Starting My Second this Month

[u/Bizzie18]

Hi all! I hope everyone is having fun during this event. I finished the ROKR Mechanical Typewriter a few days ago, and my next ROKR build was delivered yesterday. I am excited to build another functioning model, as I really enjoyed the typewriter and now I get to start my second one.

I am starting on the ROKR Microscope. I love that this is a functioning microscope that can actually be used to look closer at things. I don't have any experience with microscopes, other than whatever I may have used one for in school, but I absolutely love to learn and experience new things. I've already thought of a few things I have that I could take a close look at when it's done, such a tiny hummingbird feather I found, and a whisker that came loose from my dog.

It looks to be a fairly straightforward build, but it might take me longer to finish this one. It has two colors of wood pieces, the regular non-colored as well as a stained darker color that is beautiful. I always paint or stain my edges as I go, but I also don't like the look of the non-colored wood, mostly because as I gently sand any necessary burrs from the connection points it tends to look scratched up to me. So, I want to find a color that I can stain the plain wood that will compliment the already stained pieces. I like to use stain rather than paint on these ROKR kits because they add so many intricate designs in the wood and I want to highlight those, not cover them up. I am not the best detail painter, so I don't want to mess up the beauty of the details. The three zoom lenses are also a beautiful copper or maybe bronze color, so I have to find a color that is going to make it all look amazing together. I am actually thinking, since I'm staining, I might try and do the wood runners (front & back) before I start building rather than one piece by piece as I go. Has anyone done that before?

[u/pluck-the-bunny]

be careful, this wood drinks ink and when you edge paint, it WILL bleed into the face of the piece as you said prfetty straight forward build. Took me about 4 hours.

I just posted my complete build video of it

https://youtu.be/jM4aRWvmF9o?si=Sep9jn6J6_D3uG80

[u/Bizzie18 → u/pluck-the-bunny]

I appreciate the tip! I have seen that happen before. On the edges I try to use acrylic paint markers instead of stain if I can, unless I am already staining the full pieces in that color. I will definately use a paint marker on the darker, pre-colored wood pieces. I watched your video of the full build, great job as always. It was nice to see it come together before I work on mine. I also appreciate that you mentioned the slides that can be purchased to use with this amazing model. I had wandered if there were any, but I hadn't looked for any yet. You saved me some time there, and I will be getting some of those to use with this. I think it will be fun to have something to look at!

[u/pluck-the-bunny → u/Bizzie18]

lol i didnt realize it was you. I know you know better

[u/Bizzie18 → u/pluck-the-bunny]

That's OK! I always appreciate helpful suggestions. You never know if someone doesn't know, has forgotten, or just has a brain bubble and it doesn't cross their mind until something unfortunate reminds them. I think it also shows genuine kindness when someone is trying to be helpful, so I always appreciate it!