I have been cosplaying for only a year, and this is the second full-fledged armor in my life that I made on my own and with my own hand, of course.
Daedric was my first armor, I did everything on a whim, shoveled tons of tutorials, snatched information where I could, but generally wandered in the dark, asking idiotic questions to consultants in hardware stores. Therefore, my first armor was made of fiberglass (body kits for cars are made from this material) based on a paper model made of pepakura, which is certainly very strong, but at the same time very heavy and incredibly restrictive (for example, it was impossible to bend your back or raise your arms higher shoulders Yes, and weight - 15 kg. 
Plus a terribly smelly, time-consuming and painstaking process of its creation, tons of putty and dust during grinding. In general, all these moments led me to a more detailed study of the world of cosplay and I learned about the special materials that cosplayers use. So I became friends with EVA FOAM. This is a material that resembles ordinary tourist foam, only more dense and takes the desired shape when heated. 
As far as I know, this material is produced in several places in Russia. Personally, I ordered from a supplier from Togliatti. There are sheets of different thickness - 1,2,3,4,5, 10 mm. I took 5 mm as the base and 2 mm for the relief. 
In general, unlike pepakura, where the program makes a pattern for you according to a 3D model and then you glue it out of paper, with eva foam you make your own pattern. In some cases, you can not do without a partner or your own mannequin. So how is it done.
First, you take a picture of the image that you want to bring to life. 
Secondly, you start making patterns. For example, a bib. You wrap yourself with cling film, glue masking tape on top of the strips (just in strips, without wrapping, otherwise everything will be pinched and the part will come out small). Directly on yourself you mark where the necessary detail begins and ends, you mark some important points, joints, patterns, etc. You carefully cut the masking tape and now you have a sketch of the part. Now it can be defined more evenly, figure out how and what.
Cut the part into several parts so that after gluing them together we get a full-fledged and voluminous part (of course, eva foam can also be bent by heating, but not endlessly). Then you transfer the detail to paper (I used the method - put a sketch on a tablet screen glowing white and redraw the contours over the sketch with paper). 
Having cut out the necessary elements from paper, you need to try to connect them together using the same masking tape and try on the result. It will be much more offensive to immediately cut the eva foam and screw it up. Then you pin the paper with patterns to the eva foam with pins and outline the contours, cut it out. Eva foam is cut with an ordinary clerical knife. When cutting, it is better to consider how the parts will fit together and cut them at the appropriate angle in relation to each other. And then, for example, I got a kind of "comb" on top of the helmet, which I then had to grind off. Although the irregularities in any case after gluing will have to be grinded off with an engraver or sandpaper. 
As for the glue... there are different options. I have personally tried three. 1. Hot glue from a glue gun. A huge minus - if it's hot, there is a chance that the glue will float and the suit will disperse. 2. Second glue. Instantly glues everything and holds perfectly. But terribly harmful and stinks. In the process of work, I generally discovered an allergy to it and angioedema occurred. 3.Good old glue moment. You have to fiddle with it longer than with a second, but tolerable. Smear both sides to be glued, wait 10 minutes and glue. Holds up great. 
If there is a chance of getting confused in the cut out details, it is better to number them, otherwise it will be too late later. 
After creating my black armor, I began to advocate that the suit could move normally and be more or less comfortable. Moreover, I have a habit of walking my cosplay images in hard modes - skiing or boarding at a ski carnival, riding a bike. 
Therefore, this time I paid great attention to the mobility of parts and fasteners. For good bending of the knees, I put their elements on iron rivets. Excellent mobility of parts and everything is firmly held. On the same rivets I attached a plate with feathers to the helmet. You saw off the extra pieces of iron with an engraver and everything is fine. 
What did you use for armor mounts. Rubber bands, Velcro, buttons, hooks. All this is quite comfortably sewn to eva foam and hides somewhere under patterns or joints. 
A lot of questions I have caused and causes the processing of edges and slices. I did it with the grinding attachments of the engraver. Some people just do it with sandpaper. In any case, after such processing, many irregularities and roughness remain. I tried to smooth them out with a hair dryer. It got better, but not perfect. I was recommended to use a burner and next time I will try this method. To smooth joints and seams, it is necessary to use putty. For me the best option is a finishing two-component auto-filler. It stays on tight and polishes well. 
But it cannot cover the entire armor, and the material is porous ... In short, we will now talk about the primer. And here the opinions of all the cosplayers I interviewed differ. The trick is that eva foam is a fairly flexible material and the applied paint wrinkles and cracks when bent. How to avoid this completely, I personally did not think of it, and if you know, I will be very glad for advice. In general, at first, according to the recommendations, I tried pva glue as a primer. I don't know why, but after applying acrylic black paint on it, it gave such an effect. And the paint completely peeled off. 
After that, after reading various sources, I decided to prime simply acrylic paint, that is, put more layers and due to this, close the pores and level the material. Painted with a brush. Then spray for an even color. 
Then with a silver brush and a little silver spray for an even color. Then in some places finishing with gold acrylic. Varnish. Also a separate big question. I didn't quite figure it out for myself either. Tried brushing with acrylic lacquer. It dries for a very long time and if the parts are put side by side, they stick together and spoil each other. Spat and covered with aerosol varnish.
Why do I care so much about priming, painting and varnishing? Because as you can see in the picture below, a slight bending of the part leads to cracks... I don't know how to solve this problem. Here, both the primer and the paint and varnish should be elastic ... and not peel off ... probably next time I will try liquid rubber. 
Sword. Made from wood for rigidity. The wings are epoxy glued on the sides. Grinding, embossing with pieces of eva foam, putty and sanding. "Stones" on the sword and armor made of two-component cold welding. Primer, paint, varnish. 
To my great regret, the artist from me is so-so and I did not succeed in giving the volume to my armor as I wanted to the full extent. I have yet to learn this. 
About armor mounts. Upwards. The top of the boot is held at the back by a very wide elastic band, the lining on the boot is also on elastic bands on the toe of the boot and between the heel and toe on the elastic band from the top. Knee pads with elastic bands and buttons. Plus, I forgot to film the production of the top of the knee pads and armor under the breastplate. This is faux black leather as the base. On top of it, cut-out pieces of the same leather are glued on for a moment and all this is tinted with silver acrylic. So. On the legs, the leather part of the knee pads is attached to the back of the hooks, on the hooks with a small strip of leather, they are attached to the corset so that they do not slip. Also, thigh pads are attached to the corset on the sides with Velcro. By the way, under one of the leggings there is a tricky pocket for a phone and money. 
Corset at the back with Velcro and hooks. Belt with hooks. Bib with elastic and hooks at the back like a bodice. Now it's more difficult. The shoulder pads are fastened to the bib on fastexes in front, on the back with an elastic band between them, on an elastic band with hooks to the upper bracers, on a button to the elbow pads. The lower bracers are two-piece. The bottom is like a bracelet with an elastic band, the top is with an elastic band with buttons.
Cloak on hooks in front of the armor and on the buttons to the shoulder pads. 
By the way, I forgot to write about gloves. These are simple fabric gloves (100 r in a fabric store), cut out pieces of thin eva on top of the hot glue.
Well, in principle, that's all, I made it all in about 2 months.
For a long time I wanted to try to make some equipment with my own hands. Documented here is my first pathetic attempt :)
I went to the Epicenter hardware store (there are three of them in Kyiv) in search of interesting materials for work. I found there a number of light moisture-proof materials that are used in the construction of houses. Perhaps they are not as durable as, but they will probably survive a couple of trips. Bought 5 running meters Strotex insulation film from a 1.5 m wide roll. The material is shown on the right. One side is white, the other is covered with aluminum film, which should reflect heat well.
I cut a piece as follows and glued the two pieces with tape.
I then connected the diagonal edges and glued them together to form a three meter tube. Weighs about 580 g and enough space for two. Field trials will take place tomorrow night...
Balcony test
I put the sleeping bag in the tube and pulled it up to the level of my chin. The fabric just lay on the sleeping bag. I didn't lift it with a rope or anything. As a result, condensate from the body soaked the top of the sleeping bag even though I was breathing above the snorkel. But in the tube it was 3 degrees warmer than outside it.
Afterword
The idea of a tube-like shelter is not new. The raised entrance, of course, makes the shelter more comfortable. However, strotex-like materials can get wet in heavy rain or snow. They are much inferior to ordinary polyethylene in this regard. The main disadvantage of this design is the accumulation of condensate. I won't use this shelter as I have a better one, but for some this solution may be quite satisfactory, especially for short hikes (1-2 nights) where condensation is not a problem.
Isomat 120 grams January 2008
Isomat was originally designed for insulation and soundproofing floors. I cut it and glued the pieces with tape so that it folds up and fits in a backpack. Successfully applied in . The material is quite fragile, but in terms of its thermal insulation properties it is more effective than tourist rugs (per unit weight).
Report, 2008
Subsequently, the isomat broke and unglued. But the fact remains: thermal insulation is excellent.
Cat Case February 2008
The simplest project. I cut out a piece and sewed up the edges to make a cover. Then when I bought sewing machine, stitched the seams. Weight - 8 grams. highly puncture resistant, superior to silicone and other ultralight fabrics.
Report, 2011
I still keep cats in this case. Great use of Tyvek. The fabric becomes softer and softer, but does not pierce.
Snowshoes February 2008
My most simple and naive project. Unfortunately, I did not go beyond the first stage due to the impossibility of trying these snowshoes in the snow! So I would know what is needed to improve them. The basis for snowshoes is cheap aluminum dumplings weighing 260 grams each. I liked their shape and excellent grip. I was going to tie straight branches with a diameter of 1-1.5 cm and a length of 60-70 cm to the dumplings at the site of the hike. The fastening system shown here is too flimsy to withstand large and multidirectional loads. It would have been something more difficult to come up with.
Conclusion, 2009
Snowshoes should not be circular...
Silicone Vapor Barrier Socks March 2008
Enough complex project. I took the pattern from polar socks, “by eye”. Each sock contains three pieces of fabric. They work well but slip. It is necessary to add a puff or elastic band. The weight of a pair is 16 grams.
Report, 2009
Socks were quite difficult to sew. These socks are suitable for sleeping but not for walking.
110 gram duffel bag March 2008
Explain, what is this, very difficult 🙂 You have to see and feel for yourself. Fabric -, volume - somewhere around 40-45 liters, weight - only 110 grams. There are drawstrings at the ends of the duffel bag, and things can be easily reached along the entire length of the bag. Several perpendicular seams.
Report, 2010
So far, I haven't traveled with him. I doubt that I will like it, but still it would be worth trying to walk with him at least once.
Failed Windpants March 2008
I ordered a sewing kit for these ultra-light pants from thru-hiker.com. Fabric ("momentum" - ultralight breathable polyamide with water-repellent impregnation), accessories and a pattern are included in the set. Due to my inexperience, I did not check the resulting pants size for early stages and sewed too tight pants with a wide waist. By the time I realized that the pants did not fit well, it was already too late. I decided to contact the atelier to have my pants made from another piece of the momentum I ordered (and in a less disgusting color, too). The pants came out just super and weigh less than 80 grams. By the way, I refused side zippers. Lightning can be seen in the second photo.
Report, 2010
Momentum is definitely a very advanced fabric. For most wind protection products, as well as bivy bags, Momentum is ideal. But for trousers, I advise you to use heavier fabrics, because. when hiking, you often catch branches and thorns, sit on stones, fall on snow, etc. Momentum can tear, and sewing up a tear or a hole in such a light fabric can be difficult. I still wear (second pair) Momentum pants, but I decided that my next pair would not weigh 70 grams, but 100 or more.
Map and camera bag No. 1 April 2008
For the next ultra-light hike in the Crimea, I decided to get rid of a lot of cases that I used to hang on the straps of a backpack (see), and carry only the most necessary things in front: a map and a camera. For them, I came up with a special silicone bag measuring 30 x 25 x 8 cm with two compartments (so that the card can always be put inside, even if the second compartment is full of things). Product weight - 30 grams.
The bag was supposed to work as follows. While looking at a map or using a camera, the bag hangs in front on the stomach. When the map and camera are no longer needed, you close the hole and famously throw the bag back over your head so that it hangs behind. When the bag is needed again, with your hands you take out the rope from behind your shoulders and with its help you pull the bag over the top of the backpack.
No matter how hard I tried, I could not find a place to tie the rope to the backpack, so that the bag hung at the right height both in front and behind, and so that it could be easily reached from behind. If worn only in front, it dangles and beats against the stomach with every step. Over time it gets boring. Well, the design is good.
Conclusion, 2009
Is the design good? Disagree. I wonder how many hits against a backpack when throwing a bag would my camera withstand? :)
Bag for map and camera No. 2 April 2008
Continuation of the previous topic. This bag corrects the flaws of the first. Now a bag with a map and a camera hangs under the arm in a place where the map (for example, "Atlas of the Crimean Mountains") is still easy to remove and put in without removing the backpack, and at the same time, the bag does not interfere with the use of track sticks. In addition, it does not hit the body at all, since the line of attachment of the bag is parallel to the trajectory of movement.
The design is now flat, with two compartments, a drawstring and four loops to hang the bag in different ways (only two side ones are used in the photo). Attaches with ultra-light carabiners to the loop on the backpack and to the shoulder strap. I am very pleased with the result. During the course of this bag was my constant assistant and did not interfere with the movement of the hand at all and did not hit the body. Weight with carbines - 23 grams.
Report, 2010
Over time, I cut out a partition inside the bag. She was clearly redundant. In fact, now the bag is practically no different from the usual cover for camping items. Only the presence of loops and the stupidity of the seams :) As a rule, the front part I attach lower than shown in these photos. An improved model is presented. However, the bag remains one of my most successful inventions and has accompanied me on numerous hikes, incl. and by . Thanks to her, the map is always at hand, and looking at it on the go is not difficult.
Mosquito net April 2008
Many means have been invented to protect against insects without the use of a traditional tent. It's worth a Google search, for example, "bug bivy". At one time I bought a simple, light and relatively cheap mosquito net from Gossamer Gear (70 grams). On the eve of summer trips, I decided to make a mosquito net that would weigh less and more reliably protect not only from mosquitoes, but also from ticks and ants that can climb up to you from below.
The grid I developed can be used with equal success both on the ground and in a hammock. It can also be used as a mosquito net on the head. The shape of the mesh is an envelope tube that tightens at the level of the hips. Made of ultra-fine mesh ("no-see-um"), through which midges and ticks cannot crawl. Weight - 50 grams. It is suspended on an awning, a branch or a rope. In the photo below, the net is raised 20 cm above the head of an imaginary sleeper. This option is ideal for light-footed athletes who walk like this: they came in the evening, set up camp, immediately lay down, then got up and went in the morning.
Report, 2008
I used the grid while hiking on. The idea may be good, but it turned out to be very difficult to get inside the net while sitting in a sleeping bag. From such muscular tension at the end of the 12-hour daily transition, you come to complete exhaustion.
Super Ultralight Backpack June 2008
How light can a backpack be? I think not much lighter than my latest brainchild, which weighs 45 grams and holds 22-24 liters. The body of the backpack is made from a single piece of silicone (75 x 75 cm and 24 grams of weight). The backpack is conceived for summer hikes in the Crimea with a basic backpack weight of up to 1-2 kg and a maximum load of 6-7 kg.
Report, 2010
Subsequently, this miserable backpack went to the top of Elbrus behind the shoulders of my friend. My next ultra-light silicone backpack will have a double bottom, external pockets and more dense foam in the shoulder straps. A full-fledged backpack for summer PVD can weigh about 100 grams.
Mosquito net for two November 2008
Now I gravitate towards the most simple and functional equipment. Wanted to do mosquito net for two, which could easily be used in halts as well as at night. The size should be large enough so that you can sit under the net and dine together. In Colorado, we already realized how inconvenient it can be without such protection from insects, and decided that we would have to come up with something for the next trip. I've been eyeing the mesh tent from Ray Jardine's website for a long time, but gradually I abandoned this design. First, the tent requires pegs and track poles or twigs to set up, making it useless on short halts. Secondly, it is too low to sit in it. It was necessary to come up with something simpler and more comfortable.
In the end, I came up with this design. In fact, this is a pyramid with a top shifted forward and an open bottom. Structure length - 2.6 m, width - 1.8 m in front - 1.5 m behind. Top height - 1.2 m. Weight - 200 grams. Pieces of nylon are sewn to the bottom corners, and the bottom edges of the net can be held either by something heavy (say, sneakers) resting on pieces of nylon inside the corners of the tent, or by pegs. Loops for pegs are sewn to the corners and the middle of the long sides. You can not stretch the edges, but simply hang the mesh at the top, on which there is a special tensioner, so that the mesh can be easily raised or lowered without tying knots. It is enough to find a branch to hang up a tent in half a minute and protect yourself from mosquitoes. If there is a loop on the bottom of the tent, then you will attach the mesh to it. We will test this design at the end of December.
Report, 2010
Since then, this network has undergone a number of changes. First I added a vertical zipper at the entrance. Then I cut off pieces of the mesh at the sides and back and sewed loops around the perimeter of the mesh. But I went too far with reducing the size: I no longer fit under the grid. I added new pieces of mesh and sewed the whole structure to the rescue blanket for complete protection against insects (particularly mites). However, we did not like the way the walls of the "vnutryanka" sag and touch our faces. We leave the experiments with the net and move on to the use of a two-man bivouac with a net or shelters with an integrated net (like the "Hexamid Twin" from Zpacks), that is, in fact, ultra-light single-layer tents.
Rain Skirts December 2008
How to protect yourself from such rain that comes from morning to night at a temperature of 10 degrees or below? The umbrella protects the body well, but the pants (it’s cold in shorts) invariably get wet. Gore-Tex rain pants don't breathe well and get hot when you work hard. A poncho is good if you are alone, but the two of you want a large awning instead of two poncho awnings. The simplest and, it seems to me, effective solution is a "rain skirt" or a silicone kilt. The design is a partial cone (imagine a glass without a bottom, with a wide end at the bottom). Fixed with Velcro. Easy peasy. It can also be used as a backpack cover or small rest pad. In such a skirt it is not hot due to good ventilation. I made one for myself and one for a girl. Weight 70 grams for me and 55 for the girl. The main difficulties in tailoring are to determine the most comfortable length, make the bottom part wide enough, draw the bend correctly (see the photo on the left) and choose the optimal places for the Velcro (and so that they match at both ends of the skirt!).
Vapor barrier gloves December 2008
There was a need for vapor barrier gloves for a girl, because. her hands are often cold. Mittens were sewn from pieces of silicone left over from rain skirts. We were lucky with the size of the mittens: they fit both her and me. They are loose enough to wear as tops over thin gloves. So they protect from rain or snow. True, in this case, the hand does not breathe, but under certain conditions this can even be a plus (if the hands are cold). Having outlined the hand and 5-10 cm of the wrist on paper, you need to add about 2 cm around the perimeter and a little more in the wrist area so that the hand can crawl through the hole formed. Then we cut out the resulting pattern and apply it to silicone or other fabric and outline it with chalk or a marker. Cut out four "handles" to make two mittens. Well, then everything is clear, I hope. The gloves work. Now I want to add elastic bands in the wrist area so that the mittens do not slip. The weight of a pair is 8 grams.
Report, 2010
Not 2 cm should be added, but 3-4, depending on whether you will wear mittens over gloves. An elastic band is a necessary thing, but it must be sewn on before sewing two pieces of silicone. Sew on an elastic band - it’s not a field to go :)
Waterproof pants August 2010
Numerous moves and the inconvenience of using strangers sewing machines over the past two years, they have kept me from developing self-tailoring projects. But now these issues have largely been resolved. In addition, I feel that the accumulated experience and understanding allow me to sew more intelligently than before. I'm starting to develop new equipment ... Waterproof trousers are designed to correct the shortcomings of the rain skirt. They protect the entire length of the legs from precipitation and do not interfere with stepping over obstacles. Gore-tex socks can be worn under them without the risk of water running down the leg and getting inside the socks from above. Legs weigh 66 grams (from 50 for smaller people).
Report, 2010
Preliminary result after the test in: like it. In combination with gore-tex socks, they protect the entire foot from external moisture. Pants should be worn in conjunction with a poncho or raincoat, the lower edge of which is below the groin. Otherwise, moisture will get under the trousers from above, and the legs will gradually get wet from the inside. Putting on trousers in the wind can be difficult. Partially, I solved this problem by sewing a thin jumper between the legs (see photo on the right).
Map bag #3 October 2010
Looks like perfection has been achieved! The bag weighs only 11 grams without carabiners and has a more convenient entry and tightening than the old one. Now the fabric does not get into the castle, and the "Atlas of the Crimean Mountains" enters easily. In addition, the bag can also be used as a cover for things.
Windproof mittens October 2010
Why windproof mittens, even 15 grams? And then, to a) protect your hands from the cold and wind on summer hikes, b) protect your hands from mosquitoes and c) to be worn over warm, well-breathing gloves in cold weather. This combination now weighs only 57 grams. When sewing mittens, the most difficult thing was to sew on an elastic band. As it turned out, this must be done before sewing two handles. It only worked for me the third time. Not counting the first failed gauntlet, the project took two hours. By the way, the fabric for the mittens was taken from my wife's worn windpants.
Trips
If the big city isn't your thing, you love to travel, or want to get started, then you might need some information on what to do in extreme conditions, to survive.
There are many ideas on how to make things that will help you on your journey.
With your own hands, you can make many useful tools, and you can learn about some of them below.
1. Quick ignition of a fire for active tourism
In wet weather, you may have trouble starting a fire. So that this does not bother you, make blanks that will help you quickly and easily light a fire.
You will need:
Fluffs (threads) sticking to clothes or cotton fiber
Egg carton
Wax from old candles
1. Put the fiber into the egg holes.
2. Melt the candle wax.
3. Pour the melted wax onto the fibers in the carton.
4. Wait for everything to cool and dry.
5. Cut out the blanks as shown in the image.
By setting fire to a match or a lighter, each of these blanks will burn for up to 20 minutes.
You will need:
Two identical plastic jars
Baking paper
Wire or rope to create a handle
Small battery powered candle
Glue stick
adhesive tape
Drill or awl
Super glue
1. Clean the jars of any debris and grease. You only need one jar lid.
2. Measure and cut three pieces of baking paper to fit inside the jar.
3. Glue the ends of all three parts so that you get a tube that will be convenient to insert into the jar.
4. Make a hole on opposite sides of one plastic lid (from the jar).
5. Insert the wire into the holes and bend it to make a handle.
6. Make a large hole in the other lid. This time the holes are on top.
7. Insert a candle inside the hole (there will be a switch outside). Fix the structure with glue.
8. Now glue the lid with the handle to the bottom of the jar, and simply screw the top lid (with the candle) back onto the jar.
3. What a tourist should do in the cold - a hand warmer
You will need:
Calcium chloride (or something that contains it)
2 packs different sizes with clasp
1. Pour some calcium chloride into a large bag.
2. Fill a small bag with some water.
3. Put the small bag inside the big one.
4. Upon contact with coolness, calcium chloride begins to heat up, and you get a comfortable hand warmer.
4. Wood-burning stove made of cans for outdoor enthusiasts and tourism enthusiasts
You will need:
2 cans (diameter approx. 7.5 and 10 cm)
Scissors for cutting metal
Can opener
Screwdriver or awl
Ruler
1. Cut off the bottom from a large jar. Make holes in it to turn it into a ring.
2. Put the ring on a jar of smaller diameter.
3. In a small jar, make several holes (top and bottom, large and small).
4. Insert a small jar into a large one.
5. Mobile stove for lovers of extreme tourism
You will need:
Small metal box
1. Cut the cardboard so that it fits comfortably in the tin box.
2. Melt the wax.
3. Wax the cardboard. Pour so that there are no empty holes.
Ready. It will burn long and hard.
6. What a tourist needs: odnora sachets of coffee
You will need:
Paper for straining coffee infusion
Dental floss
measuring spoon
1. Put papers for straining into a measuring spoon.
2. Pour in 1-2 teaspoons of coffee.
3. Use dental floss to secure the coffee paper.
4. Cut off the excess (if the tail of the paper is long).
5. Put all sachets in a zip lock bag to keep them longer.
To brew coffee, use coffee bags in the same way as tea bags:
1. Place the sachet in a cup and pour boiling water over it..
2. Wait a few minutes.
* Boiling water can be poured for free on an airplane, airport, cafe and other places.
3. Before drinking coffee, take out the sachet and throw it in the trash.
7. Very interesting ideas: mobile toilet paper holder
In the rain toilet paper may get wet. But if you make such a holder, then you can get rid of this problem.
1. Prepare a wide plastic jar.
2. Remove the lid and put toilet paper inside.
3. Make holes at the top and bottom and insert wire to make a handle.
4. Cut an oblong hole to push the paper through.
8. How to Make an Organic Plant Bug Repellent Spray
You will need:
1 head of garlic
1 small onion
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 liter of water
1 tablespoon liquid olive soap
1. Put garlic and onion in a blender and mix until liquid.
2. Add 1 liter of water and a tablespoon of cayenne pepper to the contents.
3. Cover the potion and leave for 1 hour.
4. Strain the mixture through cheesecloth and add 1 tbsp. l. olive soap.
5. Fill up a spray bottle and use the contents to keep bugs away from your plants.
9. DIY compass
This craft can be done with your child, it is so simple.
You will need:
plastic cover
Magnet (rod)
Piece of cork or foam
Some water
1. Use a knife to cut off a piece of cork from champagne or wine.
2. Pass the needle along the magnet several times, but only in one direction. If you made it enough times, the needle will also become a magnet.
3. In plastic cover pour water.
4. Put the cut circle from the cork on the water, and put the needle on top. Take your time, make sure that the needle lies flat.
Soon the needle will begin to slowly rotate, and its tip will begin to point north.
10. DIY snowshoes
11. DIY water filter
12. DIY hammock
Sketch your future armor. It's better to focus on the basic shapes (their size and how to put the pieces of armor together) rather than the color and details that you can work on later. Decide where and how the individual pieces will fit together to keep the armor flexible. Simplify the design as much as you can so that a lot of parts don't knock together and don't have to be connected in many places (this will weaken the design). Also you can search ready-made templates armor online, some of them you can even print.
Take measurements from the person so that the armor fits true to size (mark the size of the armor, e.g. S, M, or L). Write down all the necessary volumes that are needed to make a helmet, breastplate, armor on the shoulders and other various coverings. Although it won't be your main guideline when choosing armor size, it will come in handy whenever you're cutting, splicing, or making any changes you might not be sure of.
Transfer your measurements to the stencil (template) of the armor. You will be faster if your friend holds pieces of flexible and hard paper (like cardboard) in front of you and draws each detail of the sketch separately, making a rough stroke so that you can then redo it as you need. It will be more accurate if you make a mannequin to assemble a paper stencil around it.
Give the stencil its final shape. Make sure you have all the parts you need and adjust if needed. If the template has 2 identical parts (two shin plates, two gloves, etc.), choose the best one and discard the other. Thus, you can use the best one as a template for the second one so that your armor is symmetrical. When you're happy with the result, clean up and soften the stroke, mark the original sketch and its corresponding part (marking which ones will be duplicated) and cut it out.
Transfer the stencil to the sheet foam. Trace each detail on the sheet foam with a ballpoint pen (it will glide over the foam without snagging or scratching it), tracing a second time if necessary. To make very large pieces, you may need to staple 2 sheets of foam together, preferably where it's less visible and can blend into the design (like the seam down the center of a bib). Mark the wrong side and cut out the details.
- To use the foam sparingly, circle the large parts first, then fit the small ones around them.
If necessary, “imprint” the pattern on the armor. Sketch lightly with a ballpoint pen. When you are satisfied with the result, go over the pen a few more times to engrave the sketches on the foam (try not to tear the material). Foam is much easier to paint on if it lies on a flat surface and is not yet assembled into armor.
Shape and assemble the armor. Exactly how you do this will depend on the intricacy of your design. Below are several factors to address as you work. Gather your armor. How you do this will depend on the complexity of your design. Below are some tips for this job.
- Give the sheet foam the shape of your body. Since the material is elastic, you only have to glue the parts along the bends. However, you will need to process some details so that the foam itself holds its shape. It can be done by heating the foam uniform, safe heat source(such as a hair dryer or stove) to soften it and manually bend it around another object, such as liter bottle or rocks. You will only have a few seconds to do this, so act quickly. It's best to test your technique on the remaining patches first to learn how to heat up the foam so it doesn't burn, shrink, or bubble.
- Glue the parts at the joints (PVA glue will do). In some places (for example, where there are many joints or strong curves), it will be more convenient to glue after the parts have been shaped so that they do not lose it. However, when you're working on parts that don't need to be bent much and that don't restrict movement too much when going one on one, you can glue them together before shaping them.
- To strengthen and stiffen the armor, turn it over and grease the reverse side with liquid glue, smooth thin material (for example, gauze or mesh fabric) over the surface, and press something sharp into the folds and bends to weave. When the glue dries, cut off the excess fabric and apply another layer of glue.
- Remember that most likely you will have to work gradually. If your suit is made up of many pieces, you may need to glue a few of them together just to assemble one segment of one piece of armor. Think about how best to fasten small parts together, so that later they can be made into large ones.
- Don't forget to leave holes. Since the foam is flexible, you will have plenty of freedom of movement: sheet foam armor, with a good seam position, you can easily put on and take off. However, for traditional style armor, you need to imitate real way fasteners, that is, connect the parts with leather or fabric ties, which, if necessary, can be untied / unfastened.
- Decide how the armor will hold onto you. If you don't have a one-piece suit, then you will most likely have to attach different parts in different ways. You can put on a tight-fitting outfit under the armor and attach Velcro to the anchor points. If you put on the armor on the same axis with Velcro, then the design will hold up well. (For example, you can attach double-sided Velcro to the desired places on your clothing, in front of a mirror, attach the armor to these places, carefully separate the Velcro, and then attach each Velcro more firmly in place on the suit using thread, stronger glue, etc. ).
If desired, make a convex pattern. To do this, simply paint around the already selected pattern on your armor with paint using a pointed tube. You may need to repeat the procedure for a more obvious effect. When the pattern is sufficiently convex, leave it to dry overnight.
Decorate your armor if necessary.
- Apply sealing liquid to the foam. Since the foam has a spongy texture, it must be compacted before the adhesive can be applied. One of the recommended mixtures is 1 part PVA glue or Sobo glue, 1 part elastic textile adhesive and 2 parts water. Apply the mixture in thin layers until the air from the foam stops creating holes in the coating. Even 7-8 layers may be needed, but since they are thin, they should not dry too long. Make sure that nothing gets into the glue, otherwise blisters may form on the armor.
- If necessary, go over the back of the armor with acrylic paint. If the armor does not fit snugly against the body (you can see what is on the bottom), after painting reverse side, your armor will look more professional.
- Color the front of the armor. Since the foam will bend and move with your body, it's natural for the paint to crack. On a waste piece of foam, try out a flexible paint (such as textile paint) to see if it works for you. Apply the paint in an even layer so that it does not leave streaks and paints over all the kinks and bumps.
- Give your armor a worn look. This can be done by brushing dark acrylic paint (for example, for a dull copper tone, mix black and green) over your armor. Before the paint has time to dry, almost all of it must be erased so that only a shade remains in the cracks.
As you understand, once in autonomous survival conditions, you should first of all think about what you will eat and drink.
If survival is delayed, you will need a weapon to hunt. And also for defense against too annoying predators who themselves would like to dine with you.
Of course, if you have a license or a hunting ticket, you can just go to a hunting weapon store in advance and purchase anything you want. But as a rule, in survival conditions, you may not have a factory weapon and have to make it yourself. Therefore, today we will analyze how to make primitive weapons of our distant ancestors from improvised means.
Onion
The most effective weapon that you can make with your own hands. It can be made and mastered in a fairly short time.
Seasoned wood is best for onions. People, long time those in the wild would put aside the chosen tree in order to sustain it. Tension in unseasoned wood does not last long, so several bows should be made and changed as they lose elasticity.
The ideal material for making a bow is yew, but it can be successfully replaced with juniper, oak, elm, cedar, birch and willow.
Onion preparation. Choose a flexible bough. To correctly determine the size of the future bow, attach the end of the bough to the thigh with one hand, and straighten the other hand and take it to the side. Mark the span of the hand on the bitch: this will be the length of the bow.
Giving the workpiece the desired shape. The width of the bow in the center should be 5 cm, and at the ends 1.5 cm. At a distance of 1.25 cm from the ends of the bow, grooves for the bowstring are cut. The bark must be removed from the workpiece. After giving the onion the proper shape, it should be rubbed with oil or animal fat.
Bowstring. The bowstring can be made from a strip of rawhide 3-4 mm wide, a cord or twisted fibers of nettle stalks. If the bow bends well, use a shorter string. The bowstring should not be tight - the main tension occurs when you pull it to shoot. The string is tied to the bow at both ends with a full turn and two half loops. If the wood from which the bow is made is unseasoned, then the bowstring on one side of the unused bow should be untied to relieve its tension.
Arrows. Only flat wood is suitable for arrows. Birch is best suited for this purpose. The length of the arrow should be 60 cm, and its diameter - 6 mm. Arrows should be as straight and smooth as possible. At the end of the tail of the arrow, make a cut with a depth of 6 mm and a width equal to the diameter of the bowstring
Arrow plumage:
- Split the feather down the middle of the stem, starting at the top.
- Leave 20 mm of feather shaft on each side so that half of the feather can be tied to the arrow shaft.
- Tie the three halves of the feather to the shaft of the arrow at an equal distance from each other. The plumage increases the accuracy of hitting the target. Arrow feathers can also be made from paper, plastic, and hard leaves.
Arrowheads. The arrow itself can be sharpened and fire-fired for strength, but it is still better to make the point of tin can, bone or flint. Split the end of the shaft, insert the tip into the slot and tightly wrap the end of the arrow with wet tendon - when it dries, it shrinks and holds the tip tightly.
Archery technique. Put the arrow on the string. Raise the bow on an outstretched hand so that its middle is at eye level. Keep the bow under the arrow. Without bending the arm holding the bow, draw back the string evenly so that it passes past the chest. In this case, the arrow should be at eye level and be in line with the target. Aiming at the arrow, release the bowstring.
Please note that arrow feathers that touch the hand or cheek can severely scratch the skin when fired. Cover your cheek with a piece of cloth wrapped around your face, and to protect your hand from your elbow, put on a leather legging or pad.
Sling
A sling is a throwing weapon, which is a belt or rope with a leather pocket in the middle (if there is no leather, then any durable fabric will do). A single belt is pulled through the slots at the edges of the pocket, or its halves are tied or sewn to them.
Sling throwing technique. As throwing projectiles, use round smooth pebbles, reaching 2 cm in diameter. Spin the sling over your head so that the plane of rotation is directed at the target. Let go of one end of the strap, and then the stone will fly to the target. Accuracy and the required range of destruction can be achieved by selecting the length of the sling.
Slingshot
Take a strong elastic branch with a fork (hazel is best suited for this purpose) and a piece of elastic material (a camera from a wheel or an elastic band from clothes). Fasten a pocket in the center of the rubber strip, and tie the ends of the strip to the branches of the fork. Use small stones as projectiles. on birds, charge the sling and slingshot with several pebbles at once.
A spear
For a thruster, a straight stick 1.8 m long is best suited, for a throwing spear (javelin) - 90 cm long. To improve the accuracy of the throw, make a wooden throwing device, which should be half the length of the spear. The tip of the spear can be made from flint, bone, or tin can. You can also tie a knife to the spear, but if you have one, then it's not worth the risk.
throwing device
Find a piece of wood with a branch that will serve as a handle. The diameter of the piece of wood should be twice the diameter of the spear. Split it in the center using a knife as a wedge.
On most of the flat surface of the throwing device, select a smooth groove. The untouched part will become an emphasis, which will strengthen the throw. Holding the spear at shoulder level, point it at the target, and then throw it with a sharp movement, sending the handle of the throwing device forward and slightly down.
The simplest devices for hunting also include a bolas, which is a bifurcated rope, to each end of which stones are tied. A skillfully thrown bola entangles the animal's legs and renders it unable to move.
Well, let's remind...
Never, under any circumstances, point a weapon at people, even as a joke. Otherwise, a bowstring torn from your fingers can shorten someone's life, and send you to jail for several years.
