"The Cicadas are coming, part II" Topic

Ok for those who have not lost enough sleep worrying about our little friends coming home, I mean into your ear, damn I mean into your home...then stand by...

As to Mr Lupus's question of having 400-500 stored away, I do. I use them for making insect sculptures and modeling touches (alien stuff, mutants, etc.). I have two cases of different desiccated insects/crustations/arachnids/etc.

So how about that LCCS (last cicada converter standing)challenge? Sounds like we could get at least 5 people involved. I have enough to ship a few if interested.

To review some of the ideas on sealing them:

glue
spray sealer
resin (yikes expensive!)
malt o' meal...this is an odd one. I am all for using what you have for miniature conversions and terrain buildup, but using leftovers is a bit much. I am guess this member has done this trick already...any occurance of mold, boring insects, or other items related to using the MoM? If you plan on this again, try mixing your meal with white glue and a ground up moth ball or two in the mix. Once sealed the moth ball bits should keep away any would be seekers of sustance.

...as for the sleepers under the ground, we...I mean they do dream...wonderful dreams...if you listen closely, ear to the ground as this makes it easier for us I mean them to crawl no no no, I mean put your ear to the ground and listen...they will sing to you. You remeber that song that make you run that much faster through the dark woods, thinking some thing was out there, waiting, watching...yeah that song...ah memories.

Seriously, I am up for this little challenge. I have a customer wanting a batch of bugs for his starship tropper game, and I have a pile of projects going, so one more can't hurt.

Besides, there are those beautiful dreamers just waiting for us to sing back...remember that before you yell for a quiet night when they are singing, if they go silent at that point I would recommend that you run...run or wait, eitherway we I mean they will find you, again...

Ray (the BEMam)Boemler
www.peanutbutterjellyfish.com

ruined that last bit

Ray (the BEMan) Boemler

Bug Eyed Monster=man, sigh...fat fingers and haste, wastes a witty bit, sigh...ah the singing is back..."beautiful dreamers..the sleepers must be happy..."

Well, beyond disturbing the crap out of me, I think the idea is great. I too would be willing to send out a few critter shells; heck, they're light enough you'd barely need postage.

That said, I'm in for any contest or showcase.

And as for the cicadas, they are just harmless bugs. Harmless, I say. But what's that singing I keep hearing in my sleep? singing, singing, telling me to go outside and lay down, not to fight it........

By disturbing the crap, I meant your post, not the bugs. Wonderfully freaky.

Ok well then we are on. Let this thread run its piece today, and then email me peanutbutterjellyfish@yahoo.com
to work out the details of how many, timing, and so forth.

Wait wait, and right there...you hear it? zzzzzzrrrrrrzzzzzrrrrzzzzzrrrrrr...I love that bit, with the constant tempo...ah music for soul collec..I mean music for the soul.

Ray

Could you use expanding foam to fill them--the kind that doesn't grow as much in volume?

If that comes with a little straw, I imagine you could.

andy

For those of you wondering what the base material you'll be working with: Here's a great picture of a Cicada shell:

link

CREEPY!

The expanding foam would be great, IF and a big IF, you could control the volume of expansion. The little guys are so fragile before the end process that it would be hard to hold them while cutting excess away...I had the same thoughts...thats why I know...crumble crumble crunch

Ray

For those of you wondering what the base material you'll be working with: Here's a great picture of a Cicada shell:

link

CREEPY!……..

Uncle Phillip!

Ray

Ouch ! I just cricked my neck trying to look at it upright.

OOOOH ! I went out with a girl with eyes like that !

There are two kinds of expanding foam. One expands a lot, and I think the other doesn't too much after it first comes out. You'd need a pretty small applicator tube, I guess.

Could you melt off any excess that came out of the shell? Either with heat or chemical?

andy

noooooooo melting of expandable foam...toxic.

I have worked around chemicals, industrial storage facilities, and processed thousands of gallons of various products before during and after use for the last 21yrs.

The basic rule of thumb, especially when working in the home and hobby...because if you were at a job site with real risks you should already be advised on teh products and dangers found there and how to handle them...is this,

if a given solvent, paint, foam, industrial liquid, etc smells strong, funny, or bad in anyway (yes there are some without odor, this is a general being safe thing) then it is bad for you...do not eat, do not rub it into your eyes, do not breath in deeply when smelling, do not grind, burn, or melt these products without complete knowledge of what it is that you are working with.

MSDS; read it, ask questions, and live a happier life WITH OUT the pain of acid burns in your lungs, roasted optic nerves, and other brain swelling/organ decimating/flesh eating issues that come from working with the wonders of modern science and its frankenstiened byproducts.

...do not melt or burn expanding foam, please.

Ray Boemler
www.peanutbutterjellyfish.com

How about filling them with candle wax ? A metal cake decorators syringe and a bowl of hot water should do it .

Why not make a mold of one?

I'm sure that has to be possible.. from there they can be cast from resin or metal and would be pretty tough.. or someone could sculpt one, I suppose.

I'd love to have hoards of bugs too, being a huge fan of 50's and 60's Giant Atomic Critters movies. You just can't go wrong with the military vs. Bugs in any timeperiod.

Ray,

Lets try that again. ;)

Ray,

I just checked out your site. You are my hero! That is amazing stuff. Nice work!