There's a hole in my bucket, dear..

...Scarecrow, dear Scarecrow.

But don't worry, it's supposed to be there!

Sprouting grain for the egg-layers

This tutorial is about creating an easy container set up to sprout grain for the chookens in your life. You could probably do this for your family, too, but being only two of us now, we use a smaller set up for that - the old jar and stocking jobby, but that's another story.

Anyhoo, the boss lady likes to feed the chookens (poultry, hens, chickens, chooks, fowl, ferals <--- just helping out search engines) a variety of sprouted grains - wheat, barley, oats, alfalfa etc. Apparently, these are really good for them. Must be, they are all healthy, mad and provide great entertainment around the place.

Wadjaneed
A couple of buckets - plastic is easier to make holes into
A drill and bit or a candle and sharp implement for hole making
'nother couple of buckets to put your holy buckets into - you'll see what I mean
Five minutes between other projects

Important warning
If you are an idiot: Do not attempt any of the following because it involves sharp things and spinning things. Idiots should not access either of these things.

If you are sensible: Watch out for flying sprue whilst drilling because it could get you in the eyes and hurt.

Here are two buckets.

Keeping up so far?


With your low speed, rechargeable drill or sharp, pointy implement, make holes in the bottom of the buckets.

Try not to drill holes that might look like some sort of secret message otherwise you are bound to offend some bunch of weirdos somewhere in the world.

Place your, now, holy bucket (wait for the Yellow Bucket Worshippers to surface) in an unholy bucket (?agnostic bucket).


Bung in a couple of scoops of wheat and cover with water. Cover and leave for 24 hours. The bucket, not you.

Drain and rinse twice a day - the bucket, not you. Save the water for the garden


When sprouts are visible, feed to chooks but anytime after the initial 24 hour soak is fine.

They have sprouted when the grain develops little tails, usually after a couple of days, depending on the weather, temperature, toxins in the water, phase of the moon or whatever.

Don't leave them too long without rinsing the grain or it ferments.

If you want to see what chooks look like after getting drunk on fermented grain sprouts, just watch your local members of parliament debate important environmental issues.

You will never see more dodging and weaving to avoid obstacles in your life.

Anyhoo, back to my other projects.

Til next time.

Regards

Doc

In the year 2525...

Doc's Post-carbon digital calculator


Those people who know me know that I make toys, spinning wheels and accessories, gadgets, soap moulds, crafty stuff etc etc etc.

Those people who do not know me, see the previous sentence.

I am always thinking up ways to use up scrap wood pieces.

So for the person in your life who has everything - penicillin.

For the other person - try Doc's all new, bell-less, whistle-less, singing-less, digital calculator.

Advantages:
Able to be operated left- or right-handedly.



Does not use electrickery.
Has no batteries to be replaced.
Does not use water.
Has a low carbon footprint (coz it is a hand operated thingy).
Does not require agreements between global govmints.
Using this allows the user to know what their other hand is doing.
Works in all positions.
Is 'handy'.
Any handyperson can use it.
Comes in a small range of colours (1)
Can be used by all ages and sexes.
Ideal for discussion in chat rooms/social networks.
Is non-judgemental.
Contains no artificial preservatives or colourings.
Does not contain nuts or dairy products
Is made from free range, pre-loved and pre-hugged trees

And, you would not believe it, but these really sell at markets.

Ah well, fools and their money.

Doc

Slip, slidin' away...

...on Doc's easy-as soap.

Home made soap is easy and gives you that nice 'I did it' feeling.

They also make nice gifts for those of you who have friends to give them to.

It is not hard and as long as you have healthy respect for caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) - it burns - you can make soap safely.

You need a sensible approach to safety: Googles, gloves, free-flowing air, kids and pets at a safe distance in case of spillage etc etc I am frugal and a little slack with a lot of things but not when it comes to safety.

Other than that, let's party.

Watjaneed
A thermometer or two (one for the pot, one for the jug)
A pot (Stainless steel or enamel) to mix your soap mixture in (not aluminium)
A jug to mix your lye (caustic soda and water)
A wooden spoon or a stick blender (I am lazy - guess what I use)
Scales for accurate measuring of ingredients
Soap moulds
Soap ingredients - you would be amazed at what you can use.
An online lye calculator such as here to work out how much lye you need



For moulds, you can make one like I did a few posts ago or you can use anything to put soap into, such as my PVC pipe mould elsewhere on my blog.

For some of my soaps I use latex gloves as moulds - these make my - you guessed it - hand soaps. Great gimmick for markets.

You can even - wait for it - buy moulds from a soap supplier.

Who'd have thunk?

The steps that follow are pretty much what you would use for most soaps.

Use your search engine like this searching tutorial to find more detailed instructions and ingredients for soap-making.

I am just showing you how easy a process it can be.

For my simple soap I am using an olive oil recipe to make a quick and easy castille soap.

Before we start, get whatever mould(s) you want to use ready.



My recipe
Olive Oil 1058 grams
Water (to mix with lye) 133 grams
Lye 134 grams

Step 1
In a jug add lye to water - be careful because splashes burn. Hence the need for goggles, gloves and a ventilated spot, child/pet free.

This will bubble, smell and become quite hot. Allow it to cool to around 35 C.

Step 2
Whilst waiting for the lye to cool, select your ingredients according to your recipe and heat in a pot to around 35 C.

Step 3
When the temperature of both the lye and the oil is 35 C, pour the lye (CAREFULLY) into the pot with the oil.

Step 4
With a wooden spoon, stir for ages and ages and ages. Or, with a stick blender, buzz the mixture for a few minutes, mixing the soap thoroughly.



Step 5
When the soap has reached 'trace' (it thickens and a drop forms a thin trail on top, like a pudding mix) it is then ready to pour into your pre-prepared mould(s). Remember, we got the mould(s) ready before we started.

Many thanks to my lovely assistant, Scarecrow for help folding up the paper in the mould.



Step 6
Once you have poured the soap into the moulds you need to cover/insulate the mould(s) and place them somewhere safe to cool down. This should take up to about 48 hours. With this castille, you may need to gently stir every 12 hours or so but most other soaps can just be allowed to sit.

After 48 hours, the soap can be removed from the mould(s) and cut to size, then placed somewhere to cure (I know, they were not sick in the first place ) for about four to six weeks.

This allows them to solidify properly. Turn over as required - the soaps, not you, to ensure they dry nicely.

Be aware that the soaps will still be a little caustic early on so wear gloves.

Take said soap and wrap in something cute and voila! Frugal, but loveable gift for somebody (or some body).

You can add all sorts of gunk and smelly stuff (essential oils and the like) to the mix at 'trace' to make it smell nice or colour it prettily (?sp) or even add oats, flour, sand and other stuff to cleanse the skin.

I have poured this into my PVC pipe mould that contained a luffa. The soaps are sliced up and it makes a great exfoliate (?word) for babes with delicate skin.

Kinda like sandpapering the bare metal before painting a car, I s'pose.

As I mentioned, search the net for recipes and do not forget to bookmark your favourites.

For beginners in Australia, here are the translations of some of the ingredients that you can find online or (SHOCK HORROR ) in a book at your public library:

All/most of these ingredients can be found at your local supermarket
Lard = Pig fat
Tallow = Solidified Oil (inc rendered beef fat)/Supafry
Palm Oil = Frymaster
Coconut Oil = Copha
The above are usually in the diary fridge section

Olive Oil = Olive Oil (just testing)
Blended Oils = Usually blended vegetable oils
Above probably in the cooking oil section

Castor oil = Castor oil (may be in first aid section of supermarket)
Caustic Soda = sodium hydroxide, sold as drain cleaner in the cleaning section of the supermarket

Scrubbing up 'til next time

Doc

Wheel meet again...

...on Doc's wheel jig.

Hi all. Another quick workshop hint.

This is for those who make toys with wheels and need some way of finishing them and allowing them to dry.

I usually use Danish Oil to finish my wheels but this jig will work for hand or spray painted wheels too.

Sorry it is only another short posting, but it is close to christmas and in between making soap moulds, building and repairing spinning wheels and making all sorts of toys with wheels, I have not made the time to do a 'long' post here.

Rest assured I will as soon as I can.

In fact, I am hoping to put up a quick tutorial on soap making for those of you who have not made the jump into it yet, so stay tuned.

Wojaneed
A couple of blocks of wood larger than the diameter of your wheels (otherwise the wheel will touch the ground - duhh)
Some thin dowel (3mm is good)
Flat space to 'finish' the wheels and leave to dry.

Step 1
Drill a hole into one block to fit the dowel into it.


Step 2
Finish/paint your wheels and thread them on to the dowel.

The end of the dowel that is not in the hole, will rest on the top of the block at the other end.


Need me to go over any of the steps?

Thought not.

Now if you will excuse me, I have work (fun though it is) to get on with.

Watch this space.

Love, peace and mungbeans

Doc