Halloween time

by | Oct 29, 2024 | I Am Lame | 91 comments

I like halloween and I like looney tunes as well so last year I did a small version of

EVIL SCIENTIST

BOO

It was greatly received so this year I decided to go bigger and better. I Started with a 3’x 3’ box. The wood is half an inch all the way around and on the top. It used to be a table I acquired on the side of the road from a neighbor who just moved in and just didn’t need it.

The next thing I had to do was the actual evil scientist layout on the board itself. I had to take and scale up from the original that I had built, which was actually designed and laid out based on the original ‘tune. Next came the cuts.

The lettering needed to look very neon, meaning the ends needed to be curved, not squared off. I ended up using a drill bit for my end points to my curve points. Keeping things just cartoonish enough. And then using the Jigsaw to cut out the remainder. It seemed to work pretty well.

Next up was the lighting. I had already purchased a 6-pack of 10 W landscaping lights from the Amazon and in 12 volt so that I could utilize my dual time delay relay to go from one color to the other, so it was testing light angles and such at this time.

At this point, things were looking up and then I realized I have a 12 volt power supply that runs out to 35 W. And that’s going to max out my entire system If I use all 6 lights, but then of course, it dawned on me. I’m only running 3 of them at any given time, so they only have a 50% duty rating and therefore I’m gold.

The next thing I did was cut out BOO, Which is another story in itself. Rather than just draw lettering I had to “float” the B and the Os middle sections and it wasn’t easy or perfect but hey, cartoonish.

The final lighting came down to 2 red cross lights for Evil Scientist and 3 Broadway style lights for the green BOO.

Then, I painted the face black and began finishing the castle, now we are getting somewhere. The last thing is to mount it to my handrail on our deck, then drop some Saran wrap down to make a waterfall,

About The Author

Yusef drives a Kia

Yusef drives a Kia

Punctually illiterate But never late

91 Comments

  1. DEG

    I like it. Excellent work!

  2. Tundra

    I love it!

    The lettering needed to look very neon, meaning the ends needed to be curved, not squared off. I ended up using a drill bit for my end points to my curve points.

    A roundover bit next time would be perfect.

  3. robodruid

    As an evil scientist, i approve.

    • UnCivilServant

      I’m not so much an Evil Scientist as an Evil Engineer.

      • robodruid

        Why not both?

      • Yusef drives a Kia

        / raises hand

      • Toxteth O'Grady

        Oh, surely chaotic neutral.

    • OBJ FRANKELSON

      Are you a medical ethicist or employed by the NIH?

      • UnCivilServant

        What are are we doing implanting organs in people with terminal, degenerative diseases which are guaranteed to cause those otherwise healthy organs to degrade, providing fewer ears of life than if they were given to someone with acute issues?

        /Medical Ethicist.

        /no seriously, that’s not a me opinion.

      • Timeloose

        I would prefer organs go to people with issues that will kill them if they don’t get a transplant, but before the person is so sick that they will run into end of life issues. In other words, a 50 year old otherwise healthy person with failing kidneys or a heart be given priority over a 70 year old with a slew of other issues as a result of having a bum heart or kidney for the last 15 years.

  4. Sean

    *chef’s kiss*

  5. Evan from Evansville

    I strongly approve. I like Halloween decorations better than other holidays. Certainly more fun and more personality attached to it all. There’s a nearby house that isn’t nearly as lit as yours, with ghouls and a giant skeleton w a Jack-O-Lantern head. Theirs is also playful but not nearly as inviting to kids. That’s a house to fuckin’ visit. They hope they get a good haul, but just the atmosphere brings ’em into the day.

    For me, Halloween is a big “Fuck You!” to Death. Havin’ fun, mockin’ all the shit He tries to scare us with. Exposure for kids to get them over scared-y-cat fears. As ya get older, just a celebration of Life. But losing the ridicule of the ‘Unknown’ can miss the point, but hey. Debauched parties is part of Life as well. I’m trying to find My-Age parties to introduce myself and scope out local Talent. Another celebration! Gettin’ folk out and engaged w each other. I know zero people here, and it’s useless, detrimental. to continue ignorance.

    Thanks for sharing and for doing that for kids, the neighborhood AND yourself. I wanna be an evil scientist. Well. I’m fairly close with my medical career …

      • Evan from Evansville

        You and y’all are damn good with your hands. I can build, construct, nothing. I can follow IKEA directives aimed at me. Athlete, drumming, intricate jobs with my hands? Sure. But ain’t ‘creating’ anything tangible.

        My end? I can tie one knot. But I can double-knot the one knot I know!

      • cyto

        Doom ba-doom ba-doom doom-doom.

        Doom-ba-doom doom….

        Ba da-da-da dot!
        Ba da-da-da dot!

        Now you got me jonesing. Gotta go find that Metallica cover.

      • Yusef drives a Kia

        It’s called Powerline

      • Evan from Evansville

        Nothing beats Vince Guaraldi’s Peanuts Christmas for Dec music. Perfect album, start to finish.

        But for now, it’s gotta be Nightmare before Christmas, when Tim Burton was still earning his fantastic rep. Don’t approve of much past Ed Wood. (Sleep Hollow ain’t great, but it’s got a gorgeous feel and I grew up with it. A continuation of my childhood Christina Ricci crush, starting w Wednesday. I REALLY need to rewatch Mars Attacks! ) https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1AD08DBE262F494C

      • Evan from Evansville

        Apparently Corpse Bride is legit-great, but I’ve never seen. Sounds an alley designed for me. I should get out more.

    • Toxteth O'Grady

      The only holiday with a sense of humor.

      • Evan from Evansville

        Yes. I take it as a holiday where everyone has to at least put up with The Court Jester’s time to shine: To make fun of everything around, with little Off-Off Limits. However it became a Dark night to entertain kids, dress and monsters and enjoy what there is… (naughty or nice..), is a cultural change I strongly approve of.

        I’ve never really been naughty-naughty. I played a lot of Halloween gigs at bars in Korea. I’m getting off FB, but it is a great Opp to collect and save pics I otherwise don’t got.

        It is a celebration I/we can all get behind, even if you don’t like where it’s gone. It’s the day before an old, 3-Day Christian fast, IIRC. Lent-ish. Time to celebrate whatcha got! I like that aspect. It intersects with view.

  6. rhywun

    Thunderous applause!

    • Yusef drives a Kia

      Thank you, I love my work

    • Yusef drives a Kia

      Good

    • The Other Kevin

      To make your evening, Biden just said the only garbage is Trump supporters. So some of us got that going for us.

      • Gender Traitor

        I’m starting to think that it’s Biden that Joe Rogan should have in for a three-hour conversation on his podcast. As soon as possible.

      • Toxteth O'Grady

        In a row?

      • rhywun

        Yeah, I’m picturing him glitching out after 10 or 15 minutes.

  7. Timeloose

    Nice work Yusef.

    • Yusef drives a Kia

      Thanks, more cool stuff for Christmas hopefully

      • R.J.

        The Peanuts are starting to look good!

      • Fourscore

        Now only imaginative but translated into hands on stuff. What’s up for Easter?

        Good work on the Halloween/Christmas stuff.

        I made a cribbage board in wood shop in high school but I guess that’s not quite the same.

      • rhywun

        I made a cribbage board in wood shop in high school but I guess that’s not quite the same.

        Nice. That sounds more fun than the message-taking thing mom indulgently allowed to be nailed next to the kitchen phone (you filled it with a roll of cash register tape).

        I think that is the last time I worked some wood.

      • Aloysious

        I think that is the last time I worked some wood.

        These euphemisms are getting to the point where even I can understand them.

  8. LCDR_Fish

    Missed it in dedthread, but Apocalypto was pretty solid. My netflix rental was weird..or acting up in my player because I couldn’t get any subs to work. I thought I had recalled reading that it was originally released with no subs at all – but that was probably wrong. Easy enough to figure out what was generally being said though. Also, it was interesting that it ended right with the Spanish/Portuguese arriving. Should pick it up on BR.

    • cyto

      Mel made some fantastic flicks when he got full control.

      That was quite an era…. Clint, Costner, Mel…. lots of actors made passion projects that were great.

      Robert Duvall made The Apostle. Fantastic if you haven’t seen it.

      • rhywun

        Robert Duvall made The Apostle. Fantastic if you haven’t seen it.

        Interesting – hadn’t heard of that. I love Duvall in everything I’ve seen.

      • ZWAK, doktor of BRAIN SCIENCE!

        Holy cow, the Apostle is fantastic.

  9. Ownbestenemy

    This is excellent Yusef!

    • Yusef drives a Kia

      I’m discovering I can cartoon to certain extent, it’s actually exciting and I hope it turns out well,
      Thanks!

  10. Gustave Lytton

    Cabelas has Xmas decorations out front already. 🤦‍♂️

    • UnCivilServant

      Any place that does that should be fined 1% of their annual revenue multiplied by the number of days before December they’re put it out, with each day it is out generating a new fine.

      Just hold it until december, people.

      • Gustave Lytton

        I wish to subscribe your newsletter/glove catalog.

      • Toxteth O'Grady

        What happened to the mere twelve days?

      • UnCivilServant

        I adopted a compromise position.

      • Gustave Lytton

        I’d accept traditional advent calendar (4th Sunday before Xmas).

      • Toxteth O'Grady

        Sounds suspiciously Orthodox to me, GT.

        (Ha, I wish I were: shop the sales!)

      • Evan from Evansville

        I’d say give Thanksgiving its time, and Xmas decorations can start December 1.

      • creech

        Fascist!

      • Gustave Lytton

        Thanks GT! MoM changed ownership recently and is shipping to the US again.

        Advent kalendars are big in Germany. Reminds me I need to order my tool one.

    • Mojeaux

      Hobby Lobby has Christmas stuff out in July. Of course, it takes time to make crafts.

  11. Gustave Lytton

    Saw a NOAA Fisheries Law Enforcement suv on the highway today. Exactly how you’d expect a fed game warden to behave. Driving excessively fast, camping in the left lane, following too closely, etc.

    • UnCivilServant

      On land? Outside his jurisdiction, pull him over and arrest him for attempted murder and reckless endangerment.

  12. Atreides

    Great work, Yusef!

    I always love seeing the creativity that you bring to your projects, and the accompanying write-ups. Thanks for sharing it with us.

  13. Evan from Evansville

    Yo yo. BIG News about my plasma center: There was a shooting inside my plasma center. Shooter had ONE dude in mind. He told others they didn’t have to worry. Shot the dude and just walked out I think. I’m reading further. They arrest the perp not long, not far later, without any big fight or anything. Kinda said OK, ya got me.

    Tell me whatcha think, pls. (I have a theory about the what/ why/ of the shooter. Justice will do its thing.) But, uhh…too soon to ask? How will this affect the start of my employment next Tues? How do scenes of crimes actually get handled in the US these days? Lockdown, for sure… Uh. Affect new hires?

    • Evan from Evansville

      This is at my location. https://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2024/10/29/indianapolis-plasma-center-shooting-north-post-road-east-side-grifols-biomat/75920107007/
      Sorry. Hope that works.

      (*Normally) It’s over Money/A Woman/ Drugs. BUT. Knew a dude was a pedo? Victim had a routine, perp knew this was where he was gonna be, cuz he was hiding out and hard to find… I see that now. ESPECIALLY cuz no news on a fast escape, a difficult arrest, and just the shooter bein’ chill the whole time. Knew he could get it done there, and then, like…Aight. ‘I did what I had to do. Couldn’t find him anywhere else. Sneaky bastard.”

      “He was so calm,” [Biomat employee] Barreto told IndyStar as he stood outside of the center at 3620 N. Post Road with other witnesses. “He was like, ‘I don’t want to shoot you, ma’am, sir.’ He just came there to shoot somebody else…
      A short time later, 911 dispatchers received notice of a possible suspect [not far away]. There, officers found a man believed to be a person of interest, who they took into custody.”

      • Evan from Evansville

        Dammit. Barreto is a regular donor. No other names/titles released yet.

    • hayeksplosives

      Holy moly.

      I’d check all email and text messages before going to work tomorrow. It might get weird.

      I used to be a routine plasma donor in college. The place was just off campus, so the majority of the donors were like me: young, clean, idealistic, and in need of a little extra spending money. Plus there was time to kill between certain classes ok Tues&thurs

      BUT the place also had donors who looked pretty much liked they’d been dragged behind a semi. A lot of native Americans. A lot of folks who seemed to be “on” something.

      I remember that even the color of some of those folks plasma looked off. Greenish or cloudy.

      -shudder- Just encouraged me to keep at it because I knew I was clean.

  14. hayeksplosives

    Great display!! Make sure to have plenty of candy for the little uns!

    • PieInTheSky

      candy is bad for you. How about a nice piece of fruit? Or some carrot sticks?

      • Ted S.

        You can’t get blood from a carrot stick.

      • UnCivilServant

        You can get blood from a carrot – how do you think parsnips are made?

      • PieInTheSky

        You can’t get blood from a carrot stick – One of us is confused about how candy works

      • Chipping Pioneer

        Trust Pie on what you can and cannot get blood from.

      • cavalier973

        Carrots are dangerous

  15. hayeksplosives

    I finally got home from the cruise about an hour ago. Still no sign of cat.

    I think she’s pretty mad at me. I’m gonna sit on the couch a while and see if she ventures out…

    Po’ kitty is a rescue and I don’t know her history. But she usually sleeps on my bed every night so I doubt she was happy about me being gone 10 days…

    • PieInTheSky

      that is a horrible song, and I don;t say that often around these parts

      • The Hyperbole

        You don’t say that often enough, these people have horrible tastes in music, and it’s not just TED’s and Sean.

      • Stinky Wizzleteats

        Agreed Hyp, as we all know American popular music reached its peak with Christopher Cross’ “Sailing” and it’s been downhill ever since.

    • rhywun

      Catchy.

      • Sean

        rhywun gets it.

    • Gender Traitor

      Good morning, U and Sean, and good afternoon, Pie!

      • UnCivilServant

        Morning.

        How goes things with you?

      • Gender Traitor

        So far so good! I may have to muddle my way through paying a few invoices at work – Reliable Co-worker (on vacation this week) thought we were caught up enough that I wouldn’t have to, but we have a few that are due very soon. How are you?

      • UnCivilServant

        Amazon will accept a return on the wrong part I ordered, so that’s $128 back.

        I made it to the office, and while she was chattering earlier, annoying accent lady has gone quiet for now.

        I watered my plants. The lavender hasn’t worstened, so 🤞

      • Gender Traitor

        That’s great news about the return! Whew! 😅

    • Chipping Pioneer

      Good morning, all.

      Surprised to learn that UCS works with Kamala Harris. Don’t worry, she’ll switch to another accent soon enough.

      • UnCivilServant

        Thankfully, I am spared that torment.

  16. Fourscore

    Good morning, good morning and a few clouds this morning. A little rain in the night, which we really needed.

    Go the wood stove humming, start of another quiet day in the woods.

    • Grummun

      Happiness is a flue that draws well.