Yeah, I think my blog titles suck too.
Looking at the calendar, and a LONG TIME seems to have passed since the last update, but really just a weekend and a half... and two weeks!
Okay, a long time.
Last weekend, I don't even remember exactly what happened, but a new FX volunteer, Matt, came out and did diligent work on the vacuum former's oven -- drilled a zillion holes in a very difficult material, and tested out a couple different configurations of heater coil with me. Initial testing gave us way too high a resistance, so we went with a bunch of shorter coils in parallel -- but then we found that a coil or two had rather lower resistances, giving us uneven heating. A good set of experiments, and tedious, but that's science for you. He then went on to help with the shifting of materials for a bit before escaping the greater oven that is the Lab.
Phil and Yvonne have continued their explorations in dentistry, and are getting better and going deeper into new territory every visit, I'm quite pleased. Brad (right? Darn these names) and Kyle also got to see the results of their previous tooth casting, and do a bit more in the sculpting department.
I've spent a couple of weekday sessions working on Nathan's Elmo, and have pics going online now (link at the bottom). He'll be ready to mold and cast soon, at this rate, which is good, because time is short!
Last weekend I spun up the ring sections for the vortex and today I finished the other two rings for the vortex tunnel's outer layer, and last weekend Debra (not Deborah, as it turns out) helped with that some (if I recall correctly). Events kept her away today, but I suspect we'll see her tomorrow again and I'll put her to work drilling holes for the eye-bolts for the guy wires (unless she reads this and sensibly decides to hide).
Robert and Henry have been continuing in their Blood Pump work and I believe it's ready for mounting and powering now -- though I need to buy another package of my ad-hoc O-Ring material to seal them.
I'm hoping Jean brings the new burner to the Lab soon -- she sent pictures, and the work in progress is lovely -- so I can cook up some water and begin the color work for our custom blood formulation.
While I was waiting for Tall Matt to wrap up his work at the Lab so I could carpool him home, I threw together some concept skulls to see if I could -- I guess I'll be making a variety of skulls to decorate furniture and fireplaces with! I'm thinking vacuum molding forms, so I can make a bunch of 'em cheap.
I'm sure I'm forgetting something or someone... I'll fill in on the next post if I remember!
Elmo on Nathan, work in progress:
http://tinyurl.com/n4eme6
Monstrous fangs, top set painted and modeled:
http://tinyurl.com/mnrey6
Skulls test:
http://tinyurl.com/l8kv3w