I needed a break from react code. Started refactoring my prop drilling mess of a project. I choose to learn useState, useContext, createContext and useReducer. My brain is starting to explode. Time to do something else. Let’s build something in the physical world instead.
One of my favorite things to do during the holidays is to decorate the outside of my home with a crazy Christmas display. So I used this to escape my react headache and created a Christmas flying saucer.
Flying saucer? Nothing says Christmas like a flying saucer! My Christmas displays are a little over the top. Not quite Griswold but close. Several years back I built a trinity of obelisks the be the backdrop for Jospeh, Mary and the baby Jesus. Then I had a receiving line consisting of the magi, Santa, snowmen, flamingos, Snoppy, Darth Vader, 3-CPO and others. The underlining message being everybody is welcome.
This year though I wanted to build a spaceship. So I opened my cad program and started designing. I already thought of this last year when I bought materials for the project. I normally think a year ahead about future Christmas displays and buy lights when they are on sale. I choose to use lights from an animated Christmas tree for my spaceship.
The following is the design that I came up with in CAD. The design uses thin sheets of PVC. The top consist of 8 segments as well as the bottom. They are all joined at the edges and when connected should be a stiff structure. At least in theory.
When constructing my theory was proving to be valid and the structure did self support it self. I did have a problem though when flipping the bottom half. A part break :(. The assembly was just too large and I could not control the flip. In the future I will assemble 4 segments at a time and attached them together once they are flipped.
This is the spaceship assembled in the yard. It worked perfectly.
Next step is to light it. I used my Christmas tree lights and attached them to the panels using Ty-Raps. I put the tree star inside the spaceship to give the inside a cool glow. It worked perfectly. Unfortunately the wood strips show on the inside and will need to paint them white. That will have to wait for another time. The space ship is done!