13-11-2021

Nose picking

Click the image to step through the pictures.

Hayley from 1Community caught me the other day - she had devised a new game for her Christmas Fair "Pick a snowman's nose". Quite how one will insert a digit into a nasal cavity will have to bee seen on the game's first outing but she gave me a rough sketch of what she wanted.

First move was to translate it into file that JohnC could use for his ever ready laser cutter. "'Ere John" says I "Can you cut me 10 of these perchance, ooh and hang onto the noses 'cause they will work just fine as buttons." As ever with John, no sooner said than done handing me a dozen shapes - all exactly the same.

So I took the shapes back to Hayley and said "decorate them however you want, there's too much dust at the Shed to get it done there and if there's one thing that I totally fail at it's an artistic bent. A few days later the shapes appear and they knocked my socks off, real personality in every one of them.

Next move, ChrisH happened to say that B&Q had an offcuts bin and he thought that there might be a suitable piece and he was right - thanks B&Q exactly what was needed. With Chris's help the offcut was trimmed to size on the bench saw, a coat of green paint added and we were ready for assembly. Some scrap 5ply was obtained and stand-offs created. The only problem was that whatever paint had been used on the backboard upset PVA and do you think we could get a good stick - NO. Quick rethink and screws were obtained that allowed the snowy characters to be firmly fixed. A 3D print created the stand attachment which was a bit of old copper pipe that I had, the difficulty that we keeping it away from Rod is beyond belief but eventually it all went together with a couple of pipe clips for storing the leg and now just awaiting the return to Hayley.

And a comment from Hayley:

"We cannot thank you enough for the amazing snowmen nose game. We raised a lot through the game at the light switch on event in Fareham. It is also something we can lend to groups across Fareham to raise money for them.

Thanks again for the kindness and giving us a unique way of making money and having fun!"

Author: Chris Nixon