Fun with Paper Mache

by Biocore

I'm sure that most of you know what paper mache is, its a newspaper and goo mixture that you probably played with in kindergarten or primary/elementary school, covering balloons in it to make a mask etc.... but did you know that this fine substance has many devious uses that intrest the anarchist? read on and be enlightened......

How to make paper mache

Get a saucepan and put some flour in it, any sort will do although if you use cornflower you should add normal flour as well. then add water while stirring and bringing the mixture up to just before boil. once you have a thick sludge in the saucepan with no lumps you are ready. at this point you may add PVA or water soluble glue to the mixture if you wish. the paste you have in the saucepan can be placed in a jar and stored in the refrigerator for later use if you wish, or you can use it now. to use it, get a paintbrush and use it to apply the paste to one side of a strip/piece of newspaper, which is then applied sticky side down onto whatever it is you are moulding. build up several layers on top of this one, giving it time to dry every few layers (5-10, depending on the weather). to prevent the layers of paper mache from sticking to the object you are moulding, spray it lightly with cooking oil and/or cover it with saran cling wrap. now on to the fun part....

Devious Uses -- Body Armor

Paper mache can be used to create armor for your torso, forearms and legs. simply use your body as a mold and apply paper mache to whatever area, being sure to use the saran wrap precaution above. you can speed up the drying time by using a hairdryer, and adding more PVA glue to the mixture. once you have a decent self-supporting (you can take it off your body and it does not collapse) structure create a layer out of 1/2 inch strips of metal interwoven with paper mache, then a few more layers of paper mache only on top of that. attach straps and buckles so you can attach it to your body, and leave it to dry. once it is dry (may take a few days) glue a layer of soft cloth to the inside, and cover the outside in glue or waterproofing solution. for a smooth look on the outside, use a fiberglassing kit. CD plastic can be subsituted for the metal. this Armor will defeat most non-projecile weapon attacks, including bare hands. it also helps prevent shrapnel from embedding itself in your body from a wayward bomb experiment...

bomb/rocket cases

paper mache is perfect for bombs where you wish to create as little shrapnel as possible, but still have a hard case to pack it in. nine times out of ten the case will be vaporised in the explosion, leaving little other then a scorch mark. mixing bicarbonate of soda with the paste will create a fire-resistant casing, gunpowder or potassium nitrate will create a super burning casing.

fake things

a fake body made of paper mache could be used for a variety of pranks, especially if a realistic rubber head is attached and he was possibly filled with bags of fake blood. you could hang this fake body from a noose, attach him to a few helium balloons and let him go (once the balloons get high enough, -pop- and down comes mr body, from the stratosphere. you could build a fake alien spaceship around a few balloons as well, add some lights or glow in the dark paint and let it go over a city. fake roadblocks and signs have their uses, as do fake fallen trees and fake road over a pit.

Concealment

use paper mache walls to conceal the entrance to your forest base. use them for trapdoors and normal doors that appear to be part of the scenery (a rock wall etc..) create a paper mache forest of trees and panels of grass and place it on the road to his house, so it appears that the road never existed! you could create an entire forest base out of this stuff...

weapon parts

Create handles, shoulder stocks and fire shields for your spud gun or other improvised weapon. add large wings to your rockets (make sure they are airfoils) to extend their range.

Your Car

Use as a cheap replacement for body filler, just coat in spray on glue and paint over the top. you can create bodykits and bonnet scoops with this stuff using chicken wire as a frame if you are artistic enough (and don't drive in wet weather). you could also make your car look like another vehicle using panels that can quickly be attached and removed.

almost anything

if you need a cheap filler for any purpose, choose paper mache. feel free to add any of your suggestions to this file.