DIY or Expect Others to Do it for You ?

Somebody asked me “ How I could cut a plastic jar (in Lens Cap post = link here)

so clean and precise”. —– well, there was a bit of preparation to do it which you

can see in the photo I’ve took on the time.

When you cut or chisel the material, there is a rule [Firmly fix either the tool or the material].

Even to peel a skin of an apple by a knife, there is a knack,

“It got firmly hold the knife and only rotates the Apple, not other-way round”.

Therefore, to cut the plastic jar, a sharp blade was fixed on the flat board by a G-clamp

(hight was adjusted by something such as aluminum bar etc under the blade which got

suitable thickness) and plastic jar was rotated on the flat base while pressing against

the blade.  (while rotates it, never wobble and rotates many times

= cut it gradually deeper)

This principle is always the same = cut a pipe or bar using a hacksaw, fix the material or object

on a vice clamp.   When drilling a hole = only the drill bit moves but not the material.

On a Lathe Machine or Wood-turning Lathe, only the material rotates and the cutting-bite which

was fixed to the machine, moves slowly while having the position precisely controlled.

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In a hind sight, I was lucky to grown-up in Japan where everything had been burnt

down and had nothing else of the abandoned field with wild flowers and insects.

Having no ready-made toys, we had to improvise or make our own toys.  And in the

magazines, there was a lots of article of “How to Make Something by Ourself.”

—– Grown-up was literally meant to know How to Do = not just

to know the names and words.

[]

Do It Yourself mean, to learn the material, and to know and having the control

of all the process, and to take a responsibility for the result = no one else there to

take a blame but oneself.

—– in this aspect, I really pities the kids and the grown-up version of those kids = young peoples

of today = while growing up with a toy bought by somebody-else’s (parent’s) money, without

knowing how it’s works, let alone how it was made, and only know to buy another one, or blame

somebody-else, such as the manufacturer,  when it was broken.  No idea of how to repair it.

[]

This utterly irresponsible, only expecting to others to do, mentality is the

fundamental problem of the whole society today.

Without knowing whole system, but only know to press a button (like a game-machine), and handling

even a financial operation, just for a short-eye-sighted gain, only on his narrow scope of speculation

= then end-up to pile-up uncontrollable amount of debts = yet still expecting somebody-else

(IMF etc) to bail-out their problem. —– (But, where the money of IMF come from ?)

A system having no feed-back and built-in self regulating mechanism,

it can not be called a system.

[]

Still amazing things are, the people are flocking to buy share of FACEBOOK,

while speculating it would grow and creates big profit.  But the reason why F’ is

floating their share in this moment is, that they realized no more growth in

a sale of AD business = This is the last opportunity they can fool the people.

GM has already stopped to advertise in F’ since it didn’t sell their car. 

And as majority of the F’ user were shifted to see F’ in their Smart-phone,

= who want to see an obstructive AD in their small screen ?

This is the typical sample of “Greed blind the people”  😀

Where the money to fill their Greed come from ? = are they still expecting

somebody else to create the money and give to them ?  Because of it is nothing

certain, F’ is doing it somebody else’s money. ( Sell the Share to public) !  😀

[]

Homemade Lens Cap

While walking in the town with my camera on my shoulder, I realized, I’ve dropped a lens hood

and a cap of my Fish-eye Lens.   Because of the fish-eye lens is protruding on its front, the

Lens cap is a special type.  To buy this type must cost more than £ 50 and may need to order.

—– any how, I didn’t even check the price. I know it is extortionately expensive.

I absolutely have no will to buy it.

[]

Since when the camera industry started, their business model is always the same. Like Kodak

and their Brawny camera, camera itself was sold cheap = can be sold even without profit.

The profit was made from the sale of film and its print making process. Polaroid did the same.

But what about the camera maker who is not selling the film. = While selling the camera itself

cheap, their profit came from the sale of accessories such as interchangeable lens, flash light

even a piece of plastic, such as a lens cap, so, the price is kept such high.

—– Many years ago, a boss of big camera company complained me “ We are effectively

making promotional incentive goods to sell the film. The more we work hard and sell more

attractive cameras which makes more people taking photo, it only creates the more profit to

the Film company, not for us 😦 ”

[]

Then, the Digital revolution completely changed the rules of the game.

Photography no longer need to use the film, hence both Kodak and Polaroid bankrupted.

(Fuji Film escaped this by investing digital imaging technology long before digital cameras

appeared, such as working with Xerox and bought Electronic Scanner’s maker, Crossfield,

then utilizing their film emulsion technology, they diversified, expanded even into forefront

of nano technology).

[]

Thanks to have, such as image-sensor manufacturer, like Toshiba, Sony next door, Japanese

Digital camera evolved very quick though I didn’t buy them until I was fully convinced

that the sensor reached to the level of a film camera. ( I’m not implying such as a

top grade DSLR reached as good as Film camera, but when I saw the sample photos of

Canon 5D, I found the photo showed a flaw of the lens, it’s mean the resolution

of the sensor was reached to the limit of average lens = good enough for average

use) —– So that I bought 5D Mk-2  for my first ever Digital Camera.

(I waited a full-frame DSLR for my collection of ultra-wide and fisheye lenses)

—– comparing the cost of film and its process, still it is cheap, and no need

to mention its convenience to use in the Internet environment.

[]

But coming down to a low-tech, just for a molded plastic lens cap, I wouldn’t pay a price of

hi-tech camera.   I’m an humble, or more precisely mean, poor person. (In principle 🙂 )

So, I decided to make it myself and went to Pound-shop to find the best suited material.

= basically, cap for Fish-eye lens is a pan-shaped shallow cap.  Only a matter is, its diameter.

On the photo right, what I found were a fancy color-changing light and moisturizing hand

cream (of its container, not the cream of cause 😀 )

Light housing has bayonet craw which somewhat fit to the lens front bayonet though, it was

made by Styrole Plastic, hence it may easily brake when it got impact. The cream jar was

made by Polypropylene, hence having certain flexibility to grip the lens top with right fiction.

So that, I’ve chosen to use cream jar. And for top lid, I found a junk Pendulum

of old clock 😉  = Cut the jar to a shallow ring and hot-glued the metal disc of pendulum.

Voilà, a lens cap which cost me only £1 —– still I need to work a bit more to prevent it

accidentally come off and lost again.

So, this is the finished product with some stitching work.  = Over the metal cap,

I cover it with chamois and the additional Velcro strap is to tether the cap

to the lens. 

[]

As I’ve been keep saying, this kind of DIY work is a game. = the more free minded

approach, it would be a fun.   (Not mention, it would save the cost too.

It’s far better to use the same money to a memory card kind) 😀 —– only remaining

headache is “ What to do with a moisturizing cream now kept in honey jar ?” I don’t take or

use any artificial things include the medicine on to my body, especially what can you expect

from £1 cream.—– Anyhow, sweet peach smelled, smooth skin Yoshizen may not be

anything near to sexy.  Yuck ! Ha ha ha 😀

[]

PS:   Strangely, I lost the Lens cap again, and I had to make yet another one.

—– As I don’t have anymore clock pendulum, instead I used a cap of pickles jar.

And in this time I got nice colored leather for a cover.   (Click the photo to enlarge and

see the hand stitch = it is a simple practice, hence good Buddhist’s practice of Mushin.  😀 )

Cap works, with a hint of vinegar smell, and if I press its center, it makes a click sound.  😀

[]

Spoon !

One of the group I’ve been involved is OWN (Open Wireless Network) and their

weekly workshop = where people exchange the information and the skills around Computer,

Wifi connection, and all sorts of electronics (and having usual silly chats.   🙂 )

After a while, I suddenly realized, a guy who I’ve been thinking a graphic designer was in fact

a silver-smith.  (In any trade, people using the computer devices, having the same kind of

trouble or discovering useful knack etc. to talk about).

[]

I know few Jewelry Designers though, to encounter a silversmith who is doing welding

work of silver and gold every week, is a different matter.  Since I’ve been making a kind

of  twisted wire sculptures (Link here), to which if necessary I been using lead-solder which is

not strong enough (Lead-free solder is even worse ) = I need to use proper welding.

So that, I’ve been thinking to make a Spot-welder using series connected PC power supply

(such as 30A, 12Vx3 = 36V, with huge bank of Capacitors) though, I haven’t done yet.   🙂

I also have Arc-welder though, it has to be used in the proper workshop, not in a flat.

So that, to meet well-seasoned silversmith is a good coincidence and a sign,

it must be a time to work out, long over due silver work.

[]

Photo top is a Cherry-wood Spoon which I carved more than 10 years ago thinking

to put the hands, made by a silver wire.

= Here, it was completed with the proper silver wire acquired through him.

——– (Wood carving is not necessary done by the Chisel alone.  Fretsaw, Files for

——– metal work, Drill etc etc.  The most useful tool for this kind of fine carvings is

——– a Small piece of Blade in a holder and a Sawing Needle sharpened in angle

——– = work as a minute-size round head chisel.  Work start to make tools  🙂 )

—– Why spoon ?   Why spoon has the hands ? —– I would only say “why not”. 

Spoon can be a Female Figure as well, hence it got hands.  I make something

with joke = I don’t like ostentatious, typical art-like art.  😉

If I see a wood, I carve it with my chisel. That’s all. That’s how creativity works.

To create something, there is no reason or explanation needed. It just happen !

In fact, this wood had happened to come from a cherry stump left in a garden. —– When I

removed it with my hatchet, I found it is a good wood to carve = so I carved it.

It occurred just as coincidence.  I take a coincidence as a given opportunity.

( —– In the mountain, often I needed to make a spoon but this was the first time I ever

carved nude figure = I learned a lot about sculpture and it opened new field to me.  😀 )

[]

  So, this photo is yet another Cherry wood Spoon.

  In fact, it was the last remaining wood, top end of the stump,

 hence the head part was cracked off, and I left her as it is.

 I liked this, as it showed an unexpected fate.

 In the carving, half of the design was the idea of the

 sculptor though, the wood itself determine the rest.

 The reason why this nude figure putting her hands there was

 = the wood had a hole in the left chest.

 In order to hide the hole, left hand had to come there = and

 right hand was placed in symmetry. (Click photo to enlarge)

In wood carvings, we can’t go back.  Once chiseled off.  That’s the end.

While carving without a model, I wasn’t sure of her back shoulder —– I’ve carved again

and again feeling not quite right hence, originally planed rather chubby figure shed a

fresh and getting thinner and thinner, ended up like this.

Still I wouldn’t complain the end result, as the shape came in its own.

[]

Our life is the same. = Want to live in such a way, was what we had wished.

Though, the actual figure was shaped by the external event and the condition

etc. etc.  Once chiseled-out, no one can glue it back and re-do.  Only one LIFE.

So, that the final work is the interaction of two or more forces which makes it even more

unpredictable, hence adding even more fun to live a life.  😀

[]

Keep clear eyes to see the flow of happening — If it was [Unpredicted], it

might be happened as [It should happened] = no time for Regret or

Resentment to dowel the past = The matter is What the next move is ? 

Cracked-off head told me  [Not cling to a crèche = Free the Mind].

This is what the LIFE is.

[]

Shallow Focus — Pan Focus (with tilting lens)

Some sharp eyed reader quizzed me, the photos of Dandelion seed are odd on previous post.

Very good eyes and the knowledge on photographic image !  —– So, I reveal the trick behind.

There is no such things [Lens Rivers Adapter for Canon EF lens].

But it is just a lens mount ring with a male filter thread on the other end.  That’s all.

If Canon is not selling,  make it ourself.   Why not  😀

Anyone can put two together with glue !   What’s the hands for ?  (not much brain needed ) 😀

But to make it,  I wouldn’t just glue together straight —– I glued them in 40 degree in angle !

(I wanted to make it 45 degree though, it was too much, and caused image-cut off = I had to

compromise though, the photo is using the image to the edge, quality became pretty low )

—– With this tilted lens, Focused field is 80 degree in angle to the camera = much easy to have

a light and able to creates Pan-Focus effect.  (Photo above, Left)

But, when it was tilted to the opposite angle,  focused field is perpendicular to the object, hence

it shows very shallow focus and exaggerated off-the-focus “Boke“.  (Photo above, Center)

[]

In fact, I’ve been using this Pan-Focus effect since I created Yoshi-Handy and Conica-Tilt

40 years ago, long before Canon TS lens. (You can see both cameras in an old post = Link here)

unlike this Tilted Revers Ring on 5D,  Conica Tilt gave a Pan-Focus from lens front to infinity.

———————- (Without the Lens lock pin, lens was secured by a crow inside, operated by the top-left round lever)

———————- (Incidentally, the Iris was automatically operated by a solenoid on the moment of shatter release)

To have a pan-focus to infinity in one shot, one side of the lens has to sink into the camera body,

so that, the camera front had to be Huck-sawed,  giving a margin of lens movement.

(See the inside detail in a photo right —– to do this kind of work = to prevent the camera

mechanism jammed by the metal dust, all the mechanism had to be removed

= it’s mean, camera had to be completely disassembled and made it to an empty shell).

[]

With this modification, lens can tilt 30 degree max, and one side of the lens is effectively

extended 18 mm = with such extension  to 15 or 16 mm lens meant, it is effectively

life-size macro !   (As I was an original member of  PCW (Personal Computer World Magazine,

until they were bought up by I.P.C) this tilting lens camera enabled to produce a photo 

“Foreground  is a CPU chip, and background is the computer company’s building, in one shot”)

[]

I’m planning to make yet another lens tilting camera using Canon 5D body (though, I have to

do its hack-saw work without disassembling the camera body   😀  )   May be I Just Do It. 

( It is a Zen in ACTION !   With open-minded way, there is no prohibition.  Only, Do the best  :-))

This is a photo of a Canon EOS Body.   Although this is the Body of EOS RT,  as most of the

camera designer in the same company are using the same layout of  the mechanism, even

using the same frame die-cast,  (since the position of Switch, lens-lock-pin are all same)

it wouldn’t be so different on 5D body.  = to modify the body to tilting-lens body only needs

to remove the metal frame marked between yellow stickers. ( —– in theory.   😀 )

[]

Humble Lens (?) for Canon Camera = Pinhole Photo / BGR Tri-Pinholes Photo

You might think the Photo here is yet another bloody Soft Focus lens.

It’s not by Soft Focus lens. —– In fact it was not even a lens at all.

——– ( Like latest  5D Mk-III,  5D Mk-II also has Light-leak or it might have caused by the internal reflection

———  on a shiny surface of a parts.   Canon can say, it is not in a normal use what camera was designed for)

This is a Pinhole Photograph on Hi-Tech DSLR —– ! ! !

You might be surprised —– or bemused ?

(End of this post, you can see  3-pinhole photo with BGR color-filter for each pinhole )

—————— ( Cutty Sark in Greenwich —– Hand held Pinhole camera, F250, 1/15th Second, ISO 3200 )

One of the best advantage of the Canon EOS cameras is, their Light-measuring

function works  without any lens attached on the body. = Light was

measured on the light actually came into the sensor, and the exposure value

was calculated on So-called Stop-down Metering.

In comparison, other cameras are guessing the exposure based on the

information came from the lens, mounted on the camera. Its mean, their

camera was designed to work only with a ROM memory hidden inside of the

lens which gives the information of lens ID, what is the current setting of

focal length on Zoom, F-aperture setting (in a case such as Nikon which allow

you to use an old manual lens) etc, with an assumption of the lens would

work accordingly.  (If the lens was F4 in full open, calculates how many stops

needs to close in this lighting condition.  Canon measure actual light instantly,

when F-aperture was closed, then select the shutter speed).

The reason why other manufacturers are using this design was, to prevent

the use of a lens other than their genuine products.

(The ID of lens would direct a correction program,  such as to brighten up

the corner-fall-off of the wide-angle lens).

——–  — ( Cutty Sark in Greenwich ) ——— ( There was a Cinema Film Shooting at Old Royal Naval College )

On the beginning, in order to cut into the Nikon dominated professional

camera market, Canon designed their camera even capable to use with

Nikon lens.   Hence, in the early 70th, they sold a lens mount adapter to use

for Nikon lens.  (Later, when they gained popularity and their confidence grow,

they stop to sell this adapter). 

The First Gulf war was the turning point for the choice of professional camera,

as most of Nikon were stopped to work, thanks to the microscopic sand dust in

the desert.  Only the camera kept working was the Canon. —– As a consequence,

News Photographers changed to Canon.

Still, the tradition to allow the use of Nikon lens was kept by Canon, since such

as special 2000 mm lens which was made only by Nikon, Canon has to make a

provision for News photographer to use such special lens on their Canon body.

= hence, camera was designed to functions with the lens which has no Canon

ROM memory.  In other words they can work with any lens. 

So that, their camera, even Digital SLR can give enough exposure function except

Tv and Program Mode. = still perfect on AV Mode and of course with

Manual Mode.

Above all, with DSLR, we can check the result on the spot, and change

manual setting or exposure compensation on Av.

( Or, change ISO setting further).

——————————————————- ( At Painted Hall, Greenwich )

So, there is no problem to use Canon with a reading glass, plastic flat lens

(Fresnel lens, which gives utterly unsharp image 😀 ) —– even with

Pin-hole, while leaving all the exposure control to the Camera !

= Just use AV mode and adjust exposure compensation.

(Though, Canon 5D gives only up to 30 seconds on AV Mode, if you need

longer exposure to make picture brighter = increase ISO to higher setting,

or change to Manual Mode.

And if you need to have very long long exposure to make all the moving

things disappear, use lower ISO or use dark ND filter together.

Unlike on color film, the adverse effect of UV light  (which causes blue cast),

doesn’t affect the color on Digital camera.  But never have a direct sun in

the image.  Without having any protective glass lens which blocks UV light,

it may damage the Image Sensor).

————————————————————— ( At Greenwich Town )

And, to do this kind of creative shooting, you need to pay attention to

[Good Common Sense] such as, to use View finder cover to block the

stray light from the back.  

And use good black paper for making Pin-hole, and make sure, pinhole

should be clean round hole with no paper floss messing on it.

And DO MAKE SURE, keep everything DUST FREE. 

Wash your hand before hand.

= a dust particle got onto the Image Sensor is very tricky to clean.

Your acute mindfulness was required.

——— ( Sake of photo, Pinhole was placed on EOS RT body )—– ( To make a perfect hole, it was made on a smaller

———————————————————————————————- piece of thin metal and attached in the center )

A paper with Pinhole, will be stacked on the lens mount of the body by a black

PVC tape to seal-off the stray light.

The Canon DSLR camera has the depth = Flange-back (Lens mount to Image

Sensor) 44 mm, therefore the field of view is the same as 44 mm lens. 

And if you use an Extension Ring and stick the pinhole further away from the

body, effectively it would give you telephoto images.

In the most of the case, (as a fine sawing needle has a diameter about 0.5 mm)

the size of this hole is equivalent of F90. (With a focal length of 44 mm lens,

if the diameter of the lens was 44 mm, it would give effective F-aperture F1,

hence, 44 /0.5 = 88 = about F90)

—– I’ve made it less than 0.2 mm = F250.  Instead to use a paper, I used thin

aluminium panel of a Drink Can, and pierced it with just a tip of the needle.

The smaller the hole, it would give sharper image though, the optical effect of

Diffraction will scatter the light, it can not give sharp image like an optical lens

anyway, but on the other hand, it gives pan-focus. 

(The hole doesn’t necessary in the center = You may put it far side and take

picture always one half, like top-end.  Or to put TWO, to make double images,

or one with color filter and so on, there are endless possibilities,

still cost nothing.  😀 )

—– (The samples of 3-PINHOLEs photos with each Red, Green and Blue filter)

—–

—– It would be a fun to play with a camera in open-minded way.

(Try it and find new play ground in photography  😉 )

[]

Creative Zen Mind

What can you see in the photo ?

It is a strip of bras metal from an Art material shop.

In fact it is just a cut-off, left-over of a bras panel, yet sold as a material.

Material for what ?  —– for Art ?  For making small parts of electric device ?

[]

Some may think to utilize it as a book marker or throw into a bin after twisting it for a while  😀[]

But, flat metal doesn’t necessary to remain, as a flat object. Cut-off piece doesn’t

necessary be a rubbish = They are the stereotypical preconceptions =

If we couldn’t go beyond this kind of preconception, our ancestor couldn’t have invented

an arrow- head out of a stone.

[]

If it was a Zen question —– the answer could be even “It is the Universe, Sir ”

———- Did you get it ?   😀

If it is a thin metal, it can be easily cut by ordinary scissors, and easily twisted to make a shape.

It can be anything. (Well, in a theory. 😀 )

—– So, here, one of my attempt. This is a kind of 3D line drawing. = Strip of metal was cut even

narrower strips and twisted.  If this is still a sculpture, how cheap and easy = This is the beauty of it.

And this is all about [What you can see in a strip of metal]

——– (The face shows different expression with different viewing angle —- I’m studying how and why  :-))

BUT, to see it NOT as a strip of metal, but as a 3D figure, isn’t it a Delusion which exists

only in the mind ? = good question 😀

( Here, famous story of Flower Sermon (捻華微笑経) comes = a flower can be the Universe = Dharma.

—– though, why only Maha Kashapa could understood it ?  What other disciples were doing  ?  😀 )

—– Zen has its completely detached eyes, hence see it no more than it IS, but in the

same time, as it posses no preconception = see it in the Blank Space, it can see even

an invisible = it can be a Truth.

[]

But, [What is the Truth ?] —– is the big question.

The Truth, which affect our life ? Or fundamentals of our existence ?

Is the Truth which is relevant to our life, is the Truth ? —– Isn’t it a bit too utilitarian view isn’t it ?

How about Big-bang and Black-hole, are they True, or anything relevant to us ?

( So far the historical fact, therefore the statistical provability showed, that Zennist

didn’t find any important scientific Discovery or earth-shuttering Truth to the human

= thus, most likely, we don’t need to worry about Big Truth.  We are busy enough to

deal with the handful headache in the dairy Life and the matter of the Self.  😀 )

[]

(When Lord Buddha was asked about those Big Truth, he didn’t give any answer. 

Since then, traditionally Buddhists doesn’t talk about those question, which is out of our Life.

After all, so-called Mindfulness is to eliminate any thought other than the matter

the person is facing up front.

—— Even today, the scientists who is seriously dealing with Black-Hole Theory are not more than

handful in the world = it is nothing to do with rest of us, other than an interesting talking piece   🙂

[]

—– the choice is totally up to to you = the matter of who you are

= if you are a person to see it as a bare strip of metal, see it.

Or if you are a person to see it as a figure, go for it = Zen is not a fixed dogma or

an attitude, since [To be who you are] is only a matter !

But this [Who you are] is neither fixed or ideal existence, as time goes, the same YOU

may not be the same person on the next moment = try to act in a fixed face IS a delusion.

[]

So, enjoy each moment.   And enjoy a creative moment when it comes.

When something new idea of figure, or even an enterprising business plan came up to your mind, while

you are in the state of Mushin (Mind was open to Blank space) the idea was a product

of your subconscious thinking  (generally called Intuition, some called a voice of Heart,

the other even calls it as a voice of God = it could be just a random occurence, yet

it could be a result of Karma) = Why not TRY it = Just DO it.

===> Have a fun and enjoy your creative LIFE !

___/\___

[]

Aluminium-Panel Sculptures / Suppon-pon and O-Shiri

Even though many people still looking for the Dragon image, I rather like to put much more

warm-blooded human-like figure of which I just found an old photo of them when they were made.

( In fact, I’m getting bored with the Dragon images which has been requested by the readers. 😀 )

If you object its part of anatomies = it’s a sign of your mind has been stacked with it = it’s all

in your mind = relax, take easy and have a fun-loving mind, instead.   After all, it’s just a dented

aluminium panel, isn’t it ? —– Nothing more than that, and harmless.    Ha ha ha.  😀

In fact, Full-frontal figure named [Suppon-pon] (after Japanese slang) above was a challenge, how

simple drink can sculpture can be made realistic figure,  and the right, named [O-shiri] was made as

a kinetic sculpture which wobbles its bottom with motorized mechanism, though within a day, its metal

cracked and broken = it needs to be made by the good spring steel with a proper heat process.

Because, the matter in the Zen is, a Zen practice on practice ! —– Let’s Just Do It !

How Zen it is, you will see.  (and see the fun)

I’ve been telling the people, who asked me how those aluminium figures were made = I made them

by just pressing a thin metal, like Shiatsu. ( but, quite laborious endless pressing =

hence, it was a Zen practice ! ) as you can see the photos above, they were just a drink can.

Simply, if a thin metal was pressed, metal will be bent = to cut and bend the metal piece to a shape

wanted is, what all about the aluminium panel sculpture.

If you like to make it as a nude figure, make its shape as a nude figure, as simple as that.

So, when you got flat metal out of drink can, place it on a half soft surface and press it with something

round tipped stick or your finger = you can have  the effect. ( = here, you will see the result of

pressure = how unmistakably correct,  the Buddhism teachings are.   😀 😀 )

If the base was too soft, metal may not be bent but just sink all together. You need to try and find the

best suited material = I found, a cork place-mat has right softness. (and a Telephone book as well !)

The size of a round tipped stick to push the metal panel may need to have several different sizes

—– here the photo of the use of the tool I’ve improvised and made for this purpose.

Observe and use your common-sense and try and try again.  The solution can only be found by doing.

Thinking makes no result, but only the action does.   And only the result counts.

If the resulting shape was not what you wanted = make it from the scratch again (and again).

If you run-out of a can, you don’t need to drink another beer = look around the street, you will find

another can  (can be tons of them.   😀 )

(Obviously, this practice (Art ?) cost nothing = Zen and Spirituality is absolutely incompatible with money)

The more you try, the result you get will be the better.  Don’t be impatient.  And keep doing.

Just sweep the garden, Churi-pantak (Shuri-bantoku) needed 10 years of practice to get it perfect.

In fact, behind of my pieces (as the best so far, in the photo) I’ve made many failures which I’m not

showing to you. 😀 —– It was just a process to get it right = might be called as a Pathway.

To get the best out of one’s life is what the Buddhism was intended for, 

not for sitting idol and talking empty mambo-jumbo.

The tools had its own history of the evolution = from a round bottom of Fizzy drink CO2 Gas bomb

to a Bearing’s ball mounted shaft (for smoother fine movement).   And, the roller disks which would

make furrow or smooth curved line.  Utilize anything with the creative approach.

The better designed tool would give easier work and the better result.

—– Of cause, I know you would say “What all those fuss for ?”— nothing.    What’s wrong ?

Do you think, Do I needed to have a purpose,  such as to become famous and rich with those works ?

Oh, c’mon.  Don’t be greedy.  It’s just a beer can. = Utterly useless things.    ( Priceless ?  😀  )

I wouldn’t ask another technician to make Diamond studded Skull for greedy money-making scheme =

In here, to make it or its effort itself was the purpose.  Therefore, I’m making

everything myself, for myself.  = (Selfish ? —– I don’t think so.  I’m just dealing with this piece, which

is nothing to do with anybody else.  I was just seeing this piece of metal getting its own shape. = work for

something purposeless  for the sake of its own sake, is nothing but the selfless act = Act for act.

So, this is my Zen.   ( If you couldn’t understand why this is the Zen, think why

Master Boddhi Dharma opened Shaolin-Temple using martial art as a teaching tool,

and why the Tea-making is a Zen. —– Convinced  ? )

___/\___

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Japanese New Year’s Card 2012 (2) / DRAGON IMAGE

It’s interesting to think, how the ancient Chinese got idea of the Dragon. —– ? ? ?

Their Dragon doesn’t looks like a Snake neither Lizard or Crocodile, but an element of all those,

except its head and the face (some said, that the head with its mane was inspired by a hose)

Still, its image and the myth has been in their culture thousands of years. —– where it came from ?

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Neither I know the origin of the Western Dragon which got separate wings.

As Chinese Dragon can fly without having the wings, it is even more mysterious than a looks rational (?) western

Dragon. —– still, the Western Design doesn’t anatomically convincing  (in comparison to the wings of a Bat).

So that, when I designed my Flying Dragon, I didn’t put fore-legs to it.

Anyhow, it is a pure imaginary existence, what so ever the design it is the design, as long as it looks fearsome 😀

The Flying Dragon which got 3m wing-span,  flaps its wings and kicks the legs.   And the head (right photo) got

blue fire in the eyes and the mouth blow a fire —- well, supposedly.  Yes, it did frighten the people    😀

( The reason why the wings are not fully covered was, because of the air resistance — motor wasn’t big enough)

The next photos are the Wire Dragon called Dino  🙂   Its moving image is in the You-tube ;

—– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZV0Oyl0B_0g    or click the Link on the right side-bar ( Associates )

I made this, when I was in the South Bank Uni’  Engineering Product Design, Master Course and

the identical (well, more or less) twin is in their permanent collection ( indefinite on loan to them).

The graphic image (right) would be easier to compose for a card.

Lastly, this is the Try-Headed Dragon.  It moves the Heads like the Snakes.

The head was made by a beer can and the long neck is the shower hose.

—– Well, it’s still a kind of the Dragon, don’t you think ?

And the brush Calligraphy are all greeting word for the New Year which

may be composed with the Dragon image to make a New Year’s Card.

( Be sure, never put it, up-side-down or use it for tattoo stencil  😀 )

Rest of the work is up to you.

(I myself is not very keen to use Photoshop, which I learned when

it was a version 3,  and don’t remember how to use !   😀 )

(Left / Read as Gashow  / Congratulate the New Year )  ———–( Right / Read as Gei-Shunn / Welcome the Spring)

—————————————- (Middle /Read as Kinga-Shin-nen / Happy New Year)

Try work hard,  still,  it will be a fun —– it’s a pleasure to live a creative life   🙂

Making a Card would nothing to do your survival, in other words, it is purely for a sake of making card.

( Exactly same as me to create the Kinetic Dragon sculptures = they are utterly useless for my survival )

Nothing essential for the life, it’s mean, it is a light hearted selfless act = Act in Mushin.

Still, you need to work with full concentration (mindfulness) and do it in your best.  Otherwise the result

wouldn’t be an up to the standard.  If it isn’t good enough, try again and again.  You can perfect it.

This is the Zen in action.  Zen is everywhere.  In fact our dairy life is the Zen, provided

you live it in your best, with your mindfulness.

___/\___

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ZAFU — What ?

Some time ago I encountered a Zenist blog complaining that somebody stole

his Zafu (Small cushion), because of this, he couldn’t sit and meditate.

He said ” It was a jealous conspiracy, obstructing  me to get enlightenment ”

—– Whoa ! ! !    😀

I

I think after I’ve read this, I wrote a post saying “ Don’t bother Zafu,

you can sit anywhere and practice Zen in any manner”   😀

And after I wrote previous post [Water bowl Zen] I got an image of

Buddha walking with his disciples —– m m m ?

Without any reason,  suddenly I imagined that if they are all carrying

their own Zafu. —– Ha ha ha 😀

—

So that the photo right is [ Shariputra who got his Zafu under his arm, asking a question

to Buddha]. —– of cause, I’m kidding. —– you know how funny it is.  Of cause there wasn’t a Zafu on the

time of  Buddha,  as no body needed it,  since they don’t sit in a style of Lotus posture.

Can you imagine a group of bhikku, posses nothing,  yet carrying a Zafu for comfortable sitting ? 

—

I wrote somewhere “So-called image of Buddha meditating” was a mis-representation of

Buddha just having a break and taking  rest.  Like all the Indian, Asian people, when they sit and

having a rest,  they just sit (so-called half Lotus),  not twisting the legs.

The iconic Lotus posture was a later invention which even needs a Zafu to keep body balance, which mean

it is not a natural way to sit. —– Buddhism had gone too much posturing.

It is not a way to follow the Dharma,  or  the Nature.

—

So,  Shariputra carrying a Zafu was a sheer joke.  😀

In fact the wire figure was originally made as a Royal Guard of the Emperor’s Palace.  🙂

It’s good to have a joke some time  😀      ( Zen Buddhism is not for having  grumpy life )

___/\___

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Tiny LIFE

( What I casually called Mayfly here was in fact  Green lacewing /  Chrisopidae )

Some days ago, short floss like thing standing on the edge of the book, caught my eyes ? ? ?

At second glance, I realized, it was an egg of the Mayfly.   Then I remembered a

Mayfly was flapping around the table lamp a night or two before. = so,  she laid an egg ! ?

While looking around —– I found four more  those eggs

here and there. —–  And I found a dead Mayfly too.

—– M m m m # ? # ?.  What a hell ! What should I do ? ? ?

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I don’t like it. Absolutely not welcome at all.

Even if those eggs hatched, there is no food for its larvae

—– simply I can’t take care of them.

—– and if I pick and throw them out, the eggs will be

eaten by other small creepy crawlies.

—– In any choice, those small life would be doomed —– isn’t there any alternative ? ? ?

non

So that I decided to take picture of them = at least, Mayfly could contribute something to

the world —– ( really ? —– for what extent ? ) —– Don’t ask me,  it’s a sheer excuse.

But, to take picture of such minute subject is not easy. As my macro photo system has been

disappeared somewhere I decided to make it using cheap Chinese Micro-scope Lens.

( Using wide-angle lens with reverse adopter could make large magnification though its big

shoulder prevent to access small corner to take picture of this kind of fixed object )

So, I wound a wire around the screw mount of the microscope lens (and partly soldered / Photo above left )

then glued this ring on top of a splay can which happen to have suitable diameter ( Photo, middle ) and

put LED focus light —– here the Macro Photo Adopter for Canon EOS.

( can was mounted on a Canon body cap —– with a cut-out hole in the middle, of cause 🙂 )

What a hustle you might say. Yes it was a hustle in deed. To holding a wire ring in the dead centre

of a mouth of can while keeping it exactly parallel (well, sort of 🙂 ) and filling the 2.3 mm gap around

of it, using Araldite glue etc. etc,  a  lots of work.

non

But don’t forget the life of a small Mayfly —– she unfortunately end-up her life in this room though,

at least she did her best,  surviving few days without drinking any water (may be — I know not) and

laid the eggs which was her duty in her life.

At least, I have to respond to the encounter with this life —– it is the duty to be a Buddhist.

Squeezing the brain and find the way to solve the technical difficulties and achieve ( at least in the

acceptable standard 🙂 ) the necessary objective —– is the Zen ( in action ).

This is what I’ve been saying “ Do It “ not wasting the time thinking.

—– Um m, the result seems not too bad. ( I think —– for an almost cost nothing hand-made device 😀 )

( Quality of the images is not as good as Zeiss apo-chromat lens I used to use, but think about the price 😀 )

___/\___

PS :  The stem or egg supporting rod (?) is nothing but a wonder of the nature.  How the secluded liquid

—– can instantly harden and able to hold the egg on top. —– If anybody know the scientific research of

—– this,  please let me know.  (Incidentally, the rainbow color on top photo was created by the optical

—– diffraction of the transparent membrane of the wing. —– it’s mean, the thickness of this film is as thin

—– as a wave length of the light ! — isn’t this incredible ?   Man’s technology is still behind of the nature )

PPS ;  After many years of  having had their visit here, this year I came to the resolution, how to deal with

—— them.  = When ever I saw them flying under the light, catch them and throw them out of window.

—— Watching them fly or take rest on somewhere —– might be amazing or interesting and giving a water

—— or piece of fruits etc. may seems to be an act of friendship or what so ever.  IT IS our arrogance

—— and on the end, it would do nothing good to them.  They don’t belong to this room and there is no

—— prospect for them to have their fruitful life here.   Throw them out where they belong = NATURE.

—— It is the most kind and friendly things we can do to them.

It is often the case, without giving a help and leave a person in their own device could be

the most kind things to do to the person’s life.  

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