Sunday, April 18, 2010

Kidneys to Bladder

For my project I have decided to recreate the kidney,ureters and bladder. Originally I was thinking about recreating the nervous system but considering the time frame and numerous nerves I decided something less complex might be a better idea. One of the kidneys main functions is filtration, which among other things leads to the creation of urine. The urine is funneled down the ureters into the bladder where is stored until being released. I want it to hang from the ceiling, ( and if possible be able to pour water into the kidneys.. though this has been a challenge so far to figure out) I was thinking that it could possibly be used for a fountain? or watering can? Wind chime? Eccentric bathroom decor...?

Materials:
2 half moon shaped small plastic pipes ( structural shape of kidney)
coconut material - for cushioning around pipes
electric tape- (secure coconut material onto pipes)
26g wire - ( wrap around kidneys and extend to ceiling for hanging)
wire cutters
2 face masks ( sewn together to create the bladder)
needle and thread
saran wrap ( to line the bladder, assuming it may hold water - though unsure if this is going to work)
paper towels - (wrap around "bladder")
duct tape - (secure paper towels)
small tubing (for ureters)
water balloons - ( still unsure if I am going to use these... if anyone would like a ton of water balloons I will gladly give them away)
plastic water balloon filler (conveniently came with water balloons)
plastic hanger - (to hang it my creation)
dark red spray paint ( kidneys)
newspapers - in an effort not to spray paint my porch

light pink paint (ureters)
darker pink paint (bladder)
paint brush


Places where materials have been acquired:
Joannes Fabric store, Home depot, Lowes, Micheals, Ralphs

I have started creating it already and so far its going pretty well. My kidneys are a little too large to be considered life size for the average adult... maybe they can be considered sumo wrestler kidneys. Anyone looking for cheap paint for their projects should checkout Lowes - they have a used paint section which is very very cheap. 50 cents - 2 dollars, its a really good find - assuming they have the right color. Also something I have discovered is spray paint stays tacky for quite some time, I didn't know that... glad I started early.

1 comment:

  1. wow, i really look forward to seeing this! i hope everything is going well and thanks for the lowes tip :)

    ReplyDelete