How can I repair broken glass inside a stained glass project?

Take it apart

Desolder the near and far corners of the frame - easier said than done, but just patiently melt the solder and push it away with the tip of the soldering iron.

Glue the broken glass back together

Once half the frame is removed, the broken pieces will probably still adhere to the foil, but still be flexible to allow the insertion of your favorite glass glue - e.g. Loctite.  Of course this does nothing about patching the missing shard of glass.

Place copper foil patches in the cracks

Once half the frame is removed, the broken pieces will have to be removed. If you're lucky the pieces of glass will slip off the foil.  If the foil continues to adhere to the glass, it might be necessary to peel off some of the solder coated foil and replace it.  As for filling in the cracks, the pieces will need to ground down so that cracks become wide enough to accommodate foil.  Foil the pieces, coat with solder on both sides of the piece, and reattach the frame pieces.

Do nothing

Repairing with foil is going to look really klutzy. Using glue still leaves a gap where the chip of glass is missing, not much different from doing nothing.


How do I join polyester tubular yarn skeins together?

So, in the meantime, I'm trying something a bit different... It's not the neatest sewing job, but I've managed to sew the strands together, doing a basic up and down through the middle (with the strands overlapping each other) and then looping over and under each side to hold it together on the sides as well. At least this way, there's no big knot and it feels pretty sturdy. ♀

Here's one side of what it looks like worked in with a few rows done extra...

And here's the other side of the work. Maybe in future, I will sew together a smaller section and snip the excess, as even though the bit I sewed was only about 1cm, it's still a bit noticeable... Though probably still less so than if it was knotted. I'll try to do maybe half a cm next time (tricky!) and if I succeed, I will post back again! In the meantime, if anyone else has any other suggestions, I will gladly receive them! =)


A variation on Erica's answer there are a couple of things you can do differently if making smaller pom poms.

Wrap the yarn around a common fork. Using more yarn (more loops) will give you a more uniform/spherical appearance. If possible leave a small space between the tines of the fork and body of the fork. This makes the next step easier.
Use a single strand of yarn and tie it around the loops. You can place it in-between the fork tines in order to get around the yarn loops. Make it tight. (You could also just use a pipe cleaner depending on how you plan to use them)
Cut all the loops out just the same.
You can fluff up the end of the pompom by using something like a wire brush. Using the brush all around the surface will fray the ends creating a more solid appearance.

Wool yarn brushed. Image from clonesnclowns.com
Using small scissors, like sewing scissors, to clean up if some of the frays got out of control.

Here is a video showing the use of the above process minus the brush

Cardboard Disc Method

To make larger poms or to try and help make ones different sized ones consistently then you can try using a pair of cardboard discs

The following will consist of stills from this video that outlines this procedure nicely.

Make two cardboard discs. They will be shaped like a doughnut with pie slice removed.

Place a small tail of yarn in between those discs. You will be using this to tie of later much in the same way as the other method above. This is a very important part as this will be used to hold the whole pom together. You need to always be aware of where this string is during the process and not lose in inside the yarn wraps.

If your yarn is weak and prone to snapping under tension you should use something stronger. Wire work here as well if these will be part of a larger project.

Starting wrapping as much yarn as you deem necessary around the doughnut/circle. The more you use the tighter your pom will be.

Get scissors and cut the yarn in between the discs. Again, be aware of the location of the yarn tail so as to not cut it or lose it. You will have to hold the center of the discs to keep them together until you tie off.
Use the tail and tie around the cut yarn. You should be able to remove the disc now.
Beyond that the rest is the same. Fluff up the yarn to make your ball. Trim to get a more spherical shape. Use a brush if that effect is desired.

Disc Variation

There is at least one other variation to the cardboard disc method that uses specialized templates. It claims to be 5 times faster. If you are making more than a fair share of these it would be worth considering.

Image from homemade-gifts-made-easy.com. Two of them, wrapped with yarn, would be used to make a pom


Ball tips

I was familiar with the Uni-ball Signo 0.28mm tips (virtually the same as a 0.3mm tip, which is commonly available), but the 0.18 was new to me, and that's apparently been discontinued.  I suspect that's pushing the physical limit of what you can do with a ball tip.

A number of manufacturers have 0.25mm rollerballs.  If you've found one with a 0.2mm line, you will have a hard time doing better than that.  Note, though, that even the .25mm ball pens have a reputation for clogging, and ball tips that small can be scratchy to write with.

Ball diameter vs. line width

To answer your question about ball diameter vs. line width, the ball needs to be captured at the end of a metal tube, so just a small portion of the ball sticks out.  That portion will be smaller than the diameter of the ball, and that's the part that defines the line width.

That line width spec isn't always a reliable indicator of line width.  If the tip dispenses a lot of ink, the line can spread and end up wider, depending on the media you write on.  Also, the softer the media and the harder you press, the more of the exposed portion of the ball will contact the paper.  So different pens that all claim to write a specific line width will have very different lines.

Brand

Brand does matter.  Once you get beyond manufacturer's that exaggerate, and are dealing with products accurately described, there are big differences in manufacturing quality and in how long the pens will last.  There are also differences in writing feel, comfort, and line quality.  Different people swear by different brands.  Some of that is due to the type of writing and media, and some is personal preference.  You can check reviews and opinions to narrow the selection, then try some different ones and see what you like.

Super fine lines

The only kind of pen I've seen that claims to get down to 0.05mm or less is a plastic or felt tip pen, and you're already familiar with those.

If you want to go smaller than you can with a ball tip, technical pens fill the gap in that size range.  They're called technical pens because the tip is contained in a thin metal tube that allows it to be used accurately with a straightedge or template.  There are several types of tips used in these.  One type is similar to your Fineliner; the writing tip is plastic or felt.

The other is a metal tip; it's a tiny metal capillary tube that can get down to very fine line widths.  A Rapidograph 6x0 tip has a 0.13mm line.  A Staedtler MarsMatic 5x0 tip is 0.13mm.  Several manufacturers make a 0.1mm tip.  The pens and tips are available from art and office supply stores, and online.

Even with technical pens, the claims of lines finer than 0.1mm (0.05mm and even 0.03mm), are for a plastic or felt tip.  Those claims can't actually be true.  For perspective, A single dot of inkjet printer ink is in the ballpark of 50 microns.  A single dot of toner from a laser printer is in the ballpark of 80 microns.  Dots this small are barely visible up close to the naked eye if they are arranged in a regular pattern.  To create a line that narrow with a pen, you would need to write with a single human hair, feeding ink through its hollowed out center.  So claims of writing a 50 or 30 micron line with a plastic or felt tip just aren't realistic.

I've used a 0.13mm (Staedtler MarsMatic) tip.  It's easy to use on a surface like velum or tracing paper, but it's like trying to write with a needle on regular paper.  At the small end of this style, you need to develop some skill with it to use it on regular paper (which those sizes aren't designed for).  Sizes approaching the smallest ball-type pens aren't a problem writing on paper.  As a practical matter, if you want to make lines substantially finer than what a ball pen can do, and want to do that on regular paper, a plastic or felt tip will probably be the best solution.


I'm inclined to think Elmer's Glue-All (PVA glue) is a good choice, even for the tubes.

I would definitely apply it with a paint brush (like a wide artist's paint brush) rather than just glob it on. It could distort a single sheet, but if you're dealing with rolled tubes I don't expect you'd have too much trouble.

Note that painting it onto, say, the surface of a rolled tube, like a "varnish", will form a composite material with much, much greater strength than the paper tube alone. This is the same principle used in fiberglass and carbon fiber composites.

I would definitely experiment with the particular members you'll be working with. Get a feel for the methods that work before depending your project's success on them :)

You can "seal" an end or even a broad cross section with a thin coat painted on and left to dry. After that, even a big glob will not distort the surface because the fibers have been stabilized.

If you really, really needed to coat a single sheet, perhaps to act as a tension member, I would try pressing it flat (while still wet) after applying the glue to both sides (absolutely as thinly as possible). You would need some sort of non-stick surface for the pressing, perhaps that paper backing that address labels come on or a silicone baking sheet. You might also need some heat to drive off the moisture, maybe a very, very low oven (100F) or just a blow dryer.

A blow dryer will speed drying for many joints, which can be handy during sub-assembly and final assembly. Again, experiment a few times to work out how hot is too hot.

The notion of applying (and letting dry) a thin, brushed-on "primer" coat to key areas before final gluing can be an important one. That way you can use glue "beads" that will provide something of a fillet that can greatly improve the strength of the joint.


Add support to large collage to prevent warping and tearing

Paper has the habit of becoming wavy when wet with water (other liquids too).
So the first thing you might want to try is ti use a non-watery glue, but still suitable for paper.
For the next projects, you might want to investigate about the types of paper available, to choose one more suitable for what you intend to do.
During curing, make sure to apply pressure to the area with the glue - on a flat surface, of course. Worst case, turn a kitchen table up-side-down, place it over the collage, and then add some serious weight over (now inside) it. The floor has to be flat also, or use another table as a support.
Another hint: use a non-stretchable support for the collage, e.g. glass-fiber mesh. You can even build a sandwich: cardboard + glass-fiber mesh + collage (for some added strength).


Have you considered topstitching?

Stitching down all the edges that you want to have a crease in them will offer a mechanical fastener, in the form of thread, to keep the folds in place. This sidesteps the rubber's resistance to being holding a crease.

You can test how it would look by attaching clothes pins or similar along where you would topstitch.


The carbon the pencil producers refer to is to be understood as an abbreviation for 'amorphous carbon' one of the three most common allotropes of Carbon (i.e. stablilized multiatomic structures of atomic carbon) The other well know allotropes are Graphite and Diamond. If you had a diamond pencil you would also have a pencil made of carbon - however a much harder carbon allotrope. Hence it will not produce any line (at least not on paper). See also the wikipedia artikle.

'Carbon pencils' will contain amorphous carbon along with other ingredients to produce a deeper black without the scratchyness of pure charcoal.


Option 1: yarn over (small circle)
A yarn over generally works well. Do remember to reduce afterwards, so your stitch count stays the same. In your example that would be:

k13, yo, k2tog, k12

Knit the next row normally. Treat the yarn over as if it was a normal stitch.
Option 2: double yarn over (larger circle)
If you want a bigger buttonhole, it is possible to use a double yarn over. Remember to decrease on both sides in this case, so your stitch count remains the same. Use ssk for a left leaning decrease and k2tog for a right leaning one.

k12, ssk, yo, yo, k2tog, k11

Knit the next row normally, except the two yarn overs. You have two options for handling this one:

You can knit one and purl the other.

You can slip the first yarn over off the needle, so you only have one left. Then you knit that stitch through both the front and the back.

Option 3: bind off and cast on (long)
Alternatively, you can make a long buttonhole. The top two options are a bit easier and are generally sufficient, but it's good to know a long buttonhole is possible too.
With the right side of your work facing you, you bind off a couple stitches. On the next row you cast them on again. For example (assuming flat stockinette):

Row 1 (right side): k10, bind off 7, k10
Row 2 (wrong side): p10, cast on 7, p10

You can use your favourite method to cast on the stitches on row 2 that works in the middle of a row, for example one of these.
I am not affiliated with either of the linked blogs. I simply believe they offer good explanation of the techniques. If they exist, or exist in the future, feel free to replace them with links to questions on this network instead.


Can I use a smaller diameter hot glue stick on a bigger diameter hot glue gun?

Updated: I've tried it. I don't recommend it.

I needed my big glue gun this afternoon and had some small sticks lying around so I gave it a go. Melted glue came out where the stick goes in, then hardened. It was a job getting it out - several minutes of poking around with knives, wire cutters and screwdrivers, and narrowly avoiding getting burnt. I got more glue out of the wrong end than the right end.

 I had previously used black glue; that's what you can see just above the "80 Watts" label. The thin stuff I was testing with is clear. As I took the picture the black stuck itself to both the clear and the feed mechanism.

You will (I previously said "may") find that melted glue comes out where you push the stick in, so you will need a plan for cleaning up before it solidifies, or have a pusher handy (such as wooden dowel - a glue stick of the diameter the gun is used for didn't help).

There is one possibility of damage or more likely scorched glue: some big-stick glue guns (like mine) have two temperature settings. The hotter may be too much for small sticks (which I've only ever bought/seen as cool-melt).  So be sure to use the right settings, especially as you may have glue hanging around in there if it's not feeding very well.

I'd always buy the right size, but would use only use up thin sticks in a bigger gun if I was desperate.


How can I clean a paintbrush used in acrylic paint?

Dipping your brush into water isn't going to do anything other than get your brush wet. To actually clean a brush, you need physical agitation, and I don't mean "swish it around in the water jar a few times" agitation, but "mash it back and forth against your other hand while holding it under running water" agitation. Use some paint brush soap (or plain old hand soap) and really work up a lather. Rinse and repeat until the lather bears no trace of the pigment you were using, then rinse thoroughly.

If this sounds like too much work when all you want to do is switch pigments, there are two things that will help. One, don't put so much paint on your brush: put the paint on just the tip, not the whole thing. Of course, that's not a terribly effective way to paint a large area such as a background, which brings me to: Two, get more brushes. Basically, use one brush per color, or at least per color family. If you're switching between, say, vermilion and cadmium red, you can get away with just swishing the brush around in the water jar and wiping on a paper towel. You still need to do the thorough washing as soon as possible after you're done, though, since acrylic paint can dry on a brush even if it's sitting in water (plus, sitting in water is itself a bad thing for a brush).


In addition to John's answer, there are some options in the art supply world. In particular, Qor makes a watercolor ground that is good for watercolor, inks, and acrylics. The idea is similar to gesso and provides a base for painting on surfaces not otherwise usable for water-based media.


Do I need safety equipment when working with epoxy resin?

First, you need to make a distinction for epoxies intended for an industrial environment.  There are some kinds of epoxy, and some handling methods (like spraying epoxy for finishes), that are hazardous and need a respirator and skin protection.  Epoxy sold for home use is much safer, and products sold as art supplies are covered by regulations that require them to be pretty safe, including being non-toxic, at least when used as directed (ingesting the stuff can be harmful).

There's mainly two kinds of exposure to protect yourself against.

Skin contact.  The epoxy components can irritate your skin.  People can even develop allergies to it.  Solvents you might use to clean it off your skin can be more harmful than the epoxy, itself.  It's generally a good idea to protect your skin from accidental contact by wearing gloves.  It can be hard to get out of clothing, and the components remain a sticky liquid for a very long time (which can lead to skin contact), so protecting your clothing is common sense.  It's also common sense to wear some form of eye protection.  There may not be much chance of getting a splash in your eye; but if you did that would really ruin your day.
Respiration.  Epoxy doesn't generate much in the way of fumes, and the fumes aren't labeled as poisonous (a technical distinction, see footnote1).  Using small amounts in a well ventilated place is safe, and you generally don't need a respirator to occasionally make some small castings.

But concentrated fumes can irritate your respiratory system, and repeated exposure can cause chronic problems.  If you make huge castings, work in a small space with little air circulation, use epoxy frequently, or have a compulsion to get your face close to the components or the uncured casting to continually inspect things, it's better to use a proper respirator (one designed for fumes, not a dust mask).  It's a matter of how much excessive exposure and how often.  People also vary in their sensitivity.  Someone with a chronic condition like hay fever may already have inflammation and be much more sensitive to the fumes.

If you generate fine dust, especially from freshly cured epoxy, which might not be 100% reacted, like by sanding it, you should wear a respirator, or at least a good dust mask.  If you get those fine particles in your lungs, they can be harmful.

West System, an epoxy manufacturer, has a really good safety guide available as a PDF link: West System Epoxy Safety.  They also have a great broader discussion here: Epoxy Safety - Using WEST SYSTEM Epoxy safely.

1 Note that "poisonous" is a technical distinction related to the nature of potential harm.  "Poisonous" seems to be reserved for materials that cause harm by chemically reacting with your body rather than materials that cause physical irritation or interference at the area of contact (which could potentially still result in your body producing harmful changes).  "Non-poisonous" doesn't necessarily mean not potentially harmful.


What are the different kinds of erasers used in graphite drawing?

While there are different manufacturers and styles there is finite number of basic modern erasers.

Pencil End or Rubber

This is a commonly found eraser outside the drawing community. Usually pink in colour and rough in texture (due to the abrasive). This is the same eraser type that would be found on pencils with erasers.

These remove graphite by shredding themselves over the paper leaving bits behind. If used incorrectly they can damage your drawing surface by tearing the paper.

There are also black and white erasers of similar firmness, but erase slightly more like the vinyl/polymer erasers. They are still abrasive, but less prone to tearing or wearing away your paper.

Image from heartclass.com

Gum

Usually large an brown in appearance. Can also be blue or transparent. They are generally softer to the touch.

They will fall apart or crumble, in larger bits than other erasers that function this way, as they are used. This is by design and why most are larger, compared to other typical erasers. The bits help pull and hold the graphite. Because of how they function and the fact they are softer allows them to be used more easily over large areas and don't generally damage the paper. This also means they have a shorter life span.

Image from Amazon.com

Vinyl / White Plastic

There are white and the usually the toughest of the erasers discussed here.

They are adept are removing a greater portion of the pencil and getting you back to paper. Graphite will stick to the eraser portion so one needs to be careful as you can accidentally transfer pencil to another spot on the page. There rigid shape allow you to cut them to remove used portions if you wanted or to create shapes and contours for more specialized removal. They come in multiple colors, but their function is identical.

Image from artstuff.net and currys.com

Kneaded

Almost all artists will have a kneaded eraser in their arsenal. They are very soft, mold-able and usually grey.

They are designed to conform to most any shape for detailed adjustment and a ergonomic hold if need be. They actually lift the graphite from the page to the eraser. Once that part of the eraser is not working as efficiently you would fold it back into the eraser to expose more unused surface. The picture below shows a new eraser to formed and then a used form (which is darker from graphite). There is next to no risk to the drawing surface when using these.

Image from helloartsy.com

Eraser Pencil and Stick

These are straight forward pencil with an eraser core. However the core can be like the pink eraser or a plastic vinyl one.

Since they can be sharpened to a point and are for fine or detail work. A slightly larger variation of this is an eraser stick which has a long eraser core which gets pushed out in the same way you would a mechanical pencil.

Images from cultpens.com and dick-blick.com

Electric

These are also simple to identify. Looking much like a hand held rotary tool with an eraser bit in the collar.

While they might seem like a novelty they are good at what they do. Since the eraser is rotating during function is take very little pressure to get good results.

Image from currys.com

Again, there are off course many different styles, manufactures and variations of what is pictured above but that should give you a good sense of what is out there.


In what technique medieval book miniatures were executed and are there materials today for doing this?

The drawing of pictures in manuscripts is known as Illumination*

The Wikipedia article on the subject (as mentioned in a previous answer) contains a wealth of information on the subject, including this gif showing the steps:

Image from Wikimedia commons: link

Steps involved (from the image caption):

I. Graphite powder dots create the outline
II. Silverpoint drawings are sketched (you could use pencil instead here)
III. Illustration is retraced with ink
IV. The surface is prepared for the application of gold leaf
V. Gold leaf is laid down
VI. Gold leaf is burnished to make it glossy and reflective
VII. Decorative impressions are made to adhere the leaf
VIII. Base colors are applied
IX. Darker tones are used to give volume
X. Further details are drawn
XI. Lighter colors are used to add particulars
XII. Ink borders are traced to finalize the illumination

This is the technique used in illumination.

As for the materials, despite your misgivings tempera is actually extremely robust and was used for all miniatures, along with ink and gold/silver leaf. Tempera's resistance should be obvious from the fact that we have many surviving tempera paintings that are hundreds or even thousands of years old.

Tempera can't be stored, but it's easy to make yourself with egg, water and pigment.

The Wikipedia article also contains a list of common pigments used in Medieval times - you can try your hand at making these, or use easily available synthetic pigments.

As a final aside, vellum is expensive and relatively rare these days but it is still available.

*In the strictest sense illumination refers only to pictures containing gold, but in normal usage it covers all drawings of this type.


Some sources found:
(More pertaining to the first image)
Don't think their is a definite term per se, but here is some info:
Term 1: "Illustration on photo/photograph"
When searching Google with these terms, came across the original artist related to image 1:
Source: https://www.behance.net/gallery/53008399/Vector-covered-souls
The tools used were Adobe Illustrator Draw.
Term 2: Vector drawing over photo/photograph."
From the artists portfolio they seem to have a series of vector images drawn over top of portraits of human faces. So this might be helpful.
Other terms Googled terms to look into: "Cartoon drawing over photography"


What writing utensils would work for concrete walls?

When dealing with a concrete surface, the first consideration is the smoothness of the surface. If that is acceptable, and of reasonably decent flatness, your options expand nicely. If it's a coarse surface with lots of pits, cracks and other irregularities, chalk may be the only answer. It's messy and washable, though.

If the surface can be painted, consider to use a dry-erase paint product. I found many with a quick search:

Benjamin Moore Dry Erase Paint

Such products will enable one to use standard office-type dry-erase markers of multiple colors and tip sizes, with easy dry-erase erasers used to remove the work.

Depending on the scope of the use (area of walls to be painted), the biggest disadvantage I see is that the room would be very white.


Interlocking plastic, rubber, or foam product that can be cut to size?

I believe that Matt's suggestion of what is called plastic mesh is likely to be the best find.

The image above shows a typical product known as 7 mesh plastic canvas, for 7 holes per inch and lists as being 13.5 by 10.5 inches without a thickness reference. I've seen this material in the past and found it to be about 2 mm, perhaps slightly thicker.

Another site has similar material, a wide selection, including some 5 mesh plastic canvas. That particular product must have rather large openings, allowing for an approximate 5 mm between holes! As such, it's likely to be stiffer as well.


Intentionally letting watercolor paints dry before using them?

Many people do this, it is common practice among watercolorists.
Watercolor paints can be used in their wet form via a tube or they can be used as a dried over consistency. It has nothing to do with the paint being cheap or kiddie as another commenter said. It’s just preference to which consistency you prefer.
I prefer to have the watercolor dried out as it causes you to use less paint than if it was in liquid form. It’s also great for travelling purposes as you don’t have to worry about waiting a long time for your paint to dry before putting it away or having to worry about the colors mixing together in their wet form.
It’s also more cost effective if you buy the paints in the tubes and then put them into half pans versus buying already dried half pans as you will get more paint for your buck buying them in the tub compared to buying them in half pans.


Which needle size will give me the longer scarf?

Take a yarn in a similar weight, measure out a few yards - knit it with the smaller needles you considered (3mm).
Take that same yarn and measure out the same length - knit it with the larger needles you considered (6mm).

Measure both.

I really think the trade off between "more yarn used in a stitch but taller stitches" on the larger needles and "less yarn used in a stitch but shorter stitches" will be neigh-on impossible to predict without either a swatch or at least physically measuring a stitch.

My prediction is that the larger needles will result in a longer fabric for the same length. This is based on the idea that larger needles = a less dense fabric which means more "air space" incorporated. A smaller needle will result in a denser fabric which means more space filled by yarn and less by air.
This is a theory, please at least swatch in a different yarn.

This may also help. I actually just stumbled on it yesterday:

http://www.knitdarling.com/blog/needle-material-affects-on-gauge

The link contains a summary of an experiment a blogger did on how needle MATERIAL affects gauge. The metal needles made the longest test piece for her and the resin needles made the shortest.


Depending on the accuracy you require for your shape, you can certainly use cardboard to create the reflector. If you don't require it to be a reflector, it gets easier!

Consider that the shape is a three dimensional revolution of a two dimensional curve. One will have to presume that you can create the curve on cardboard using the formula of your choice.

Cut the curve from cardboard, then slice it in half vertically, removing a bit more from the center vertical cut line. With a sufficient number of these half-parabolas, glue them standing vertically on a suitable base (cardboard!) with all the center cuts pointing inward. The reason you remove a bit at the center cut line is that the thickness of the cardboard would otherwise prevent optimum alignment of each curved piece.

If, for example, you chose to use eight pieces of 6 mm cardboard, you'd have an octagon at the center with each face/edge of the octagon being 6 mm long. As you increase the number of "fins," the polygon in the center becomes larger and has to have that many more faces.

You can also increase the number of fins by cutting more away from the center cut and expanding the placement of that cut outward from the center.

When you have the skeleton/backbone/structure created, you can apply a surface treatment to the cardboard. This could be as simple as paper sheets glued to the cardboard edges. If a reflector is your goal, mylar film carefully stretched to the fins may provide the surface needed.

You could create the surface treatment by gluing cardboard between the fins, keeping it below the level of the cuts. Apply a layer of waterproofing such as paint or epoxy or similar and then slather on a light coat of wallboard compound. Once dry, you can sand a smooth shape to the surface to get even better results. I'm not sure how you'd get an optically reflective surface on wallboard compound, but it would provide a smoother surface for a mylar covering.

Because one word is worth one one-thousandth of a picture, I'm hopeful the attached image will be useful:

EDIT: Using a thinner material will allow more "fins" with smaller gaps and reduce the interpolation referenced in the comment section. Perhaps a primary support of cardboard with intermediate segments constructed of heavy paper with interspersed segments of ordinary paper will provide higher resolution with the compromise of being more difficult to construct!

Yet another solution, perhaps easier to construct. Consider to rotate the planes of cardboard from parallel to the axis of rotation to perpendicular to it. Solve the equation for x and make a series of circles in cardboard based on the y-thickness of the material. Thicker cardboard means lower resolution, fewer sheets to cut, thinner means higher resolution, even to the level of paper thickness.

The ease of construction comes into play because you need only to stack the sheets. You can make a negative or a positive form by using the holes or the cut-out portions. Alignment can be accomplished with a common location (the center of the cut-out circles) or a pair of holes outside of the cut-out circles, then pushing dowels through them.


Looking for a difficult knitting style or technique, and how to tell whether it's been done well

Our Wiki answer:

background information

Trust me when I say realistically there's not alot of difference between knitting a 4" by 4" square and a metre by a meter cot blanket. Size of project is no indication of skill. Typically a good knitter progresses from plain items to fancy. Shawls are definite "I've made it as a knitter" items, & socks can be too. To put it another way, due to shawls using a number of techniques you wouldn't expect a beginner to attempt or be able to make.

Advanced techniques include:
 lace - one very carefully, literally, knits something that resembles lace

cables, "Aran" is the jargon name

colour work -this includes "fair isle" which is a very particular type.

, "entrellac", (which I've always wanted to do) it looks like someone wove narrow knitted strips together

jogless stripes, ideally ones stripes don't start/finish with an offset. If you achieve this, your stripes line up perfectly they are said to be jogless

A good knitter has even stitches that are not too loose, not too tight They can find and fix there own mistakes, and use many different "cast on & cast off" techniques.

If you want to keep the looking at the shoulder of the Jersey/cardigan your sentence could read

  [Kitchener]Her eyes shot straight to the
  shoulder seams, looking for the tell tale
  pucker, but there was nothing but a row of
  perfectly even [pick any expletive] stitches.

Or

  Short rows? Her eyes shot straight to the
  neckline, looking for the telltale holes
  caused by the wraps, but there was
  nothing but row upon row of perfectly
  even, perfectly slanting curved knitwork.
  Row upon row upon row.

  Fair isle? Her eyes shot straight to the
  colourwork, looking for the telltale
  puckering of tight floats, but there was
  nothing but row upon row of perfectly
  even tension.

Little Arrowhead stitch  is a difficult technique

  "She looked at the Little Arrowhead panels, not a stitch or hole was out of place"
  "Well, Is it any good?" Dan said
  [Mia] conceded that "not only is it good, it's amazing" her insides churning as she felt her thing ripped away by [Naomi]'s clearly superior skill. (Lol)

"Oh don't you just love steeking" gushed Naomi, clearly pleased to talk with someone who shared her passion.

"Yes" Mia agreed matching Naomi's tone, unwilling to admit she had no idea what [private derogatory nickname] was on about

"The thrill as you cut through your stitches; watching them unravel" continued Naomi.
 Mia suddenly realised her new acquaintance had jumped the line between genius and insanity, and was merrily skipping away.

(Steeking scares/horrifies knitters of pretty much any skill level)


How can I get dried Elmer's white glue out of hard bristle paint brushes?

Soaking them in warm/hot water is the common procedure for removing Elmer's glue.  Elmer's glue is specifically water-soluble — so if it isn't coming out then maybe it is not Elmer's.

Make sure the water is warm/hot throughout the soaking.

You may need to peel-off the outer layers of glue, first, and then re-soak to loosen the next layer.


How do I get a glass jar out of refractory plaster?

My approach would be to carefully drill holes into the glass very near one another, and then gradually break pieces away with long nosed pliers, or if you have a dremel with a tip for grinding glass remove the glass that way once the holes are dilled. I'm assuming you can get to the glass, perhaps not.

A photo of the challenge would be a big help.

Am I assuming correctly the foundry can take a lot of heat? If so, then would a blowtorch on the glass melt it? (obviously the foundry will become exceptionally hot).


How to cut a stitched leather belt without it unraveling?

Without seeing the belt - but having an idea of what it might look like - here's an idea that might work:

I assume the buckle end of the belt is pulled through the lower part of the buckle and folded back onto itself and sewn across the edge to hold it in place.

To remove the buckle, carefully cut that stitching open and pull the belt through to the length you want and trim it so that the new edge hits the back of the belt at about the same place as before.
Sew across to hold the belt in place.
The cut threads along the edge of the belt will now be on the underneath side of the belt.  If you don't fix them in place, they will unravel and eventually show on the outside of the belt. You can use Fray Check (fabric glue found in craft or fabric stores) or superglue to glue the cut threads to the underside of the belt so they won't unravel.

You can also take the belt to a shoe repair place to resew the cut edge, unless you have an awl (sharp hole-maker) to make new holes in the new belt edge that you can hand-sew through to fix the folded-over part to the back of the belt.  Then glue the cut thread as above.

If the sewn edge of your belt is a thin leather ("boondoggle") and not thread, you can try gluing the cut stitches, but you can also have a shoe repair place sew them down when they sew across the new edge.

Good luck!  Good for you for trying to fix the belt you like instead of just tossing it.


How do you properly use more than 3 colors in a crochet project?

You use more than three colours the same way you use three colours.

If the different patches of colour are close together you can leave the thread idle while working till you need it again.
When slightly wider apart you can lock the idle yarn under a stitch or wind it around a different thread that is handy.

But if the distance is big, tie off and start with the colour again when you need it.

Depending on the actual style of crochetting yarn taken along under the stitches might show or be hidden.
If hidden, it is the best way to move the idle yarn for a few stitches, not only locking the lengths away but also strengthening the colour changes.
You can also use this method to anchor the end where you take out a colour and the start of use of a new colour.


What is this liquid called in my India ink?

India ink has only three ingredients: lampblack, water and gelatin or shellac as a binder(in fact, traditional India ink doesn't even contain this), with shellac being much more common. As you've guessed, this means that the clear liquid on top is probably a mixture of shellac and water.

Shellac can be found easily online (if you can't find it in person) either as flakes or a liquid.


What kind of resin can be used to fill a gap in a piece of wood?

An epoxy resin, or polyepoxide: a resin mixed with a hardener.
This can be used both for filling in gaps in wood as well as encasing wood.

  Epoxy can give wood a waterproof, resilient finish. In most cases, it is an ideal coating for wood projects that will be exposed to moisture or wear. (source)

Some epoxies are intended for use with wood, or, more specifically, wooden furniture (called 'tabletop epoxy', for example), and will be clearer, more UV-resistant, and less prone to forming bubbles.

Whether coloured or clear is a matter of taste.

If you're thinking of casting the entire piece of wood in resin, you can calculate how much you are going to need here (NB that's a commercial website).


How to get a smooth and glossy professional finish on plastic?

That may be the plastic itself rather than paint. Molding the parts using colored plastic and a mold with a mirror finish produces a surface like that.
Getting that kind of finish with paint basically requires "polishing" the paint.  It is sanded with extremely fine sandpaper (grit in the thousands), then polishing compound, and buffed. It's essentially the same process as painting a car.
If you need to do that with small parts, do the painting process as you've described. If there's a lot of surface detail, skip the sandpaper. You can use toothpaste as polishing compound. When you buff it, don't let the surface heat up, as that will melt the paint and make the surface a mess. Car bodies have a lot of metal to suck away heat, but plastic is an insulator and heat will build quickly.


A commercial paint remover of sufficient potency may solve your problem, although great care should be taken in handling and use. A friend runs a shop using aircraft paint removal chemicals. Once applied and placed in sunlight, the paint bubbles and scrapes off easily. The same chemical burns like a match if even the smallest drop touches skin.

Perhaps slightly safer and possibly as effective would be automotive brake fluid. Every bottle of the stuff has warnings about damage to paint, although there is a possibility that the silicone based stuff would not be as damaging. A quick Google check shows that silicone based brake fluid DOES NOT damage paint.


Inexpensive method for highlighting a sketch

I wonder what you mean by highlighting a sketch? If you work on a white (or almost white)  paper then the only thing you gonna need is a soft (6b) pencil or even cheaper a regular HB penci to start. But I recommend a 6B.
If you gonna work on a toned paper or cardboard then be aware that chalk won't work well on graphite. Also a black and a white one will give you a slight blueish cast if mixed. Thereby going with a 6b and leaving the highlights untouched is better. If needed you can use an eraser as a cheating option.


Push-to-open lid for box using a special latch?

The first response that popped into my alleged mind was a push-to-open latch. The link points to a Home Depot product, but there are many sources. Consider the concept of the lowly retractable ball-point pen. One push extends, the next, retracts.

image courtesy of linked site
The image shows a magnetic attractor to mate with a metal plate on the moving part. If your project has sufficient depth, a single latch could be placed in the center of the inner box or be integrated into the moving portion.
There are other designs of push-to-open latches and some may have a lower profile.


How to tell a story through pencil drawings?

There are several different ways you can depict multiple actions taking place over time in a single panel, depending on who is doing the action, what the action entails, and which components remain constant/static over the duration of those actions. The key is that you are depicting both movement in time and space (e.g. you're showing an action that occurs over time, not multiple actions taking place simultaneously).
For instance, if you had a pet mouse crawling all over its human companion, you could have the human remain in a single, fixed position. For the main image, you could have the person sitting at the kitchen table, holding the mouse in their hand to illustrate their relationship with each other. But then the mouse can be drawn in many other places to create the impression that it's curious, energetic, and explorative - in the person's hair, on their shoulder, peeking out from the cuff of their other hand, sliding across the table, climbing the back of the chair, peeking out from behind the salt shaker on the table or a jar on the shelf behind the person. The other action poses of the mouse can be drawn in less detail or in lighter shades so that the main pose - that of the person holding the mouse - is more emphasized. Sven Nordqvist makes use of this technique in Pettson and Findus quite often - see below for an example.

(Source: Findus Disappears! by Sven Nordqvist)
For an action carried over a distance, you could show a long, landscape drawing with the subject shown in various mid-action positions to illustrate their movement across the landscape - for instance, a child running and playing through a park. You could even depict a greater passage of time by having the subject and other components of the background (trees, houses, etc.) age as they travel across the scene - think of Simba, Timone, and Pumbaa as they cross the log bridge in Disney's "The Lion King" (the original animated classic; not sure if the newer movie has this scene) - as they travel over the log, you can imagine creating a single still image where they are young at the start of the log, and as they walk from left to right across the log, in the middle is a young, adolescent Simba with Timone and Pumbaa, and near the end of the log he's full-grown, mane and all.

(Source: https://9gag.com/gag/a846Lr3)
I have also seen some stunning examples of actions taking place over a single vertically-oriented panel in comics drawn by NanoMortis and Yuumei on DeviantArt.
Here is one such example: "Up All Night" by Nanomortis
In your particular example of the coffee-drinking vampire, you could have the starting and ending positions of the vampire change over time. For instance, perhaps he starts out seated at the table/counter, slumped over the lively cup of coffee, but then after drinking the coffee, he perks up, while the now sad and empty cup of coffee has been knocked over on the table. You can have these poses overlapping and have one constant, static setting, with light lines drawing the intermediate stage(s) in between. If you're using color, that could be a great way to show the transition from the first phase to the final - perhaps a cool color scheme transitioning to bright/hot (to show the change in the vampire's energy), with the intermediate tones in muted/light tones so that the first and final stages are the most contrasting colors and pop out more than the transition. Otherwise, if you're working in graphite only, you can use dark, sharp, crisp lines for the final pose only, and lighter lines for the earlier position and transition. In either case, the transition poses should be less detailed to avoid cluttering the image too much and to produce the illusion of movement.
If the first and final poses are too similar, such that they overlap significantly, then you might need to do a sort of "merged panel" drawing - that is, show each of the stages (including the inanimate objects in the background/setting- you can link the counter together to appear as one continuous object to establish continuity between each stage) repeated over the length of the image, but separately instead of overlapping (or with some slight overlap). This may work if there's a certain motion that carries through the repeated image (e.g. the motion of lifting the cup to the vampire's mouth can help guide the eye in the same direction over the repeated images).
These are just some ideas off the top of my head, but hopefully these can help give you some ideas to work with. Good luck!


How to paint rough but distinguishable people with oil paints?

There are a few things to consider, that I can think of at the moment:

This merging with the background and the blobs are actually the charm of the technique. You either learn to use it to your advantage or find a technique that serves your means better. (You can mix techniques, too, of course.)
Generally speaking, wet-on-wet works better on larger scale canvases because of the smudge-like nature of the technique.
For applying paint in detailed manner get a fine brush, either flat of pointed. The ones I'm referring to are actually not meant to be used for oil (I think) but they work fine with it (as long as they are not the ones with ultra-soft bristles; all brushes for oil need to be fairly stiff). You will still have some mearging with the background, though.
You can add fine details to your painting without the merging by letting the layer you've painted dry a bit and then paint on top (but this is not wet-on-wet).


Always make sure to test any solvents on a piece that you don't mind ruining first

Man-made fibers and plastics can interact quite unexpectedly with solvents. Since most 3M spray adhesives aren't water soluable (per the MSDS), solvents are going to be the trick for removing overspray.

PerfectFit.com has some good suggestions:

  Removing overspray. Adhesive overspray is always better prevented than
  removed. But several common solvents can help clean it off, including
  mineral spirits, turpentine, citrus-based cleaners or 3M™ Adhesive
  Remover. Be sure to follow proper precautionary measures when using
  solvents!

  On hands, apply baby oil, cooking or vegetable oil, followed by soap and water.
  On furniture, use a furniture polish.
  On fabrics and carpet, first remove as much glue as possible with masking tape. Then dab the surface with a cloth dampened with one of
  the solvents listed above.
  Or spraythe surface directly with 3M™ Adhesive Remover or a citrus-based cleaner.

  Always test solvents and cleaners on inconspicuous areas of fabric or
  carpet first.


I will interpret the question as you wanting to know how long it takes until a black ink inkjet print noticeably fades.
As with many artworks involving colourants, keeping prints flat in a dark, cool, (atmospherically) stable and pure, and dry place will preserve them for the longest period of time.
Make sure the envelope you're using is made of acid-free paper, as acid can break down the chemical compounds of both the paper.
Similarly, use gloves when handling the print to avoid transferring acids and other contaminants to the print.
Relative humidity should be kept stable somewhere between 30 - 40%, the temperature around around 0° Celsius (32° Fahrenheit) ideally, or between 18 en 21° Celsius (65 to 70° Fahrenheit) when stored in your house, and the air free of pollution ("sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, peroxides, and formaldehyde"). source
Kept like this, based on this article and the values in the adjacent table, your print could remain visually unchanged for over a century:

click image for larger version | source

Of course, as for the larger question here, apart from the environmental conditions, the longevity of prints is determined by a range of options that need to be selected carefully for the intended purpose.
I assume you know this already, as you mention the type of paper, but both the ink and the paper used are important for print permanence.

The inkjet ink will be either pigment- or dye-based.
Pigment-based inks last longer, since they consist of much larger particles: they are more stable, retain their colours better, and are less sensitive to environmental factors.
For a more detailed comparison see this related answer.

The paper used is important for the bond that the inkjet ink will form.
The paper should be acid-free, too. Coated paper specially intended for inkjet printer prints lets the ink bond better, resulting in improved ink stability.
Inkjet paper, fine arts paper, permanent paper, archival paper (wood pulp/cotton rag), swellable polymer coated papers (for dye-based inks, a coating that encapsulates the ink), and microporous coated papers (for pigment-based inks) have an increasingly longer 'ink-life'.
You can read a more detailed study of the preservation of prints, diving deeper into these particular factors, on this page of the NEDCC.

Even though, depending on your printer and settings, the black ink might be composed of a variety of colours, "'black and white' prints are vastly more stable" source.
Also, note that different brands, manufacturers, and models of printers have different technologies, inks, and qualities. And your printer settings will have an influence, too, if only for the amount of ink used for the print - even the font you use has consequences for the permanence of the print, as this study (pdf file) shows.
The conclusion to be drawn is that it's hard to tell how long the print will last, as there are too many factors involved.
A great general resource on print permanence is the Wilhelm Imaging Research website, full of studies and tests performed to find out the longevity of printed materials.


Which kind of tool can be used to spread one oil pastel colour over another?

One way to simply keep your thumb clean is to wrap it in a paper towel or cloth. This doesn't really resolve the problem of thumb size, however -- indeed, it makes your thumb larger.

For finer detail work, a tortillion would be better. This is a rolled-up piece of paper that tapers to a point. This is much like Zizouz212's suggestion of an eraser, but perhaps less expensive -- you can purchase tortillions, but it's also possible to simply roll your own from whatever paper you have on hand (here's one tutorial).


Oooh, I used to have one of these as a kid - not the whole set, sadly, but the compass itself and a few of the accessories. Congratulation on the purchase, it's a very satisfying tool to use. I inherited it in early 00s and it got me through 8 years of geometry classes; I vastly preferred it to the modern versions.

First row

"Liner"

If I'm correct (it's not clear from the photo), this is a tool to make straight lines with ink. (I don't know the proper word for it.) It would have two blade-like parts connected by a screw which controls the distance between them. You dip this in ink, the space between holds and distributes it (it works like a dip pen nib hole, on the principle of surface tension).

Probably useless these days, but might be fun to play with.

Second row

??? possibly a liner leg for the compass?

Really not sure from the picture. I never had this one. It might be a version of the previous tool that fits as a leg.

???

No idea, but I'm guessing a piece of sandpaper or something else for sharpening the lead.

Spike

You would put this instead of the graphite leg and use it to measure distances - to get a more precise read than directly with a ruler, following a line etc.

Longer leg???

This looks like another leg replacement, but I never had one of these and I can't tell from the photo. If there is a lead holder at the tip, then it's a longer leg for bigger circles. (And then I wish I had that one, that could have come handy.)

Spare lead container

Practical and fancy looking. Very satisfying rattle. :D

Second row

Compass

The compass should behave pretty much like any modern compass. The top leg (on the second photo) holds the lead; you replace the lead by unscrewing the tip (careful not to break the lead in the holder, it's hard to get out).

Loosening the small wheel lets you take the leg off and replace it with something else, for example the spike.

The leg should be hinged a bit above the small wheel and turn inwards. That enables you to position the lead perfectly vertically, for very sharp circles.

The small wheel on the bottom leg lets you adjust the length of the spike to fit the lead. Is there a hinge under the wheel? Some models also had a cool feature where you could flip the spike to choose between two different versions.

If the compass is loose (I assume you mean that the legs open too easily) you can tighten the screw on the top hinge (visible in the second photo). Same can be done with the leg hinge (that screw is on the side, visible in the first photo).

On mine you could also unscrew the top handle, but I never learned what that is for, other than losing the damn bit. Maybe someone else will know. :)


What is the name of the rigid plastic cord in this hem?

Welt cord and piping cord are the correct terms.

They come in different varieties, with the center filling being made of different materials, such as foam or rope or cord.

You can also get them hollow, and then you buy a cord of your choice to thread through it, such as the rigid plastic cord that you'd like.

Instead of buying pre-made piping cord, you can also make your own. Again, you end up filling the "pipe" with a cord of your own choosing.

If you choose a rigid plastic cord, you'll lose some flexibility. Which, in a pack/bag, I imagine is the point, as it will retain its shape better when empty.


Can pigment ink somehow be used like a stamp-pad?

Based on your description and on research based on the terms you've provided, I expect that you have what users would consider an ordinary colored rubber stamp pad. Unfortunately, most of your description leads me to believe that it has deteriorated due to age or exposure to air.

The pad should be firm sponge feel and slightly moist. If it had dried and deteriorated, it will behave in a manner similar to an aged kitchen sponge.

The fragments you've described sound like "chunks" of the pad breaking away. As they are typically well impregnated with pigment, when you are experiencing the smearing, it is due to the higher concentration of pigment being released from the fragmenting fragment.


What can I line a collectible card box with that is not felt or flocking?

You could take inspiration from old suitcases: these used either fabric (woven linen or cotton), or paper. (I actually suspect that they used bookbinding paper/cloth, more on that later.)

Reasonably sturdy paper would be easiest to handle - patterned wrapping paper from a craft store, maybe, or even a piece of wallpaper.

Fabric can be tricky (stretching, glue seeping), but a smooth, woven upholstery fabric is a reasonable option.

If you can get your hands on book cloth, that's definitely a great choice. It's fabric lined with paper, sold in sheets or rolls. Takes glue well, doesn't stretch or wrinkle, easy to cut in straight lines. The downside is that it can be expensive or hard to find, depending on your location.


Is there any way to paint with acrylics over oil?

As Catija implied, if your oil painting is less than 6 months old you shouldn’t do this. And if the oil paint is impasto (very thick) you should wait up to 18 months before varnishing. A very bad technique that would work is to varnish with a solvent-based varnish, let cure for 72 hours and then overcoat the varnish with a water-based varnish. Then you could theoretically paint with acrylics on top of this, but if your substrate is canvas I can promise you that you will sooner or later see cracking and flaking - especially if the “final” hanging place has humidity swings.

One last reason why this is not a good approach is that conservators will find it pretty much impossible to restore this kind of work. Basically you are dooming the painting to be more temporary than necessary.

Why don’t you just use oils?


How can I cut popsicle craft sticks without splitting them?

Craft sticks and Popsicle sticks are not known for their quality when it comes to grain and warping. So when you are cutting them, the stress is released in the easiest way possible which is along the grain. This is especially true because of how thin they are.
One of the following methods should work. They are both related in that I am suggesting multiple cuts.
Scoring
Instead of trying to do one cut you should try and score your sticks first. Scoring will help guide the break and prevent it from going through the rest of the stick. So, score it once then do the rest of the cut.
Multiple shallow cuts
Essentially scoring all the way though. The slower safer method is cut though the sticks in several successive cuts. Use a ruler to help cut straight so you can focus more on your depth of cut. Put more sticks under the ruler to help keep it flat.

Either way you need a thin and sharp blade. You want to cut the fibres of the sticks and not push them apart. So something like standard scissors would be a bad choice.


How to reproduce faux tortoise shell material

I've recently viewed a YouTube'r creating pen blanks with two different colored resins and pine cones. She placed a timer in the camera view and after mixing the two parts of the respective resins waited for a specific time before pouring the resins into the mold.

I did not pay sufficient attention to the elapsed time and it would depend on the resin being used. I've seen resins that gel up in three or four minutes and another product that has forty-five minute working time.

You may be able to use your existing resins if you are able to determine the edge of the gel period.


What are the (dis)advantages of both sides of chart paper for drawing or painting?

The rough texture side is good at "grabbing" and creating friction. So it is better for things like pencils/graphite and for allowing it to deposit into the texture of the paper. The smooth side is better for precise application of liquid medium such as inks.

The texture side will be good at holding layers of powder medium such as soft pastels, and allowing for smudge-blending from areas where deposits have built up. It can also grip and hold things like oil pastels well because the texture gives them something to grip onto.

It would be less effective to use oil pastel on the smooth side as there would be much more streaking; it would build up less and adhere less on the smooth side. Similarly, pencil/graphite would build up less and not adhere as well on the smooth side as there would be less friction from the paper's surface to allow the graphite to deposit.

For inks from things like markers, you could utilize the smooth side to help reduce "bleeding" from over-flooded areas since the smooth surface is more resistant.

An extreme example of how this works is if you imagine a sheet of glass vs a sheet of soft blotting paper. In the extreme, the smooth surface of the glass would repel ink, creating a surface tension at the edge of the liquid so that it forms small domes on the surface. The blotting paper would simple soak up the ink into a network of texture and absorbent fibers. In the less extreme (aka with the chart paper) this smooth surface on the paper is acting as a slight barrier and allows things like ink to glide along the surface without instantly being absorbed and spreading outwards.

When drawing, the ultimate way to find out how your tools and mediums will respond to the specific paper stock you are using is to experiment as there are many variables that could help overcome or take advantage of one side or the other for drawing (the thickness of the medium, the application, the tools, the tooth of the paper, etc).

Hope this helps!


Depending on the glue, there might be solvent available. Dilute the glue a lot (the one containing the glitter), use a sieve to separate the glitter from the diluted glue.
Repeat until the glitter is clean enough. If you are lucky, the solvent of the glue will evaporate and you will be able to salvage the glue also.

Easier method: throw the mess to the garbage and buy new glue and new glitter.

@rebusB posted a very useful comment (thank you):

Unless it is water soluble glue like Elmer's or actual gold in the glitter, the labor, toxicity of solvents, and likelihood of it being a huge messy waste of time makes letting the gluey glitter go a better call.

OR just use the glue glitter as is.


When to use a fixative in a drawing with charcoal and pencil?

Workable Fixative is meant to "freeze" what work has been completed already. By spraying when the charcoal layer is finished, before beginning the pencil layer, you "fix" the charcoal layer to minimize smudging of it during work on the pencil layer. There may still be some minor smudging or transfer of charcoal in heavier areas, but it will be drastically reduced from what it would be if you did not fix the charcoal before continuing to work. You will no longer be able to erase the charcoal, and you will still be able to add to it.

There is no real benefit to choosing to wait until the end, unless you believe you will be erasing part of the charcoal during work on the pencil layer. The benefit to spraying as you go is better stability of the materials you've already laid down, as you continue to work over the top of them. If you have areas of the charcoal layer that are complete, these can even be fixed before you move on, as charcoal can easily be worked over the top of workable fixatives.


Digital textile printing with Dupont inks onto natural fabrics

I don't know about the inks your referring to specifically but given your concern about too much fading, you may want to consider pre-treating your fabric and being done with it, esp. if you don't trust your print shop or its very important it is to my customer that the design not fade.  My perspective is more of from that of a professional artist/craftsman working on a project, although I would want to spend as little as possible, I would need to weigh the cost of doing it once well against the cost of having to redo something that didn't work out.  I hope this helps.


How to fix or remove a stuck cone shape airbrush nozzle

The Taiwanese factory sent me an email to help me fix an airbrush having the nozzle stuck in the head cap 15 years ago.

The solution is to use a needle-nosed plier:

Place the needle-nosed plier's left tip on the left edge, and the right tip of the needle-nosed plier into the nozzle's hole. Grip using little force.
Place the needle-nosed plier's right tip on the right edge, the left tip of the needle-nosed plier into the nozzle's hole, grip it using little force.
The nozzle falls off!


You don't say what you are trying to make or do so I can't help there, but what follows addresses your question about twist in string.

String is technically a yarn.

The two major classes of yarn are Spun and Filament.

Spun Yarns are composed of individual fibers that are "spun" (by various means, manual and mechanical) together into a longitudinal structures called a yarn.  What holds the fibers together? Why doesnt the yarn just fall apart into loose fiber? The physics that hold the loose fibers together is supplied by twist.  Low-twist yarns are looser and less stable than tighter yarns - think of a loose fluffy (low-twist) yarn in a soft sweater vs. a tight (high-twist) yarn that is woven into a smooth dress shirt fabric.  Even sewing thread is technically a yarn and has twist for strength and stability.

Filament Yarns are zero-twist yarn structures.  Filament yarn is extruded (again, via various methods) and is not composed of fiber held together with twist.  Examples are synthetic monofilament like fishing line, and the monofilament that is used to weave some outdoor fabrics and furniture, and some types of indoor-outdoor carpeting.

The twisted string structure you show in your question looks to be two yarns simply twisted together.  The twist in the red and black yarns holds each of them together individually, but simply twisting the two yarns together does not produce the physical cohesion between the two structures that mimics the twist imposed in a fiber spinning process. That's why ropes and braids will easily unravel.

This is a simple explanation, it's possible to get a material science PhD in the physics of textile spinning, so there is much more info out there.

Hope this helps.


Where can I find 1/2" thick colored acrylic?

Unless your customers require personalization of the game pieces, you might want to consider going to a mixed medium approach to your production.  Prototype your products with the laser cutter using an opaque laser safe high-density foam or any other laser safe media which comes in your desired thickness.  Then once your prototypes possess the desired shape/size, make a silicon mold of them and then cast them in clear resin.  That will free you from your height limitations and seriously cut down on your material costs, while still producing a transparent product of acrylic hardness.

By adding a vacuum chamber to your resin casting process, you can eliminate the embedded air bubbles which often diminish the appeal of cast products.  When fully degassed, clear resins can produce crystal clear transparency, totally free of embedded imperfections.

The best part is that you can mix powdered dies into your liquid resin, allowing for a full rainbow colors and shades.


How can I attach balloon decorations to a painted wall?

Previously, I was attaching tape, glue dots, etc directly to the balloons and pressing them onto the wall. That failed. After a lot of experimenting, I discovered if I attach a size 160 balloon to the balloon flower and used coloured electrical plastic tape, it stayed on the wall for over 4 hours.

Details on what I did:
I cut a size 160 balloon and attached it to the balloon flower by wrapping it around the balloon flower a few times. After attaching the 160 balloon to the balloon flower, I attached the tape onto the end of the 160 balloon, then I attached that part to the wall by pressing on the tape against the wall. I also made sure there was not a lot of tension between the end of the 160 balloon where it had the tape attached and the wall itself so the tape would not be pulled off the wall.

The attached photos shows what I did.

[1


Why are my China clay objects breaking during drying?

China clay is or kaolin is not structurally strong enough just on its own and needs to be mixed with other materials to form a more robust material that will survive the pre-firing drying period. Assuming this is happening pre-kiln. When you say " when it is dry after some time they end up broken" it sounds like you may not be firing them soon enough or not at all, which is required for them to remain solid. Otherwise they will return to the dust that they came from.


What needle depth should I set to prevent the machinery from hitting the needle?

You should be able to download the manual for this machine on Singer’s website. I can’t see the model number, it looks like it may be model 457, if so, it’s there. Upon looking at the manual for the 457, it only gives maintenance instructions not repair. This is not unusual.

See the two lines lower on the shaft?
To answer your “spec” query, instead of a measurement, the instructions will be to line up those marks by turning the flywheel. I don’t remember specifically which line to what spot.
Then inside the bobbin area, you’ll need to loosen certain screws to move the catch position so it grabs the thread properly and doesn’t smash into the bobbin.

It seems like it’s that screw, but, it’s the bobbin that needs to be adjusted.

This would be a “tune up” procedure to fix the “timing” if you want to get quotes from a pro repair company.

Start by thoroughly cleaning out the bobbin area, oil the machine and then, it’s best to get a pro to make the fine adjustments.


How do I choose which adhesive or material to repair action figures?

It depends what you want out of the repairs.

If you're looking for longevity and quality of repair, an epoxy (resin) is your best bet. They tend to create the best seams and are difficult to break. The downside of these is that you get one shot - getting it wrong quite often either gets the parts stuck in the wrong place, or you very messy. Some epoxy glues also require mixing of two ingredients, which is definitely messy.

For quick-and-dirty repairs, it can be better to use superglue (acrylate-based glues). This takes longer to set, in general, and won't last as long, but can be useful for repairs that won't see much stress or that don't matter too much. Be aware that you can't use superglue on all materials - notably, acrylic won't take well to it.

Information from my own knowledge, supplemented by the information available here.


What is the best way to sew knit/stretchy fabrics?

I would suggest iron-on soluble interfacing. That should keep the fabric stiff enough that it won't stretch while sewing (and suggested to use zig-zag stitch if using really stretchy stuff like spandex). When you're done sewing, just wash it and it'll dissolve in the water.


How to cut and remove sharp edges on aluminum sheet using a Dremel Rotary Tool or other tool?

For material that thin, even a set of heavy duty scissors will work well enough. Harbor Freight sells stainless steel multipurpose scissors for six bucks US that should do well enough for 0.0125" stock.

For the sharp edges, especially in aluminum, a deburring tool should do well for your purposes. A quality tool will be somewhat expensive, but there's such a large price range in this item that you should be able to find something in your budget.

I have a tool similar to that in the photo and use it frequently on aluminum and plastic sheets to chamfer the edges. In your case, such thin material will need support. It may be necessary to place the edge on a solid surface such as a countertop or sharp edged table to provide the necessary support. Deburr one edge, flip the piece over and deburr the other side.

In the above photo, it appears that the E200 bit would give the best results. Light pressure, drag the cutter along the edge and you would see a curl of aluminum from the cutter. Too much pressure and you'll create a new sharp edge.

Alternative solution involves a hand file and the aforementioned support table or countertop. Push the file downward over the material creating the chamfer as you progress along the length. Dremel-type rotary tools also have burr bits that would work, but with a single speed (high speed) tool such as yours, the possibility of removing too much material is quite high.


Are there any stitches that are specific to knitting/crocheting only?

Not completely.
You can get the same effects or the same journey of the thread/string while using other methods to construct the fabric.
Knot tyers often use the basic knitting stitches when making fenders out of rope, but constructed completely different.

And when working with string or rope you can copy almost all knitting and crochetting stitches. But in most cases it is not worth the work.
Specially crochetting is hard to copy and not worth the effort.

When doing both knitting and crochetting you will find that the stitches are unique to one or the other, and it is almost never possible to create the effect of stitches in one while doing the other.

There are a few stitches which need both knitting and crochetting. But you need both to make them, you can not make them with either one alone.

I am a creative knot tyer and do knit, crochet and other crafts. And I am good in seeing/recognizing patterns. Most people will not know about the patterns cropping up across other crafts.


How to draw eyes shape - more-or-less formal algorithm

Welcome to the A&C, Code Complete.

The thing about eyes, is that all of them are not the same shape. Sometimes the eyeball can be referred to as, 'football shaped', 'almond shaped', and many different other types. Here area  few different ideas below (You can even Google "Different eye shapes":

Like the image you provided above, there isn't that many 'dark lines.' in the eyeball, eyelid itself. Most of the 'dark areas' are only in the eyelashes, and pupil. If you look at the bottom eyelid there is no dark lines at all. The only dark parts you see in the bottom eyelid is the eyelashes. The corner right part of the eye is darker(where it attached to the upper lid. But is not black either. It is more of a medium brown.

Having to learn about blending and shading, tortillon AKA blending stumps can help. Also looking into drawing pencils that do not write as hard.

(tortillon image below)

(Different hardness of drawing pencils below)

Those tools will get you in the right spot to begin to draw the human eye.


You can buy non-toxic "face paints" or "body paints" specifically made for this purpose.

Product Search: Face Paint

You can also make them yourself.

Face paints (typically) are not a "type of paint" per se, but a mixture of food coloring or other non-toxic dye mixed with a base material to give it opacity. A lot of costume makers, face and body painters mix this up on their own with a combination of

Food coloring or non-toxic dye (for color)
Clay, corn starch, or arrowroot (for thickness and opacity)
Face lotion, vegetable oil or shortening, or zinc cream (diaper cream)

There are many recipes for face paint on the Internet based on what ingredients you have on hand and how effective/durable you need it to be, but I hesitate to list one here for having not tried any of them myself.

Search: DIY or Homemade Face Paint


I hope the surface that you're sticking them on, is smooth and not absorbing all the glue.
In that case, I'd do it the same way as applying wallpaper.
- paper that is wet, is a bit stretchy, so it can follow the curves a bit.
- wallpaper glue doesn't 'set' immediately, you can still move the pieces around for a while, this allows for better manipulation.
- where parts of the map overlap, you could glue them overlapping, take a very sharp knife and cut through the two layers of paper. Be sure not to cut through the surface underneath (though a shallow scratch should not be a problem).


Submitting Fabric/Yarn Craft Items to be Judged

I have no experience with this medium, but I would use the packaging problem/opportunity to present your work in the highest possible style.  Instead of sandwiching it between cake boards, consider using a sheet of acrylic for the top bread and thin wood, stained to a shade which compliments your yarn as the bottom bread.

If you have a makerspace ( or library with a laser cutter) near you, you can buy the acrylic sheet and plywood from a hardware store (or amazon) and then cut it to the shape and size you need.  You could also drill small holes in the corners of each "slice of bread" and fasten it all together with yarn, using bow knots which can be easily untied by the judges for closer inspection of your work.


Most commercial flags are made out of nylon. It's lightweight, durable, and dyes well. Specifically, the flags on many sites are made from DuPont SolarMax™, which is supposed to be nicely color safe in the sun. For inside use, you should probably be fine with a ripstop style nylon.

  This heavyweight DuPont SolarMax™ nylon is the most popular and versatile flag fabric available. Nylon's combination of strength and brilliant display, along with its quick drying ability, make it suitable for a wide range of applications. Great in rainy areas, its light weight and close weave enable it to fly in the slightest of breeze, giving the fullest visual effect. Nearly every flag we sell is available in nylon material.

Other options include various types of polyester, which is unlikely to stretch the way the cotton you've been using has,rayon (which is a cellulosic fiber like cotton, but does not have the strength of cotton), and the right type of cotton, which is apparently a "2x2-ply mercerized cotton", which is specially prepared in such a way that it absorbs more dyes, is more lustrous, and stronger, so it is less likely to stretch or deform.


How to prevent the paper from getting damaged due to a steel compass?

You will need to rest the point of the compass onto some other object first i.e. one that won't damage the paper.

Some sort of disc

A felt or rubber disc comes to mind. Something thin with enough friction so that the point and disc won't move about.

You could also just take a cut of eraser and jab it on the point as well. This has a small disadvantage of erasing while you rotate but could have it place in your techniques.

There is a product called a center disc that also serves this purpose. It has the added bonus of being transparent allowing you to center the point on its target and not damage the paper.

Image from art-design-glossary.musabi.ac.jp

Clear plastic has the added advantage of letting you see your work and centering your circle easier. So using a sufficiently thick plastic and cutting some small shapes would work just as well.

If you do make your own practice with them first to be sure the compass does not penetrate it as well. Or enough that it makes the plastic stick out as a point either.

Consider a different tool

A tangential answer to your question would be to use a plastic flat compass that bypasses this issue completely.

Image from amazon.ca

This protractor compass has many holes littered along its length. You just need to grab your drawing implement of choice and insert it into the desired hole. Then rotate around like a normal compass.  Pressure from your opposite hand (as seen in the photo from the users left hand) will ensure the tool remains rotating from a fixed point.

Look at the below zoomed in image of the above tool. You will notice the measurement markings which denotes the precise nature of the tool.

Click image to enlarge


How to remove the yellowish color from my old drawings?

I don't believe there is a way to remove the yellow staining but there are a lot of methods to keep it from getting any worse.
The reason your paper is turning yellow is because of the quality of paper that was used to make the drawing on. Economical paper is made from wood and not cotton. Chances are you have paper made from a wood pulp. Wood is made up of lignin and cellulose. The yellowing in the result of lignin, still present in the fibres of your paper, oxidizing when exposed to sunlight and air.
And if the paper wasn't washed properly, residual acids from the paper-making process may still be present. These acids help with the oxidation process.
To save your paper I would recommend two things, 1) Neutralize the residual acids and 2) Seal the paper from contact with the air.
Krylon makes a spray (Make It Acid-Free), that helps neutralize the acids. Neutralizing the acids slows down the yellowing and aging of the paper.

Krylon also makes a preservative for protecting documents and photos called PreserveIt.
Neutralize the acids first, then preserve it.
In the future if you want your drawings to last longer (say a couple of hundred years), try using paper that is archival safe or acid-free.

Editor's note: it looks like Make It Acid-Free may no longer be available.  If that's the case, there are a few other similar products, including Archival Mist and Bookkeeper (which is a liquid used in a hand sprayer).  This is provided only as information; no personal experience with the products.


How can I add an internal pocket to pants that don't have one?

You could sew a passepoil pocket (I don't know if there is a more common way to call it in English), and maybe use a zipper to close it. If there is a seam at the side, you might want to use that as the location for the pocket.
Anyways, for instructions (in Dutch, but with a lot of pictures) you can check http://fromfabrictofashion.nl/diy-de-paspelzak/ . If anybody knows an English site, please feel free to edit!
Basically it's about sewing a rectangle to the right side of the fabric, then cut through both layers of fabric, and pull the rectangle through the hole. You can attach the pocket to that rectangle. Or, if you make the rectangle large enough, that could already be the pocket.


What can I use to cover raised mosaic edges?

It would help to know the tray material and finish (a picture of the edge detail would be great), and it isn't clear whether you are referring to just the outer edge of the mosaic area or every glass tile, but here are a few ideas:

If the problem is the outer perimeter of the mosaic area, remove the sharp edges with a Dremel tool and diamond disk.  Clamp the tray and tiles in a towel to dampen vibrations.  Use a little water or oil on the spot you're grinding to reduce heat and vibration.  You won't need to remove much to dull the edge.

If the problem is the outer perimeter of the mosaic area, cover the edge with clear silicone caulk.  Clean the surface with alcohol.  Use masking tape to create a clean, straight border close to the sharp area on both sides of the mosaic edge.  Either use your finger to spread the caulk, or dilute the caulk with paint thinner and paint over the sharp edge using a brush.  Remove the masking tape while the caulk is still uncured.  I would be careful using the tray because silicone can often be peeled off surfaces it's adhered to (but if that happens, you can peel it off and replace it).

If the problem is the outer perimeter of the mosaic area, an alternative to a clear covering would be to cover the sharp edge with a "leaded glass" border.  Wrap the sharp edge with a strip of copper foil, then solder the foil.

If the problem is on all of the glass tiles, you could add a layer of clear silicone over the whole surface.  However, sharp edges over the entire surface would indicate that the grout isn't high enough.  You can get color-matched grout at big hardware chains or stores that sell tile.  Add more grout to bring the level up to the top surface so no sharp edges are exposed.  That might also be an option if the problem is only on the outer perimeter; depending on the design of the tray, you may be able to add a border of grout around the outside edge of the mosaic to cover the sharp edges.


It's called "3D star effect foil" or "3D holographic foil" and can be found in well-equipped craft stores (especially around christmas time) or online:

Amazon
Dannells


What is this palette knife called, and where could I find it?

Painting knives don't seem to have much in the way of naming standards for blades. Most are just numbered in a given series. Some manufacturers do manage to group styles together but the names don't carry between.

From what I can gather the very generic name for that is a offset trowel/spatula knife. Offset due to the crocked handle. The tips that are closely shaped to the one you have pictured with similar contours I have seen called flame and raindrop but looking up those would only yield specific manufactures.

Image from oakblade.com

Diamond shaped blades are very similar but have harder edges and generally less curves.

Image from oakblade.com

After reading one of your comments about it being "leaf" shaped I looked for that as well. The name is fitting but it does not look like any brands use that for their products.

After a tonne of searching trying to name the thing I did manage to find one manufacturer. It looks like this blade is part of the RGM New Age line

Image from rgm-art.com

So good news .... the answer to your question is it's a 3. Can't really tell you where to buy them exactly but you should be able to find a seller if you look for the "new age" line from RGM.

I did manage to find another ones of your knives in the wild. If you look at the post it is the 3rd knife from the left in the first picture. It actually looks like another knife from the New Age collection (I think No. 2?). I messaged the page owner to see if they could provide some insight as well. They will have more knowledge then I would as they actually paint with these.

Could always make your own

Knives that closely resemble what you are looking are not hard to find. You could buy a knife that has a "flame" blade and use a dremel to bring in the curves on the end of the blade. Some fine sanding will make the new edge a little more gentle.

Doing this would damage the finish on the metal. As you see on your knife in the picture that will happen naturally anyway and does little to the effectiveness of the tool.


Topstitching the inside AND outside seam of pants

Since this was mass-produced clothing, they probably do have a special machine for it! You can see an example in action around 2:45 in this video "How It's Made: Jeans". They're using a machine like this one, the Singer 261u:

You can see how the arm is shaped in a way that would allow you to scrunch up the leg.

You could try topstitching like this on a typical home sewing machine, but success would depend on the thickness of the fabric and how skinny the legs are... either way, take it slow!!

Alternatively, a common finish on pants is to only topstitch one set of seams. You can easily do this on a typical home sewing machine! For example if you want topstitching on the outside, sew and topstitch the outer seams before doing the inside seams. This way you have plenty of room to maneuver. Then you can complete the inside seams.

Another option is to topstitch the inside seams, and then partially topstitch the outside seams, usually just past the pocket - again, easy enough to do on a typical machine. You can see a tutorial for this sort of assembly here.


Making a diaphragm spring out of sheet metal

This is a little speculative as I haven't tried it with phosphor bronze, or anything as thin as you got.

First cut a circular piece, and clamp it between 2 rings.  A holesaw and scrap plywood (to support it and to make the rings) may be helpful here, but you don't yet want a big hole in the middle of the workpiece.  Mark the centre accurately, a set of equally-spaced radial lines (I suggest 12), and a  circle a little smaller than the inner diameter of your clamp rings.

Then beat or even press it into a conical shape, using a round-ended tool in the middle (maybe even the blunt end of an old drill bit).  You should have a cone with a slight brim round the edge.

Now drill out the centre hole (using a step drill or cone drill would be best).  This is already a spring, but perhaps rather too stiff - this is a good time to test.  Cut along 3 of the 12 lines (equally spaced) and test again.  If it's too stiff, cut along another 3 lines so every other line is cut, test again, and if necessary cut the last 6 lines.  For the cutting, I'd use a hacksaw with something supporting the workpiece, as you want to remove a little material.  You might be able to use tin snips and make two parallel cuts (my tin snips are heavy duty and not fine enough for this).

If you want it to be flat around the centre hole, instead of using a round-ended tool, drill a small hole and use that to clamp discs front an back, then apply pressure to the discs.

The important bit is to keep everything concentric - you'll probably spent more time jigging than actually making the part.