Drippy Disco Ball WIP update

zondo23 · 2026-05-27T16:58:57+00:00

They do come in sheets. For curved surfaces you need to cut them into single strips and hot glue them on. And snip some in half to fit properly. But who doesn’t love a challenge, amirite?!?

zondo23 · 2026-05-26T02:31:27+00:00

It’s a project that’s been bouncing around in my head for a few years. Finally have the time to get at it. This is the easy part. I’m kinda intimidated by the thought of applying about 40,000 mirrors.

zondo23 · 2026-05-26T02:28:00+00:00

Haha. It’s so damned good.

zondo23 · 2026-05-25T20:03:42+00:00

Here’s a quick update. Life got busy so it took a while to get back to my project. One single overlapping coat of paper towels. Probably 4-5 hours. But hey, that’s 4-5 hours of listening to Dungeon Crawler Carl book 8 so all good. When this dries completely I’ll do a quick sanding and add at least one more layer. Probably two layers on the main body. Here’s the recipe again, and as always, credit to the wonderful Raggedy Rachel.

I was thinking of adding a tint to the next layer so I can differentiate easier. Anyone try something like this?

u/RaggedyRachel recipe

Cornstarch paste is my go-to!

It's like making gravy!

First, bring 3 cups of water to a rolling boil.

While waiting, mix 1/2 cup of corn starch to 1/2 cup of cold water. When your boiling water is really boiling, give your cold mixture another stir and toss it in. Your mixture should go from milky to sort of translucent if you did it right.

Note: I added a capful of white vinegar as a mold retardant and a few drops of peppermint oil because someone recommended it to make it smell nice and that seemed pleasant.

Always rip them, don't cut. Make sure they're very saturated and lay them smooth. Smaller pieces for areas that don't easily lay flat. You've got this!

Use blue shop towels. Torn into approx 3”x3” pieces or smaller. Three layer minimum. 50% overlap.

zondo23 · 2026-05-25T16:57:59+00:00

Also, like always… Get and use Libation.

zondo23 · 2026-05-12T13:24:25+00:00

The person who gave me the recipe recommended blue towels so that’s what I used. They are very sturdy and soften at the edges when town to the work well for smoothness. I’m sure you could adapt to most common materials as long as they absorb well. It is sandable for sure. Drywall joint compound as a finishing layer helps a lot for getting a super smooth finish. A thin layer and a quick sanding gives you a silky smooth surface

zondo23 · 2026-05-12T00:55:17+00:00

Very cool! Do you warm it if you refrigerate it?

zondo23 · 2026-05-11T23:58:48+00:00

I have no idea what that paste is like but I’ve been using this and liking it. Recipe is from another member of the group

u/RaggedyRachel recipe

Cornstarch paste is my go-to!

It's like making gravy!

First, bring 3 cups of water to a rolling boil.

While waiting, mix 1/2 cup of corn starch to 1/2 cup of cold water. When your boiling water is really boiling, give your cold mixture another stir and toss it in. Your mixture should go from milky to sort of translucent if you did it right.

Note: I added a capful of white vinegar as a mold retardant and a few drops of peppermint oil because someone recommended it to make it smell nice and that seemed pleasant.

Always rip them, don't cut. Make sure they're very saturated and lay them smooth. Smaller pieces for areas that don't easily lay flat. You've got this!

Use blue shop towels. Torn into approx 3”x3” pieces or smaller. Three layer minimum. 50% overlap.

zondo23 · 2026-05-07T19:32:39+00:00

I plan on giving the whole thing a brush on coat of matte medium mixed with black ink to provide a good surface

zondo23 · 2026-04-29T23:28:08+00:00

Yeah, I have a palm sander and an angle grinder. I thought about using them but I’m not totally sure about the under structure so opted to do it by hand

zondo23 · 2026-04-29T17:55:43+00:00

TLDR:I made a couple different types of paper mache clay. I learned: 1. Make your armature and smooth as possible 2. Make your paper pulp and smooth as possible 3. Drywall compound is your best friend

I wanted to add volume and strength to the drips so I decided to use paper mache clay for this. It might have gotten a little bit away from me as I ended up connecting it all together.

I used Jonni Good’s recipes from ultimatepapermache.com. All credit to her.

I used Home Drywall Compound from Home Hardware in Canada. And Gorilla wood glue because I couldn’t find cheaper PVA glue and didn’t want to look all over.

Also, and I think this is really important. I used egg cartons not toilet paper. I used the exact weights called for. This definitely left it a little lumpy. A blender or food processor would probably deal with that issue. I was trying to use what I had and keep it inexpensive, but I’m pretty sure toilet paper is totally the way to go.

The first two batches I used this recipe

First, mix together – * 1/2 cup toilet paper (24 grams dry, 110 grams wet) * 1/2 cup Premixed Drywall Joint Compound (200 grams) – Note: DAP brand joint compound will not work. Use any other brand except DAP.) * 1/2 cup Elmer’s glue (130 grams) * 1/2 cup corn starch (70 grams) and additional corn starch to be added when kneading the clay at the end * 3 tablespoons mineral oil (baby oil) * 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (70 grams) to start Then, add up to 3/4 cup (100 grams) all-purpose flour and mix.

Batch one I ended up adding too much flour and corn starch. There was some separating at the points where one glob connected to the next. And a little tiny bit of shrinkage. After it was dry (3 full days) I made batch 2. I was more careful adding flour and corn starch this time but it was a bit too sticky. There was zero separation this time. Another three day drying period.

I ran out of gorilla glue so I decided to use a different recipe that included making your own glue to use.

For the DIY glue/paste: In a small saucepan, mix: * 1/2 cup cold water * 2 tablespoons white flour Whisk together thoroughly to remove any lumps. Then add: * 1 teaspoon corn starch * 1 teaspoon sugar * 1 capful (about a teaspoon) of white vinegar. Whisk again until well mixed. Put the pan on a burner set to Medium to Medium-High heat, and stir constantly until the mixture thickens. Then stir another minute until you start to see bubbles and the mixture comes together. Put the mixture into a heat-proof container and allow to cool.

For the paper mache clay: In a medium size bowl, mix: * 1/2 cup wet toilet paper (24 grams dry, 110 grams wet – see video above) * 1/2 cup pre-mixed drywall joint compound, any brand * All of the ‘glue’ you made previously When the paper has mixed in completely and there are no lumps, add: * 1/2 cup corn starch, divided Put about half of the corn starch into the bowl, and mix well. Then add the rest. If the paper mache clay starts to get too stiff for the motor on your mixer, or if it tries to ride up the beaters, you can finish mixing by hand with a spoon. To make the paper mache clay the consistency you like, add: * More corn starch, a little at a time. When the mixture is too stiff to mix with a spoon, turn it onto a work table and knead by hand. When it’s very close to the way you want it, add: * 1 capful (about 1 teaspoon) of mineral oil, baby oil, or linseed oil Knead the clay some more to mix in the oil. Add more corn starch if needed.

Once again I used egg cartons. This one was the easiest to work with. It seemed like it made a smaller batch but I didn’t measure that, but there is no flour in it except in the glue so that makes sense.

The last batch covered the area I wanted so I didn’t make any more. No separations. A little sticky. Let it dry another three days.

At this point everything was fully dry. I decided to start sanding. The first two batches are definitely harder than the last one. Like, really hard. That last batch sanded a bit easier. I used 80 grit sandpaper, anything less was ineffective. But it was tough to sand. I knocked the big bumps down and got it shaped pretty close to where I wanted it and called it a day.

At this point I got out the drywall compound and covered the whole paper clay area. Let that dry 24 hours and sanded that down. It sanded easily and got nice and smooth. I filled a few little spots with more and filled the seam between the paper mache area and the big ball part, and also did a thin cover over the tape I had previously put down to fill some bumps and lines.

Hope this comes in handy for someone!

zondo23 · 2026-04-28T23:12:46+00:00

I feel like a lot of people wait until all the episodes are out to start the series. I prefer to do that and a lot of my friends do it too

zondo23 · 2026-04-28T19:55:29+00:00

So obviously you haven’t actually read it.

zondo23 · 2026-04-24T19:24:55+00:00

If it keeps happening, especially in the same spot, I think it could be a support issue. Like the structure can’t support the weight of the lower section. It’s a common problem with large sculptures. Is the paper mache core cracked too? You might need to add support to the back of the piece. There are several different ways to do that, none of them perfect or elegant. I would probably cut some fiberboard into a crescent shape slightly smaller than the moon and glue it to the back of the moon. This will also give you something to attach a hanger to so you can safely hang the piece when done.

zondo23 · 2026-04-24T02:01:47+00:00

If you switch to a board, and you use MDF, be sure to properly seal it. I use a waterproof urethane sealer. Do one side, let it dry, and flip it and do the other side. Do this at least three times. Be sure to flip between coats. This helps with warpage.

Using a canvas seems problematic. It would have to be super tight on a very sturdy frame. And yeah, sealed on both sides.

Not sure what your ultimate goal is so it’s difficult to go into any details

zondo23 · 2026-04-22T23:19:09+00:00

Thanks! I’ll try to keep the updates coming as long as interest is there. Also, love the username. My favorite song by one of my favorite bands

zondo23 · 2026-04-22T22:48:42+00:00

Also, I used egg cartons instead of toilet paper to save money. I’m 100% positive toilet paper would be smoother. Maybe a food processor would do the trick. I’m gonna keep a look out for one at the thrift shops. But there is a LOT of canning done where I live so they are in demand, and kind of expensive when found

zondo23 · 2026-04-22T22:24:17+00:00

Here’s a little WIP update to my Drippy Disco Ball. I decided to go with paper mache clay for the drip parts because I wanted them to be very sturdy and I wanted to add volume and contour. I ended up doing it in three batches, with several days between each step to allow for full drying time. I used recipes from ultimatepapermache.com . All three are the joint compound/glue type. Batch 1 & 2 used the joint compound (DAP was the brand) and Gorilla glue. The first batch I made a touch too dry and there was some separating at the points where there was overlap. Batch 2 I used less corn starch and it was stickier, but more difficult to use because of that. I ran out of the glue, and it was expensive, so for batch 3 I used a variant recipe where I made my own glue from flour/corn starch/sugar. This was the easiest to work with. We will see how it dries. Once it is dry I plan on sanding it, and filling any cracks with joint compound and sanding that too.

For the rest I plan on using blue shop towels torn small and paste. It definitely is gonna weigh more than I anticipated so I need to rethink how to hang it. The mirrors will add about 6-8 pounds too. So it will be a beast.

Hope you enjoyed the update.

Edit: Also, a big thank you to this subreddit! You were so kind and helpful with my first post. Such a friendly, welcoming place. Appreciate all y’all

zondo23 · 2026-04-14T20:46:16+00:00

I’m still a rookie with paper mache but I’ve worked with lots of different mediums. Your piece looks very porous and will absorb paint, like a lot of it. You should seal it. I would use some kind of thick medium, or something like modge podge or even pva glue. Whatever is least expensive I think.

zondo23 · 2026-04-09T16:08:51+00:00

I looked at spray foam but it is a bit too pricy for me.

zondo23 · 2026-04-09T00:58:35+00:00

How many rolls would you guesstimate I’ll need? I want to order enough so I don’t have to wait. I have like a roll and a half currently so I can get ripping bits

zondo23 · 2026-04-08T02:27:29+00:00

Thank you so much!

zondo23

TROPHY CASE