Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2000 12:37:52 +0100 From: Jan Lissens W 51737 <lissensj@access.bel.alcatel.be> To: Sheena Beaverson <sbeavers@balloonhq.com> Subject: Beware of my VISOR and here`s a Borg Cubernetic arm to replace it... Sheena Beaverson wrote: > Jan and everyone, > > I'd like to ask (beg) everyone NOT to make the visor Jan described (see > below). He gave everyone such a range of great choices, there's no need > to fall back to this visor. There are so many wonderful balloon > sculptures out there, there is just no reason to make anything that > requires a person to position the balloon directly over their eyes or > ears. If your a making a life-sized Georie, by all means use the visor as > a finishing touch to your artwork... but please, don't use the sculpture > for a human. > > Jan, sorry to come down so hard on you... we all know your love of twists > sci-fi and rely on it for cool ideas. I just like to err on the > side of safety/ caution when it comes to sculptures that have the > potential for accidents built in... this warning was more for the newer > people to the list, who may not have had time to consider all the risks/ > hazards. > > Sheena > > (just my own opinion, by the way, not some official BHQ stance) This is the Trekkie Twister. I WHOLEHEARTEDLY concur with Sheena`s statement. I mentioned the sculpture, because I like the look of it, but this is a potentially dangerous one, since it is put over the eyes directly. guess I should have been wiser and included a warning in the post to the list. This ,BTW, is why, if you look at the picture of the Visor on BHQ, you`ll see I put it on a doll (Garfield, in fact). So, guys, HEED THIS WARNING. I did invent this creation because I liked it, but I`ve never made it for a human myself. Neat idea about the life-sized geordi, though....I`d hate it if something happened. So, here`s a replacement which is safer: BORG CYBERNETIC ARM (the Quick and Easy version) 1. Inflate a black 260 for about four fifths. 2. Make a loop large enough to fit around the upper forearm and make a small pinchtwist. Now make a bubble the lenght of the forearm, another pinch twist and bubble which goes round the arm. 3. Discard the rest of the black. Use it for step 5 if you have enough left 4. Determine, in each loop, the point opposite the pinch twist and make a twist there. 5. Use the rest of the black or a new one. Make a small pinch twist, a long bubble equal to the one in step 2 and another pinch twist. Discard any leftover balloon. You may want to tie off the pinch twists. 6. Lock the pinchtwists to the twists halfway the loops You now have a simple `tube` which slides over the forearm. Now to make and attach the tool and laser. Tool: Several variations are possible, but here`s a pincher (good for grabbing those you wish to assimilate) 1. Inflate a black 260. Make a 2 inch bubble, a pinch twist to form a hook, and another 2 inch bubble. 2. Make a 1 inch pinchtwist. 3. The next is a pinch-n-pop series, like one would use to make jointed arms . Make these bubbles: 2 inch - 1inch-2inch-1inch-1inch-1inch-2inch-1inch-2inch and lock to the first 2inch bubble. Pinch twist all 1 inch bubbles except the third in the above series (the fiffth bubble in all). This bubble must be popped. This will produce a pincher. Attach it to one of the pinch twists at the front end of the arm. Gun. 1. Take some leftover black and make a 2 inch bubble, a 1 inch pinch twist, a 2 inch bubble and a double 1 inch pinch twist. Discard rest 2. Take a green scrap and inflate to form a small bubble with an uninflated tail. Attach this to tha double pinch twist. This is the borg laser. Attach it to the arm in the same manner as you did the tool. Slip it over the person`s arm, and don`t forget to mention that resistance is futile !!!!! Sheena, thanks for pointing this out. You were absolutely right, and if you were worried about me taking this in a wrong way, don`t. I should have thought of it myself. Frankly, this arm`s more impressive than the Visor anyway... There`s a more elaborate version of this arm, too, which is part of an entire Borg costume. I should perfect it, find a model and take a picture to post. Something to put on my to-do list. Borgically Yours, Jan The Trekkie Twister