Making Dragons

This is Alex Van Valkenberg filling in today. Fourteen years ago my mom wrote a post here, about the lego dragon I built, which I recenlty uncovered while doing some spring cleaning. The creature is in a sorry state, having survived several moves, and storage for over a decade, then months of indecision about whether to rebuild her, take her apart, or just keep thinking about it as other projects and demands took precedent. In the end I opted for a mix of the three, and started to rebuild her from the ground up.

I was inspired by the work on Jason Allemon of JK Brickworks, among others, to make the new dragon smaller, and more elegant in design. I wanted something that could be displayed on a shelf or desk without walking off the edge, or taking up the while space. To make the new design move, while keeping it smaller and more fluid, I built the majority of the moving components into a large base. The base has a drive-shaft not unlike that of the original, but with a more complex system of levers and cams that move the model above in a more life-like manner.

By having all of the bulkier mechanisms below, the model above can place more emphasis on form. The smaller design also makes her easier to display, and wont take up all the red pieces in my collection.

Still Making

Things may be quiet on the blog, but believe me, we are still making! Here are some glimpses of projects we have been immersed in. Alex and William are leading the creative tide, but everyone gets swept up in the current of activity!

William's blade and the start of the first hand guard, which partially failed, and he had to start over with a new approach.

Apoxie Sculpt flintlock hammer, ready to be drilled and sanded into shape.

Rough cut of flintlock pistol. African mahogany.

Measuring the fitting of the trigger guard.

Trigger mold... "the finished master for the trigger guard."

The chopsticks are called sprues.

The rebuilt sword guard, glued back together, this time with biscuits.

Max and Mister Foo, checking out the anvil.

With an anvil, the children are another step closer to completing their forge!


Trying the hammer.

Measuring seams on the britches.

Details on the sword Alex made. Ask him about aluminum backed plumbing tape! Stuff is amazing!

How many hits to turn steel plates into a helmet?

Helmet panels.


A lot going on. As usual. {By the way, this is our "dining" table.}

William designs things on the computer, then takes his patterns to either wood, fabric, or metal. In this case wood... shaped, and sanded, then painted to look like metal.

He made flaps and I sewed them to the thrift shop loafers, and with the buckle he has a whole new look!

William continues to work on the sword.

Steel blade and the wooden guard {hilt?} that he began in the first image.

Viking Festival time! Gauntlet time!

I added a pouch, and Maria and I added the pocketful of posies. Alex is a Viking with a cell phone, and wallet.

The medallion is Appoxy Sculpted, the armor is home-hammered!

Alex and Sarah bear their shields.

Okay, that's all, for now.

Make with LEGO!

Check out Max's cable car!

Sometimes I overhear parents grumbling about LEGO bricks... their kid's obsession, stepping on a brick, finding the toy everywhere. Personally, I can't find the voice to complain about LEGO, but some people, standing in the toy aisle, get very vocal and heated about their anti-LEGO-ness. I just don't get it. LEGO bricks are a toy that perfectly exemplifies endless opportunity: for fun, for learning, for creativity, for engineering, for design, for entertainment, for ingenuity, for invention. For fun... did I say that, already?

Max has been sick. Long nights coughing, sad mornings with a sore throat, and general misery. We've been treating him with warm teas, warmer blankets, and tenderness. I decided to bring home something extra-healing, a bit of unexpected fun in the form of new inspiration.


I happened to be next to a toy shop, where I found Crazy Action Contraptions, a LEGO kit with parts and an ideas book. We hardly need more LEGO parts, but key Technic pieces and step-by-step instructions for new contraptions could be a nice distraction from being cooped-up and miserable. And the look of delight and surprise on Max's face confirmed it... I found the LEGO Cure!

The kit has specialty parts, but not a motor. Max got busy making a push button car, and some of the other devices, and then, with his gears warmed up, he began thinking of something more elaborate, challenging...


By adding a motor to a cable car he designed, he was able to build a Crazy Action Contraption that moved on its own power. He ran nylon string between posts, and ready-set-action! his cable car was on the move!


He's feeling better, on the mend, back to school. Yesterday, after school, he made a much longer line from the porch to the metal fence, and sent his cable car across the yard. More plans, new ideas, making, and healing... I cannot deny, I love LEGO, and the kids who play with them.

If you have a grade-school age child who loves LEGO, design, fun challenges, and learning about science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM), then please visit FIRST LEGO League! FIRST is For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology and together with LEGO, they have an inspiring and dedicated program to serve young engineers and scientists.

Long Live Maker Faire (And Maker Faire Posts!)

**Originally posted for Chickenblog. Re-posted here with permission.


I took six hundred photographs at the San Mateo Maker Faire. Geoff had his own camera. We were only there for one day. We spent more time driving there, than at the Faire, and then we had the long drive home. But it was so worthwhile, every SteamPunking-Cupcake car-ArcAttack-Maker moment was truly awesome.


So, can you blame me for wanting to share more Maker Faire magic?

Breathlessly, with a wide grin, I told William, "I am going to have about a hundred new things to post about on Chickenblog." I consider William one of my editors. He gently, thoughtfully suggests ideas for posts, and says encouraging things to me, like when 54% of the people taking this week's poll say they do not read Chickenblog, and are not sure where they are.


We are pretty close to updating the look of our 2003 Odyssey. I find inspiration everywhere. Maybe it's time to get the Lego bricks out of the van, and put them on the van.


Look, here it is... Maker Faire is beautiful, because it is a place full of imaginative, creative people, and those same people are enthused about what they imagine and create, so they share, and they teach, and they laugh out loud. It is amazing spending time in this kind of environment. It is encouraging and affirming. It erases fear and cynicism. It is genuine ingenuity, and patriotism, and it is the real kind of initiative that can keep our country great, and make the world a better place.


So, long live Maker Faire!
And long live Dorklandia!


We felt like ice cream... jajaja

Seriously, this ice cream cart, loaded with felt ice cream plushies, was adorable.


And long live Blinky Bugs!


Enchanted by the Blinky Bugs.


Ken Murphy was in the Make Shed, demonstrating how to make Blinky Bugs, and he showed me his kit-book, which is available for pre-order.

I felt like I was from Dorklandia, greeting and meeting every artist, author, scientist and geek, with my usual enthusiasm and zeal. Makers and Thinkers and Tinkers are my heroes.


Long live cycles... large, small, many wheels, mini-wheels, many pedals, new and old, all of 'em!


Out for a ride.


Tiger ride? He can swish his tail, of course.


This. is. my. swing.
I want this real bad.
'cause it looks real good.
I would even settle for it without the patterned shower of water that rains down from the top.
Weeeee!


They make music at the Faire.


They make it look fun.


Speaking of fun, you don't have to build a walking, talking giraffe, or plug an oil leak to contribute at the Maker Faire. You can be as craftily creative as you please, which is what makes it fun for young, and mature, immature, and unsure, for all.

Which is why I loved meeting Binka in theTeacher's Lounge-Educational Outreach space. She sent me ideas and links for our family plans for future Maker Faire-Maker Club-Science Sunday ventures.

Still with me?
Hello?
Even if you just look at the pictures, and cannot bear to read one more enthusiastic-geek-zealous word, you gotta admit, this is pretty cool stuff.


It's cool stuff, made by cool people, like the students from the You Made It! Jamboree.


Please visit their website. They are doing great stuff. Children are learning. It's beautiful.


Look at what Dylan made! This is awesome.


And look!
Look at what these kids have done!
We met these boys in Sequoia Hall, and they were demonstrating and selling the science and project kits made by them.


I brought home the circuit kit and a crossbow kit. I love reading their story, with the list of tools and machines they used to make their creations.


Having spent plenty of time designing and building in a metal shop, Alex was both impressed and encouraging. I think his FIRST experiences give him insight and appreciation for fellow science and technology enthusiasts. He knows FIRST outreach is a respectful exchange within his team, and between his team and his community.

I can keep going. Dare me?


This was a missed opportunity: I should have bought Mark Frauenfelder's book in the Maker Shed. I can still get the book, but it would have been so cool to get it signed. I loved the things he was sharing, and thumbing through "Made By Hand", talking about backyard chickens... I soon realized I was chatting with another kindred spirit. I love that he covers the "joy" and "frustration" of a family going for a Do-It-Yourself life.

Plus: He is playing a cigar box guitar. He made it himself. There is meaning in that.

Long live the Tour de Maker!