The local coffee shop has no ideas what this could be. A friend bought three at an auction and I sandblasted them for him - so he gave me one. They are aluminum, have threaded (narrow) holes on each pole, are hollow and 12" in diameter. Someone thought they were some sort of buoys. Who knows?
And I need ideas - what should I make with it, garden related. The friend is using his as water fountains - one bubbler and one a spray. I thought of a bird body, that's it, so help please!
This is the threaded end - same on other end...
It looks like a cute puppy dog :)
OH - the globe?
I have no idea what it is.. but would it make an interesting gazing ball?
Perhaps paint an interesting design, or whatever floats your boat.. and find something that would insert into the threaded end?
Is it heavy?
I figured out who Barney was -lol- and it's not heavy at all - aluminum. He doesn't look very happy - I think he thought he was naughty because I made him sit - wanted to show the size a bit.
if it isn't heavy I would find a long wire to glue into the hole and put it out in the garden and let the breeze sway it, keep the birds from your seeds
Might it be one of the balls that they string on the electric wires etc. to warn off the planes . The holes look too small to be like the one on our (past tense) barn's lightening rod.
I love decoration-the fountain is good, reflection ball has double duty-or an egg in a huge nest>>>>
Fill in the hole and create a water feature with it possibly where it rests in a basin and spins? I suppose it would have to be perfectly balanced to pull that one off. Maybe you could make the base out of hypertufa and out fit it with a pump to spin it.
Drill a hole and install a small piece of pvc from top to bottom to push water up and out of the top for a different style of water feature? The base could be virtually anything.
Check these out-
http://www.waterfountains.com/fountain.html
http://store.yahoo.com/accent-xpress/weatspher.html
I have no idea what it was. The threaded hole suggests it may have been stationary.
I like that fountain stone idea, and the waving in the wind too - would have to be a pretty sturdy piece of rod. The ball isn't heavy but it does have some weight to it. Egg in the nest would certainly make people smile - worked for me!
I wondered about the ball for airplanes but aren't they orange? I think they look like 2 pieces screwed together too. ? This is sold one piece construction. ...wondered about the lightning balls but would they be this big?
I like the egg in a nest idea... Please provide pictures once you decide.
Terydactyl egg?
I see it as a base for a whimsical sculpture... Thread one end into a base, and the top end could have wires coming from it with flutterbys, hummers, and all sorts of light weight garden critters of differing heights that would flow in the wind.
ROFLOL
this nest thing is starting to interest me more and more - but how does one make a nest? (and don't tell me 'ask a bird') lol Maybe that fake stuff (tofu? sp) or else willow branches?
willow branches, fitted with bits of yarn, straw, pine needles... use the imagination.
imagination is stuck in PA LOL
What bird lays a perfectly round egg, anyway?
now you're cracking me up! LOL
Life's to darn short not to have SOME fun, LOL
Kooger, I have curly twig willows!!!!! You could do a bit of weaving....and they are so easy to root! Your nest could Grow to fit the egg and then when it hatched!!!!!!!!
I have seen them before. They are used as floats for sump pumps. In many large buildings here in LA, the parking structures are many levels underground and when it rains, the drain pipes are not deep enough to divert the water. They have a large catch basin with the float to start the pumps. Very similar to the ones used in toilets only at a much larger scale. Aluminum works better than a copper one at sizes larger than 12" due to its tensil strength. They can be ordered through a commercial plumbing supply house.
ummm-hmmm .. Yep! ... I jes knew it!! ...
They are the 'cocoons' .. of the infamous sumppumpias citia artifactus !!
Oh my ...
... LOL ...
Some truly interesting info you've shared nada ...
- Magpye
Awwwwwww well, reality isn't nearly as much fun as speculation! Make a big bumble bee out of it, nice round body painted with stripes, add wings, antenae, feet. The feet could have baby's shoes on them.
nada - that's great! can't wait to tell all the guys at the coffee shop. Keep the ideas coming!
I have it! A gazing ball yes! But a gazing ball fountain! With a stand, etc, just like a regular gazing ball but with water flowing out of it..
oooo that's good too - not fond of regular gazing balls but a fountain one would be interesting. A flashy blue, bright purple, hot pink...
It would be a shame not to have it be some sort of water feature! Or course I have a toy addicted mix breed that would trade some kibble for it!!!
he'd have a blast with it - big enough to not lose easily and won't hide under buildings, cars, etc.
added: I suggested the egg/nest thing to DH and got 'the' look so I don't think he likes that idea. I'm pondering some sort of bright bubbler fountain on a pedestal/base with the airy critters darius was talking about. Incorporate them into a fountain...
This message was edited Oct 15, 2004 10:26 AM
Sounds kewl !
Couldn't help but think of this thread. Yesterday, we got our first rain since last spring. (our average yearly rainfall is around 6") Anyway, in the newspaper it showed a small apt building with an underground parking lot in which the sump pumps didn't work. It filled up like a swimming pool and you could just detect the tops of the cars above the surface. I couldn't help to think if someone sent the float back to Iowa. Ha.
yeah, maybe all three were pilfered!!
A sumppumpias citia artifactus - Cute, Magpye!
owww Nadabigfarm - the mental picture I am getting is not a pretty one.. UCK! Wonder what one would tell one's car insurance company?? By the way Kooger - please post a pic of the finished product when you decide! Inquiring minds have ta know!
will do - have all winter to ponder!!
looks like something the mother ship would have left.........
show us what you end up doing with it, but be careful that the mother ship wont be returning to claim it......
yowzers , maybe it is an egg!?!
Pebble: your 'something the mother ship left' ... is hilarious!
Kooger ... do please let us know, when you've either decided your 'plan' or 'built it' .. for we'll all surely be chompin' at the bit until then! ... hee
Ha .. With all of that input you've got here .. we can only imagine, and have no doubt - that it will be one superbly creative peice of yard art tho' ... !!
- Magpye
At first glance, it reminded me of the spheres used in science museum demos about static electricity... http://www.pelhamweb.com/pes/MissSantapaola/images/Im000126.jpg
Kinda - but I bet they're steel? Aluminum doesn't conduct electricity, right? That's why they use them as lightning rods? or am I totally off base here... lol
Well, yah...But it still looks like it. Just you nevermind the conductivity! :D :D
stay very fa-a-ar away!
I always thought that Aluminum is a very good conductor of electricity.
