Guard buds and lava falls glued. They’re messier than I like, but not terrible. You really can’t tell unless you’re right up on them, and I think I painted over all the visible glue. They could be more uniform, had I used a jig for the corners instead of eyeballing it. Shocking, that. A couple have gaps, but I think that plays into the whole lava shining through bit.
The LEDs on the falls are too close to the surface, or the clay is too thin, or both, but the diffusion level could be better. Not a deal breaker – it does give the impression of motion, but I like it better with the ambient lights on. I’m also not crazy about the underglow; the white looks blue, the yellow is wan, the orange is rather anemic, and the red is a little overpowering. LED strips are convenient, but I’d have more control wiring individual LEDs. And it has been a while since I played with Arduino; I’m probably overdue a refresher.
6 armature attempts in, the lava flower has been formed, baked, torn apart, trimmed, reformed, glued, painted, and hit with crackle. Nothing is ever simple. Once it’s dry enough to mount, there’s nothing left but crackle and fear. I may have to call in the cavalry for moral support.
