How It All Started
Okay so last Tuesday my neighbor’s kid was bouncin’ this rubber tree branch like a pogo stick after a storm. Got me thinkin’ – what if I could make wood dance on purpose? Like, not just floppin’ around in the wind, but actual wobblin’. Crazy idea, right? Grabbed an old scrap 2×4 from the garage – the warped one leanin’ against my busted lawnmower.
The First Disaster
Sawed off a foot-long chunk. Drilled holes everywhere, thinking holes = flexibility. Spoiler: it did not. Stuck some bungee cords through ’em like shoelaces. Tied the whole mess to my fence post. Gave it a kick. Nothing. Whacked it harder. The board snapped clean in half like a dry cracker. Wood chips flew everywhere. Dog bolted. Not my finest moment.
Actually Making Something Wobble
Went back to the garage. Found this nasty-lookin’ old rubber welcome mat chewed up by squirrels. Cut a strip off the edge. Then remembered that PVC pipe from the failed koi pond filter project. Cut a short tube. Materials looked like this:
- That sad rubber mat strip
- PVC pipe chunk (about 6 inches)
- Small leftover floor tile (weirdly heavy)
- Gorilla Glue (because obviously)
- A whole roll of duct tape (emergency backup)
Slathered glue on the tile, stuck it inside the PVC pipe. More glue on top. Smooshed the rubber strip onto the glued-up pipe like a weird hat. Crammed the whole thing under a stack of old encyclopedias overnight because the clamp was MIA.
The Big Test
Next morning? Glue held! Taped the loose end of the rubber strip to my workbench. Stood back. Poked the PVC pipe. It kinda… wobbled. Like those bobblehead dolls. Kept wobblin’! Gave it another nudge. It did this jiggly little dance before slowin’ down. Even the dog came back sniffin’. Neighbor walked by, saw it wiggling, laughed so hard he choked on his coffee. Success feels messy sometimes.
What Actually Happened?
Turns out the heavy tile glued inside the pipe made it bottom-heavy. The rubber strip acted like a bendy spring. Slap the pipe, it wobbles ’cause the heavy bottom wants to stay put but the rubber lets it swing. Looks like drunk timber dancing. Left it taped to the bench. Gets a little wiggle every time the garage door slams. Calling it a win. Might try it with a chunk of driftwood next. Dog seems skeptical.
