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beadyeyedbrat |
Spider 'Speriment |
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In the never-ending
struggle to keep papier mache spider legs
from cracking at the join
to the body, this is an attempt at a
solution. Instead of
attaching legs to the body, I will try to
build the body around the
legs.
Note: Papier Mache will be shortened
to "pm"
click on images to see
larger ones
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Bamboo skewers were taped
together with masking tape, then covered with a layer of
pm strips. You can also use hot melt glue, but be sure
some wood is still exposed. The strips don't stick as
easily to the glue as to the wood in my experience.
Repeat this for remaining leg sections and let dry. Your
sizes are your own; my second sections are half the size
of the skewer and the third sections are just under one
third. This pic is full
size |
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The center tube to a roll of
vacuum sealer bags was cut into four pieces and taped
together. The dry center leg parts were taped on and a
layer of pm strips laid over. This will make up the
center part of the body or thorax. |
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The second sections were hot
melt glued onto the first sections. At this point it
dawns on me how straight this will be. Oh well, time to
adjust on later models. This is a learning process. The
center tubes are stuffed with newspaper. |
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Last sections are hot melt
glue-d on. Starting to look spider-ish. Once the glue is
cool, it was set on the ground. It supports itself
wobbling, but that will get better once all the pm is
on. Right? Once the hot glue was cool, the whole leg
structure was covered with two layers of strip pm. |
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Here are the main parts. Stuffed
plastic bag will be the abdomen. Two plastic eyeballs
are going to be the eyes (duh) but the head size and
shape will prolly change. |
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Head with first layer of pulp
pm. This pic is full size |
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The center tubes are plugged
with pm pulp, and the tubes and first leg sections are
coated with pm pulp. It is
just a coincidence that there is a green spider plant
behind this. |
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Head attached to body (duh)
Looking like Robo-Spider
Ignore the tiny body
underneath...tis another story |
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Legs and body thickened up and
eye ridges built up so his eyes don't pop out. |
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A night time visitor knocked him
off his perch. (could have been cats or raccoons, not
naming any names) No clue what happened to that other
piece of leg, so he's going to have a slight handicap.
Obviously the skewers aren't providing enough support.
They either won't be used again or two will be used for
each leg. He can stand on his own but is too wobbly so
more pulp is in his future.
He is officially named RoboSpider. |
| I give up! If you learn as much from
your failures as from your successes, the next spider
will belong in a museum. The wooden skewers bent once
they got wet and all the patching was for nought. |
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