So - we got a bit of an ant problem in our house....which the kids have resorted to catching them, with my son putting them in the "cockpits" of lego-spaceships he was building so you could see them through the windows of the spaceships. We had our own full blown ant-air-force/space-force around here as he had a good ten or so with two and three ants apiece in them.
Anyways, a trip to the science store showed ant-farms were $32 for ONE - and a large one? $45!!!! Mmmmmm - no. Not when dad can make them at home. A trip to Lowes Hardware store and one more to Home Depot for $25 for four plates of acrylic, two 2"x3"x8' (Y'all reading overseas or even to our north or south...okay - NON americans - I don't know what that is in metrics - if you must convert it you can do it here ) and voila I had two that were way bigger for less AND I got an excuse to use my tools....ahhhhhh to be a man and create with my hands. I just gotta build.....something about when I'm done having something behind I can see and touch and hold.
The hardest part was I don't have a table saw (or a radial arm saw) but I do have a circular saw. So - I needed to cut grooves to insert/recess the acrylic into which normally on a table saw you'd just drop your blade down and then run your wood across. I had to get creative with a handy portable workbench dad gave me and a block of wood to run the circular saw across it - but other than that - it was pretty easy. If anyone wants to see it - here it is below in photos you can click on and embiggen.
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| Box of .380 auto rounds I reloaded my Bersa from before going to the store...I like having "options" and I have mild PTSD and paranoia and seem to attract trouble.... |
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| looks like a kitchen...acts like a workshop... |
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| sawdust on the floor freshening the air in the house... |
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| the first two pieces together with clear acrylic in between |
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| 1/2" x 3/8" "doorway" to the "skybridge" I built in the exotic ant-mansion |
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| Two ends on.... |
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| Project complete on the kitchen counter with West Wing and East Wing visible |
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| exotic sky-bridge with a commanding view of the sugar-jar and Mountain Dew Repository - every Ant's dream! |
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| there's actually an ant in there...with a science experiment in the background - Oh Horror of Horrors! |
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| ahhhhh....kitchen floor mess.... |
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| brave trooper - I named her "Sojourner" - exploring the ant-mansion. |
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| project fully separated apart.... |
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| individual ant-mansion unit - this is the West Wing - cost for one? $12.50 and some nice memories |
I hope these are the kinds of ants that dig and not just the types that run around.....if they are the kind that just run around but don't dig I might have to order some kick-ass ants to dump in there and eat their sorry behinds and dig some tunnels....
