The OctoPod

March 08, 2015

Kriby’s son Alec had a school project on Greek Mythology and they worked on a costume. Hope designed a Pegasus on the shield cut from pink Styrofoam.

We installed the 2 strands of 50 Pixel lights into the top of the OctoPod. The roof of the pod was pegboard and the individual Pixel lights were just a little bigger than the pegboard holes. We had to burrow out holes along the perimeter and pushed the blubs of the Pixel lights into the holes. We created a half circle, but completed the strand end to end. The initial programming of the lights was to chase from light 1 to light 100 with different patterns and fading.

Hope’s cartoon strip for the OctoPod Origins is in full swing. She had sample copies of the individual frames. We are in discussions on creating a pamphlet/booklet to market the OctoPod at Great Lakes Fright Fest. Maybe event sell them.

March 01, 2015

The manufacturing of the fake corn and stalks was completed along with a scenic corn field backdrop. We used the tarp that the corn was painted green on. It already had some of the corn stalk outlines. Hope finished it out to make it look like a corn field.

 

The door cutouts were finished. Hope made the cad drawings using Photoshop and Jose’ loaded them into the CNC machine and cut them. Hope started to paint them.

The initial control board was wired and lit. The second control board was started. There were a lot of part digging to find enough knobs and other controls to decorate the control panel. It is an interesting process. Basically, we had hundreds of parts taken from all sorts of sources. EBay, garage sales, flea markets, and rummage sales. Basically a hording of piece parts to radios, plumbing (for copper), air tank gauges, bolts and nuts. A little bit of everything.

The second control panel is shaping up to have two separate Pixel light strands, one from Adafruit; one of their Neopixel rings. Another one from Radio Shack. We were able to snag a few strands of Pixel lights and Arduino  boards while they were going out of business. Lucky us.

 

 

February 28, 2015

From Heidi…

“Last Sunday we completed Build #5.   We made 24 stalks of corn without getting high, Jose repaired the “turd” door on the pod AND got the router working so that we could cut some really cool panels for the front.”

It was decided that one of the scenes was going to happen in a corn field.

Form Kirby …

“Now…imagine this:  The pod viewport opens.  The patrons find themselves in the middle of a cornfield.  On the scarecrow stand is a figure.  Is it a scarecrow?  No…wait…it’s a person, moving slightly, barely alive, dressed in overalls, a checkered shirt, and John Deere cap.  It’s not a scarecrow, it’s the farmer.  Looking more closely, one can see that the famer’s eyes have been pecked out, nothing left but empty dark sockets with streaks of blood running down his cheeks onto his shirt.  From the shadowy corners, the crows attack.  First, pecking at the farmer’s face, then turning their attention to the pod, clawing and biting at the viewport.

And…curtain!”

Naturally, we needed some corn stalks to pull it off. Instead of using real stalks, it was thought better (and way more fun) to make our own. The construction of the stalks was an all day event. Handmade corn stalks were constructed using a technique borrowed from StiltbeastStudios.

Cornstalks:  [supplies needed to make (20) 6′ cornstalks]

• (12) 1/2″ x 10′ PVC pipe
• (8) 1/2″ couplings
• heavy duty floral wire
• clear mailing tape
• plastic water bottles
• clear wrapping plastic
• underlayment
• hot glue and gun
• raffia
• darkish green plastic-friendly spray paint
• yellow plastic-friendly spray paint
• light green latex paint
• black and/or brown Sharpie

 

Stenciled panels for the doors were designed by Hope, are resident graphic artist.

A CAD drawing was outputted and loaded into a CNC router machine for etching. Jose’ programed the routed and cut the panels.

The design of the panels added to the mystic of the OctoPod. The panels were made from cheap, compressed, “scrap” wood and painted to look metical and will later be painted to look rusted. Back lighting will add the final detail to the panels.

February 21, 2015

A roof is added to the pod. Using scrap peg board painted black, the roof is added. We latter made use of the holes in the peg board to insert Pixel LEDs into.

 

Several view port ideas where discussed quickly put to the test. The final idea was to use metal grating as windows to provide a unique and rustic look to the pod to carry the steam punk theme and also to limit the visibility of the seated patrons. We didn’t want chicken wire or chain link fence, it doesn’t carry the design pattern of our pod. We found some metal, wire mesh/grating (Helix Fairing Vent Mesh) that had a diamond pattern that worked well. We benefited from being able to “rust” the mesh and also use it as a spark fence.

Control panels were started. A steam punk theme is kept and panels are constructed using all sorts of odds and ends from piece parts of radios and other electronics. Two main, lighted panels are needed on both sides of the inside of the pod, facing the patrons. Size was somewhat limiting do to the expanded hinged movement of the doors.

For the control panels, EL (Electroluminescent ) wire is used to add a neon tube look. Some LEDs are used to back light some of the knobs and controls. Programmable Pixel LEDs are eventually used as well, to add to the lighting effect.

The pod gets a coat of paint. The color chosen is “Rustic Red”. Paint was mixed on site using a variety of scrap gallon cans of paint. Haunters dumpster diving pays off again!

February 13, 2015

Serious work begins on the OctoPod.

The pod takes shape…the walls are built and erected and bench seat is added to the inside.