Objects in Flux - RMIT Research Repository - RMIT University

Objects in Flux
material artefacts, residue of a practice that
happens elsewhere. As such, they are indicative
of the broader social practice being investigated
and provide insight into the relations that form,
and are formed through, the modification of
mass-produced consumer goods.
Parallel to these texts I explore various aspects
of the practices’ public performance. Begin-
ning with modes of public presentation, the
discussion then turns to the types of knowledge
engaged and developed through the practice,
and concludes with an examination of the effect
the practice has had on my own life.
5.2 How-to narratives and build logs
As discussed in the previous chapter, hacking,
modding and DIY are highly social practices;
however, they are also solitary pursuits and it
is often the tale of the modification process,
rather than the physical act, that forms the
social interface for these activities. As such, the
visibility of these practices within society de-
pends largely on the mechanisms through which
these tales are told. This is particularly evident
where practices engage in the modification
of private or domestic objects; Paul Atkinson
notes that, in the 1950s, people hosted din-
ner parties to show off their latest DIY projects
(2006). Similarly, practices of object modifica-
tion often seek out or create their own social
spaces where individuals can speak publicly
about what they do. These social spaces may
be formed through special interest groups such
as clubs and societies, or via the publication of
hobbyist magazines, but can also arise spon-
taneously in specific geographic locations such
as main streets (‘drag strips’), parks, cafés and
bars. Developments in online self-publishing, in
80
in the state of Victoria. In 2001 the Royal Botanical Gardens
started shooting these animals in an insane attempt to
curb the local bat population. Thanks to public outcry and
a dedicated group of protesters, 2 this practice was stopped.
The grey-headed flying fox has since been classified as a
vulnerable species by the Australian government.
I was once passed by a grey-headed flying fox while travel-
ling down a deserted Punt Road at 2.00 a.m. The bat had a
wingspan of about a metre; it was a mesmerising and beautiful
experience. Yes, I’m quite a fan of this fellow mammal,
however I’m not so obsessed that I go out at night with the
specific intent of tracking them down; or at least I wasn’t
until I discovered there was such a thing as a bat detector.
A bat detector is an instrument that will detect the presence
of bats by tuning into the echolocation ultrasounds they
produce. There are a variety of commercial bat detectors
available but what excited me were the numerous internet
sites with home-built detector circuits. I stumbled across
these sites while trying to decide what to do with a 1968
Braun Cylindric T2 cigarette lighter. What resulted was the
Cylindric Ultrasonic Bat Detector.
[Figure 5-2]
Finished bat detector, 2005.
My friend Gareth found the Braun Cylindric T2 cigarette
lighter in a Canberra op shop; it’s a stunning object. De-
2/ http://www.austrop.org.au/ghff/home.htm, accessed 20
July 2006.