D4E1 - Making the Flowersticks

This is a DIY project to make your own flowersticks.

The flowersticks are lightweight and easy to use. There are balls at the end of the handlesticks so the flowerstick doesn't roll off. You can decorate them to your own liking. We worked with some lights to enhance the performance aspect of the flowersticks in circus acts, but you can use whatever you like.

In a different instructable you can find two different tools to learn how to use them, or incorporate them into performances in a foolproof way.

For this project you will need :

• Drill
• Heat gun
• Glue gun
• Colored electrical tape (a roll of 10mm tape and a roll of 100mm tape)
• 16mm PVC pipe
• Bike lights or other small lights
• scirssors
• Hollow plastic balls (that can open)
• a bike tire that's about the same diameter of your pipe
• a markers
• a saw
• nuts and bolts
• measuring tape

You can find most of these things in the hardware store.

You will need two of these to be able to use your flowersticks, so REPEAT THIS PROCES TWICE.

Measure the pipe at 50cm, mark it and then saw it as straight as possible.

1. Cut your bike tire

2. Pull the bike tire all the way over the pipe

3. Cut off the excess of the tire that you didn't pull over the pipe.

1. Heat up one end of the pipe with a heating gun. Heat it up just until it starts to dent a little when you push it.
2. Put the nut at the end of the pipe and get it to stay there. Do this while the pipe is still hot.
3. Drill a hole in one end of the ball.
4. Put the bolt in to the ball and twist till it's all the way in.
5. Twist the ball into the nut with the bolt.
6. Put the bike light in
7. Close the ball

You can put other things in the balls as well if you want to change it up. You can put things like rice of pearls in them to make some noise. You could also opt for confetti if you want some color but no sound.

1. Measure 100mm on your pipe and mark it.
2. Take your big tape and cut a piece of about 100 mm off.
3. And wrap it around the pipe at the height you marked.
4. These tape guides will act as grips for your hands.
5. REPEAT THIS PROCES A SECOND TIME TO MAKE YOUR SECOND STICK

Now we make the flowerstick. You only need one of these, so no need to repeat the following steps a second time.

Measure the pipe at 50cm, mark it and then saw it as straight as possible.

1. Take the rest of your bike tire
2. Pull the bike tire all the way over the pipe
3. Cut off the excess tire that you didn't pull over the pipe

1. Heat up one end of the pipe with a heating gun. Heat it up just until it starts to dent a little when you push it.
2. Put the nut at the end of the pipe and get it to stay there. Do this while the pipe is still hot.
3. Drill a hole in one end of the ball.
4. Put the bolt in to the ball and twist till it's all the way in.
5. Twist the ball into the nut with the bolt.
6. Put the bike light in
7. Close the ball
8. Do this at the other end as well

You can put other things in the balls as well if you want to change it up. You can put things like rice of pearls in them to make some noise. You could also opt for confetti if you want some color but no sound.

1. Measure 250mm on your pipe and mark it.
2. Take your 10mm tape and start wrapping it around the pipe where you marked
3. This is a guide to show your middle point
4. Lastly measure 100mm down from both ends of your flowerstick
5. At the ends of your pipe start wrapping with a different colored 10mm tape.
6. Go down with the tape in a spiral motion
7. you can use a different pattern or motion or multiple colors. We just liked to keep it simple.
8. Spiral down for about 100mm to where you marked it
9. at the mark start twisting around regularly a few times to get a nice finish
10. Do this at the other end as well

These tape guides are for decoration but also act as a guide, this way you know where to catch your sticks.

The following steps will show you how to make the flowerstick mill.

• 25mm Aluminum tube
• 23mm aluminum tube
• a clamping bracket for electrical pipes (inner diameter of 16 mm, they should fit around your flowersticks perfectly)
• a music stand
• a saw
• a drill
• a glue gun
• electrical tape (10mm)
• cork (from wine bottle)
• screws
• a small nut and bolt (8.8 CW)

You can find most of these things in the hardware store

The music stand can be found online, in a music store, a thriftstore.

• saw the 25mm aluminum tube at 14.5cm
• saw the 23mm aluminum tube at 25cm

• Drill a hole at the end of the 23mm pipe

• Wrap electrical tape around the 23 mm pipe at about 8 cm
• Wrap it around until you have about 3 to 4 mm of thickness

• Slide the 25mm pipe over the 23mm pipe
• Put the bolt in the hole you drilled and secure it with a nut at the other end

• At the other end of the pipe put in some hot glue
• Quickly put in your cork and hold still until secured
• take a screw and attatch the electrical bracket to the cork

• Put the pipe thing you just made into the musical stand
• Then put the flowerstick into the electrical bracket