Now why didn't I think of this!

Cyclops · Post by **Cyclops** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 6:21 pm

Just found this very cheap and available method of using the pop up flash for macro.
Look at the first article,Home Made Flash Extender-neat!
http://www.dangphoto.net/flash.htm

puzzledpaul · Post by **puzzledpaul** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 8:49 am

Aye ... cardboard / ali foil etc is wonderful stuff

The net's awash with the 'Blue Peter' approach to this sort of thing ... here's another 'take' on it from a couple of yrs ago.

pp

http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... .php?t=998

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 9:40 am

pp, thanks for linking that old thread of yours. I had forgotten about it, and there's some great discussion & illustrations in there.

I'm curious about this term, "Blue Peter". Never heard it before. What does it mean? Any relation to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Peter ?

--Rik

lauriek · Post by **lauriek** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 9:48 am

Thats exactly it Rik, a popular UK kids show where they make loads of things out of cardboard and sticky tape...

Harold Gough · Post by **Harold Gough** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 12:20 am

Laurie,

To be precise, it was, famously "sticky-back tape", a term used when using a brand name on the BBC was a capital offence.

Even more famous is "here is one I made earlier".

Harold

DaveW · Post by **DaveW** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 12:51 pm

Blue Peter's commercial TV rival was Magpie:-

Google "Wikipedia Magpie TV Series" as the link will not post properly here.

DaveW

rovebeetle · Post by **rovebeetle** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 2:25 pm

BTW - Dang is a very nice guy. I had some correspondence with him a few years ago after I identified a few of his critters on his pbase site. I didn't know that he has his own website now.

Cheers

Graham Stabler · Post by **Graham Stabler** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 4:26 pm

They called it "sticky backed plastic" which I always thought might be the stuff you put on books to protect them, most confusing.

For super cool cardboard stuff take a look at:

http://www.tamasoft.co.jp/pepakura-en/

It is excellent software for making even the most complex carboard stuff.

Cheers,

Graham

Harold Gough · Post by **Harold Gough** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 12:56 am

Graham Stabler wrote:They called it "sticky backed plastic" which I always thought might be the stuff you put on books to protect them, most confusing.

Of course they did. A mental lapse on my part!

Harold

puzzledpaul · Post by **puzzledpaul** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 2:19 am

Since s/ware has been mentioned - I use Wings3D* for both 3D model creation and face unwrapping.

Obviously not necessary for very basic designs, but very useful if wanting to take things a little further.

* Open source - so free and available for all major platforms and has std. output facilities for 'talking to' other s/w as per the one previously mentioned.

Add the usual triplet of wubbleyous and a dotcom for main site, btw - the devt release is just as stable as 't'other ... and has more features.

pp

DaveW · Post by **DaveW** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 3:36 am

The original "sticky backed plastic" they used Graham was "Fablon" I think. That Formica substitute you used to stick onto shelves if you could not afford laminated plastic ones, or did not want the upheaval of changing them.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/fablon-Kitchen- ... lon&page=1

DaveW

Graham Stabler · Post by **Graham Stabler** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 6:12 am

You are right at least according to Wikipedia, the called sellotape/scotchtape "sticky tape" and Fablon "sticky backed plastic".

The latter having the greatest fame.

Glad we got that settled

pp,

Thanks for that, I'll check it out too.

Graham