by raimundo » 17 Jan 2005 15:16
whenever you find some typewriter or computer or other thing with manufactured parts thrown out, look at it carefully as a source of pieces of interest. collect any parts that show promise, particularily any straight pieces of wire that test by hand to be hardened, (spring back rather than set in a bend.) keep a box of this stuff around, so you can look through it when you have a project. for example the matador dimple pin pick should be easy to make, look for thin steel, feeler gauges, clocksprings, the springs from tape measures, etc. and even broken umbrellas have shapes that apply to some locks, as well as some hard wire in some models. remember, all bike spokes are not alike, some are harder, some are softer, and soft ones could be flattened with a hammer, which should work harden them a bit. umbrellas, sweeper bristles etc should all be tested to see if they are soft, hard, brittle, and do not dismiss one source of material just because you found a piece with difficult qualities, often the same source will produce materials of different qualities, dosen't a garage near you throw out windshield wipers cartridges that have been replaced? if you are liveing in a modern country you should be able to access a lot of useful material for free, look on trash heaps for metal of a certain thickness. Matress springs are very hard, but can be annealed and reshaped, uncoiled, hammerd flat, etc. We are very post iron age, so that sort of material is all around, anything that looks like it could have a possibility should be collected and kept in a junk box until inspiration tells you how to use it.
Wake up and smell the Kafka!!!
