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Post by Pagemistress on Jun 9, 2014 23:03:04 GMT
I've been scrapbooking since the mid-90's and have accumulated quite a collection of tools that might be useful:
Shape Punches: I have various circle and square punches (one quite large...2.5 inches across or larger) that will go through cardstock. Perfect for when you need some uniform shapes for bases or to cover washers. They can be relatively inexpensive for the basic smaller shapes. I haven't tried to punch cardboard with them yet but I'll have the hubby give it a try. I also have a huge collection of mini punches that I got from Costco some years ago. It has small shapes that might come in handy too. Look in the dollar bins of your local craft store, they might have some in there.
Circle Cutter: I can't cut a circle if my life depended on it...lines or no. So I use this bladed tool to cut up to 5" circles. It will go through cardstock with a little effort.
Jewels and gems: The local craft store should have some very cheap self adhesive rhinestones, perfect for embellishing a jewelled door or portal, throne or such. Use some glue though, the self adhesive doesn't stick well after a while. I'm all about the sparklies.
Cutting Machine: I have a Cricut cutter, which uses cartridges for cutting out shapes and letters. I also have the computer program which lets me shrink or stretch the graphics. It will cut thin cardstock. These shapes can be used for raised reliefs on the floors or even on doors. Recurring themes are easy too (stylized lions heads on all the floors, that sort of thing). It can also make stencils by cutting out the shape and leaving the empty space. Other machines can take freehand drawings and cut them out. They are very pricey, so it's really only if you or someone you know has one of these. It could come in handy.
Ribbon: There's always ribbon in the dollar bins at the craft store. Wide enough ribbon can be distressed and made into a carpet runner or even banners. I stay away from the wired ribbon, or just cut the wires out.
Stamps: I have a lot of acrylic stamps (they are re-positionable so you can make your own patterns). I would perhaps use this for insignias on floors or walls (or ribbons for banners). Also, if you are doing a modern/industrial/future type area, you can get acrylic lettering stamps and stamp your own messages (like CAUTION or SPACEPORT). You would use ink rather than paint probably, but a suitably thinned paint should work so long as you clean your stamps (finger wipes from the local barbecue place work great).
Specialty Scissors: You can find these at WalMart or any craft store. They have a specialized edge which can cut scallops or zig zags. The zig zag one might be useful to cut large gears out of cardstock or for anything that has a sawtooth edge (giant bandsaw trap, anyone?). I have some random jagged edge scissors that I might find a use for.
Paper Cutter: This can be pricey depending on what you get but I swear by mine when it comes down to cutting strips of cardstock. It has a T-square and ruler built in and I can simply feed the paper in increments, slice then slide, slice then slide. Not good for cardboard but in my arsenal, it's a must. I will be using this to cut the strips for facing out the edges of the tiles and getting rid of the corrugation. Mine is kid-friendly too (little fingers can't get into the blade) so I'll assign my girls to cutting out strips.
Embossing Gun: This goes along with the stamps, where you stamp the embossing ink onto a surface, dust the powder over it (similar to flocking technique), then when you get rid of the excess you use your embossing gun to melt the powder into a raised surface. Scotty's hot glue gun texturing is very similar in the feel of it, but the embossing powder won't need to be painted (it comes in many colors). This is another tool that if you have a scrapbooker in the house or a friend with the tool, it could be useful. You also can use the embossing fluid to make freehand lines and swirls and such. I will probably use it to make raised neon green runes in one of my tile floors.
This is just a few things I thought of while watching the videos. Now I'll have to make something with all these tools and post it.
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Post by runningwolf on Jun 10, 2014 10:00:32 GMT
I lucked out and found a photograph cutter at a yard sale. Sort of a small scale 18 inch version of the guillotine style ones we had back when I was in school. Don;t always find craft stuff at yard sales but when you do (and aren't getting gouged) it's a good thing .
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Post by Pagemistress on Jun 10, 2014 17:15:23 GMT
I lucked out and found a photograph cutter at a yard sale. Sort of a small scale 18 inch version of the guillotine style ones we had back when I was in school. Don;t always find craft stuff at yard sales but when you do (and aren't getting gouged) it's a good thing . I tried one of those and since I am a Murphy's Law sort of woman (what can go wrong usually will and quite badly) I almost sliced my fingertips off. I've been on the wrong end of an exacto before too, which is why the hubby insists on doing the cardboard cutting for me. The kidproof papercutter was more for my own safety than anything else (lol).
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Post by dungeonmistress on Jun 10, 2014 20:30:32 GMT
I know what you mean, though I have few 'accidents' with blades, my husband still winces when he sees me with something sharp in hand. I'm on blood thinners, so if I cut myself, it gets really messy very quickly. Which is why we keep a good supply of bandages on hand. If only our players understood how we literally bleed to give them a great game...
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Post by runningwolf on Jun 11, 2014 0:08:25 GMT
I lucked out and found a photograph cutter at a yard sale. Sort of a small scale 18 inch version of the guillotine style ones we had back when I was in school. Don;t always find craft stuff at yard sales but when you do (and aren't getting gouged) it's a good thing . I tried one of those and since I am a Murphy's Law sort of woman (what can go wrong usually will and quite badly) I almost sliced my fingertips off. I've been on the wrong end of an exacto before too, which is why the hubby insists on doing the cardboard cutting for me. The kidproof papercutter was more for my own safety than anything else (lol). I did general contracting when I was in my late teens, early 20's. One guy lifted up the leg of his shorts and showed me the scar from where a saw kicked back on him. Let's just say an inch and a half over and up and he would not have been able to have kids. I always remember that when I am working with serious tools. Plus I have been cooking for 30 years. My cousin (went to chef school) liked the way I chopped garlic but another guy almost freaked when he saw me do it. I tend to use the edge of my finger against the flat of the blade as a guide. So if/when I slip with the sharp part of the blade I only tend to take off a layer or two of skin instead of taking a finger off at the knuckle I actually worry about leaving the handle on the thing up and having the cats playing around it. I doubt they would be heavy enough to cleave off a paw or tail but getting something stuck just enough and trashing around could cause some major damage to them.
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Post by adamantinedragon on Jun 11, 2014 0:51:58 GMT
LOL, tool injuries... I was building a bookcase with my dad and he ran a power jigsaw right into the tip of his index finger, all the way to the base of his fingernail. Ouch. I've been hyper-careful ever since seeing that happen.
The only tool-inflicted event I ever suffered was when I was working construction, running aluminum trim on the inside of an office building. To do that you held a drill in one hand and a screwgun in the other (back when there was a difference between the two) and the electrician did something to the floor I was working on which caused a "floating ground" to occur, which resulted in the electricity arcing from one power tool, through my body, and into the other power tool. The electricity caused my muscles all to clench so I could not drop either the drill or screw gun. For about ten seconds I was totally carrying 220 volts of electricity through my body, until I managed to bang my hand against the scaffold I was on and the drill fell out of my hand, breaking the circuit. My hair was totally standing up on end and my work buddies swore that I was smoking.
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Post by dungeonmistress on Jun 11, 2014 2:53:06 GMT
You were luckier than you know, adamantinedragon. Most people don't survive something like that. If your heart had stopped the only thing that could have started it again would have been a defibrillator. I know, I've been defibrillated before - not fun. Luckily, as far as sharp instruments are concerned, I've only nicked myself here or there, occasionally, but with me, even that get messy.So, to keep everyone from getting grossed out, I try to be very careful. I have enough scars from surgeries, I don't need anymore.
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Post by adamantinedragon on Jun 11, 2014 2:59:46 GMT
dungeonmistress, actually I knew how dangerous it was even while it was happening. I was working construction in the summer while working on my physics degree. I discussed this with my physics professors when I got back to school and they speculated that because I was working in an enclosed building in the Louisiana summer heat with no air conditioning, I was sweating buckets and they believe the sweat on my skin actually carried most of the current, protecting me from the full effect of the current. What my buddies saw as smoke was almost certainly steam. If I HADN'T managed to drop one of them before my sweat dried up, that would probably have been the end of me.
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Post by dungeonmistress on Jun 11, 2014 3:45:16 GMT
I think what actually happened is that while you had 220 volts coursing through you, there were relatively few amps, so you weren't harmed because you are not an electronic component. If you had been a laptop you would have fried. Conversely, if the amps had been higher, you wouldn't have stood a chance, while a laptop would have been fine. In short, it wasn't your sweat, but the low amperage that saved you. Amps kill humans, Volts kill electronics. that's how an electrician friend explained it to me. But then there is this explanation. Which is correct? Suffice it to say that nobody truly understands electricity and whatever we do, we must respect it, and be very, very careful. And that goes for you, too, @ adamantinedragon, my friend.
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Post by Pagemistress on Jun 15, 2014 19:33:57 GMT
Now that I figured out how to post pictures, I'll show you some of the stuff I'll be using.
This is a short collection of my stuff. I have enough to fill the closet of the room I use for crafting, so that should give you an idea of how much I've accumulated over the years. These tools are ones that I think might come in handy for dungeon crafting:
The purple X is my small sticker maker. You drop your piece of paper in the top and pull the tape at the bottom. Instant stickers. The larger purple thing to the left is the bigger one that mounts photos or paper up to 5" wide. This might be helpful if you're using preprinted stuff and don't want to fool around with white glue. You can see my specialty scissors (I have about 20 pairs with different edges), my circle stencil and two circle cutters. My paper cutter is there too, which I use for cardstock and trimming. It has a retractable T-square and measurements so I can get precisely measured strips or squares. I also have one of my small circle punches (good for washer covering) and my embossing gun with some acrylic stamps.
Another thing which is useful (but much too small to take a picture of) are the brads that are used in scrapbooking. They come in multiple colors and metals and I intend to use them as door handles, rivets, etc. There are also grommets of miniature size, colored staples (although I will use heavy duty ones as rungs in a wall as a ladder perhaps), buttons and twine. Scrapbook papers come in extremely shiny metallic too, so they can be used for mirrors (yes I will be making a mirrored floor tile at some point).
The other thing that I use a lot of is the glue runner. It has cartridges that with one sweep of your hand lays a line of glue that sticks the paper without wetting it. I use that if my sticker maker is impractical (like for tiny details) or if I'm just tacking something down for spray glue later.
I hope this was helpful. Most of these toys are pretty cheap (except for the big sticker maker and embossing gun, and my paper cutter was bought with a 40% off coupon).
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Post by runningwolf on Jun 15, 2014 21:20:39 GMT
LOL, tool injuries... I was building a bookcase with my dad and he ran a power jigsaw right into the tip of his index finger, all the way to the base of his fingernail. Ouch. I've been hyper-careful ever since seeing that happen. The only tool-inflicted event I ever suffered was when I was working construction, running aluminum trim on the inside of an office building. To do that you held a drill in one hand and a screwgun in the other (back when there was a difference between the two) and the electrician did something to the floor I was working on which caused a "floating ground" to occur, which resulted in the electricity arcing from one power tool, through my body, and into the other power tool. The electricity caused my muscles all to clench so I could not drop either the drill or screw gun. For about ten seconds I was totally carrying 220 volts of electricity through my body, until I managed to bang my hand against the scaffold I was on and the drill fell out of my hand, breaking the circuit. My hair was totally standing up on end and my work buddies swore that I was smoking. oh man! You lucked out... only takes 4 mili amps crossing your heart to make it stop.
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Post by dungeonmistress on Jun 20, 2014 5:54:28 GMT
I have the same paper cutter you have, Pagemistress. Most of my crafting supplies lean more toward bead work, fiber arts and such. Once I have my crafting area put back together, I'll post some pictures of what it looks like. That will be a few days more, at least! But I'm getting there!
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Post by runningwolf on Jun 21, 2014 0:50:30 GMT
We want pics!
*prepares to get called effeminate insults* One of the dreams I have to own a small farm. Do some hand crafted weaving from wool and alpaca fleece. For me less the crafty part of doing it than it is tinker around making the stuff and getting hands on experience on how our ancestors did it. Take 1000 people and bet that less than 20 will know how to make basic items like paper, cloth and clothes.
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Post by dungeonmistress on Jun 21, 2014 1:01:10 GMT
I can do all three. I've made paper, I knit, crochet and sew. I also do non loom weaving from time to time.
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uncledog
Paint Manipulator
I'm going to take a few points in White-glue Mage.
Posts: 108
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Post by uncledog on Jun 21, 2014 2:01:58 GMT
We want pics! *prepares to get called effeminate insults* One of the dreams I have to own a small farm. Do some hand crafted weaving from wool and alpaca fleece. For me less the crafty part of doing it than it is tinker around making the stuff and getting hands on experience on how our ancestors did it. Take 1000 people and bet that less than 20 will know how to make basic items like paper, cloth and clothes. Human. You.. human. Haha. Nothing feminine about anything, really. masculine too. Least as far as I go. I know how to crochet, sew, learning knitting, embroider, make a log cabin, basic electrician stuff, some coding, crafting, cooking and punching dinosaurs in the face. All in days work of being human. Nice gear there, honestly. I'd have way too much fun.
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Post by runningwolf on Jun 21, 2014 12:48:13 GMT
Everyone should know at least some basics on how to sew on a button or ripped seam. Just seems that most of the craft videos you see on some subjects are dominated by women. And as a heterosexual male I get distracted by a pretty lady trying to educate me *no I am going for the humor factor there, I am not that shallow*. I can sew a rip but would have a problem making a costume that looked decent without a bit of practice. Sort of funny that 10,000 year along there are still "gender roles". Sort of hurting people if you enjoy doing something you should be allowed to without someone saying "that's girly" or that you're "a tom boy". The whole weaving cloth thing I am talking from start to finish of shearing the critter, making the thread, to weaving it. Uncledog. I've done the general contracting/carpentry bit but I am still always leery of doing electrical and plumbing work. I know a wall I will stand up, however the flood or electrical fire to follow my other work is what makes me want to have someone else there that knows what he or she is doing.
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Post by dungeonmistress on Jun 21, 2014 16:47:53 GMT
I can do carpentry and plumbing, though I suck at getting an even coat of paint on a wall, my husband excels at it, which is why I like to paint effects on walls, instead. I garden and grow some of our food, but my husband mows the lawn, mostly because I'm not up to anymore these days. He does rough carpentry - I do finish carpentry. He hates plumbing, so I'll do what's necessary , but again, I'm getting too old for that - all that bending and lifting...ugh! I do electronics, he does electrical. He also makes very pretty beaded necklaces, I like to make barrettes. And, of course, I am the DM, he's the wizard! So, as you see, we each do what we are each best at, or enjoy the most. Although the ravages of time have changed some things.
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Post by skunkape on Jun 23, 2014 16:05:10 GMT
Very nice collection of tools for crafting!
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