Agitated Avians – Just Squawking Around

If you asked me what one my strengths is, I might say intelligence.  Or being handsome (no laughing, you guys).  But really it would be my willingness to take on a project even though I am not sure how to do it.  A bit of a sink or swim philosophy.  Some would argue it’s not a positive thing.  Sometimes I have to agree with them. 

Making Agitated Avians wasn’t one, but damn close. 

Not only did it morph from my original proposal (Family Time on the Sofa), but I decided to experiment with new technology.  All on a short timeline.  Anyway it all worked out.  Quite nicely too. And that inspiration thing: Angry Birds.

Started out with some nice half in rebar and bent the heck out it.  All those engineers and construction people just cringed.  Why would you bend perfectly good rebar into crazy shapes.  Well, because.

(side note: I saw a mechanical shovel with a concrete breaking tool attached going at some of those concrete road dividers.  They busted up the concrete and left twisted masses of rebar.  I wanted it. Badly.  I asked. They said no. Dang!)

Lots of bending and rebending of the rebar to get just the right shape of a copse of trees.  It shouldn’t look like real trees, but it also shouldn’t look just like a bunch of bent the hell up rebar welded together.

Find the shapes for the birds.  Do some more bending and then give them an interesting paint job to go with their abstract “bird” shapes. 

And then, the truly scary part.  Light it up!

How?  Not regular lights.  No way. Too simple.  I ordered a bunch of EL wire (electroluminescent), a solar panel, a control box and a battery for the thing.  And way too late too.  Fortunately it all arrived on time and I was able to convince a friend (thanks Dave!) to help me figure out how to wire the thing.

You know what?  It came out pretty damn cool.  I’m happy with it an I learned a thing or two.  Got the best compliment from someone who saw it in Sioux Falls too.  He said it was “strikingly different”.  Love it.  The full story on my Agitated Avians interview with my sponsor company.  Thanks guys. 

(Did I really say “awesome” twice? )

Peace