a recommendation for glueing it/layering pieces so this doesn't happen/evening out distribution of weight?
Much thanks.
Anyway, I don't really know, based on you description, why you covered it in clay? Or used acrylic paint? I assume it was to make it look less obviously styrofoam, but each of those is heavy, and heavier combined.
I think you have to test this as you go, because I don't know the weight difference between the regular white and floral styrofoam stuff, because if that, with the noisemaker is too heavy on it's own, you're already stuck, so that's the first check.
Next, instead of using clay(I think I mentioned in the description), get sparkle. It's light(assuming you don't use too much) and easy to sand, so you can control the surface.
Then, if you feel like you need it, use a spray paint primer, that'll help give you a smooth surface, and will help with the next step, painting.
HOPEFULLY, all this stuff comes out lighter/ light enough. If not, take your headband and drill a small hole, then use a screw and screw the attaching side of the pvc(filled with clay, or whatever you use) to the headband, that will give you extra strength and pretty much make it stay on forever(just make sure whatever's in your PVC doesn't crack or loosen when you screw it in, you might need to combine adhering techniques, and to watch out for it falling lop-sided when you wear it) Also, if you can, make sure to counter-sink(look it up) your hole, so the screws head isn't digging into your head the whole time(or just cover it with something soft, I guess).
I think that's all I got. Maybe send me some pics or a vid or something, and I'll see if I can help further
I'd need to know where your from, then I'll have to find out the price of materials and shipping and stuff before I can give you an estimate. I'd probably also need some money in advance, since I have like, no money.
Oh, Oh! Or maybe a medicine bottle, one with a childproof cap? Just cut the bottle so it's flush with the cap, then attatch either the cap to the screw or screwhead, and then vice-verse?
Second, I'm not really sure where to get them(unless your on O'ahu -_-). Basically I just went to Party City, but I'm sure similar stores have them.
I've seen them just called noise makers, and football clackers, but usually I have to describe what I'm talking about to one of the salespeople, so maybe bring a pic with you?
Sorry I'm not very helpful, I live in a very small world xD
Second, I used hot glue, but my headbad was rather thick. If you can, I might suggest either looking for a thicker headband, getting more skinny ones and binding them together(somehow?) or maybe, if you used the pvc pipe part, drill a small hole through it and hot glue the headband through it, padding the side that goes against your head.
I hope this hasn't come too late for you to be able to use your screw D:
1) none of the craft stores I went to had styrofoam circles in 1 1/4 in thickness, just one inch. would I still be able to make this as normal, or would I have to but an additional styrofoam circle to augment the original?
2) Around how much spackle(or drywall compound)would I need to, I would presume, coat the screw head?
3) What kind of clay did you use to attach the handle of the noisemaker to the short section of PVC pipe?
BTW, the noisemakers aren't really seasonal, in my experience -- I just asked someone who worked there, and he led me to them.
1- You could buy another if you wanted to, but I don't think it's really necessary, as long as the noisemaker fits inside, you know?
2- Not very much, actually. You want a nice, generous coat, so you can sand it smooth when it dries. If I recall, I bought a pretty big tub for like, $5, and didn't use very much of it at all.
3- I don't think the type of clay really matters. I just used what I have, I think it's just modeling clay. But you could actually use hot glue instead.
I think it is some places. The store I went to had them, then didn't have them for a while, then had them again, so, I dunno.
Anyway, I hope it turns out great ^^
...and it slipped off my head that Friday, and the headband broke. ^_^; (luckily, it was salvageable with enough duct tape which someone provided.)
I'm in the process of repairing it/getting it repaired, so it should be ready in time for Otakon in 3 weeks.
and do you mean for the screw-head side, or for the opposite side?
The initial pipe length doesn't matter, I think, and the other measurements should be on the tutorial, are they not?
and about how wide should it be
The width... the one I used is about 3/4 inch.
You should be able to zoom just by clicking on it.