Playing With Junk P-3

Hi there everyone! I've started working on a project I've been planing to do for some time today, but the thing broke so I did this instead. So, welcome to the third episode of my junk experimentations. Today I'm going to present you three project-things, and I don't know what else can I say for the intro, so let's just jump in.

Step 1: Fiddly Floppy Bendy Sticks

So, I made more of those. You may be familiar with previous designs from previous episoded of Playing With Junk. Since then I've learned that there's a thing called sensory toys, so now these things have practical inplementation.

I didn't document how I made these. Maybe I'll make a separate instructable dedicated to them where I give detailed instructions. But what I can say now is that making that one of the whole tube with two by two alternating corks was a real pain in the ass.

Step 2: Plastig Bags + Packing Tape Sewing Meterial

So, like at 3 AM I've got this idea and imediately decided to try it out. But it's ok, since my sleep regime is kind of messed up anyway.

To begin with I took few plastic bags (from bread in particular) and cut them open into sheets.

Then I compacted the sheets in a random maner and secured them on a board side by side.

Step 3:

It's not that explicitly visible on the photos but then I took a recgular transparent scotch tape and aplied to the surface perpendicular to the direction of the plastic bags.

After flipping the piece to the other side I did the same to it.

This way I've got sheet of somewhat puffy soft material with smooth surface.

Step 4:

But to make something useful out of this material, you'll probably have to conect separate sheets and details together. Sewing is the intended way of doing this and I'm using my old good Singer to test if it's going to work at all.

It worked. After tweeking all the setings available - needle thread tension - I was able to do firm and consistant seams. While at this particular test I havent sewn any pieces together (I'm pretty sure it won't become a problem) I decided to make that thing the term for which I have forgot. I mean a bunch of parallel seams. It makes the material stronger, more flexible as well as gives it an interesting texture that underlines its softness and dimensionality,

Step 5:

By deliberately choosing and arranging colors of bags in a certain order, many interesting designs can be produced. Also some some decorative effects can be applyed by adding various kinds of tape to the surface.

This material is strong, yet soft and plyable, it iss water resistant and can be produced in large sheets, so that many items can be crafted from it, like bags and stuff.

While there's a way to craft things by creating sheets from strips of duct tape as well as by fusing multiple plastic bags into solid sheets, this technique presents a mix of those and allowes allows to produce a product with alternative qualities.

I suppose it's thermosinsulating a bit also.

Step 6: Styrofoam Trays Meet Sewing Machine.

Since the sewing nachine was already standing on my table at the moment (it weights ~15 kilo, so I don't like to carry it around much) and I always have some previously collected waste material under my hand, I've decided to find an answer to a qustion, that had been bothering the humanity for centuries: "Can a man sew styrofoam trays with a sewing machine?"

Well... kind of no. The material is too soft, so the thread keeps tearing through it. You kind of can tweek the tension right and, maybe with longer stitches I would work, but still it's kind of wanky.

Step 7:

So I decided to reinforce the material by applying a masking tape to both sides.

And it did well. The seam is firm, consistant and even looks good on the surface.

I also tried to sew two pieces together, but it didnt quite work. Maybe it's because the spool was low on theread, but maybe because it's not something a hundred year old sewing machine is designed to do.

"But, what use of it anyway" - you would ask. IDK, there's still some things I'd like to try in the future, and maybe, they will bring the answer.

Step 8:

And, what if not use a thread anyway? This something I do to make equa-distant holes in leather before sewing it by hand (there's a reason for doing it this way.

So, this time I've cut a rectangular piece out of a tray and applied a masking tape only to the back side of it.

Step 9:

Then I marked a couple of curved lines on the face surface (I've added some more later), and perforated them with a sewing machine.

Step 10:

If you start bending the sheeth the syrface will crack along the perforation, althought the piese will remain intact because of the tape holding it on tha back.

Now you can apply the same methods of shaping the material used with paper. I did kind of a bit wrong - the geometry, but it still worked in a way. The other thing is that polystyrene is not that plyable, so it's better to awoid steep curves.

Step 11:

And that was enough for this piece. But, as you've probably noticed, I've developed a habit of using every object I make to look at ligh through it. An this wasn't exception for this one. And I kind of liked the effect...

Step 12:

...So. I decided to play with it a bit more.

I've prepared another piece the same way as the first one. Then I applyed a reflective tape (non metallic -plastic one) to the face surface.

In order for the perforation to work as intended I had to cut the tape along the lines.

Shaped piece looked pretty interesting.

Step 13:

But what was even cooler is the way the light works in this piece. So, to make things a bit more interesting I've added a layer of transparent blue tape to the back of the piece. I really like the effect I've achieved. I also like how the perforation looks on tha shine-through, and, obviously you can create any design only with perforated lines and use a flat piece as it is, without breaking the surface layer.

Step 14:

Another thing I came up with a bit later is that the cut lines can be smoothed by embossing them with smooth rounded object (the pen).

Once again, I really like how this materiaal looks with light, and definetely it can be used to make some cool looking lamps or high-tech costume pieces. I still have a couple of ideat to try with this technique, and I'll definetelly will demonstarate the results in the next episode.

Step 15:

And on this I'm going to end this episode of Playing With Junk. I'll definitely be making more in the future, so if you like stuff like this - subscribe to me, maybe vote for my projects on contests... But this is it for now, thanks for your attention, and what is a man? A miserable little pile of secrets!

P.S.: Special thanks to Nick Zammeti for not intentional cameo on my videos. Go and visit his youtube channel -good stuff.