Close Encounters of the Third Kind Tribute Art Car Progress

April 23rd

Win some, lose some (on ebay). But I did score 5M of 5050 red LED strip for less than $5, waterproof of course. Normally, like I've been saying, is around $10-$12. So nice savings and I'll pickup more if I can get them at this price. Also saw an interesting utube video of a POV (persistance of vision) rotating globe that has one row of LEDs around something that spins and the lights flash in such a way as to look like a globe with what ever colored lines you want etc. Utube Link Makes me wonder about doing something like it with this project.

April 22nd

Lost one of the two auctions for 5M strip of red LED. The waterproof versions run around $10-$13, the one I lost was $6.25. So roughly 1/2 off if you are willing to play the auction wait game. I'll take my time and try to get as much as possible this way to save money. Futher ideas on the tail light rocket/jet engine idea. How about sparks coming out the end via an automatic way of generating them using one of those Survival Magnesium Flint Stone Fire Starters (less than $2 ebay/china). Wouldn't it be cool to have sparks coming out the exhaust of my faux rocket engines!? I thought about a grinding wheel and metal pressed on it via a spring, but I'd hate to have hot pieces of metal go flying (and catch on fire). I'd also have to be carefull of the magensium/flint devices as well. But with enough mist/smoke I hope I'm safe.

April 21st

New design idea today coming in to work for tail light "rocket/jet engine". Picture a 3" diameter PVC with rings of red LEDs around it across its lenght each ring addressable by computer so as to make movement horizontally to simulate the jet/rocket action. Covering and difussing these LED and PVC tube would be another translucent tube over it allowing the light to shine thru disfussed like and very SiFi.
Also trying to get ebay parts on the cheap my low bidding on auctions to get LED strips.

April 3rd weekend

Found this at the crub in the 'hood: Chair mat, perfect to make into strong, waterproof, translucent material. I love free/repurposed building materials. Its the spirit of art car!		Formed into a 24" diameter cone stiched up by drilling holes and threading wire and using heat gun to form. Only down side, its heavy.
My purchases from Dollar store (less than $20) plus some cool looking netting with foil tinsle woven in from Michael's Craft store (on sale for $5 roll).		Hard drive parts to be used used as either decoration or to make relief on mothership. HD arms could be make into cranes on mothership.
The bottom of the mothership framed with wire and mesh.		First layer drying consisting of paper towels with cheese cloth as final layer. Used white glue and watered down clear caulking.

April 18, 2015	Umbrella idea not working out because removing shade the metal spokes straighten out and lose the curved cone shape I'm looking for.
	Did more reading and decided to use paper Mache instead of fiberglass both from a cost perspective, nasty to work with and might become too heavy. Paper mache is cheap made from white glue and paper. It also can be covered to make waterproof. I can also mix up a thicker layar with TP paper, which dissolves eaiser, to make the relief layer I'm wanting. I'm also wondering about other materials with the paper mache. Like wht would sparkles do inside trnaslucent covering when light hits them?
	I can also make the curve cone shape out of a stuffed plastic trash bag pushed down and made even to be my mold for the paper mache. So off to craft store to get some supplies as well as grabbing some glycerin for the fog expermiments.
April 17, 2015	Plan on experimenting with two things this weekend:
	Fiberglass an old umbrella after using thin wire from old HD motors to create web to hold cloth.
	Stop by drugstore and buy spray bottle (if I can find one reasonably) and some glycerin and see what it and different ratios of water does when I spray it (by hand) onto hot muffler. How much and how long does the smoke last are my questions (besides seeing if it works at all).