So this is a different take on the previous shelf bracket concept. The basic shelf bracket can be adapted to just about any theme. Using a scroll saw you can cut out just about any character for that one-of-a-kind bookshelf. Again I recommend that it be cut out of a material similar to Masonite or plywood that does not have a wood grain. This is so the tail can withstand the extra stress that may be placed on it. If you're only planning to hang lightweight items off of the tail then I would go ahead and use 1/2" or 3/4" wood stock. Again the amount of weight that the hook can withstand greatly depends on how the grains in the wood run. The shelf on top of the bracket will set high enough to protect the horns from being broken off or snagging items on them.
I created this design for someone I know that loves to read fantasy books and I hope that you will love this design as much as I do.
The following is a free pattern for a shelf bracket with hook.
This pattern is pretty much self-explanatory. The flower design is optional and can be created by either wood-burning, carving or scroll saw.
Brackets are screwed to the wall and to the shelf. The hook gives you a place to hang things such as a purse.
Be sure to use appropriate screws and fasteners. As always the pattern can be adjusted to fit the size of your project. Long shelves should consider using more than just to brackets, if you're looking to hang heavy items from the hook it is recommended that the bracket be cut out of material that does not have wood grains, which can cause weak points in the hook.
For this and other crafting ideas be sure and visit www.nevadacrafter.com
As kids we have all played with magnets and how two like poles such as + and +will repel one another. I have used magnets in many projects since then and in a lot of different ways.
In this project we are hiding magnets in a friendly looking ghost that hangs from a hangar over a wooden base with another hidden magnet in the base. We make sure that each magnet repels each other before gluing in place.
As the ghost swings back and forth over the base, the ghost will move to avoid the magnet or magnets that are in the base. As a result the ghost does not move back and forth as you would think. I like using rare earth magnets because they are stronger and can be smaller and easier to hide. More than one magnet can be placed in the base to give additional and more unpredictable movements, just make sure all the magnets repel one another.
This is one of my favorite novelties to create during the holidays. It makes a great conversation piece and easily amuses people who are not familiar with magnetism and how it works.
As always this is a Nevada crafter.com project and has not been tested or created to scale. Adjustments and refinements to the project may be necessary.
It is presented here only as a form of entertainment.
[CAUTION: this project may contain small parts and is not intended for small children as these parts may present a choking hazard]
If it is done right it's a pretty cool project. A light tug on the pull string and the bat will appear to be flying. It makes a really cool decoration and center of conversation . The entire project is held together by chords or heavy string and works something like a marionette. NOTE: it should not be hung over a crib and should be kept out of reach of small children as the chords and strings can become a choking hazard!
First drill your preliminary holes and attach the wings to the body using your chosen cord or string. Making sure that the corridor string you choose is heavy enough to support the weight of the project. Start with a ring or loop at the top, add four strings of equal length. (Length is about 18 to 24 inches ) Run two strings on each side of the bat through slits cut in to the dowel and use a dowel to keep your strings separated. You should now have two strings on each side of the dowel for the wings. The most difficult thing about a project like this is finding the right balance points. Adjusting the weight in the pull cord is usually the easiest but in some cases you may have to move the cord holes that support the bat. The two outer holes can be moved closer to the body if the body is too heavy or move them slightly further out if the wings are too heavy. Before painting and finishing your project it is best to do a trial run with everything assembled temporarily. If it is done correctly it should be balanced as shown above in the small diagram. Holes drilled in the wrong place can be filled in with putty or glue and sawdust. Be sure and take notes of where the correct balance holes are if you intend to make more than one .The body can be sanded down to remove some weight or a thinner wood stock can be used. Basically the body should equal the weight of the two wings. Metal washers can be sandwiched In between two pull cord bats or a thicker one that is hollowed out if extra weight is needed for the body. The pull cord bat is actually optional and should be included with the total body weight if used.
Once you have your project balanced you can then proceed to paint your project. Keep in mind to use an equal number of coats of paint for both the wings and the body so as not to throw your weights off.
One of the nice things about this project as it uses a single color paint with only a few highlights as desired. Can use plastic animal eyes to make it more realistic or paint a couple of thumbtacks.
NOTE: If you want to make a quick trial mobile, it can be made out of cardboard or poster board.
In the poster board bat I had to move the holes for the wings out further to accommodate the width of the pencil length dowel. I used paperclips on the wings to adjust the balance. This way once I have the weight correctly adjusted I could simply insert the paperclips into the foam part of the wings Instead of using the small bat on the pull cord I used beads as a counterweight. That is so I can add or subtract however many beads I needed to. I also used beads on the underside of the wings to keep the embroidery thread from pulling through.
The size and type of material will always cause you to make adjustments in the location of the holes, the weights in the wings, and the counterbalance on the belly (pull cord beads). This is why you completely assemble your project. Paint, eyeballs and anything else you add to the project also adds weight.
Once you have made all your adjustments and have decided on all the materials that you're going to use, it is a good idea to make notes and adjustments to your pattern. That way any copies you build in the future will be simple and easy.
As always it should be noted that this prototype design is the property of Nevada crafter.com it is free to the public to use so long as it is not put into mass production. (Anything over 500) please also note that this post is copyrighted and Nevada crafter does not allow reprint, redistribution or republishing without permission from Nevada crafter.com
This is a cloud rainbow whirligig umbrella that can be used as a business sign or address sign. The whirligig part of this is unusual in that it is a hanging whirligig. You must make sure to mount the fan blades of the umbrella at an angle for it to work properly. As with many of my other designs, this is a concept design and has not been tested or prototyped as of yet. The design is set up so that you can scale it to whatever size you need. Keep in mind that if you make the whirligig too large it may not work mechanically. The eye screws may have to be mounted differently than shown to offset the weight of the umbrella and rainbow. The left eye screw should probably be on the rainbow above the umbrella. You may also want to scale the umbrella down in size.
It should also be noted that the umbrella by its self is a whirligig and can be used alone without the cloud and rainbow.
Signs can be the cornerstone of any business success. Attracting customers attention can sometimes be a daunting task, as you are usually competing with hundreds of other signs.
One of the main things that I've learned in the 40 years of being in business for myself is that the only thing that gets people's attention is the oddity that stands out from everything else.
Motion is usually key, as this taps into primitive survival brain functions. The brain cannot ignore such things until it identifies what it is that's moving.
I learned very early on that whirligigs make some of the best signs. They don't always scale up to the larger sizes, but because of their motion and uniqueness they don't need to. In many cases people will actually stop and turn around to see what it is. Their curiosity gets the better of them until they know what it's about. That is why smaller signs work well in conjunction with larger signs. The larger sign states the name of the business, the smaller sign acts like a fishing lure directing them to the front door or whatever else you want their attention on.
Now with all this said I also learned that after seeing the sign for several months people became accustomed to it and begin to largely ignoring it. It is at this point that I change out the sign entirely and from time to time rotating different signs and maintain their interest and attention.
This is probably the most complicated whirligig design that I have created thus far. And as such I would like to stress that this is an untested design that may be better suited as a decoration indoors rather than an actual functioning whirligig or weathervane.
The reason for the complexity is that it uses several different materials that are not usually incorporated into a whirligig. The design is a steam punk style and uses everything from wire, tubing and even wiremesh.
I think it would look really cool using a copper mesh for the netting. The balloon itself is a simple oval 1/4" cut out painted gray to resembled the dirigibles used during the Victorian era. The guide wires or ropes will need to be some type of rigid wire such as brass welding rod or even bicycle spokes to support the balloon. Steam generator in the middle can be part wood but also could be just as easily fashioned out of a metal cut out. Tubing could be substituted with copper or brass wire. The steam gauge itself can be a sliced dowel painted silver and then applying a decal for the gauge and numbers. The ship body is cut out of 1/2" to 5/8" wood stock. The propeller is actually quite simple, in that it is a dowel using beads as a spacer and cap.
The rest of the design is left open for your own imagination, such as the type and style of anchor that you wish to use or whether you would want to add any ports. I personally thought about drilling a hole in the side and then mounting glass marbles as port windows. You could probably use pipe fittings or even Sculpeyclay for copper or brass fittings.
If you have any suggestions or ideas please feel free to post them in the comment section. I'd be very interested in hearing people's input so I can make improvements on the design or future designs.
