Trash Panda DIY

Trash Panda understands that sometimes you do not have time to wash your hair, but you do not want to look like a dumpster fire. Trash Panda also feeling strongly that charging $30 for a tiny bottle* of what is basically rice or corn starch plus fragrance is a fucking crime.**  Especially since making your own dry shampoo takes all of a minute and a couple of bucks.  Ok, maybe $10 tops if you don't have any spices in your cabinet, and then you’ll get like a half year’s supply. There are a lot of DIY dry shampoo recipes out there. As long as they've got something in them that will absorb oils (starch or or maybe fancy clay), it'll work. But I like the version below because all the ingredients are powdered and easy to mix, you might already have them in the back of your cabinet, and you can tailor it to your hair color. Trash Panda's Lazy DIY Dry Shampoo Powder Recipe Starch base:  Corn, Rice, Arrowroot, Potato or Tapioca Starch are all easy to find  ...

It's time for another story from James Angus' 'DIY Industrial Pipe Furniture & Decor'. I needed a little stand for my wifi router, so I decided to make a teeny weeny adaptation of Angus' Occasional Table.  And look, it's so tiny and cute! [*Coaster for size reference] PARTS: Instead of buying new table tops, I used a broken cheese board...basically a bamboo cutting board that used to have a handle and a cheese cutting wire. Any wood or bamboo cutting board like object would do, it's just what I found in the thrift store. I used 1/2" plumbing pipe and flanges since they were the smallest parts I could get at the neighborhood hardware store.  I also did just one leg because it's enough to balance this small a stand, especially with the extra weight of the bottom 1/2" flange. Finally, I got four #10 wood screws, basically the screw that was the just right type to fit through and hold on the flange, but short enough to not bust throu...

I picked up a copy of James Angus' 'DIY Industrial Pipe Furniture & Decor' at the library because Trash Panda is a sucker for anything with "DIY" and "Industrial" in the title.  And the pictures on the front looked pretty good. So, let's start small and see if this shit really works. Lemme see here - Big Pipe Bookends. I could use some hefty bookends to give me some more shelf space, so sure. Here’s the parts, all in 1 inch diameter black metal plumbing pipe: 4 (1 inch) flanges 2 (4 inch) nipples 2 (90 degree) elbows 2 (1 inch) close nipples* I was a renegade and decided I wanted both the bookends to be the same height, instead of different heights like Angus did it.  Here’s the parts all put together and holding up books: Pros for this project: It's super easy to find one inch pipe and its accessories at the local hardware store This really does only take 5 minutes to make and it's just screwing a few ...

TAKE JOY IN JUNK.  We live amongst a veritable ocean of consumer kipple. There is pride and joy to be had forming that junk to your will and making it serve a function of your choosing. Might as well take it. FUCK PINECONE BIRDFEEDERS.  Trash Panda DIY is about taking crap and making it useful. Don't use trash to make more trash. STRONGLY RECOMMENDED GUIDELINE OF LEAST EFFORT.  Life is hard enough as it is. Trash Panda is not here to put more on your plate. This DIY is about putting in the least amount of time and effort in order to get something useful out. Instead of Occam's Razor, think of it as Trash Panda's Lever. REUSE AS THOU WILT.  Make what you will from the vast materials that consumer society provides. Use it as your canvas. If authorial intent is dead, then you can tell the original producer to fuck right off and make whatever you want from those consumer goods building blocks. USE WHAT'S AT HAND.  As fun as it is to go hunting for m...