This page records minor building projects that don't merit a page each.
Binocular camera mount
I made this mount for two cameras to take binocular pictures for use in the Virtual Science Theatre (now closed) at Glasgow Science Centre. The mount allows the convergence and vertical angular alignment of the cameras to be adjusted using the screw mechanisms visible in the picture. The whole thing can be mounted on a tripod.
Although the mount did its job well enough, it was never really used in anger. Our hope was that we could take pictures of volunteers shortly before a VST show, and use those pictures in the show. However it turned out that the cameras we had (although nominally identical) did not produce pictures of the same size. This would have given very unsatisfactory 3D results. With time to spare, we could have scaled one of the pictures, but this made the intended use very difficult. The VST closed before we sorted this one out.
Hallowe'en chef's hat
For one of Glasgow Science Centre's Hallowe'en Events, I was allocated to stir-frying crickets for the visitors. The pictures here show the hat that I made for the occasion, adorned with a spider with red LED eyes.
Elephant's feet
I made these elephant's feet for an activity at the Tomorrow's World roadshow in Glasgow in 2003. Having four nails, they are either the back feet of Asian elephant or the front feet of an African elephant (although there seems to be some doubt about whether the number of toenails is consistent between individuals within either group).
The body of the foot is soft open-cell foam about 3cm thick glued using epoxy to form a tube. A piece of closed-cell foam was glued to one end to form the sole, and the join was trimmed using a hot-wire cutter. The wooden inserts are loose pieces, but fit snugly so that they are retained by friction. The user attaches the elephant's feet to their own feet using the velcro straps.