u/BadinBaden

Hey everyone, I'm working on a project where I need a very specific custom color blend for flocking a surface using a static king/ion generator tool.

Buying multiple bags of pre-dyed nylon flocking is getting pretty expensive, so I’m wondering if anyone has successfully dyed natural/white nylon flocking fibers at home?

If you've done this:

1. What kind of dye did you use? (I've read that nylon requires acid dyes like Rit Dyemore or Procion, but I'm worried about clumping).
2. Most importantly: Does the dyeing and washing process strip away the conductive/anti-static coating on the fibers? Will they still stand up vertically when run through a static grass applicator, or do they just lay flat and clump up?

If it does ruin the charge, is there a specific way to re-treat the fibers afterward (like a diluted fabric softener bath) to make them jump again?

Appreciate any insight or formulas from anyone who has tried to hack their own flock colors!

Hey everyone! I’m currently building a live-hand muppet and decided to 3D print the head using foaming TPU (LW-TPU) to keep it lightweight and flexible.

Originally, I wanted to finish it with an acrylic and latex skin, but because it's a live-hand puppet, I couldn't figure out a good way to make matching latex gloves. Instead, I’ve decided to go with classic fleece arms and hands.

To make the 3D-printed head match the texture of the fleece hands, I want to finish the head using flocking powder (nylon or flocking powder made out of sponge/foam).

Has anyone here tried flocking a flexible, 3D-print before? If so, what was your process? I'm especially curious about what kind of flexible glue or adhesive you used so the flocking doesn't crack when the TPU head flexes and squishes. Thanks in advance!

I’m 3D printing a puppet head with foaming TPU from Siraya Tech, but because of filament availability I had to use black filament. Now I need to finish it in realistic human skin tones, and I’m unsure which approach would be more beginner-friendly while still giving professional-looking results.

The TPU surface is flexible, matte, and slightly porous, so I’m considering two finishing methods:

Option A : PAX Paint (Liquid Latex + Acrylic Paint)

How difficult is it to get solid coverage over black filament without applying the paint too thickly and losing surface detail?

Is there a flexible “white-out” primer or base coat that works well before applying skin tones?

Does the porous texture of foamed TPU help latex-based paint adhere better, or is peeling/cracking still a concern?

For someone new to this, is brush painting enough for a smooth skin finish, or is an airbrush basically required to avoid streaks?

Option B : Flocking

Is flocking generally easier than trying to paint and color-match realistic skin tones?

Since the filament behaves somewhat like foam, does flocking adhere better and fully conceal the black base color?

Which finish tends to last longer on a puppet that will be frequently handled and flexed: flocking or paint?

Can flocking achieve a wide range of believable, vibrant skin tones?

If you were starting as a beginner with a black flexible base material, which method would you recommend for the best balance between effort and final quality?

Thanks in advance for any advice or firsthand experience!

Hi everyone! I’ve been using the Menschen A1 series for a while, but I’m looking to switch over to Schritte Plus A1 (ideally the "Neu" edition) as I've heard it's a bit more practical for daily life and easier for beginners.

Does anyone have their old copies (Kursbuch or Arbeitsbuch) lying around that they’d be willing to give out or trade?

Also, if anyone has made the switch from Menschen to Schritte, I'd love to hear if you found it worth it. Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I’m currently living in Stuttgart and I’m trying to understand how realistic it is to find a job as a non-German speaking person in Germany.

I’m currently taking German language classes (A1 level) and I’ve been actively applying for jobs for the past few months, mainly in logistics, warehouse, and general entry-level work, I focused on this sector as I have a certification for this industry which I got during my time in the UK (I am not British by the way). However, I haven’t had any success so far despite sending out many application

I’m wondering if this is mainly due to my current German level, or if the job market in Germany is particularly difficult for non-German speakers or if it's just a case of the state of the job market being bad for everyone OR am I looking at the wrong sector?

Any advice or personal experiences would be really appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Hi everyone,

I’m currently living in Stuttgart and I’m trying to understand how realistic it is to find a job here as a non-German speaker.

I’m currently taking German language classes (A1 level) and I’ve been actively applying for jobs for the past few months, mainly in logistics, warehouse, and general entry-level work. However, I haven’t had any success so far despite sending out many applications.

I’m wondering if this is mainly due to my current German level, or if the job market in Stuttgart is particularly difficult for non-German speakers.

Any advice or personal experiences would be really appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Entschuldigung, falls die Übersetzung nicht ganz korrekt ist. Mein Deutsch ist nicht gut, deshalb habe ich einen Übersetzer benutzt.

Hey zusammen!

Ich befinde mich derzeit in Stuttgart, aber aufgrund der hohen Lebenshaltungskosten und der hohen Kosten für Sprachkurse hier ist es für mich sehr schwierig, die Teilnahme an einem Deutschkurs in Erwägung zu ziehen, Ich plane, später dieses Jahr nach Bochum zu ziehen, um dort ein Jahr lang einen intensiven „Sprachmarathon“ zu machen. Mein Ziel ist es, innerhalb von etwa einem Jahr von A1 bis C1 zu kommen. Bochum habe ich mir vor allem ausgesucht, weil die Lebenshaltungskosten dort deutlich günstiger sein sollen als im Süden, und mir die Atmosphäre im Ruhrgebiet sehr gefällt.

Bei meiner Recherche bin ich immer wieder auf Interculturas e.V. gestoßen, da es dort anscheinend eine der günstigsten, aber gleichzeitig qualitativ guten Optionen in der Stadt gibt.

An diejenigen, die dort schon gelernt haben oder in Bochum leben:

• Ist Interculturas e.V. wirklich gut? Der Preis ist zwar attraktiv, aber ist die Unterrichtsqualität hoch genug, um in einem Jahr C1 zu erreichen?
• Alternative Schulen: Gibt es andere Sprachschulen in Bochum (oder in Essen/Dortmund), die ihr empfehlen würdet? Ich habe auch von den AStA-Kursen an der RUB gehört, bin mir aber nicht sicher, ob diese für Nicht-Studierende offen sind.
• Der „Jahresplan“: Hat jemand Erfahrung damit, den kompletten Weg von A1 bis C1 in Bochum zu gehen? Und Tipps, wie man eine bezahlbare WG in der Nähe des Stadtzentrums findet?

Ich würde mich sehr über eure Erfahrungen freuen – egal ob positiv oder negativ! Vielen Dank schon mal für eure Hilfe.

TL;DR: Ziehe für ein Jahr nach Bochum, um Deutsch von A1 bis C1 zu lernen. Ist Interculturas e.V. die beste günstige, aber effektive Option?