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  • Re: magnifier update

    From Tim+@timdownieuk@yahoo.co.youkay to uk.d-i-y on Sat Apr 25 19:58:30 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    Yjkn <jkn+nin@nicorp.co.uk> wrote:
    On 25/04/2026 09:32, wasbit wrote:
    On 24/04/2026 12:30, jkn wrote:
    Snip <

    I do recommend making soap bubble mixture and ginormous soap bubbles
    for grand-parent cred...


    Sounds like a good idea.

    Do you have a recipe or a link to a recipe that works?



    There is a massive 'sub-culture' on creating large soap bubbles - eg:

    https://soapbubble.fandom.com/wiki/Soap_Bubble_Wiki

    I stick to just their 'basic recipe', for which you need:

    - best quality washing up liquid (in the UK, easiest is Fairy
    Platinum, original green 'flavour')
    - guar gum powder (eBay, or maybe ethnic food shops)
    - sodium bicarbonate (decent supermarket)
    - a small amount of 'solvent' for the guar gum - I use a splash of IPA

    Exhaustive, and short form, recipe here:

    https://soapbubble.fandom.com/wiki/Recipes_Guar

    It only takes a few minutes for me to make a 2.5Liter container's worth.

    NB: you will need to make the 'wands' for ginormous bubbles. I leave the research to you...

    Over 30 years ago when my children were but children I bought a gadget for making big bubbles. It was a fabric loop that you dip in bubble solution
    and then rCLopen uprCY to make a big loop and wave in the breeze. It was very effective.

    Just had a rummage in my garage and I still have it!

    Closed position for dipping.

    https://photos.app.goo.gl/Ce69VcLF35pcW7pE9

    Open position for waving in the wind.

    https://photos.app.goo.gl/GJAyTnmPSjWcSgXEA

    Tim
    --
    Please don't feed the trolls
    --- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Bob Eager@throwaway0008@eager.cx to uk.d-i-y on Sun Apr 26 10:30:28 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On Sat, 25 Apr 2026 12:39:24 +0100, jkn wrote:

    There is a massive 'sub-culture' on creating large soap bubbles - eg:

    https://soapbubble.fandom.com/wiki/Soap_Bubble_Wiki

    Also see this, from one of my colleagues:
    https://youtu.be/Np9TuarsoX8?si=yUDY7VonYXy1Z2x2
    --- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From jkn@jkn+nin@nicorp.co.uk to uk.d-i-y on Sun Apr 26 22:03:29 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 25/04/2026 20:58, Tim+ wrote:
    Yjkn <jkn+nin@nicorp.co.uk> wrote:
    On 25/04/2026 09:32, wasbit wrote:
    On 24/04/2026 12:30, jkn wrote:
    Snip <

    I do recommend making soap bubble mixture and ginormous soap bubbles
    for grand-parent cred...


    Sounds like a good idea.

    Do you have a recipe or a link to a recipe that works?



    There is a massive 'sub-culture' on creating large soap bubbles - eg:

    https://soapbubble.fandom.com/wiki/Soap_Bubble_Wiki

    I stick to just their 'basic recipe', for which you need:

    - best quality washing up liquid (in the UK, easiest is Fairy
    Platinum, original green 'flavour')
    - guar gum powder (eBay, or maybe ethnic food shops)
    - sodium bicarbonate (decent supermarket)
    - a small amount of 'solvent' for the guar gum - I use a splash of IPA >>
    Exhaustive, and short form, recipe here:

    https://soapbubble.fandom.com/wiki/Recipes_Guar

    It only takes a few minutes for me to make a 2.5Liter container's worth.

    NB: you will need to make the 'wands' for ginormous bubbles. I leave the
    research to you...

    Over 30 years ago when my children were but children I bought a gadget for making big bubbles. It was a fabric loop that you dip in bubble solution
    and then rCLopen uprCY to make a big loop and wave in the breeze. It was very effective.

    Just had a rummage in my garage and I still have it!

    Closed position for dipping.

    https://photos.app.goo.gl/Ce69VcLF35pcW7pE9

    Open position for waving in the wind.

    https://photos.app.goo.gl/GJAyTnmPSjWcSgXEA

    Tim


    Yes, that was the 'make the gadgets yourself' aspect I was referring to.

    I have made some from old T-shirts cut into thin strips; also untwisted
    cotton string, etc.


    --- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From jkn@jkn+nin@nicorp.co.uk to uk.d-i-y on Sun Apr 26 22:07:05 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 26/04/2026 11:30, Bob Eager wrote:
    On Sat, 25 Apr 2026 12:39:24 +0100, jkn wrote:

    There is a massive 'sub-culture' on creating large soap bubbles - eg:

    https://soapbubble.fandom.com/wiki/Soap_Bubble_Wiki

    Also see this, from one of my colleagues:
    https://youtu.be/Np9TuarsoX8?si=yUDY7VonYXy1Z2x2

    I have Cyril Isenberg's book on the science of soap bubbles; when I was younger I had a 'science kit' on bubble-making which I think he must
    have been advisor for.
    Good to know he was still going strong relatively recently.

    --- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From wasbit@wasbit@REMOVEhotmail.com to uk.d-i-y on Mon Apr 27 09:24:12 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 26/04/2026 11:30, Bob Eager wrote:
    On Sat, 25 Apr 2026 12:39:24 +0100, jkn wrote:

    There is a massive 'sub-culture' on creating large soap bubbles - eg:

    https://soapbubble.fandom.com/wiki/Soap_Bubble_Wiki

    Also see this, from one of my colleagues:
    https://youtu.be/Np9TuarsoX8?si=yUDY7VonYXy1Z2x2


    Thanks, but 1 hour & 9 minutes?
    --
    Regards
    wasbit
    --- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Bob Eager@throwaway0008@eager.cx to uk.d-i-y on Mon Apr 27 08:29:41 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On Mon, 27 Apr 2026 09:24:12 +0100, wasbit wrote:

    On 26/04/2026 11:30, Bob Eager wrote:
    On Sat, 25 Apr 2026 12:39:24 +0100, jkn wrote:

    There is a massive 'sub-culture' on creating large soap bubbles - eg:

    https://soapbubble.fandom.com/wiki/Soap_Bubble_Wiki

    Also see this, from one of my colleagues:
    https://youtu.be/Np9TuarsoX8?si=yUDY7VonYXy1Z2x2


    Thanks, but 1 hour & 9 minutes?

    It was a proper lecture. He's an academic.
    --- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Andrew@Andrew97d@btinternet.com to uk.d-i-y on Mon Apr 27 16:49:21 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 24/04/2026 17:07, Chris Hogg wrote:
    On 24 Apr 2026 11:14:44 GMT, Tim+ <timdownieuk@yahoo.co.youkay> wrote:

    Having had a little play with creating a drawing online, I lost patience
    and went for the rCLquick and scabbyrCY approach.

    The only wood I had of anywhere near the right thickness was mdf and after >> wondering about how to clamp the lens, went for cable ties. Hardly elegant >> but it works. ;-)

    https://photos.app.goo.gl/tz9SNnP5wh6vxWqf8

    Only takes a few seconds before flames are bursting forth from solid lumps >> of wood.

    Tim

    Be aware that my late wife had a magnifying lens on a flexible stand,
    that she used for her needlework.

    On one occasion she left the lens near a window and when the sun shone
    it was focused onto some fabric and burnt a strip along it.

    It could have been worse - it could easily have set the house on fire!


    I believe even badly positioned goldfish bowls can achieve this (house
    fire) ?. Discarded bottles are thought to cause the occasional wildfire
    during hot weather.
    --- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From The Natural Philosopher@tnp@invalid.invalid to uk.d-i-y on Mon Apr 27 17:01:02 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 27/04/2026 16:49, Andrew wrote:
    I believe even badly positioned goldfish bowls can achieve this (house
    fire) ?. Discarded bottles are thought to cause the occasional wildfire during hot weather.
    Ive had scorched curtain linings from 'bullion glass'
    --
    Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as
    foolish, and by the rulers as useful.

    (Seneca the Younger, 65 AD)


    --- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2