What have you been doing today?

[Bentwings]

Not doing much yet it’s not quite 7:am: so just relaxing under electric blanket it’s only 15 deg F outside not going above freezing today one in home blood test coming today takes all of 15 minutes so I’ll probably do some washing and a bit of house cleaning then sit down and work on hobby stuff . I have some shims to make for the turbine to generator mounts to make. I want to keep shaft to shaft alignment as close to zero to reduce coupling flex as much as possible in direct drive they will run about 5500 rpm with the reduction drive the turbine will run about 15 k rpm I have to make an idler pulley arm for this. Have not given a lot of thought to this so far I may just make slotted mount holes as I have some small tee nuts I miss not being able to just go out in the shop and knock something out as I think of it.
My sis is going up to the lake as we say her in minnesota I’m a bit worried for her due to car crash yesterday . She doesn’t handle high stress well as she is in high stress life as it is this has caused a big mess in her life that she doesn’t need hopefully insurance will take care of things the body shops are full righ now due to our nasty weather lately I’d guess it will be 2-3 months before car can be repaired if the frame is cracked or badly damaged the car could be totaled on the spot then she will need to be car shopping

 

[redtractors1]

Overnight we got about 8 inches of snow, snowblowed driveway early and again before work and and again at lunch time because it has turned to rain. I don't mind snow, just hate having rain mix in. Also at my job repairing farm tractors, I work for a dealer. Lots of work to do year round.
At home I've gotten into making wooden pens and have been doing that frequently on weekends. Did use my Taig metal lathe to make some bushings I needed for my pen mandrel a couple weeks ago. But that's about it for metal machining lately.

 

[clockworkcheval]

Good that you apparently are still driving a motorcycle, Roncohudd. Upon the third motorbike that I crashed to total loss my wife and daughter advised me not to try a fourth time as I was clearly not able to stay seated on a bike.

 

[Bentwings]

I had to deal with that cognitive stuff after I broke my brain August 2021 in my motorcycle wreck. My wife broken leg and I couldn't drive for 6 months. Home health care and my kids kept us from killing each other. Lol

be carefull in the car sit so if air bag goes off you don’t take hit in a bad spot . My sister broke her arm and shoulder and I told her the same thing she kinda blew me off like don’t be ridiculous. Yeah well she got rear ended pretty hard yesterday then her car smashed Into a hard snow snow bank almost head on she is ok but car is badly damaged. Air bags didn’t go off but she has new respect for being prepared and preventing re injury . Since the stroke I’ve had those cognitive tests too . I don’t like them as I do have short term memory issues . I just don’t need to be reminded . I write things down all the time it’s interesting I’m 81 now but I can vividly remember childhood things and lots of mid life things . My ever present iPhone and iPad give me near instant on line library assistance for those things I can’t remember like day of week and what happened recently . Funny I remember the first short time memory test I had a couple years ago

The person giving the test was English and had a perfect English accent
She red a story from the news paper and I had to retell it the next day. A short version . This was during the pandemic in China they had lock down and mask snd glove mandates . Lady was riding elevator. Wen it reached her floor she removed gloves and mask then spit on her hands and rubbed all the buttons as hand rails ugh . I saw a repeat on tv so it probably got burned deep in memory .

I get asked to draw a clock then add hands for given time . Usually asked time if day and current day and year . Home address phone numbers some times other numbers like SS number bank car number The care person name identify pictures recite alphabet. Pets name lots of other stuff now if I could drive it would be great. It’s not that I can physically is that I could have stroke at any time that would possibly put others in danger . So I don’t drive it’s hard getting old and having to admit there are things you just can’t do any more .

Good luck on your issues I understand a distant friend hit a deer on his motor cycle and is in far worse shape than I am So head up looking forward .

 

[WisJim]

We're nearing the end of a month long vacation stay with a son and grandson in Pueblo Colorado and missed the recent snows etc back home in Wisconsin. Spent some time in Texas visiting museums and other attractions. Warm and sunny most of the time. I can see why some friends from Wisconsin spend winter in Texas.

 

[GreenTwin]

I had one of those cognitive tests, had the same trouble with remembering the question 10 minutes later. I also have the common problem with putting things down in the workshop and then not being able to find them - I blame malicious invisible elves...
The long-term memory being better than short term is pretty common. I've worked round it by making my computer's "master password" the first two words from the first line of the first poem I learned in junior school (65 years ago) - in the theory that long-term memory is a "last in - first out" mechanism.

I have always had short term memory problems, and that made it very difficult for me to get through school.

But I have very good long term memory.

And I have creativity out the roof.

In high school was considered the stuff of a McDonalds worker, at best, and I would have actually had difficulty with doing that.
I worked in a gas station for several years.

I could have easily won the "least likely to succeed" award, or more likely "no options for success" award.
I fooled them all and became a successful professional engineer (starting my 38th year this year).
It shocked a lot of friends and family members that I was able to do anything, much less engineering.

And it just goes to show that you should not put too much stock in standardized tests, since they seem to test a lot of short term memory, and overlook some very important and critical skills, such as ingenuity.

People ask me how I work with poor short term memory, and I tell them that I have paper and pens in vast quantities, and I can write down as much information as needed.
The writing on paper basisically serves the function I am missing, which is the transition from short to long term memory.

.

 

[roncohudd]

Good that you apparently are still driving a motorcycle, Roncohudd. Upon the third motorbike that I crashed to total loss my wife and daughter advised me not to try a fourth time as I was clearly not able to keep seated on a bike.

The doctor was very clear about that. DON'T RIDE AGAIN!. So I gave up my bikes. My head wouldn't take another bump.

 

[Zeb]

I have always had short term memory problems, and that made it very difficult for me to get through school.

But I have very good long term memory.

And I have creativity out the roof.

I'm the same way. I typically spent a lot more personal time to study than most and was always last to finish testing.
Over time all those experiences have stuck and have allowed me to work relatively fast with folks whose intelligence is rather intimidating. I'm definitely an oddball among enginears with all my arts and crafts energy...
...and sarcasm.

 

[Richard Hed]

Thing is, girls and guys, everyone learns differently. Some peeps have learned strategys of learning that basically puts up a wall for learning--often due to parent, teacher or some othr person punishing one for doing something they didn't know they were doing. Other people, like myself, have a small or large "tic" wherein the brain function is not quite right--myne is that I have to see a person's lips when we are talking or I cannot understand them. MY hearing is actually fine but there is some disconnect to my understanding brain area. Not with my visual, however.

If anyone is interested in a really superb book on learning, look up NLP--Neuro Linguistic Programming. NLP is a Psychology subject but it was discovered by a Physicist and a Mathematician. They notice something that psychologists did not! What they have to say is incredibly interesting to such a dull boy as myself, that maybe hyou would like it too.

Often teachers, parents, clergy and others only see what they WANT to see, or believe what they have heard from others. Did you notice in high school, the mediocre often got the good grades? That's because school is aimed right at the mediocre. Also often schools are aimed at the slowest student (My GAWD, how awful!) and so everyone else is falling asleep. In schools that teach this way, and virtually all of them do, sthe smart people (keep n nmind that the average machinist is quite smart with an average IQ of 125, and also keep in mind, IQ is not everything) get bored and drop out of school. Of course some are able to hack it and doo quite well. The schools are ruining the very smart peeps. Well, it's worse now with political correctness, tshe schools teach social equality (which may not be bad, but where did geography go? Where did languages go?)

So anyway, I'm glad to see and hear that y'all have overcome the krap heapt on us all. Each and everyone of us who reads these words is doing fine. Look around and you will see friends and aquaintances who did not make it.

 

[GreenTwin]

I have worked with MENSA engineers, and the problem is that they over-design things, basically to show their brilliance, but also because that is how their brain works.
In reality, the best design is the one that accomplished the desired results using the least number of parts, and the design that is simple and elegant.

Complex designs in my experience are typically tossed in the garbage can by the maintenance folks a few years after they are installed, and replaced with a simple sustainable solution.

I started dating my wife in college, and she was in the honor society, made straight A's in the most complex and abstract classes imaginable, like Transforms, or Field Theory.
I use to ask her "How do you solve these abstract problems".
She said "I just think about it and the answer pops into my head".

LOL.
So she was the proverbial hare, and I was the tortiose (its still that way).

She instantly knows the answer to anything, such as which options to take on a complex road trip with multiple stops.
I get very confused and easily overloaded with too many variables.

But over time, I can understand things more deeply than she can, and I can make associations that she and others would never think of.

I basically disassemble a problem in my head, and then ask why things have to be reassembled as they have always been assembled.

I can generally greatly improve an existing process or design, just by rethinking what is really trying to be accomplished, and accomplishing that in an easier and more effective way.

When I was growing up, I thought that everyone followed the same logic that I did, and only after college did I find out how rare it is to have creative thinking.

People pay good money for creative solutions to complex problems.
I am elated that people pay me for something that I like to do.

I also suspect that some people have good sequential memory, such as being able to memorize a large number of random numbers very quickly, and random access to that information.

I have to store information according to what it means. I have no sequential memory at all, and no random access.
I have to have a meaning in order to access a memory.

And I also think there is visual memory and non-visual memory.
I can remember shapes, colors, textures, and related things as I sat in my crib at age 3.

And I have a very good sound memory.
I can tell from the slightest sound or vibration that a machine or car is making, whether there is a problem or not.

My wife can have the wheel fall off of her car, and she would never notice.

My wife has a photographic memory, and does well at solving cookbook problems that have one finite solution (problems made up by a college professor).

I am terrible at school problems because I never know what exactly the professor who wrote the problem is looking for.
I excel at solving problems when nobody really understands exactly what the problem is, and nobody can figure out a cost effective solution, because it is an open-ended problem with an infinite number of solutions.
That is where I make my money.
I am truly just glad I found something to do beside work in a gas station, or other manual labor tasks (gas stations are supremely boring).

.

 

[Bentwings]

I have always had short term memory problems, and that made it very difficult for me to get through school.

But I have very good long term memory.the paper and pens is great I too do that unfortunately I’m not well organized and I’ll write on the nearest page my hand writing has also gonndown hill with the double vision so I have to remember where I wrote something down then use my lighted nag glass to read it . My sister helps by making note cards with important things in larger marker pen writing ive gone from a single small paper clip to a giant spring clamp I know which cards I have but I’m considering numbering them so I can look for a single number like number on for bank card etc I have large screen very near for measuring and large number tape measure . I’ve rediscovered my normal glasses instead of mag safety safeyclasses all day I always have safety glasses in the shop

And I have creativity out the roof.

In high school was considered the stuff of a McDonalds worker, at best, and I would have actually had difficulty with doing that.
I worked in a gas station for several years.

I could have easily won the "least likely to succeed" award, or more likely "no options for success" award.
I fooled them all and became a successful professional engineer (starting my 38th year this year).
It shocked a lot of friends and family members that I was able to do anything, much less engineering.

And it just goes to show that you should not put too much stock in standardized tests, since they seem to test a lot of short term memory, and overlook some very important and critical skills, such as ingenuity.

People ask me how I work with poor short term memory, and I tell them that I have paper and pens in vast quantities, and I can write down as much information as needed.
The writing on paper basisically serves the function I am missing, which is the transition from short to long term memory.

.

 

[Brian Rupnow]

Doing nothing today, and its starting to feel a bit strange. I haven't done anything much since about two weeks before Christmas. I milled some slots in a score-board for a snooker table for a friend of mine but that only used up a day. I've ordered and received two new measuring instruments, an inside micrometer and a depth micrometer, but neither has been used yet. I've tidied up the ongoing mess in my machine shop. I've worked quite a few hours on some automation design for a company in North Toronto. I want to revisit the v-twin engine I built in the fall and try to get it to run in a more controlled fashion---I have had two major uncontrollable runs which is very positive, but they were simply uncontrolled hi-speed runs. I don't feel like doing much. I'm waiting for the spirit to move me.----Brian

 

[Bentwings]

Ha ha I like the mess . I just went and dug out a turbine . I need to make shims to match shafts . I have 4 pairs I’ll get a centerline number then at least I’ll have that for the stepper motor conversions that will need some shims I have a nice piece of 1/4” x 4” wide aluminum bar that I’d like to mount all these on. I need to cut some tee slot nut slots that will give adjustable spacing between en units. Now that SW IS UP AND RUNNING I THINK ILL SET A GOAL OF MODELING ONE PART PER DAY FOBTHE STEAM ENGINES MY SON JUST GOT SOME LARGER OD alum drive shaft material . I can now go back and rethink the boiler back and revive the boiler thing that’s been on hold waiting for the lathe to be repaired it’s operational now . Just 65 miles away . I’m looking for a new printer So I can print stuff . Today it’s thawing at 36 deg F ice sliding off the roof. I hope the roof holds up . I have to vacuum today salt and floor dry got tracked in. Kitty discovered a rubber band she has been stretching it with her claws then letting it go then chafe it around . She just bit it in half . Well so much for that kitty toy .


I just discovered air line is wrong size for turbines . I was just using temp line the fitting is really small where it bolts on three screws that look to be 3 mm the hex is so small I can hardly see it . Well I’ll now have to make a special But I’ll use socket head metric cap screws I some 2mm about the right length. I YHINK I’ll just make a larger fitting so I can use my 1/4” I’d Tyson low pressure line I have some hex and round brass stock so I’ll just send it over to my distant son and let him make them. Need 6 at least . I just saw a neat gear box on Amazon but I think it’s too high priced . PMResearch has gear bar stock so I may just cut off my own gear stock 3-4 :1 will be enough . Box’s bearing has small ball bearings so I YHINK I’ll consider making my own ive got some thicker aluminum bar stock so maybe I’ll build inclosed gear boxes so I can just put a little air tool oil in them. Lots of guys build gear boxes the try to use gear lube but it doesn’t do well if higher speeds are involved there us too much drag from the thick oil so gears wear out faster I wanted to use planetary gear set but ring gears are too expensive . I just saw an interesting idea a guy turned the gear set inside out and made an external “ ring gear”. The planets are on the outside . It’s just not as compact but essentially works the same way I have an electric motor with a built in planetary gear set the motor runs pretty fast about 5/6 k rpm as I recall so maybe I can adapt it but that’s down the road . Sorry to ramble but a lot crossed my head today .

 

[Poppy Ott]

I made some more mounting plates for the wood lathe. These things are like woodworking clamps; the number of clamps one has on hand seems to only be sufficient for the project recently completed. The current project will almost always require at least one more. The mounting plates have a 2” diameter steel hub with a press-fitted aluminum flange.

 

[Bentwings]

I got numbers for the spacers so I can get after making them now. Nursing another nose bleed . The best way seems to be lay on bed so I YHINK I’ll just do that.

 

[Zeb]

Got a t-slot cutter for my biathlon harness adapter.


Tested Alibre's ability to import complex surfaces. It handled cuts well after converting the patches to a solid with the thicken command. I think this might work well for creating exhausts.
Sub-Division-->NURBS conversion (Rhino)-->Alibre

 

[DJoksch]

I am getting back to my boiler project and was interrupted by this little steam engine. It‘s missing pieces. Today I finished the cylinders.

 

[Bentwings]

More blasted snow about 3-4” wet snow. Took mecaboutv2 hours to shovel my tiny sidewalk and bail out garbage bins . Fortunately a guy came by the last snow and scooped out areas for me so it was just shoveling today much of it I pushed out in the street so the lows can move it . It’s supposed to snow all day today and tonight . I go out about 10 pm and shovel before bed time that way not do much to do in the morning . My back is sore already . I have a shovel with aecond handle mounted near the scoop it really helps save the back as it loads shoulders better

 

[Brian Rupnow]

I had to go across town and buy another 8-32 tap. Bought the same tap last week, brought it home, and immediately broke it.---and it was my fault. January has been surprisingly mild here--We only have about 2" of snow on the ground. It's freezing rain outside right now, and calling for snow overnight. While I was over on the far side of town I stopped in at an old friends design company and got one of their designers to show me how to mirror an assembly in Solidworks. I used to do it all the time, but had to do it this week and found I'd forgotten the steps involved. I haven't done it in about five years, and had forgotten what commands to use. Getting old sucks!!!---Brian

 

[Roy h Biggs]

Was working in the shop making Christmas presents for the grandkids for a couple weeks and then was going to start on the Hoglet. Ended up collapsing and taken to the hospital with pneumonia. After 6 days they sent me home. Will be awhile til I get back to the shop. Doing oxygen therapy for awhile.