tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90209798907179980962024-03-21T17:02:25.343-06:00PariahcycleSince 1808. [citation needed]Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10491497591183011455noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020979890717998096.post-74424919224831305672013-05-24T21:34:00.000-06:002013-05-24T22:05:13.725-06:00A Shop Tour, and a Little More<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, I'm graduating from college. This means that I'll be moving on to a different work space, so I wanted to take a moment to give a tour of the space I've been using (to make so many mistakes, and set myself on fire).</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the metal shop at the University of New Mexico.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuLZksCoyMRdiFuBLsFTRM9oo6YFElR1D9uaT-98QyOVkEdfSf9YhowehYBJU2TDeEHlqJzxWLamO1yGssqxfRA8g6fTQyt5Bfli121USbI7zvtG66CCzAOKYMfJwhDpDR1szr-mfUWSw3/s1600/UNM+Metal+Shop.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuLZksCoyMRdiFuBLsFTRM9oo6YFElR1D9uaT-98QyOVkEdfSf9YhowehYBJU2TDeEHlqJzxWLamO1yGssqxfRA8g6fTQyt5Bfli121USbI7zvtG66CCzAOKYMfJwhDpDR1szr-mfUWSw3/s320/UNM+Metal+Shop.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At first glance it appears to be pretty well equipped.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWj2ZCWFDK1Y3BcuG-COtS0q-8ePr4tKYx1Zkl0laAy51giYqa7umq8re_TgTsYITy085d-_ESSD-YL7DApfZXTW8tCa_lPsM9PMU3SHwF5a08yx6jg0PiELQqDAmzzyL4Q1jAYU2Y-gll/s1600/Welding+Station.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWj2ZCWFDK1Y3BcuG-COtS0q-8ePr4tKYx1Zkl0laAy51giYqa7umq8re_TgTsYITy085d-_ESSD-YL7DApfZXTW8tCa_lPsM9PMU3SHwF5a08yx6jg0PiELQqDAmzzyL4Q1jAYU2Y-gll/s320/Welding+Station.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are stations for Oxy-Acetylene welding, and a couple of MIG welders.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is a collection of bench grinders and a drill press.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5BIVsDymeiSAaZfOfsUpS2Cedwuu8haSSgXE7lmwSFnBMxGGFqip19WypZsL2adLgV0_f0Pt-URU-kNC0hf44Co5QKpNT2Xih_TOOZh0qmF1zKF2rDL5GOCV2f0IXSXR52KSMTEljcIyG/s1600/Assorted+Grinders.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5BIVsDymeiSAaZfOfsUpS2Cedwuu8haSSgXE7lmwSFnBMxGGFqip19WypZsL2adLgV0_f0Pt-URU-kNC0hf44Co5QKpNT2Xih_TOOZh0qmF1zKF2rDL5GOCV2f0IXSXR52KSMTEljcIyG/s320/Assorted+Grinders.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A break and a jump shear.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjymLp9hM3ge3SqEZ_7PBLShKs4kwe0GgnWTx4EsLb2aiJ2nCEBA7NYAnHc6T6o-LY_xc3Ll4LCuy5uJrQn-idzRA7jCzB__HcXhdfuAR4x0-18Qq1t_DoNitBo8aMVSGloJIc2WnzoYxl0/s1600/Jump+Shear.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjymLp9hM3ge3SqEZ_7PBLShKs4kwe0GgnWTx4EsLb2aiJ2nCEBA7NYAnHc6T6o-LY_xc3Ll4LCuy5uJrQn-idzRA7jCzB__HcXhdfuAR4x0-18Qq1t_DoNitBo8aMVSGloJIc2WnzoYxl0/s320/Jump+Shear.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One natural gas forge and (ruined) anvil.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6KsNBN4Byj8HWGPumwmzr-7yNKjdg3jVUvhuXAzMXTyK7PyKF1xnEo2VW1qFSnWdj7wpzL5EUavGPWlAKb3K6Otnu4fgM654QvWJ4n2csCfMx3JMjB5pz0tFfFhV8ykdE10x8fausV0jh/s1600/Forge++crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6KsNBN4Byj8HWGPumwmzr-7yNKjdg3jVUvhuXAzMXTyK7PyKF1xnEo2VW1qFSnWdj7wpzL5EUavGPWlAKb3K6Otnu4fgM654QvWJ4n2csCfMx3JMjB5pz0tFfFhV8ykdE10x8fausV0jh/s320/Forge++crop.jpg" width="277" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvQjyzNZ6Kwm6HpjAw9LgyHMl_TbI2ogpTiDo8rCF_GBsg6HgEZVmsaDW5c3SCAxtFyD16LsPkCECIbRmI6nMjIvZW9jjM4lQtZXtpitzJhcXl-ibXlleiUyhzHidNFDB-va8-f_3t4x7o/s1600/anvil+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvQjyzNZ6Kwm6HpjAw9LgyHMl_TbI2ogpTiDo8rCF_GBsg6HgEZVmsaDW5c3SCAxtFyD16LsPkCECIbRmI6nMjIvZW9jjM4lQtZXtpitzJhcXl-ibXlleiUyhzHidNFDB-va8-f_3t4x7o/s320/anvil+crop.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There's even a fairly sizable tool library containing hand tools and power tools.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdctWJbgunBWhROe8OPCHQ3gzwr3e4RFSh7iYyjZ10JYyeLDfytsg_2ylahuAPA2gmu1wQ4Z_N87wUaNCKB7plVRKTvABHyNtYoEOJSsumsMdErmToQejRVAfbLACHtuPWwauLLj2S4avw/s1600/Tool+Library+UNM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdctWJbgunBWhROe8OPCHQ3gzwr3e4RFSh7iYyjZ10JYyeLDfytsg_2ylahuAPA2gmu1wQ4Z_N87wUaNCKB7plVRKTvABHyNtYoEOJSsumsMdErmToQejRVAfbLACHtuPWwauLLj2S4avw/s320/Tool+Library+UNM.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However, once you start to look more closely, you begin to notice the out-of-order signs.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZhaG6WZMk01dRS-SeHcOIa9g7v0Nyro_pzZwl4mRfC93JVMJFNym5MyKwqcDsVrsQCvHOjdXZ56oLjD3Oia1nBOqdf8MqydIZ4vhun7sKEbcnDREmHBhkmj6s_xdsHJ5JKcvjAqALd5CY/s1600/Out+of+Order+Tig.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZhaG6WZMk01dRS-SeHcOIa9g7v0Nyro_pzZwl4mRfC93JVMJFNym5MyKwqcDsVrsQCvHOjdXZ56oLjD3Oia1nBOqdf8MqydIZ4vhun7sKEbcnDREmHBhkmj6s_xdsHJ5JKcvjAqALd5CY/s320/Out+of+Order+Tig.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Years and years of abuse by thousands of inexperienced students has taken an obvious toll on the equipment here. Someone managed to tear the 3/4 inch thick 220v cord right out of the back of this TIG welder.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-VINRxF104PLy50xiUP3lhvteIJBcYNl6kP5TnO14tasrtWhXWswhpdgfYla28aePH4MYurhTDWISG9ZNVdVnXEP_4sCoABArDiYNzkmg6IMYADDSPF6uHzpbS5slFA3zEOsKunyxPbEh/s1600/Broken+Pedal.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-VINRxF104PLy50xiUP3lhvteIJBcYNl6kP5TnO14tasrtWhXWswhpdgfYla28aePH4MYurhTDWISG9ZNVdVnXEP_4sCoABArDiYNzkmg6IMYADDSPF6uHzpbS5slFA3zEOsKunyxPbEh/s320/Broken+Pedal.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The pedal on this jump shear has been broken and re-welded by me and others countless times creating a blob of weld almost two inches wide.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZRDoHkU4Oek6pbl7RgEz_iYnvX7lnxbPeclHEifAvZA9WbDYFTiLNbuyygC5JLvXovOMN_dc9Q-_Vu0P-WohdROIEbnlhZ0H-QuqgdRnfRCBf8vLN7B1rN4KQ0p6LlrZiqxJNRRWIgnq5/s1600/UNM+Break.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZRDoHkU4Oek6pbl7RgEz_iYnvX7lnxbPeclHEifAvZA9WbDYFTiLNbuyygC5JLvXovOMN_dc9Q-_Vu0P-WohdROIEbnlhZ0H-QuqgdRnfRCBf8vLN7B1rN4KQ0p6LlrZiqxJNRRWIgnq5/s320/UNM+Break.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This break needs a little dental work.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH5QUXJUyI2H7DKLTMwuhDhhQy4vzfPfVvSMwuwlf4Jsh_Jl6ZW8FiyyNr5Fosz2V1y9HJ9VRBQolEkVgpv8Wk6AY1X_5XahvuC-KrboQe9mu5PS4JhaG4rInaBS6AwimiQCzKeUv8Bmsa/s1600/Roller+Bender.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH5QUXJUyI2H7DKLTMwuhDhhQy4vzfPfVvSMwuwlf4Jsh_Jl6ZW8FiyyNr5Fosz2V1y9HJ9VRBQolEkVgpv8Wk6AY1X_5XahvuC-KrboQe9mu5PS4JhaG4rInaBS6AwimiQCzKeUv8Bmsa/s320/Roller+Bender.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This sheet metal roller is so stiff it takes someone with more strength than I have to use it.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIv7Md5lwK_OEL8_oIW7XIiB003Oxnxath1a2syy6wQOcafi9LfG4ytZUxXgvK1YNy7KbVPzBpNcZxN-iLo5ywrmCO16mEIgDfQLtSNWd7iIoHnfDt6jJNEkLCvHCki_zrqJEeY4qMWshj/s1600/Mystery+Machine.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIv7Md5lwK_OEL8_oIW7XIiB003Oxnxath1a2syy6wQOcafi9LfG4ytZUxXgvK1YNy7KbVPzBpNcZxN-iLo5ywrmCO16mEIgDfQLtSNWd7iIoHnfDt6jJNEkLCvHCki_zrqJEeY4qMWshj/s320/Mystery+Machine.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This thing actually does work, but I don't think anyone around here knows what it is or how to use it.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT70yb_qgNnViB9jUK8iyYBihWlX-r3__Gew4ONu8QbM8vPG82tlYUAueoNa4oviky-DjuOCCTreYwZhpzSgvNDEb42vHVVBQ75ZAkfiUA_tUmX0RJZpgniJX7DQ_K4K-OGkM5rWa1yrD9/s1600/Metal+Lathe.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT70yb_qgNnViB9jUK8iyYBihWlX-r3__Gew4ONu8QbM8vPG82tlYUAueoNa4oviky-DjuOCCTreYwZhpzSgvNDEb42vHVVBQ75ZAkfiUA_tUmX0RJZpgniJX7DQ_K4K-OGkM5rWa1yrD9/s320/Metal+Lathe.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Similarly, as I understand it, this metal lathe and a bandsaw that I apparently forgot to take a picture of, work perfectly. Because of some bureaucratic dispute with the school's physical plant, and because of a lack of funds, they've been sitting here unwired for the entirety of the three years that I've been using this shop.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's the same story in the wood shop.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9JCyl7gVJ33e8NOlQKiCCX-TvUQPUEBIEacAFRssoCygz_C1euLLBNFUFxcTBr92Rx9FMpAp0XVhL-59mGVa__WkMI8bxnQ3PHWEvEUBFPk0VFFMEwo4f4Ias0PBz2nt7psBXZCK94NGg/s1600/Scary+Bandsaw.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9JCyl7gVJ33e8NOlQKiCCX-TvUQPUEBIEacAFRssoCygz_C1euLLBNFUFxcTBr92Rx9FMpAp0XVhL-59mGVa__WkMI8bxnQ3PHWEvEUBFPk0VFFMEwo4f4Ias0PBz2nt7psBXZCK94NGg/s320/Scary+Bandsaw.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Broken</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYtr7JkCtS6udrbeQuoEh1_Ie1PhnWMy3DYOHX_gTa8kk9vLN2PCG9d7kGTJd5SyUS3aRbHDui8ZMLNmVycf7kGuY8x3i9ZW3DohvH5XdnBVLFra6eOqCmEP-3W3NMwDN1d5hp3vfUA5R3/s1600/Spindle+Sander.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYtr7JkCtS6udrbeQuoEh1_Ie1PhnWMy3DYOHX_gTa8kk9vLN2PCG9d7kGTJd5SyUS3aRbHDui8ZMLNmVycf7kGuY8x3i9ZW3DohvH5XdnBVLFra6eOqCmEP-3W3NMwDN1d5hp3vfUA5R3/s320/Spindle+Sander.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Broken</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizkd9z2Svfwifr4GhV31Hj1zKt0xWLNDYNKoGeve9wQLFQoXkGeN185bYM1PZY5aH5alGjphbWtjOxyq8iXECvQlq1Lei1tNkuhEeOcpEzROxi5qHNz14sLE0pOzdrIB1FrNQzR_kC5mwm/s1600/Radial+Arm+Saw.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizkd9z2Svfwifr4GhV31Hj1zKt0xWLNDYNKoGeve9wQLFQoXkGeN185bYM1PZY5aH5alGjphbWtjOxyq8iXECvQlq1Lei1tNkuhEeOcpEzROxi5qHNz14sLE0pOzdrIB1FrNQzR_kC5mwm/s320/Radial+Arm+Saw.JPG" width="287" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Scary</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDmJL-yYErj2Bmnrn5pVvFhaNdn4E8WFx8bYt0PXIgi34-EjvHFOj7S7HuBMM1B7IfUy_t9h4VDj3nWX5VTU1nuDFwBxqgvklwD6CyYPlfsvXfWEpiP0AKE4szd63mSNN9LB9d7BK6xCVi/s1600/CNC+Machine.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDmJL-yYErj2Bmnrn5pVvFhaNdn4E8WFx8bYt0PXIgi34-EjvHFOj7S7HuBMM1B7IfUy_t9h4VDj3nWX5VTU1nuDFwBxqgvklwD6CyYPlfsvXfWEpiP0AKE4szd63mSNN9LB9d7BK6xCVi/s320/CNC+Machine.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By way of comparison. This is the metal shop at the Santa Fe Community College.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuTwdAQyVEKSRY8vT_eVXsn-DAoxjYSCa6MulKEbGGsbNinDr37DenpAV4tg9qUxcjKaFsyFzSjXc8bbpL90QS61CA49-xvN4oKrtQiI5ruBdiRQ-J2hQRz3a6bzBKOny27wwP45XokqmI/s1600/Metal+Shop+SFCC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuTwdAQyVEKSRY8vT_eVXsn-DAoxjYSCa6MulKEbGGsbNinDr37DenpAV4tg9qUxcjKaFsyFzSjXc8bbpL90QS61CA49-xvN4oKrtQiI5ruBdiRQ-J2hQRz3a6bzBKOny27wwP45XokqmI/s320/Metal+Shop+SFCC.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They have eight MIG welders.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbKfW0mc0KlgGDs0EQDdUa8qMdxbV1tEU8ipvFMxzucll1ZeK0nGucijpccjirfVWo9Vh3Baf4az9HaaD4Lc4JDv09797Z0yyR7wJHGEw7N043JO2-Q8MS7erFhDXC6veakFaUtlDiDH3W/s1600/Mig+Machines+SFCC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbKfW0mc0KlgGDs0EQDdUa8qMdxbV1tEU8ipvFMxzucll1ZeK0nGucijpccjirfVWo9Vh3Baf4az9HaaD4Lc4JDv09797Z0yyR7wJHGEw7N043JO2-Q8MS7erFhDXC6veakFaUtlDiDH3W/s320/Mig+Machines+SFCC.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Three TIG welders</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwr-ukjwThPm58JLuFvVlBhXyV92Yzq4Nk6MJpKgJbVYdamqk8EA-iRYvJEglcYfAKWXymO89EOA92szMxW-q6g55zZHjRx0azm4Xplad7X-bY-4Vl6Oue2tMdBbfwC1IzfXPeZ0Zpi6us/s1600/Tig+Machine+SFCC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwr-ukjwThPm58JLuFvVlBhXyV92Yzq4Nk6MJpKgJbVYdamqk8EA-iRYvJEglcYfAKWXymO89EOA92szMxW-q6g55zZHjRx0azm4Xplad7X-bY-4Vl6Oue2tMdBbfwC1IzfXPeZ0Zpi6us/s320/Tig+Machine+SFCC.jpg" width="239" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Portable oxy-acetylene sets.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpzQgLMlroOcNgth28OeMcIt4TIPYI9K9vlEOpyEAbdpYyCQ3DXH0lkpulJzHyDPIQ6WYl73_dKmn8VfI-r_dacfT5fQzBoOXIYfYzAjdH-V8W8fmpaZOQM5LzGYLyv7NJ8rWy1fpf5yRU/s1600/Oxy-Acetylene+SFCC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpzQgLMlroOcNgth28OeMcIt4TIPYI9K9vlEOpyEAbdpYyCQ3DXH0lkpulJzHyDPIQ6WYl73_dKmn8VfI-r_dacfT5fQzBoOXIYfYzAjdH-V8W8fmpaZOQM5LzGYLyv7NJ8rWy1fpf5yRU/s320/Oxy-Acetylene+SFCC.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Private welding booths with fume shields.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9xAnzepJYfgEcOenZU4vgMpadoCMUDKk0LWtWwMg7pF49p6z6abd35uUoe6s_VF9kf9M7KMpl4KrnJzm5E21d41MAOGnAURlIZ8Gpe7JNNlcK9jtRBTX1F5FZ4LoQdJV7PGO3PRld2yGJ/s1600/Welding+Booths.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9xAnzepJYfgEcOenZU4vgMpadoCMUDKk0LWtWwMg7pF49p6z6abd35uUoe6s_VF9kf9M7KMpl4KrnJzm5E21d41MAOGnAURlIZ8Gpe7JNNlcK9jtRBTX1F5FZ4LoQdJV7PGO3PRld2yGJ/s320/Welding+Booths.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A bunch of anvils and forges, both coke and propane (the right kind). The big yellow thing off to the left is a 1 ton hoist.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1kwTgdMbKvAYC6xUWcA6SgYRTFoeHCmCItfL8YvlgfXJ6aJQ_vwmvDZxG9V1P6jyl2PvLbiJQjocIlIkjPJRsiq_giPJpk3SYyIgrQ6NaZSOKbddySuZAKsg925VdmM0lq_oaPMgIXXfB/s1600/Forging+Stations.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1kwTgdMbKvAYC6xUWcA6SgYRTFoeHCmCItfL8YvlgfXJ6aJQ_vwmvDZxG9V1P6jyl2PvLbiJQjocIlIkjPJRsiq_giPJpk3SYyIgrQ6NaZSOKbddySuZAKsg925VdmM0lq_oaPMgIXXfB/s320/Forging+Stations.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A hydraulic shear capable of cutting 1/8th inch thick steel.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5h4ghNgF0Pc3ZxcNOH2UfGGfqb2u9i9guUuoqX1Ml-ziKn_ynL_7JjV9HylNd8dtU5ni1xfRPPclZt_hqXysocYlJcgskwsx1imGt9u4VsV8AaZMisOcQQ4B7x8UwN3m9Ps5E5we9bJoc/s1600/Hydraulic+Shear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5h4ghNgF0Pc3ZxcNOH2UfGGfqb2u9i9guUuoqX1Ml-ziKn_ynL_7JjV9HylNd8dtU5ni1xfRPPclZt_hqXysocYlJcgskwsx1imGt9u4VsV8AaZMisOcQQ4B7x8UwN3m9Ps5E5we9bJoc/s320/Hydraulic+Shear.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A motorized sheet metal roller.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirpeitidpzV0BFUJzW5H5NuGX5FE2EhlOhQwE091abIDDQYTTBC-785SugvBuSdSe3YcWpSnvbAX89sfdkaUHiWxq-5OiWFuDIbMYLq2zEEU9B9EH5E5qbDWmov8NZAao0O1HjRx8iWlI_/s1600/Hydraulic+Rollers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirpeitidpzV0BFUJzW5H5NuGX5FE2EhlOhQwE091abIDDQYTTBC-785SugvBuSdSe3YcWpSnvbAX89sfdkaUHiWxq-5OiWFuDIbMYLq2zEEU9B9EH5E5qbDWmov8NZAao0O1HjRx8iWlI_/s320/Hydraulic+Rollers.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I believe this one can roll a five foot wide sheet of 14 gauge, whereas using the hand-crank one at UNM to roll a three inch wide piece of 18 gauge the other day required three people. Also, that green thing behind it and to the right is a seven foot long break.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let's see, there's also a belt-disk sander, chop saw, bench grinders, kiln, horizontal bandsaw, sandblaster, plasma cutters, paint shield... I could go on.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsencqNhDbATVLTxgEm5BTwW1luqOP_hUCSQlOHS0An6mbK1pEK7fKXTVP8EBq5LARYLyvvAxhdQGBE-TD44tMo8B51EdvUiLWOGvwrbPZTOAyJmqz4usIu3PcMvf-gASg7WHmbZ-_E2hR/s1600/Other+Stuff+SFCC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsencqNhDbATVLTxgEm5BTwW1luqOP_hUCSQlOHS0An6mbK1pEK7fKXTVP8EBq5LARYLyvvAxhdQGBE-TD44tMo8B51EdvUiLWOGvwrbPZTOAyJmqz4usIu3PcMvf-gASg7WHmbZ-_E2hR/s320/Other+Stuff+SFCC.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Keep in mind that this is only the artistic-metalwork shop. They have two other metal shops for vocational welding, and two more shops of the same caliber just for woodworking.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The difference between these two facilities is that one has a huge amount of support from a city and community that believes in the importance of art education,</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and one doesn't.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'll allow you to draw your own conclusions.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10491497591183011455noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020979890717998096.post-53590030803550944972013-05-23T21:55:00.002-06:002013-05-24T21:42:59.568-06:00Back to Regularly Scheduled Programming (sort of)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And we're back! This month and a half break between postings was due to a number of factors, not the least of which included the end of my college semester, and unexpectedly getting a real job doing some stuff which I imagine will lead to some posts at some point in the future. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLzWP-7SjTrbhoYvLWQKZd90zl_2vby82uMTOe_mz_ERtfiqnOsJsPHQS1tXhXq-b64fpwI6hhBqsX3bVpV1tDmmXRoVahnqE-0S57mIbvIkNFgzZKwExfNEQUBjo2jZYhQvVE7BPqsS4k/s1600/Metal+Dragon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLzWP-7SjTrbhoYvLWQKZd90zl_2vby82uMTOe_mz_ERtfiqnOsJsPHQS1tXhXq-b64fpwI6hhBqsX3bVpV1tDmmXRoVahnqE-0S57mIbvIkNFgzZKwExfNEQUBjo2jZYhQvVE7BPqsS4k/s320/Metal+Dragon.jpg" width="239" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While this also means that I'm much much busier and overworked than before, and likely going to have even less time for DIY-related things, I'll do my best to keep from taking this long to post again.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">PS: Keep in mind that the secret to happiness is low expectations.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10491497591183011455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020979890717998096.post-49367856793986324662013-04-08T22:43:00.000-06:002013-04-08T22:45:53.750-06:00Recumbent Madness pt. 2: Recumbent's Revenge<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now that I had the frame more or less worked out, it was time to figure out how I was going to steer. Seeing as the front fork is an entire five feet from the forward-most riding position, this presented a bit of a challenge. I thought about just making some stupidly long handlebars, but that seemed pretty cumbersome and wouldn't allow for as tight of a turning radius as I wanted. This next option was to create some kind of remote steering mechanism and place the handlebars directly in front of the rider. The worry I had with that plan was that it would require there to be a bar running directly up between the rider's legs which could cause some serious problems in the event of a sudden stop. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The third option, and the one I chose to pursue was to place the handlebars under the seat.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWKW_zgpbA4m3y8LukqRInREhEc7lbwkXG-6jtpS3egMonlPnt3J2ZcmRw7ZHuWlpfb0YD5GmW4knW9cpFFs9JvuHcIK__b6LpvMF4Xlw4XAePvHjDFoHV3BPigoaccVTBMugYh9XOKg-W/s1600/IMG_20130403_173642.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWKW_zgpbA4m3y8LukqRInREhEc7lbwkXG-6jtpS3egMonlPnt3J2ZcmRw7ZHuWlpfb0YD5GmW4knW9cpFFs9JvuHcIK__b6LpvMF4Xlw4XAePvHjDFoHV3BPigoaccVTBMugYh9XOKg-W/s320/IMG_20130403_173642.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Working off the example set by this home-made recumbent bike that sometimes shows up at the college I go to, I started with the idea of using a set of bars to connect the handlebars to the front fork remotely.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These are heim joints. As I understand it, they would have been a perfect solution for this task.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCUfWyhGD_ZNceBJNM60OX6HyQ7yt66Hv4siZ2dDjxVTqsNC-Nz0vK5g3pc2PybOcMTxe3VyccDVfS4CVP4FTbPbEUowfEh5UeCWlBQeUKGn_tYqqIHobpQNprQwF4vOcEHeC0dSXAzbCp/s1600/heim_side.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCUfWyhGD_ZNceBJNM60OX6HyQ7yt66Hv4siZ2dDjxVTqsNC-Nz0vK5g3pc2PybOcMTxe3VyccDVfS4CVP4FTbPbEUowfEh5UeCWlBQeUKGn_tYqqIHobpQNprQwF4vOcEHeC0dSXAzbCp/s320/heim_side.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They have a ball shaped thingy with a hole in it inside some kind of collet thing, and you screw them onto whatever you're trying to make move and then put a screw through the hole in the ball thing or whatever, and they hold one thing in place and let another thing move around, I guess.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, based on my obvious knowledge of how they work, and because <a href="http://burningbeardfab.blogspot.com/2013/02/people-who-buy-things-are-suckers.html" target="_blank">buying things is for suckers</a>, I decided to try something that would perform the same function, but that I would make myself. Not exactly knowing where to begin, what I decided I had to do first was to create mounting positions </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">on the front fork</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> for this not-yet-fully-concieved steering system.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I began by cutting two little pieces of 1/8th inch thickness steel and grinding them into a fat crescent moon kind of shape. I then drilled a hole in both of them of the same diameter as some round bar-stock that I found lying around.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFtYgHLTL0OUlhXGmGiCcu7rDjLUnAywUYVe3FBLbc50dzYfGJ6yp9OBBm6jx228F-2HeTCAvQJqXWVBYaxG-gmEKVs6q5lzYt94m8aEi0gSFV9328G2ePBJ_9GZc3WeTx-wLCHWsJUOiK/s1600/Crescent+Mozaic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFtYgHLTL0OUlhXGmGiCcu7rDjLUnAywUYVe3FBLbc50dzYfGJ6yp9OBBm6jx228F-2HeTCAvQJqXWVBYaxG-gmEKVs6q5lzYt94m8aEi0gSFV9328G2ePBJ_9GZc3WeTx-wLCHWsJUOiK/s640/Crescent+Mozaic.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next, I ground the paint off of a couple places on the bike's front fork and welded the pieces I had just made on as straight and evenly as I could.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next thing I decided to do was screw up. I was a little overly excited about making the bars that would go between the handlebars and the brackets I had just made, so I started on those. After getting about half-way through making them, I realized that I hadn't even thought to measure how long they had to be. I</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">n order to figure this out, I found a small step stool and placed it on the table over the frame so that I could sit on it and put my feet on the pedals to get an idea of how far the handlebars should be from them. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9JOk2DsgHApQGSZn-fxJPI0sE_cKmCJiR8AxPyRFV-AYPqesdIV7IGG2L_dCez0ZwLImEbO4Lai-dal8NjmKrtE2rjGzjA49gOXaeSyFbBbthnAhnrNWSUT7nAxJ9BqBwOKP2ZD2BLOvW/s1600/Legs+Mozaic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9JOk2DsgHApQGSZn-fxJPI0sE_cKmCJiR8AxPyRFV-AYPqesdIV7IGG2L_dCez0ZwLImEbO4Lai-dal8NjmKrtE2rjGzjA49gOXaeSyFbBbthnAhnrNWSUT7nAxJ9BqBwOKP2ZD2BLOvW/s400/Legs+Mozaic.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This revealed to me that the bars I had made were about six inches too short.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After doing that so successfully, I retrieved a pair of BMX handlebars from my pile of bikes. These conveniently had a bracket with screws in it that allowed me to set the handlebars at whatever angle I wanted. I set them to an angle of about 90 degrees.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkIVqVwjlDMjeB5y5GY03XkMvWD8Dqwgz1OIiphnXVpc21ewU2mgKHfPtslE8fMimUW4y5LxNd0aCwG3_o7dEi_Cmp0VUqjE0_kgPT46jpHsLifL_2y1bofTi39zJvRhgz-Zcyt2kw5WdF/s1600/Handlebars+Mozaic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkIVqVwjlDMjeB5y5GY03XkMvWD8Dqwgz1OIiphnXVpc21ewU2mgKHfPtslE8fMimUW4y5LxNd0aCwG3_o7dEi_Cmp0VUqjE0_kgPT46jpHsLifL_2y1bofTi39zJvRhgz-Zcyt2kw5WdF/s400/Handlebars+Mozaic.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I also retrieved the head tube that I had cut off the little pink bike <a href="http://pariahcycle.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-rise-of-frankencycle.html" target="_blank">previously</a>. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Using a plasma cutter, I cut a chunk out of each of the</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">two lengths of tubing making up the front half of the bike to create a</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> circular(ish) space.</span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY6WCZK7IC-zaLQ9zmVv5pG8ZJqgxjEyzxKGym59fAhFFe4zNpETkN9ST49VzgiFjSOs2zM6J961PIalC5wJlOIVmSe5EA_UeNWFjk2t5Q3pWCW2JxC23h5AK6N7wS3hyphenhyphentmj1XAUNmAl3H/s1600/Hole+Mozaic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY6WCZK7IC-zaLQ9zmVv5pG8ZJqgxjEyzxKGym59fAhFFe4zNpETkN9ST49VzgiFjSOs2zM6J961PIalC5wJlOIVmSe5EA_UeNWFjk2t5Q3pWCW2JxC23h5AK6N7wS3hyphenhyphentmj1XAUNmAl3H/s400/Hole+Mozaic.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I then cut the head tube in half horizontally,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and used the bench grinder's wire brush wheel to clean the paint from the halves. Next, I</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> slid one half into the top of the space and one half into the bottom of the space to meet in the middle, then tack-welded them in place.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Vwf9Uqmdb7znzAtbHwTWmPX2rEm35iGodiCKEm9O5Ig2oCESelZ4gtdX5L9XLIVCoZz3QT2hJLBKC7rWQwlETpPZBRqW8-mWdrKnO5poiWmi8WxaB8f4GTCjD-M4xjeE988lSxLPYDsl/s1600/Headset+Mozaic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Vwf9Uqmdb7znzAtbHwTWmPX2rEm35iGodiCKEm9O5Ig2oCESelZ4gtdX5L9XLIVCoZz3QT2hJLBKC7rWQwlETpPZBRqW8-mWdrKnO5poiWmi8WxaB8f4GTCjD-M4xjeE988lSxLPYDsl/s640/Headset+Mozaic.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is a part I had made earlier on to put the handlebars temporarily onto the <a href="http://pariahcycle.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-rise-of-frankencycle.html" target="_blank">upper level</a> of the bike. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeUXsoE001XyohxJ1r7qgJrt70POZOuKz3qqv_gV1vO9Jq-2Xqa6uN3VJvtuQd8Lnq-Nbxtz4zpGv6cN6nG6tfZH-o1lMN-0sOaDYxuYDQY4pFfNpmCMGeaBA3vATtaJxaQJrg-m9bWEGd/s1600/Bad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeUXsoE001XyohxJ1r7qgJrt70POZOuKz3qqv_gV1vO9Jq-2Xqa6uN3VJvtuQd8Lnq-Nbxtz4zpGv6cN6nG6tfZH-o1lMN-0sOaDYxuYDQY4pFfNpmCMGeaBA3vATtaJxaQJrg-m9bWEGd/s320/Bad.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you remember, there had been a problem with the handlebars coming loose. This part was the culprit. I had made it from a piece of 16 gauge sheet and a left-over wedge nut. Because I did it hastily, the welds were too cold and therefore weak, so I wasn't able to tighten the bolt down adequately for fear of breaking them. Also, the circular piece I had made didn't fit well into the flange of the head-tube.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I refined the size and shape of of the disk, and re-welded the two pieces together properly. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5VPp15w1p9CCtND-rsKg2doCqtqU4CLopUv27kDTvOYrtBXyob0p35qmiGB738kvr80fNkdWqrFZpTHZ0wyM3iv4OMqYYsh4xFCRIAgttM78OgwC_XY_pcBiO0hCq7oPzDLbS9xu6Exdp/s1600/better+mozaic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5VPp15w1p9CCtND-rsKg2doCqtqU4CLopUv27kDTvOYrtBXyob0p35qmiGB738kvr80fNkdWqrFZpTHZ0wyM3iv4OMqYYsh4xFCRIAgttM78OgwC_XY_pcBiO0hCq7oPzDLbS9xu6Exdp/s400/better+mozaic.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once I was satisfied with that, I found all the parts of the headset assembly required to fix the handlebars to the bike, </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtFokxXhnFDmbYtX6wHg9w1X6fmLn-dOHcVxTZ4B27DCflp0MTWdf8v7v4pWuH4fvIJ60A1-PXS6owkgwzBTZ5U9Q5F2hKfnbEh1kq-ETcdk21mLcGq7WWxBTEZoUGVknCkYreGOiCOoSX/s1600/Handlebars+assembled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtFokxXhnFDmbYtX6wHg9w1X6fmLn-dOHcVxTZ4B27DCflp0MTWdf8v7v4pWuH4fvIJ60A1-PXS6owkgwzBTZ5U9Q5F2hKfnbEh1kq-ETcdk21mLcGq7WWxBTEZoUGVknCkYreGOiCOoSX/s320/Handlebars+assembled.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and fixed the handlebars to the bike.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next thing I had to do was create another mounting bracket to affix to the handlebars. To do this, I used a piece of 16 gauge steel, sheered it into a diamond shape and blunted the lethal looking points with the bench grinder. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJZ_ORUzFzVXzp6-QfdGC_xJmFOJUiZqBAR8CGWU-JgnSOEfVs5aGM6VcNNbFJ2vgGV3SMxO0fQrI5-TkKe-MYFxLev4F9AbXNuz23n3pXeD3RvTnY86cCJWooUj7Jd0dHmLonwd_E3tuN/s1600/crop+diamond.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJZ_ORUzFzVXzp6-QfdGC_xJmFOJUiZqBAR8CGWU-JgnSOEfVs5aGM6VcNNbFJ2vgGV3SMxO0fQrI5-TkKe-MYFxLev4F9AbXNuz23n3pXeD3RvTnY86cCJWooUj7Jd0dHmLonwd_E3tuN/s320/crop+diamond.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Using the drill press, I then made two holes at the ends of the diamond and two toward the middle of the diamond at the same distance as the two screws on the handlebars closest to the pivot point.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Using the existing screws, I affixed the bracket to the bars.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I then turned my attention to the pieces of round bar I had found. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, I'm not totally sure, but it's possible that I may have stolen them. I did, however, leave my name and number and a very polite note, and thus far no police have shown up at my door, so I may be in the clear. Either way, don't tell anyone.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The bars had apparently been previously used for something, so they were pretty bent and twisted. Using a hammer, anvil and vice, I did the best I could to straighten them out. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1f3oIo8m35zOqFVGwW6cRpmHU7A53W3jirU919310NCMLDRCgZa8cNIfs51toinhr-z6pjOlB9T0jEWWiPQbPpTWwUcYxZiJ1zinCTtX7EL10g3zDjnLUuwUpYxs081VEVoNiP0XZlBxq/s1600/Bendy+Straight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1f3oIo8m35zOqFVGwW6cRpmHU7A53W3jirU919310NCMLDRCgZa8cNIfs51toinhr-z6pjOlB9T0jEWWiPQbPpTWwUcYxZiJ1zinCTtX7EL10g3zDjnLUuwUpYxs081VEVoNiP0XZlBxq/s320/Bendy+Straight.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next I cut them to even lengths that matched the distance from the mounts I had put onto the front of the bike and the vacant holes of the bracket that was screwed onto the handlebars, plus an extra inch. Once I'd done that, I used a vice-grip to hold the two together parallel and clamped the other end down in the vice with 1/2 inch exposed.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisuZQk9JZU-PsbCHYf_Dd8XX1BJbiK5Pewcyxlt_XbJLIz3sBDETWJrnLx1vOTjBy7HGjOif7CmfykKGxcZfLLki_SKDK4sWXhMSsPaXoJnLsFgst0AZSg7Qhldpc5CpJPzqROUHu-YZO6/s1600/Bar+Bending+Mozaic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisuZQk9JZU-PsbCHYf_Dd8XX1BJbiK5Pewcyxlt_XbJLIz3sBDETWJrnLx1vOTjBy7HGjOif7CmfykKGxcZfLLki_SKDK4sWXhMSsPaXoJnLsFgst0AZSg7Qhldpc5CpJPzqROUHu-YZO6/s400/Bar+Bending+Mozaic.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Using a rosebud torch tip on an oxy-acetylene set, I heated the exposed 1/2 inch until it was glowing, then beat it to a 90 degree angle with a cross-peen hammer. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then I did the same to the other side. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii49b8jdrPzFAEZ9F96x3ni19BNIZNbNIpfO_pV4dYxz0YmXAbg4_2ipG4A4EMz1Xp_qsGB1yzsTzqw3VLrmnS6viBYNrG-TXVi4gZ5wWjD6dn2NGoLYoU7VTCHHVwrMsuuNAAc9ZrDwzU/s1600/wrong.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii49b8jdrPzFAEZ9F96x3ni19BNIZNbNIpfO_pV4dYxz0YmXAbg4_2ipG4A4EMz1Xp_qsGB1yzsTzqw3VLrmnS6viBYNrG-TXVi4gZ5wWjD6dn2NGoLYoU7VTCHHVwrMsuuNAAc9ZrDwzU/s320/wrong.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But because I wasn't paying attention, I did it the wrong way and had to straighten them out and do it again.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRwiDulwuf9WgR1gQzJW47vIWU-HoQoGQeFZL2lMCGrrLWkrQhAgeDkZeRDq80-Tejv5PcRrNnmZRS0pYBEVyLk44ducD3J7bId-J6WYvqghYHUkDwRjucGaAMwsegfRvclQYXA-gSfvjs/s1600/Crop+diamond+w:+bars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRwiDulwuf9WgR1gQzJW47vIWU-HoQoGQeFZL2lMCGrrLWkrQhAgeDkZeRDq80-Tejv5PcRrNnmZRS0pYBEVyLk44ducD3J7bId-J6WYvqghYHUkDwRjucGaAMwsegfRvclQYXA-gSfvjs/s320/Crop+diamond+w:+bars.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Amazingly, after all this, my measurements were right and everything fit correctly on the first try. Each of the 1/2 inch angled bits fit into their respective holes in each of the brackets. Each bar was exactly the right length. Once it was all put together, when the handlebars were turned, so too did the front fork. So, feeling very accomplished, I welded up all my seams, and took a victory nap.</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10491497591183011455noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020979890717998096.post-85911290072514802812013-03-31T14:21:00.000-06:002013-03-31T14:23:49.170-06:00Archaic Computers and Mechanical Monks<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A Chinese text from the
3<sup>rd</sup> century BCE called the <a href="http://taoism.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=taoism&cdn=religion&tm=4&f=10&tt=14&bt=6&bts=6&zu=http%3A//sacred-texts.com/tao/tt/index.htm" target="_blank">Lie-Zi</a> describes a “figure [that] walked
with rapid strides so that anyone would have taken it for a live human being.”
Jewish fables portray King Solomon ascending a <a href="http://www.chabad.org/holidays/purim/article_cdo/aid/1345/jewish/King-Solomons-Throne.htm" target="_blank">throne</a> where upon every step an
animal figure would reach forward to help him along. There are also stories of
a <a href="http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/archytas/" target="_blank">Greek Mathematician</a> from the 4<sup>th</sup> Century BCE who built a wooden
dove that could fly from one perch to another if disturbed. There are many more stories like these throughout history from many other regions. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-r1CMRGVp6FuslJLgHmdH2UXyUqgZoCfNgCVpr44ZNjsqvinT092PapdZi_h5X3sTgWblxG4UVQzbkS_DxCfN4LCjX5Gs6HxBamQR5lirFSABEJqZk_cF-lNtj-WmOUSKSdGtMyqKAfdc/s1600/aljazari.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-r1CMRGVp6FuslJLgHmdH2UXyUqgZoCfNgCVpr44ZNjsqvinT092PapdZi_h5X3sTgWblxG4UVQzbkS_DxCfN4LCjX5Gs6HxBamQR5lirFSABEJqZk_cF-lNtj-WmOUSKSdGtMyqKAfdc/s1600/aljazari.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s hard to know what aspects of these
stories are true and which are apocryphal. There is, however, some evidence that objects like these may have existed. For example, in 1900, off the coast of the Greek island of
Antikythera an <a href="http://www.antikythera-mechanism.com/" target="_blank">object</a> containing a series of 30 or more complex, interlocking
bronze gears was recovered from a shipwreck close to 2,100 years old. Upon
analysis, this mechanism was found to be capable of calculating the position of
the Sun and Moon as well as the Moon’s phases, solar and lunar eclipse cycles
and the motions of planets with the turn of a handle. This raises the idea that these ancient people may have had the technology and the drive to create machines of remarkable complexity, and hints at the plausibility of the fables mentioned above.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif0cQAQjmaynlqbS51sKyHj272IwGDuTQGvNooKz0lNusurJbsi7fjhj2FzYptr-Dyej7PVHlHqpmbbp83rhaWGsTuuM7SEzsqoqIywqO-y9ri_YHU-zDilhL4-TtxcW7KpTKZm5DpV-Sf/s1600/antikythera_mechanism_remains.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif0cQAQjmaynlqbS51sKyHj272IwGDuTQGvNooKz0lNusurJbsi7fjhj2FzYptr-Dyej7PVHlHqpmbbp83rhaWGsTuuM7SEzsqoqIywqO-y9ri_YHU-zDilhL4-TtxcW7KpTKZm5DpV-Sf/s320/antikythera_mechanism_remains.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An automaton is a complex
machine that functions through entirely mechanical means, and which performs tasks with little or no direct human control. Their complexity has varied over time from small wooden <a href="http://explorable.com/heron-inventions" target="_blank">contraptions</a> driven by a crank, the wind, or even steam to extremely sophisticated examples of engineering prowess capable of multiple complicated functions. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicvV5Q0HKaAUaQtX4YVTEv8DfZDTuRbDak4ux-XM_c6NCXWElKHo1iu43pklZfLlM30zVXSoMWZr3tA1XNjKn-a4l1eTKnyKLfPLfjLhtiSDYbcvpYInSa660886LjwGm4Obbnns31URos/s1600/Heron's_Windwheel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicvV5Q0HKaAUaQtX4YVTEv8DfZDTuRbDak4ux-XM_c6NCXWElKHo1iu43pklZfLlM30zVXSoMWZr3tA1XNjKn-a4l1eTKnyKLfPLfjLhtiSDYbcvpYInSa660886LjwGm4Obbnns31URos/s320/Heron's_Windwheel.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Some of the earliest credible accounts of functioning automata come from China and are documented in a set of scrolls called the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"><i>Shuishi Tujing. </i>This is essentially a list of <a href="http://wiki.verkata.com/en/wiki/List_of_Chinese_inventions?page=9" target="_blank">Chinese inventions</a> compiled in the 6th century by a mechanical engineer named </span>Huang Gun<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">. Described in this account are mechanical wine pourers built onto boats, and a mechanical theater built for the emperor. There was also an interesting <a href="http://www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek/make-chinese/southpointingcarriage.htm" target="_blank">chariot</a> built around 2600 BCE. On it was a figure that was connected to the wheels via a set of gears. The gearing would turn the figure to point south no matter the orientation of the chariot.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Examples of these mechanisms became more and more widespread as the Common Era progressed. I</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">n 16<sup>th</sup> century Europe, the Prince of Spain fell down a flight of stairs and was mortally injured. Somehow he managed a miraculous full recovery. In response, the king commissioned Juanelo Turriano, a renowned clockmaker at the time, to create a
<a href="http://www.blackbird.vcu.edu/v1n1/nonfiction/king_e/prayer_introduction.htm" target="_blank">mechanical likeness</a> of a dead franciscan frier named Diego De Alcala whose ghost he had credited with his son's recovery.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some of the most complex examples of these automatons date to the late 18th and early 19th century when they became a popular way for clock makers to show off their talents. They were built to do many things including play music and perform magic tricks among others.</span><br />
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This one, for instance, called the <a href="http://www.fi.edu/learn/sci-tech/automaton/automaton.php?cts=instrumentation" target="_blank">Draughtsman-Writer</a> was built by a Swiss mechanist named Henri Maillardet. It was able to perform seven completely separate, exceptionally complicated tasks. It could write three poems and create four drawings all of which resulted from the motion of several slowly rotating cams with a huge number of bumps, notches and valleys cut into them. As they rotated, these cams would transfer motion via a lever-arm to the joints that would create the motion of the automaton's arm. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQP2c8ExQ4eWOMZUah3P7Fid3I-ne7RVOfsVbz2nWSOsSsn9prREMWIDesBm_LrRQ3PFbodjC6wKtjJUSd8HeEw5oyidHl0O249JT3D5H9k6qU9_lAUvpgIRAea4OmnDxxqxF6zm6LA-nP/s1600/Maillardet-ship-drawing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQP2c8ExQ4eWOMZUah3P7Fid3I-ne7RVOfsVbz2nWSOsSsn9prREMWIDesBm_LrRQ3PFbodjC6wKtjJUSd8HeEw5oyidHl0O249JT3D5H9k6qU9_lAUvpgIRAea4OmnDxxqxF6zm6LA-nP/s320/Maillardet-ship-drawing.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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The craftsman had to work out how each one of those bumps in the cam would translate into the automaton's movement and create the resultant marks on the paper. Then each one of these moving parts had to be crafted with extreme precision by hand and finally laid out in the proper sequence. This was done long before the invention of computer-aided design and laser cutting, and in most cases even before the advent of factory production. Each cog, gear, cam and mechanism had to be laboriously hand-fabricated using files, hand-saws and other tools of the period.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLHbuRyGAOBtOoFmcvxenE_cN-ikqu4giIN5xiBGCr_PfKZH4wu2wpTVWEI3znYbajidrjpB55u7kmbTQLAPdJ6hS9S21b8BO8VumUP8BxoxWfVAy5ursCZEjNoKFm_WNv88smAXSDD56I/s1600/cams.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLHbuRyGAOBtOoFmcvxenE_cN-ikqu4giIN5xiBGCr_PfKZH4wu2wpTVWEI3znYbajidrjpB55u7kmbTQLAPdJ6hS9S21b8BO8VumUP8BxoxWfVAy5ursCZEjNoKFm_WNv88smAXSDD56I/s320/cams.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These artists, engineers, and craftsmen created machines that were able to perform tasks previously confined to the dexterity of the human hand. These mechanisms were built for many reasons. They may have performed a practical function or provided entertainment. They were, i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">n some cases, programmable. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some were even presented as rudimentary imitations of life. In any case, these feats of engineering have not only amazed audiences from history into the modern era; in their time they even spured <a href="http://www.informationphilosopher.com/solutions/philosophers/james/are_we_automata.html" target="_blank">philosophical discussions</a> about the meaning of life. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These machines speak to the uniquely human ability to strain the bounds of our perceived limitations in order to create things that have never been seen before.</span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10491497591183011455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020979890717998096.post-81118859601046438772013-03-27T10:14:00.003-06:002013-03-27T22:56:04.604-06:00Equality<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Simple as that.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10491497591183011455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020979890717998096.post-16867727485450760002013-03-19T11:56:00.000-06:002013-03-19T11:59:11.440-06:00A Junkyard Jaunt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had run out of materials. Normally, as a financially-challenged do-it-yourselfer, I would have to choose between spending what little money I had on what was needed to continue my projects or on the solitary Totino's pepperoni and sawdust pizza that would sustain me for the month. Fortunately, <a href="http://burningbeardfab.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Kai</a> and his crew had organized an expedition to <a href="http://www.coronadowrecking.com/" target="_blank">Coronado Wrecking and Salvage</a>, and I stowed away.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On our journey we ate <a href="http://www.holycownm.com/" target="_blank">exotic foods</a> and saw <a href="http://spottedvehicles.blogspot.com/2013/03/flaming-jeep.html" target="_blank">horrible things</a>. At one point I was discovered and thrown overboard. Luckily we were in Albuquerque, so rather than drowning I walked the rest of the way.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By the time I made it ashore, the rest of the crew had already arrived. We were a total of five souls going by the names Kai, Joe, Frank, Little Frank and myself. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The vastness of the landscape was overwhelming.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnI3PiwrlR4UsGcFl9GYFRzlm9cyyE3_KTI-qG0-Be5dbDMOD-IvisIQHg05RoAtUZkMv3tSRQkUJF90EEJvY4nG7z6EcZO5odFPlGuwukGx4psPZg9RinMJ9qwR582BPWN2iLcrZXGrkX/s1600/Junkyard+Better.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnI3PiwrlR4UsGcFl9GYFRzlm9cyyE3_KTI-qG0-Be5dbDMOD-IvisIQHg05RoAtUZkMv3tSRQkUJF90EEJvY4nG7z6EcZO5odFPlGuwukGx4psPZg9RinMJ9qwR582BPWN2iLcrZXGrkX/s320/Junkyard+Better.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We scaled the great, lime-green</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">cliff of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">dump truck</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1bRL4sjq1fOWe_N1RY3TwNqqRltW9jhvv4-LIBvFCdTJkNO4guKWyb_jbuA2rlRCnetKdzptQZvUtIQOaNaXlnZ4TUrCUWdsCoVnoAzw-rHj3e2BIbyS2yIKYFiPgBK7t9mNNs3WsG6uM/s1600/Big+Truck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1bRL4sjq1fOWe_N1RY3TwNqqRltW9jhvv4-LIBvFCdTJkNO4guKWyb_jbuA2rlRCnetKdzptQZvUtIQOaNaXlnZ4TUrCUWdsCoVnoAzw-rHj3e2BIbyS2yIKYFiPgBK7t9mNNs3WsG6uM/s320/Big+Truck.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">to find many useful natural resources.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While the indigenous population was accepting of us and generous with their commodities, s</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ome of their customs seemed strange to us.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even if we only wanted some, </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjscrTnaH6ace8ebuJUJVH4esmX57q7NSDTJQxZwkPRAP3WAU5WeKT2H_jUmNIcx_ieyXURQmdTZyxCmAMIx0amaGQQpVw12r1RJc-5Q8Z5UhXEBKHihPIjlPmDlnjUGX0YcuQgEUyyyKi3/s1600/Sexy+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjscrTnaH6ace8ebuJUJVH4esmX57q7NSDTJQxZwkPRAP3WAU5WeKT2H_jUmNIcx_ieyXURQmdTZyxCmAMIx0amaGQQpVw12r1RJc-5Q8Z5UhXEBKHihPIjlPmDlnjUGX0YcuQgEUyyyKi3/s320/Sexy+crop.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">we had to take it all or risk inciting their wrath.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0h4JTTzGfVPQ3jE1XxU01PImFqphXTJ33U6tv4EByIhHiwyKEqFAjJu6rMeOa7Gii75GPLj7zkR_J1iHygQg_k0oZkAoqczLnkZaOIHX3oNZl6pnuP5Cu-dkuxDgid0FSpO0wUz-MgsGD/s1600/Sexy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0h4JTTzGfVPQ3jE1XxU01PImFqphXTJ33U6tv4EByIhHiwyKEqFAjJu6rMeOa7Gii75GPLj7zkR_J1iHygQg_k0oZkAoqczLnkZaOIHX3oNZl6pnuP5Cu-dkuxDgid0FSpO0wUz-MgsGD/s320/Sexy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With our trade mission done, in the spirit of adventure we carried on.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some time later, while admiring the incredible scenery,</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi_wyFx_qFjDDBpeugmTjxyFLnXxQ9nrx8HdtzB56H-ymeVccjXPeEMzIDSEQl5voKMJCSS3INYuaB8PE0YARVpS5dvAU9711YFoaUoakwJGIhui-fojjDfJ06rtDlwOqhV1BonXgN51CD/s1600/Junkyard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi_wyFx_qFjDDBpeugmTjxyFLnXxQ9nrx8HdtzB56H-ymeVccjXPeEMzIDSEQl5voKMJCSS3INYuaB8PE0YARVpS5dvAU9711YFoaUoakwJGIhui-fojjDfJ06rtDlwOqhV1BonXgN51CD/s320/Junkyard.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">we got separated in a roadwork graveyard.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMr7HRM6XjxfoGgv5T_MDGxODSrjDLOxuhavQ_92nZRccBho4Bbt43t_CQEVTUr3hC7z7mpehyphenhyphenNL2xbpgiqdjlY49FTT187McdDEFD7mbcmfAg0WoR86zfKgoS7n03QF8AnaXEt882CJsD/s1600/Roadwork+Graveyard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMr7HRM6XjxfoGgv5T_MDGxODSrjDLOxuhavQ_92nZRccBho4Bbt43t_CQEVTUr3hC7z7mpehyphenhyphenNL2xbpgiqdjlY49FTT187McdDEFD7mbcmfAg0WoR86zfKgoS7n03QF8AnaXEt882CJsD/s320/Roadwork+Graveyard.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Joe went off to pilot</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> a submarine,</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikMGHeyo9gesz7NHXpMVlF5YNv_xE3FAfdxvlqxxjwsFK5bIjGKA6B3WycFP0wDmc3iIU4n1BhXkGYQzxCj_KeEF-uTqUohl8gnqZtx7CZwNeBXCmQ-JGmuqyA7iXaPua8lqNNOzKZnIPr/s1600/Das+Boot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikMGHeyo9gesz7NHXpMVlF5YNv_xE3FAfdxvlqxxjwsFK5bIjGKA6B3WycFP0wDmc3iIU4n1BhXkGYQzxCj_KeEF-uTqUohl8gnqZtx7CZwNeBXCmQ-JGmuqyA7iXaPua8lqNNOzKZnIPr/s320/Das+Boot.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">then went surfing.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL6tWsmb_4ONt9UP-SIHE04OMX0c9wtZWX5s3f8Wrwbo7XI0EGq2c2sGXZLW0snRHyOc_zcTYqPK2K3baFbF8Wob52FdICr-fTwQQutjCBPuRQgt499jWGl9M5-li8ZoMCpHkWSpGJhcr-/s1600/Mexican+Surfing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL6tWsmb_4ONt9UP-SIHE04OMX0c9wtZWX5s3f8Wrwbo7XI0EGq2c2sGXZLW0snRHyOc_zcTYqPK2K3baFbF8Wob52FdICr-fTwQQutjCBPuRQgt499jWGl9M5-li8ZoMCpHkWSpGJhcr-/s320/Mexican+Surfing.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, I got lost in a labyrinth of tanks,</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixwMTD_Je3tRNlEfkomb_OrunWIYQt61l3E6Z9IfknQqU5Bt0GwaL6iVEAaeVr54pj7FDnIMYqUMK-6DVLhQUBmZwGqGd8A1Gs1inFp6ASJfwHlI_NkKQKbGCvXrwMswNMANpVwuatE8-G/s1600/Tanks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixwMTD_Je3tRNlEfkomb_OrunWIYQt61l3E6Z9IfknQqU5Bt0GwaL6iVEAaeVr54pj7FDnIMYqUMK-6DVLhQUBmZwGqGd8A1Gs1inFp6ASJfwHlI_NkKQKbGCvXrwMswNMANpVwuatE8-G/s320/Tanks.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">then was crowned King of the Junkyard,</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6X8lxTvULibAhjqVwrg6p9Sj2qW3eF4Ek1UD2OXRjH5d19b4fbIfCxHi4i8i_SfU3B2szeb4Uj6dHqEZj-PMc4JIGI3lAp4o4qfHM1SzEbbDKQb0gJGd2ajqkc8ljY6PantBEfAK-jFOv/s1600/King+of+the+Junkyard+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6X8lxTvULibAhjqVwrg6p9Sj2qW3eF4Ek1UD2OXRjH5d19b4fbIfCxHi4i8i_SfU3B2szeb4Uj6dHqEZj-PMc4JIGI3lAp4o4qfHM1SzEbbDKQb0gJGd2ajqkc8ljY6PantBEfAK-jFOv/s320/King+of+the+Junkyard+crop.jpg" width="169" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and Kai found some rubber.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGwJ9oP_cJQ8zd6BW3lHydW9hvkW53cFp2CmxI0R9iT9XFeFC4Fpn1pQn8anFvB3bkE8wO19yV1_Mmqf6igOjHHX7LQ6P5Nz4eovmJjdYfpDS5m7i9KUfHLX5Xqh3uVIvnPYdfFn8eDsq4/s1600/Pile+of+Rubber+Kai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGwJ9oP_cJQ8zd6BW3lHydW9hvkW53cFp2CmxI0R9iT9XFeFC4Fpn1pQn8anFvB3bkE8wO19yV1_Mmqf6igOjHHX7LQ6P5Nz4eovmJjdYfpDS5m7i9KUfHLX5Xqh3uVIvnPYdfFn8eDsq4/s320/Pile+of+Rubber+Kai.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once we regrouped at base-camp we took inventory of our plunder.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Joe had commandeered an enormous length of chain.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJeR1ySTjHydr5GsuodpblyGRMv7yZMXStaCSmDAFF3-UtCAd2VCGc8ysEf5c-sCg6nOfj720jZxc41xrNPpKcrFWqxY4rW6W_hsG9f4-_MqZTyXjJMEYjHbfioeOLEt5B4VjvMVswvK8/s1600/Joe+Chain+Crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJeR1ySTjHydr5GsuodpblyGRMv7yZMXStaCSmDAFF3-UtCAd2VCGc8ysEf5c-sCg6nOfj720jZxc41xrNPpKcrFWqxY4rW6W_hsG9f4-_MqZTyXjJMEYjHbfioeOLEt5B4VjvMVswvK8/s320/Joe+Chain+Crop.jpg" width="221" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For myself, I had </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">annexed </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">30 leagues of steel tubing and l</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">aid claim to</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> a swath of twisty conduit.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXYhOfkGeumKKBoA-GaVvEymEGlxS7aiTdad5UH9kRV-itJG62qM19zPoYPWKzpbZXz1Oj_ZNy65ZhaNBrSj5V8SIMAF00rUlb-XNKumUDUqiJn5I-uP-RseEPREgnP_CoxfrQnQZZ-IKX/s1600/Junkyard+Haul.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXYhOfkGeumKKBoA-GaVvEymEGlxS7aiTdad5UH9kRV-itJG62qM19zPoYPWKzpbZXz1Oj_ZNy65ZhaNBrSj5V8SIMAF00rUlb-XNKumUDUqiJn5I-uP-RseEPREgnP_CoxfrQnQZZ-IKX/s320/Junkyard+Haul.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kai, Frank and Little Frank, alas, came away with nothing except the serious case of inspiration they contracted. They should recover with treatment. Nevertheless, a grand and successful adventure was had. </span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10491497591183011455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020979890717998096.post-80789920867800531282013-03-14T01:09:00.001-06:002013-03-14T01:14:30.182-06:00Recumbent Madness pt. 1<div style="text-align: left;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Various real life things like taxes and an attempt at finding a real job prevented me from posting last week (see <a href="http://pariahcycle.blogspot.com/2013/02/dear-readers.html" target="_blank">"Dear Readers"</a>), and for that I apologize and have written a ludicrously long post to make up for it.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After the successful proof of concept of the <a href="http://pariahcycle.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-rise-of-frankencycle.html" target="_blank">top level</a>, it was time to begin constructing the lower, recumbent level of the Pariahcycle. So, I put on some metal, </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEkODcdXMAH2XK2JT7DwE0qwPON2TSytf3xGNOe6imLT0Geqnu6M4094Grq_37gGPsLPiwMNoqgGWJ9U05mqnTe2FgbdVqPNrEZZpkwkrjqvXHH8ZrUBUJvUwjn1qol9CKuIIWyQs-xhZo/s1600/Metal+Crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEkODcdXMAH2XK2JT7DwE0qwPON2TSytf3xGNOe6imLT0Geqnu6M4094Grq_37gGPsLPiwMNoqgGWJ9U05mqnTe2FgbdVqPNrEZZpkwkrjqvXHH8ZrUBUJvUwjn1qol9CKuIIWyQs-xhZo/s320/Metal+Crop.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and, having never built even a normal bicycle in my life, got to work.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I began by laying it out on the shop floor in order to get a sense of the placement and scale of the parts I would need.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh58A6gR_UoLKaUdi4cJCzIH8avMD6tZ3o6ybbVO0oLGpdfGc0fZjRpOWGLqlTXX0r0-iXzOXxxQpKdcXjjvMgTnN9ZBPj4rIocYAQvgTtfojCDPfdPJ1tJ3ODFUicRzUmX7InZ36Um3rxh/s1600/Recumbent+laid+out.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh58A6gR_UoLKaUdi4cJCzIH8avMD6tZ3o6ybbVO0oLGpdfGc0fZjRpOWGLqlTXX0r0-iXzOXxxQpKdcXjjvMgTnN9ZBPj4rIocYAQvgTtfojCDPfdPJ1tJ3ODFUicRzUmX7InZ36Um3rxh/s320/Recumbent+laid+out.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The result is that the upright portion is six feet from hub to hub, and the recumbent portion is ten feet from hub to hub.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe4cIIwFoKKQ0nMjAHeD0VBhqDyz-GUCKCJ8JphtIXhuz9-TYylraoPSGjyz4DBxF3mcf6hyphenhyphennML12APwYbiK8eyZm4EgKNKMYaWPb1RBVPXO42rfaEQXnbLxqBlyLrYeckhhqJHbEk9MuS/s1600/mad-hatter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe4cIIwFoKKQ0nMjAHeD0VBhqDyz-GUCKCJ8JphtIXhuz9-TYylraoPSGjyz4DBxF3mcf6hyphenhyphennML12APwYbiK8eyZm4EgKNKMYaWPb1RBVPXO42rfaEQXnbLxqBlyLrYeckhhqJHbEk9MuS/s320/mad-hatter.jpg" width="227" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I started by cutting the crank-set off of this thing so that the two parts could be used separately.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUe6tpa_SPWznaTNYqZWLqIClvzj6hMh3feNsl1tQtAJnm0F4A8-eDKymxjCw_tYWwmiIAn3ZIJLAjyLmaJGkYpItfp_XhjOUEsAqx5LTdyGN2Ar4pG8nz39bfJfEoYNLNeFRT6CA1yemd/s1600/Rear+fork+cut.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUe6tpa_SPWznaTNYqZWLqIClvzj6hMh3feNsl1tQtAJnm0F4A8-eDKymxjCw_tYWwmiIAn3ZIJLAjyLmaJGkYpItfp_XhjOUEsAqx5LTdyGN2Ar4pG8nz39bfJfEoYNLNeFRT6CA1yemd/s320/Rear+fork+cut.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was also using more of the horrible plumbing parts that I appear to have an endless supply of.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOKSMVu8zHocGBw8ap_f2re9Reh-vK7unJwf-V4S-SamO1B8P9fAOqvBLofVM8MA9u7uYqKuQExkL4au3WWMFYYSBMJWdMvTAMm5ugR7ibnQ26DSPxC88jYMhJtqsPiYm_tzurgRh1zXQM/s1600/Rear+fork+bad+fit+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOKSMVu8zHocGBw8ap_f2re9Reh-vK7unJwf-V4S-SamO1B8P9fAOqvBLofVM8MA9u7uYqKuQExkL4au3WWMFYYSBMJWdMvTAMm5ugR7ibnQ26DSPxC88jYMhJtqsPiYm_tzurgRh1zXQM/s320/Rear+fork+bad+fit+crop.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The ends of the tubing were too large of a diameter to be directly welded to the rear fork.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I fired up the scary home-made forge that was built by a couple guys named Chris and Aaron. This involved turning on the gas with that red knob in the corner, then getting around to the front as quickly as possible to light it with a propane torch.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj46GUMTY72JWCQlLju-PK-pTbs3FMy_YY3i2TmTzCgi1iMpbFot38NKpsPdLR7PqPkgoho2Lc5rJMSJ2Nylex2_mT63RHOOVUke0yWPue784VQCkTe4ptO4ArubhYa-_UzkPNCtPz72bqQ/s1600/scary+forge+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj46GUMTY72JWCQlLju-PK-pTbs3FMy_YY3i2TmTzCgi1iMpbFot38NKpsPdLR7PqPkgoho2Lc5rJMSJ2Nylex2_mT63RHOOVUke0yWPue784VQCkTe4ptO4ArubhYa-_UzkPNCtPz72bqQ/s320/scary+forge+crop.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With that done, and with considerably less arm hair than I started the day with, I began shrinking the ends of the pipes down to make a better fit.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjL0_v4TSyoSI6LJPm18mGRfQOlG5T78BtOG-V-et08lQzNaQTyUHxE78gMMmzyuToPux1VCAzTUSCXs-g6ohWlv-lcCMJR4lTMV7VW4_dVDDXCXiPe0huj_3eIS-62V-vZ8y-MvRYoU32/s1600/Forging+w:o+jacket+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjL0_v4TSyoSI6LJPm18mGRfQOlG5T78BtOG-V-et08lQzNaQTyUHxE78gMMmzyuToPux1VCAzTUSCXs-g6ohWlv-lcCMJR4lTMV7VW4_dVDDXCXiPe0huj_3eIS-62V-vZ8y-MvRYoU32/s320/Forging+w:o+jacket+crop.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNS19KdPamPBUqDKwntLTSpC6k8mTPeSbUTwQcxAXF7yBxF75Rw0sxn-H3d9LCHr5xMcCvaEVTCaS1kBsCfEYdJk2ycY2cQ2SzH0iMnjLUM5e2JRaW83z-ozGrlx-tWbbVXQ5UqX84MSIQ/s1600/Ends+shrunk+better+fit+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNS19KdPamPBUqDKwntLTSpC6k8mTPeSbUTwQcxAXF7yBxF75Rw0sxn-H3d9LCHr5xMcCvaEVTCaS1kBsCfEYdJk2ycY2cQ2SzH0iMnjLUM5e2JRaW83z-ozGrlx-tWbbVXQ5UqX84MSIQ/s320/Ends+shrunk+better+fit+crop.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then I did the same with the parts that connect to the middle crank, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">creating a thing that looked like this,</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuZN0NljvaydyvkvOhgxGxTWiaGMckN1SsBK8rmTPTHJ70iQr-jhCLCYZVyTTi_UBXh52-d-OvlIVP_ftovOT9E3dpSAchJd-6lUbbsDtacEH4Yd249ONPmpjkmULtGcPikQMDpvkT5QSb/s1600/Forged+components+Crank+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuZN0NljvaydyvkvOhgxGxTWiaGMckN1SsBK8rmTPTHJ70iQr-jhCLCYZVyTTi_UBXh52-d-OvlIVP_ftovOT9E3dpSAchJd-6lUbbsDtacEH4Yd249ONPmpjkmULtGcPikQMDpvkT5QSb/s320/Forged+components+Crank+crop.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and one that looked like this.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYcN1ZEmJ2ViDKqzkk8DNlzu62YUGLCYk2dR9d6YU01RoSnwXFmZ7CC6Do6Qs2EXzyyR_XeLR_K3W7svQqQvTNeq_Tle9n__ZIMKHJOyZfU4nHnGaMtFoyQclRx5l1JHCxZkwQd47EtR8n/s1600/Rear+fork+tacked.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYcN1ZEmJ2ViDKqzkk8DNlzu62YUGLCYk2dR9d6YU01RoSnwXFmZ7CC6Do6Qs2EXzyyR_XeLR_K3W7svQqQvTNeq_Tle9n__ZIMKHJOyZfU4nHnGaMtFoyQclRx5l1JHCxZkwQd47EtR8n/s320/Rear+fork+tacked.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Because of the way that the crank had to be cut off, I was left with this enormous gap.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYS7AecghgOratJx4j7BqYpIOEuqs-wqCU-RXbc8W01O2G84PRuubNQMgPI2jigwMClgcxRfeLdx13fCovGXI8luifi6GLHjHbY9Uy2wdX3dEzNko_rKSdgnyHCTsQYHe10rZmRyCE9PjQ/s1600/Gaping+Gap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYS7AecghgOratJx4j7BqYpIOEuqs-wqCU-RXbc8W01O2G84PRuubNQMgPI2jigwMClgcxRfeLdx13fCovGXI8luifi6GLHjHbY9Uy2wdX3dEzNko_rKSdgnyHCTsQYHe10rZmRyCE9PjQ/s320/Gaping+Gap.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To remedy this, I found a piece of scrap that was kind of the right shape, but which didn't fit very well.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGnVq4UfLRcnagLFA2HgYHCeqJQHDEYgkPTW8pK62m7p3hQnU53A3o_dn6_4LVHIN9zD_cF443qMJGR0QeI2Surlhiu0lBLlfe3cyM7_7kYyg_Tmetza4HN8kb9dnfb4nIT2C3MXVa7dmU/s1600/Doesn't+Fit+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGnVq4UfLRcnagLFA2HgYHCeqJQHDEYgkPTW8pK62m7p3hQnU53A3o_dn6_4LVHIN9zD_cF443qMJGR0QeI2Surlhiu0lBLlfe3cyM7_7kYyg_Tmetza4HN8kb9dnfb4nIT2C3MXVa7dmU/s320/Doesn't+Fit+crop.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fortunately, thanks to some guys called <a href="http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/7179157/fulltext.html" target="_blank">Thomas, Hrayr and Karine</a>, I was able to sort that out with a quickness.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_oWZLjSmJgniEpqK8TFASXCLgcHJ_5K5aW2ExgrLMTq4laKKIeu_Vst0fj93vOZJWYPtzSUNplZNXUsbvAVBGL-Wb7Sc6_HkWlXIiZX7E6407WrTJj5FcSG77ioQQwxrALu6zudg-cV8v/s1600/Does+Fit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_oWZLjSmJgniEpqK8TFASXCLgcHJ_5K5aW2ExgrLMTq4laKKIeu_Vst0fj93vOZJWYPtzSUNplZNXUsbvAVBGL-Wb7Sc6_HkWlXIiZX7E6407WrTJj5FcSG77ioQQwxrALu6zudg-cV8v/s320/Does+Fit.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next, I cut the rear fork off this black BMX,</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3bpVqXEkQH96-IWF7400EABJL-uwJvkVnNuS8qmYpuhLT5tJjsRFKjVQqdfRlQjtSGFOwrCFDdDUYNBwVQFQEA46nzSUfMJ0q8iSZzEMrhpl7oM-NmUW8RMe81GpIqSOplvYRsIttC1tl/s1600/Black+BMX.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3bpVqXEkQH96-IWF7400EABJL-uwJvkVnNuS8qmYpuhLT5tJjsRFKjVQqdfRlQjtSGFOwrCFDdDUYNBwVQFQEA46nzSUfMJ0q8iSZzEMrhpl7oM-NmUW8RMe81GpIqSOplvYRsIttC1tl/s320/Black+BMX.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and began constructing a new back end for it that would connect to the low-profile frame I would have to build.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was a little complicated.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixUqZS7kRrYMtXkPUGXwm2XaKf2CnommUpDnsL2rv8YODbIvAEriczb_TDFBm1dOT0ljm_XakOXVyvf9qIseJqbtYFk9jfIo2Fx1PHfaIKMaFeFuv_HXglZ5jacOYFn5tgpPBVLR8hTY3n/s1600/BMX+Mantage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixUqZS7kRrYMtXkPUGXwm2XaKf2CnommUpDnsL2rv8YODbIvAEriczb_TDFBm1dOT0ljm_XakOXVyvf9qIseJqbtYFk9jfIo2Fx1PHfaIKMaFeFuv_HXglZ5jacOYFn5tgpPBVLR8hTY3n/s640/BMX+Mantage.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I cut two pieces of tubing and beveled and shaped the ends so that they would fit snugly against the curved surfaces of the BMX bike. Once I'd done this, I welded them into this triangular shape.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then I had to create a V-shaped component to match the angle of the parts I had built earlier.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKxqn8qISH7DG0TSBPFVh2XHuuJrbqfAnegnrpO-wo4p0N_fn5cKRxYpdrY47Ktov5JV_IOeiRFDmXAb98UmkCzpM2lsZJT7zZ9Kpa2ggUJHTEVuiwVkJ_zs18JgfoyVcsiDOy8785nNhE/s1600/V-shape+diptych+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKxqn8qISH7DG0TSBPFVh2XHuuJrbqfAnegnrpO-wo4p0N_fn5cKRxYpdrY47Ktov5JV_IOeiRFDmXAb98UmkCzpM2lsZJT7zZ9Kpa2ggUJHTEVuiwVkJ_zs18JgfoyVcsiDOy8785nNhE/s400/V-shape+diptych+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In order to do this, I had to take two pieces of tubing and merge them to the diameter of one piece of tubing so that I could weld them to the triangular structure at an angle for strength.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Because the angle I had to cut out of these pipes was so acute, the chop-saw didn't have a setting for it. As a result, I was forced to cut it out with an angle-grinder.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLrIqLZeO_uNpLo8pryzxWnCetypmr4Mu5Z00V8aN8li0uNAXy6hN1AVvaLMsw8a8ihBhQ8aHkw3_ETmYM_uyMrdD6Ovx0zZaSJ93q-YAvfVlATGKWZPkCxugXQnfqNGJ3djRH7mS77UCv/s1600/V-shape+diptych.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLrIqLZeO_uNpLo8pryzxWnCetypmr4Mu5Z00V8aN8li0uNAXy6hN1AVvaLMsw8a8ihBhQ8aHkw3_ETmYM_uyMrdD6Ovx0zZaSJ93q-YAvfVlATGKWZPkCxugXQnfqNGJ3djRH7mS77UCv/s400/V-shape+diptych.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It turned out pretty sloppy, and required a huge nasty weld that is going to have to be in an unfortunately visible place.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next thing I had to do was straighten everything out so I could tack weld it all together. I didn't really have a straight-edge that was long enough to be of any use, but that didn't matter because the frame had nothing to use as a reference point anyway. For this reason I resorted to just sighting along it, straightening everything out by eye. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once I thought I had it straight enough I tacked it all together, then stood back and looked at my work.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had forgotten to double-check it.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheUP4XksJHoy_NUWtSdo10qbsVLRWcj13gDoG3Gm8uK4anNhOOfZKtgjHVZk7TTQGy_Uduc4KGlIK8HZCuNGYKYm8nfWMjJc-rpHcJ1W659P6XOAoZ_vkBaY3mBuzLiBPwBn4DOJ5RQu2h/s1600/Full+Length+Crooked+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheUP4XksJHoy_NUWtSdo10qbsVLRWcj13gDoG3Gm8uK4anNhOOfZKtgjHVZk7TTQGy_Uduc4KGlIK8HZCuNGYKYm8nfWMjJc-rpHcJ1W659P6XOAoZ_vkBaY3mBuzLiBPwBn4DOJ5RQu2h/s320/Full+Length+Crooked+2.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's probably hard to tell from this picture, but it was quite crooked.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had to cut it apart and try something else.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQxDwvDtnTZrTMq0m2HIWKDEYJjEVYoIDEUCNp4PR_8FzdDg_yV0AhIsXaVZCLU8qI2ot8kwkSeuzXf5bloq3uuJ-U6G7g6fXWLHEEYnp8AwjAK8uMy9HStr1G2VCkRYvZqMOPtTaTlsKx/s1600/Mistake+Mantage+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQxDwvDtnTZrTMq0m2HIWKDEYJjEVYoIDEUCNp4PR_8FzdDg_yV0AhIsXaVZCLU8qI2ot8kwkSeuzXf5bloq3uuJ-U6G7g6fXWLHEEYnp8AwjAK8uMy9HStr1G2VCkRYvZqMOPtTaTlsKx/s640/Mistake+Mantage+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On my next try, I clamped a long piece of rectangular tubing I had found to it, and tack-welded it again.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There was no really good place to do the clamping however, so it turned out crooked a second time.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was again forced to cut it apart.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKkqjzy3FImHu8-shyphenhyphenWvHr405SMwhSkk8Uw2fCTx06ER5Gxlgnlv9RIfC8S_U14IOG8kwQio1SZYgWH7Qf9sMl7WksDayuPXTHS-fY7mCB7XBsiL5yYoFhk-DjOJnwolsbT-jHl2I7-1wr/s1600/Mistake+Mantage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKkqjzy3FImHu8-shyphenhyphenWvHr405SMwhSkk8Uw2fCTx06ER5Gxlgnlv9RIfC8S_U14IOG8kwQio1SZYgWH7Qf9sMl7WksDayuPXTHS-fY7mCB7XBsiL5yYoFhk-DjOJnwolsbT-jHl2I7-1wr/s640/Mistake+Mantage.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At <a href="http://burningbeardfab.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Kai's</a> suggestion I used string and C-clamps to stretch a line along which I could sight the frame. This worked great (helpful bastard), allowing me to weld it together for the third and final time.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With that, the frame was completed.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcVbda8IAv0H9AKiawhyyMgUusWf-KbMzfVMeHAlBnRZ-WYca5ZoSCFCdZC6WnUVYVb296VsyV_6UMsjn_jI9DZNbyzb4SMctVtoRsvz-TL7yHcXFFCKSHNcPR9wwmRIlVzwHtecd7tsc1/s1600/Finished.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcVbda8IAv0H9AKiawhyyMgUusWf-KbMzfVMeHAlBnRZ-WYca5ZoSCFCdZC6WnUVYVb296VsyV_6UMsjn_jI9DZNbyzb4SMctVtoRsvz-TL7yHcXFFCKSHNcPR9wwmRIlVzwHtecd7tsc1/s320/Finished.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All ten feet of it.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10491497591183011455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020979890717998096.post-26790684579372009392013-03-01T12:54:00.001-07:002013-03-01T12:56:42.895-07:00Strange Materials, Unusual Applications<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I thought this was very much in the spirit of "why the hell not"</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ewan Dobson plays a guitar strung with dental floss.</span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/HO08T4ukuac?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10491497591183011455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020979890717998096.post-84616959697600197952013-02-27T03:01:00.000-07:002013-03-01T14:59:14.270-07:00Tiny Catapults!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For all (six) of you that read this blog and are tired of hearing about bicycles, I give you tiny catapults!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj292j4NUaqXvN3pKP8I5h1P5aaEFo1w6yV-LyzH7hBmn0RLIu1PljeHNfvDi_dkhDXQz-gDb20MFjO3H-4H_3oIKjT1scEJdsIO9Zr27V3eCIM_xwQJDwPyft5dFUtWu0Fyb-pZNHv3lkT/s1600/catapults+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj292j4NUaqXvN3pKP8I5h1P5aaEFo1w6yV-LyzH7hBmn0RLIu1PljeHNfvDi_dkhDXQz-gDb20MFjO3H-4H_3oIKjT1scEJdsIO9Zr27V3eCIM_xwQJDwPyft5dFUtWu0Fyb-pZNHv3lkT/s320/catapults+crop.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What you will need to construct your miniature siege engines:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn56sOorz86w5Y4hK-8VQdN1J6iF01J121_zYARIS_XKFBIR4pIJ6t_Ne2MaqFaylqSF7H93lFF0etYaUIiSGIfVrJo5wsjaAmQeVRdtSPK8mT8ZZWqFsG05nrk438Gpo8KxYDbxg8-bv4/s1600/tools+diptych.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn56sOorz86w5Y4hK-8VQdN1J6iF01J121_zYARIS_XKFBIR4pIJ6t_Ne2MaqFaylqSF7H93lFF0etYaUIiSGIfVrJo5wsjaAmQeVRdtSPK8mT8ZZWqFsG05nrk438Gpo8KxYDbxg8-bv4/s400/tools+diptych.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. A couple of nasty looking boards.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. A 1/2" diameter dowel.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. A short piece of a 2x2.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. A length of thin rope.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. Two 1" wood screws.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. A 1/2" drill bit.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7. A 3/4" spade bit.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8. A drill or drill press.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9. A table saw or circular saw or handsaw.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10. A miter saw or miter box or motorized miter box</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">11. Scissors.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">12. A screwdriver</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">13. A lighter.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">14. A pencil.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">15. A roll of tape.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">16. A ruler.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">17. A miniature enemy.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJkcFvECHCngItUZ5izPAH3wUh0UMjGAFZKlsyZ-eFUJDmXYF4crIYbfvpmBkmr96lwAbpFVxKbqFWFYfg7IZroPxSbKOkY55fEYRQDL8G2ZbVLhEo4ZWTBg_YodSDByyvl2rCkeTf9is1/s1600/boards+triptych.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJkcFvECHCngItUZ5izPAH3wUh0UMjGAFZKlsyZ-eFUJDmXYF4crIYbfvpmBkmr96lwAbpFVxKbqFWFYfg7IZroPxSbKOkY55fEYRQDL8G2ZbVLhEo4ZWTBg_YodSDByyvl2rCkeTf9is1/s640/boards+triptych.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First, use your table saw to cut your nasty looking boards into two 7 1/2" x 3 1/2" rectangles. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once you've done this, tape the two boards together with the broad sides touching, then, with your pencil, mark the two longer edges: "top" and "bottom", and the two shorter edges "front" and "back".</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Measure 1" up from the "bottom" and 2" from the "front" and draw an X. Next, measure 1" down from the "top" and 3" from the "front" and draw another X.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next, with your boards still taped together, measure 1/2" up from the "bottom" and 1/2" from the "back" of the board and draw a V. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Flip your taped boards over and draw another V in exactly the same place on the other side. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last, measure 3 1/2" from the "front" and 1 1/2" from the "bottom" and draw a T. Do the same on the other side.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fit your 1/2" bit into your drill.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Drill the Xs all the way through.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Drill the Vs to a 1/4" depth.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Drive a screw into each of the Ts so about 1/4" sticks out.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Separate the two boards. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These are your sides.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoLQ1dFfet9x1iKJvyBmkXxmXrMRimxoN1Zb8ijdGZ-DJ59ghuwDGK885wJHlv3iXsalJ2_xoHxcdox1_Wn7QIV6vOZ-JlqMLChso7zGCotsBNWsnUqOgk-Sq-7SlwmHw6bj2HprL1JPow/s1600/sides+w:+screws+edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoLQ1dFfet9x1iKJvyBmkXxmXrMRimxoN1Zb8ijdGZ-DJ59ghuwDGK885wJHlv3iXsalJ2_xoHxcdox1_Wn7QIV6vOZ-JlqMLChso7zGCotsBNWsnUqOgk-Sq-7SlwmHw6bj2HprL1JPow/s320/sides+w:+screws+edit.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They should look like a mirror image of each other when you're finished. The sides with the screws sticking out will face inward.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next, use your miter saw to cut your dowel into two 5 1/4" lengths and one 4 1/4" length.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik26AgPL_VH0JvDjZ1PzQBP-9hA9J0GGSLn3RrQmogTYHSJmukGSf26w4wBw2hhF9vZ2yn930sna7KVc_7QhZ5cEV7peT1VvO5bMSQdiRW29GFYeUGC_zX3em0c576yuj1npVMo5iVAUtv/s1600/dowels.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik26AgPL_VH0JvDjZ1PzQBP-9hA9J0GGSLn3RrQmogTYHSJmukGSf26w4wBw2hhF9vZ2yn930sna7KVc_7QhZ5cEV7peT1VvO5bMSQdiRW29GFYeUGC_zX3em0c576yuj1npVMo5iVAUtv/s320/dowels.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cut your 2x2 to a 7" length. With your 3/4" bit, drill</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cut one end into a triangle shape. Drill a 1/2" hole. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a 1/4" deep hole.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsUkzc72GbxpkeVVBeuTpqY5KHYfBzEQUzsFes8hNpPBFP38t_SJmSA3HPXQpXqnIAFAOQK7dK3-w963cPJLL2X3zTMHcCx7BqpDhzerY9JoR16oLIZs1rvbgiL18oPrwRhGso39y2x73S/s1600/2x2+triptych.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsUkzc72GbxpkeVVBeuTpqY5KHYfBzEQUzsFes8hNpPBFP38t_SJmSA3HPXQpXqnIAFAOQK7dK3-w963cPJLL2X3zTMHcCx7BqpDhzerY9JoR16oLIZs1rvbgiL18oPrwRhGso39y2x73S/s640/2x2+triptych.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is your catapult arm.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Make sure your bit is sharp so that this doesn't happen</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE-0I7q7Zh7x9ay0_pPZy1uCiFkYsgSbSq9FBHxR6j26plsAKU01fGGzoHjtOGmyQMOhmfN9TzoN2PtpNNRcdDSX0cR93bmMAX8usOAEw5-u5hECK5vlENuZYNJvUBeQNPAVUYi5twQ_1j/s1600/2x2+broken.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE-0I7q7Zh7x9ay0_pPZy1uCiFkYsgSbSq9FBHxR6j26plsAKU01fGGzoHjtOGmyQMOhmfN9TzoN2PtpNNRcdDSX0cR93bmMAX8usOAEw5-u5hECK5vlENuZYNJvUBeQNPAVUYi5twQ_1j/s320/2x2+broken.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then use your scissors to cut a 26" piece from your length of rope. If you're using braided nylon or another synthetic like I am, you'll have to use your lighter to melt the ends so they don't fray.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLMI6TY9W11HfVWekV_RNtzCpccBpTCoibLc6BfynSCqFWZUCOIFmi8v-3_yoSpXDlOL3YMpLxFoq5_-W0uOxf3CuDG92FIoQFBy70ivblecS0phj_LRLY_Qu7u7Lt_X4d0gWtJkavzjII/s1600/all+parts.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLMI6TY9W11HfVWekV_RNtzCpccBpTCoibLc6BfynSCqFWZUCOIFmi8v-3_yoSpXDlOL3YMpLxFoq5_-W0uOxf3CuDG92FIoQFBy70ivblecS0phj_LRLY_Qu7u7Lt_X4d0gWtJkavzjII/s320/all+parts.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now that you have all your parts, you can start to assemble your catapult.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Start by tying a knot in each end of your 26" piece of rope. I prefer to use a knot called a <a href="http://i422.photobucket.com/albums/pp304/Irvin44_2008/twohalfhitches.png?t=1312555962" target="_blank">double half hitch</a> for this.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmWKIzlnWznEpbf7trN2tYQrCNBO84yAyqEqMkTItwsXNa6mGETtScurFNp433MBPTlRUJL3JHz5Qy4f8KopSASML4Vey478HLTrvXOw5XhyuXXxZ2z9nMJ80_aY_uJ2uHzvviuiiNiYJ8/s1600/rope+to+screws.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmWKIzlnWznEpbf7trN2tYQrCNBO84yAyqEqMkTItwsXNa6mGETtScurFNp433MBPTlRUJL3JHz5Qy4f8KopSASML4Vey478HLTrvXOw5XhyuXXxZ2z9nMJ80_aY_uJ2uHzvviuiiNiYJ8/s320/rope+to+screws.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Then attach it to the screws.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next, pass one of your longer dowels through the smaller hole of your catapult arm.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fit each end into the lower holes on the sides. This dowel will be a pivot for the arm.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Use the catapult arm to twist the rope around the dowel as shown. There should be a fair amount of tension.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Slip your other longer dowel into the upper holes in front of the arm to maintain the tension in the rope.</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbbsolnln6MwfX3NGTzHHAEdH-oFjMFZ9wXWJp129SdF8B3EfjGBaDOky_okfWeB1zlllUHbdo_VyE0FCV0vpnyKLDDfbZU8ewwfW6fSVX-SYH5-QRzrVi_9djIeRxPuA_g3HjbptRGete/s640/completion+triptych.jpg" width="640" /></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally, notch the shorter dowel into the shallow holes you drilled toward the back, and you're done. You now have a functioning mechanism with which to wage minuscule siege warfare!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik26AgPL_VH0JvDjZ1PzQBP-9hA9J0GGSLn3RrQmogTYHSJmukGSf26w4wBw2hhF9vZ2yn930sna7KVc_7QhZ5cEV7peT1VvO5bMSQdiRW29GFYeUGC_zX3em0c576yuj1npVMo5iVAUtv/s1600/dowels.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Don't stop there though. Embellish!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Off t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">o battle!</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10491497591183011455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020979890717998096.post-36213535756085623182013-02-19T17:10:00.000-07:002013-02-19T17:56:08.867-07:00The Rise of Frankencycle<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last weekend I got bored with planning and decided to </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">start </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">actually putting some stuff together, so I went out to the bike pile and extracted a red bike frame,</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29W-xS7KFL-oT-vfaCv2iSEoKia2dtrsAqOcRi3zHHY7fI4QAxsm5jNm0B8c1ei-ZDSj_zdMelurqgX2dDwRUHIKwH_w5AwZfptBDww84SRlJk1b7vBmcZ6oYrTGCJ6G4CWbPb7XRFNh1/s1600/Red+w:+rear+fork.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29W-xS7KFL-oT-vfaCv2iSEoKia2dtrsAqOcRi3zHHY7fI4QAxsm5jNm0B8c1ei-ZDSj_zdMelurqgX2dDwRUHIKwH_w5AwZfptBDww84SRlJk1b7vBmcZ6oYrTGCJ6G4CWbPb7XRFNh1/s320/Red+w:+rear+fork.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and my old nemesis the <a href="http://pariahcycle.blogspot.com/2013/02/dismantling-competence.html" target="_blank">gray bike frame</a>.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEwyK66PL8sm4hQG4PpmSEGrIvOFS6WbNDO9DAvPH-W2vJ8F-yN7B6RoC6wY2OBRBNTw12cWhUuBpeeMgsSMCeeith6em4M-oxLmFRvSHDyn3nWVFscYjvLJkpfPP2UtrU1e7rc_HRUzaX/s1600/grey+w:+tarp.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEwyK66PL8sm4hQG4PpmSEGrIvOFS6WbNDO9DAvPH-W2vJ8F-yN7B6RoC6wY2OBRBNTw12cWhUuBpeeMgsSMCeeith6em4M-oxLmFRvSHDyn3nWVFscYjvLJkpfPP2UtrU1e7rc_HRUzaX/s320/grey+w:+tarp.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I also gathered up a collection of nasty looking pipes that were laying around the shop.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgump0XkXWEa0zmbiAr0AO4j-r6uoKz4G-ysp43hg0Y-YHiYTUX7sde8poYALjJ3RtIazzrYolMqcxORGvBumPUpOOOG9lG-oJ9ni2RNWS92RzT35oKS8g7UBbfcQtcz9_yJyK5lo-bWJ2L/s1600/dirty+pipes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgump0XkXWEa0zmbiAr0AO4j-r6uoKz4G-ysp43hg0Y-YHiYTUX7sde8poYALjJ3RtIazzrYolMqcxORGvBumPUpOOOG9lG-oJ9ni2RNWS92RzT35oKS8g7UBbfcQtcz9_yJyK5lo-bWJ2L/s320/dirty+pipes.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiFvQtXTZ4N6ctHiVc-Tg3AzCFezSo7XXA7rIm4GVl7u3cGGYno0pnlinO0FYOmUX3ja5PYNP-fcwlhRtbzPSDjyJPvJimCDDUOZWOx0hs6KAKU_eA_17O2_pw999vuU4PP-6Q-A1aC-Jo/s1600/chain+breaker.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think these pipes may have been part of a fire-sprinkler system from an old building. They were all coated in some kind of thick, impermeable paint. In order to clean the paint off I first tried using a chemical paint-stripper, which did effectively nothing except make me feel a little unusual. Next I tried sand-blasting them, but the sand-blaster that I had access to turned out to be next-to-useless.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After that I tried using a wire-wheel on the bench grinder,</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_zigD0_9rf62JlVjIS5id9NNbqXwc87ZKh7iFvzrXaIelr0mwRJNlXWTlU48fcGLCIGHQ2ANEJRnmJjnkZ6T5moAHUbsqB11Oln_7rQxM5pEpB7qPK3Zm3Cci-amilUtK-Iz1KwaNk77d/s1600/pipe:bench+grinder+best.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_zigD0_9rf62JlVjIS5id9NNbqXwc87ZKh7iFvzrXaIelr0mwRJNlXWTlU48fcGLCIGHQ2ANEJRnmJjnkZ6T5moAHUbsqB11Oln_7rQxM5pEpB7qPK3Zm3Cci-amilUtK-Iz1KwaNk77d/s320/pipe:bench+grinder+best.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">which only managed to smear the paint around and take up a lot of time.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally I was relegated to painstakingly scraping the majority of the paint off with a razor blade until I could again use the bench grinder to polish off the excess.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkNLqAr3dG-m2eq8qk8pI_BWgVN01cxlkmflE6ra8qXNeg-hBYwE6yCWkhFiUIH8Q35H5DQYh_4TT0thqCV51iGBgckvLhlKU3WT9hbU9XHh8-ZrIiMPjyAajxafYe3QUOnXMl1jCaJCYZ/s1600/crop+pipe+scraping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkNLqAr3dG-m2eq8qk8pI_BWgVN01cxlkmflE6ra8qXNeg-hBYwE6yCWkhFiUIH8Q35H5DQYh_4TT0thqCV51iGBgckvLhlKU3WT9hbU9XHh8-ZrIiMPjyAajxafYe3QUOnXMl1jCaJCYZ/s320/crop+pipe+scraping.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Eventually I managed to get them to a relatively useable state of cleanliness.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRucqtyTlIZJNL469PzsxbjdT_q8oJCD3ghvreXPU2ewIu7rN-Q8tEzwwOsabXXrZF906WNE90sQ9l_DRyl1HNFNFVtlgtjuBtPkJb2ukryLuBM5mWzDujuIUgDUe8oAFPg0XNF0u_lxa_/s1600/clean+pipes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRucqtyTlIZJNL469PzsxbjdT_q8oJCD3ghvreXPU2ewIu7rN-Q8tEzwwOsabXXrZF906WNE90sQ9l_DRyl1HNFNFVtlgtjuBtPkJb2ukryLuBM5mWzDujuIUgDUe8oAFPg0XNF0u_lxa_/s320/clean+pipes.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next thing was to cut up some bike frames.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had no use for the rear fork of the red bike, so I cut it off,</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05x0YhnW-Oi2K45VHF0hysO6f0lK54swTz_vW3lHkRmoHY_s4WRrHh1scd8yWNFeYFG-ZpRdzNzMtzCIq4w_G5O58MWR7m-etlMZ7r_2CTsW0BFgYsTcZWA6MXevabrcrRgs6aWPp_n8n/s1600/crop+sparks+dark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05x0YhnW-Oi2K45VHF0hysO6f0lK54swTz_vW3lHkRmoHY_s4WRrHh1scd8yWNFeYFG-ZpRdzNzMtzCIq4w_G5O58MWR7m-etlMZ7r_2CTsW0BFgYsTcZWA6MXevabrcrRgs6aWPp_n8n/s320/crop+sparks+dark.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">setting myself on fire in the process.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQOYtFfHIfytOjHu03nR38yP9dwRN0BQwEMbHF2zhr2ungRUUviFHjB8KBloeuCln5e5Q1t7yIqGkqJ1Kfx7Ovg1mYGNCmjeJtxGHWUJV_ZX7-V__4y0djEECzxcX7_1qkqRzytxWgkHnx/s1600/burnt+shirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQOYtFfHIfytOjHu03nR38yP9dwRN0BQwEMbHF2zhr2ungRUUviFHjB8KBloeuCln5e5Q1t7yIqGkqJ1Kfx7Ovg1mYGNCmjeJtxGHWUJV_ZX7-V__4y0djEECzxcX7_1qkqRzytxWgkHnx/s320/burnt+shirt.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This would be okay, except that the sweater I was wearing belongs to my friend Jesse. So Jesse, If you're reading this, I've hired a team of plain-clothes guards to monitor your whereabouts.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next, I put on some leathers and proceeded to grind off the bits of tubing and weld that were left behind.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAvSvazP7OP_K96vj6skTMYjyE4u2XjWk2Ix18K6XW9FZfI8nkM0-C83X89t5znsCQY3S3YX8Po92xckDAaGeCl51frlACMCdJ3PraIKt8FnsIrxLrEGSbyUVw9dhYrJAMqAuoLsZyWm82/s1600/red+bike+side+by+side.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAvSvazP7OP_K96vj6skTMYjyE4u2XjWk2Ix18K6XW9FZfI8nkM0-C83X89t5znsCQY3S3YX8Po92xckDAaGeCl51frlACMCdJ3PraIKt8FnsIrxLrEGSbyUVw9dhYrJAMqAuoLsZyWm82/s400/red+bike+side+by+side.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8R3TiB86PnF-enTKhNNrAqgp1tSJJk5XP7sYYgUZ6zU0V2_sVMw42q8-FECZVIHuv8FYrsLbVI0imlPomZ4AGriO5k9YluYnIo-YMm5EaqV16WMoCDVsRxJAUkIqHDeZ3b3IophC8VFaq/s1600/crank+side+by+side+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8R3TiB86PnF-enTKhNNrAqgp1tSJJk5XP7sYYgUZ6zU0V2_sVMw42q8-FECZVIHuv8FYrsLbVI0imlPomZ4AGriO5k9YluYnIo-YMm5EaqV16WMoCDVsRxJAUkIqHDeZ3b3IophC8VFaq/s400/crank+side+by+side+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> This adorable pink bike probably made some little girl very happy once,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and yet I dismembered it in a shower of sparks.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ3Xb-IBLihhl3ZHh2AK1IaNhModsJXJX2tLnq6HRYehh1X06LZKDRhJgB8MeGyvXFQuEuNeLwo7-MPI8wXjPd1MCCmOrEgqAqueTjCV5FHOhtg3hId16BVq190-OvZZ2x6APsRnDIUfDU/s1600/crop+pink+bike+murder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ3Xb-IBLihhl3ZHh2AK1IaNhModsJXJX2tLnq6HRYehh1X06LZKDRhJgB8MeGyvXFQuEuNeLwo7-MPI8wXjPd1MCCmOrEgqAqueTjCV5FHOhtg3hId16BVq190-OvZZ2x6APsRnDIUfDU/s320/crop+pink+bike+murder.jpg" width="319" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once I had prepared all the parts I needed, I laid them all out to see what would be the best configuration.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh15MRX4RWfXCUgMsbm5WX3CUjli0bYLOhlVz1JBJtHd2yRBjkepa7_7fVJivoiwUsb4nyubrReMbFRN_1rBRw2u0OlG-fCEGh2NowBq0n0gxntZracOgp07Z7iI9LHODyGNamcxl-w8xcs/s1600/tandem+laid+out.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh15MRX4RWfXCUgMsbm5WX3CUjli0bYLOhlVz1JBJtHd2yRBjkepa7_7fVJivoiwUsb4nyubrReMbFRN_1rBRw2u0OlG-fCEGh2NowBq0n0gxntZracOgp07Z7iI9LHODyGNamcxl-w8xcs/s320/tandem+laid+out.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtlPH0-S_8Y7q5YBdUOHEiN5ihswkDyyKdkYU73KLm8SHxio3Pp7cBffwSl_rtL_pW_ltxciKW1sPjJLDhgD6mZokAGIwkvo5HANHmsGkDx1MNVZdVcDTgZXPnUx861IbKbBL4JtpGTY6J/s1600/tacking+mistake.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When performing metal work that has a structural function, it's important that joints fit together snugly so that the welds are in less danger of being thin. In order to get all the parts to fit the way I wanted them to, I cut each one to the size I needed, then contoured and bevelled the ends so that they would fit solidly against the curved surfaces that I had to weld to.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next, I shimmed the pieces up using fire bricks so everything was straight and properly aligned.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuzoUM2_EKw0j8FZDDif3xvzqmHJmEU5NdUOHMjdUOB9KrTUvGUyxJ9IE1Q0qleN5aARllhKd-3fuwNK4xap_fVMUTmTs07qZYNAjU49G7HfVZ04ppSD_3UcCuxnvcFJ1em20spa1RZ6LG/s1600/straightening+tandem.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuzoUM2_EKw0j8FZDDif3xvzqmHJmEU5NdUOHMjdUOB9KrTUvGUyxJ9IE1Q0qleN5aARllhKd-3fuwNK4xap_fVMUTmTs07qZYNAjU49G7HfVZ04ppSD_3UcCuxnvcFJ1em20spa1RZ6LG/s320/straightening+tandem.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I then tack-welded it together,</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtlPH0-S_8Y7q5YBdUOHEiN5ihswkDyyKdkYU73KLm8SHxio3Pp7cBffwSl_rtL_pW_ltxciKW1sPjJLDhgD6mZokAGIwkvo5HANHmsGkDx1MNVZdVcDTgZXPnUx861IbKbBL4JtpGTY6J/s1600/tacking+mistake.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtlPH0-S_8Y7q5YBdUOHEiN5ihswkDyyKdkYU73KLm8SHxio3Pp7cBffwSl_rtL_pW_ltxciKW1sPjJLDhgD6mZokAGIwkvo5HANHmsGkDx1MNVZdVcDTgZXPnUx861IbKbBL4JtpGTY6J/s320/tacking+mistake.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">corrected a mistake or two,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">then welded all the joints.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf5H1-R9rNWpFN1x8w2p3Ez3yZ1lDvvU-czYv9lacI7Cbnfr4Gjs3z011U1CsLlu-7TuBodkeWvNJlF5zKWTseXUAKIePK5Qd0HGI_7vZt9M1GROFP-rb9SXz8ceXp_lr54JlUyksVjDPY/s1600/tandem+frame.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf5H1-R9rNWpFN1x8w2p3Ez3yZ1lDvvU-czYv9lacI7Cbnfr4Gjs3z011U1CsLlu-7TuBodkeWvNJlF5zKWTseXUAKIePK5Qd0HGI_7vZt9M1GROFP-rb9SXz8ceXp_lr54JlUyksVjDPY/s320/tandem+frame.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Once finished, I put on some seats and handlebars, assembled the crank sets,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMRP9TBOMrDgHqnAX1lzBTYHsSDk0Zuv5cWzbRhOKEu8HHRq3wy2qfzA77mu3vRVTQaGLVqOanrLz8ASoSdQkQ_X0FRnMeoE3cE_z2YvW6hCoMTF5-0oHUMjPvxJP_8M9bXqj4hwKQ1igo/s1600/tandem+w:+s:cs:hb+best.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMRP9TBOMrDgHqnAX1lzBTYHsSDk0Zuv5cWzbRhOKEu8HHRq3wy2qfzA77mu3vRVTQaGLVqOanrLz8ASoSdQkQ_X0FRnMeoE3cE_z2YvW6hCoMTF5-0oHUMjPvxJP_8M9bXqj4hwKQ1igo/s320/tandem+w:+s:cs:hb+best.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and put on some wheels and tires.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then I attached the chains using my newly (and reluctantly) acquired chain breaker ($17.95 plus tax).</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiFvQtXTZ4N6ctHiVc-Tg3AzCFezSo7XXA7rIm4GVl7u3cGGYno0pnlinO0FYOmUX3ja5PYNP-fcwlhRtbzPSDjyJPvJimCDDUOZWOx0hs6KAKU_eA_17O2_pw999vuU4PP-6Q-A1aC-Jo/s1600/chain+breaker.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiFvQtXTZ4N6ctHiVc-Tg3AzCFezSo7XXA7rIm4GVl7u3cGGYno0pnlinO0FYOmUX3ja5PYNP-fcwlhRtbzPSDjyJPvJimCDDUOZWOx0hs6KAKU_eA_17O2_pw999vuU4PP-6Q-A1aC-Jo/s320/chain+breaker.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At which point it was time for a test ride.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgop_HmJboqKPtXkzOAHAPPkJRDgqkXCW1UW9HroB-vPsqL_gBHsHmTkII07ESm0qTkxXJFtaHUrvQlYOhQTqOJ-7CKi2DWf1x7JM6kuoRuKlt-RmoFEuYQYk_66zw2CSgwtWF8-uMquxkW/s1600/Frankentest+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgop_HmJboqKPtXkzOAHAPPkJRDgqkXCW1UW9HroB-vPsqL_gBHsHmTkII07ESm0qTkxXJFtaHUrvQlYOhQTqOJ-7CKi2DWf1x7JM6kuoRuKlt-RmoFEuYQYk_66zw2CSgwtWF8-uMquxkW/s320/Frankentest+crop.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I managed to convince my friend Caitlin to help me out. As if riding a home-made tandem bike wasn't scary enough, her handlebars came loose while we were moving. She's fine, but informs me that we're taking a break from the friendship while she recovers.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The test ride of the Tandem-Frankencycle was really only meant as a proof-of-concept for my gearing system, making sure that it didn't slip or rub. Ultimately, this frame will be the upper portion of the <a href="http://pariahcycle.blogspot.com/2013/02/a-pre-do-re-do.html" target="_blank">Pariahcycle</a>. It won't have wheels, only a coaster-gear at the back with another chain leading down to the gears and rear wheel of the lower, recumbent level.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was surprisingly successful, but the next step is the hard part.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10491497591183011455noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020979890717998096.post-81309655517975661572013-02-13T20:52:00.001-07:002013-02-21T15:43:01.809-07:00A Pre-do Re-do<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">After a lengthy discussion with <a href="http://burningbeardfab.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Kai</a>, we've had a bit of a rethink and decided that the <a href="http://pariahcycle.blogspot.com/2013/01/what-is-why.html" target="_blank">original design</a> for the pariahcycle is both unstable and structurally unsound. Among other problems, these are two fundamental flaws that can't be ignored for pretty obvious reasons. The outcome of this brainstorming session was this redesign:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTyQxIOku724TMkxed5O8_l3GZtV2u1Jxro23atVYDciMlXXMLVES1wDoONbr5kYlzvB6rUQpZuFA3FTFpZrHbCwSOY2XwXWF0ASRKsFrbBJ4nC1FHDL2viI7_XaROPzyG7wKVUWLU2PNt/s1600/pariahcycle+recumbent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTyQxIOku724TMkxed5O8_l3GZtV2u1Jxro23atVYDciMlXXMLVES1wDoONbr5kYlzvB6rUQpZuFA3FTFpZrHbCwSOY2XwXWF0ASRKsFrbBJ4nC1FHDL2viI7_XaROPzyG7wKVUWLU2PNt/s320/pariahcycle+recumbent.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">We decided that the center of gravity of the original design was much too high and could cause balance issues. We believe that this flaw could be overcome by redesigning the bike with the riders on the lower level in a recumbent position rather than an upright position. This would solve several additional problems I had been facing with the earlier iteration. First it lowers the center of gravity of the bike, second it reduces the overall height of the bike by about two and a half feet meaning that the riders on the upper level have less of a distance to fall in the event of a crash, third it provides more space for supports and latices which will improve the bike's structural integrity. Another perk is that it prevents the riders on the lower level from being kicked in the face by the riders on the upper level. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">We will also be adding outriggers, which are basically just giant training wheels that will parallel the rear wheel. Ideally these will be retractable so they can be raised once the bike gets moving, but this may turn out to be a greater test of my ingenuity than I can handle. We shall see.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The drawback is that it's going to be a lot more complicated to construct, and therefore require a lot more planning than I generally put into things,</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">so I got some tools, a box of Equal Exchange Organic Chocolates, put on some Mythbusters,</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyGbsjEAZwhnEZEQgeFuAg1UskNPo8ZPROh0wZ68CqcCAPDwH4Txbs0uE3upEvFz-J-_yPw75SEY1Ae0IOuan7Vpy3jrZnY02Kb6XeP1eong4HaOzFS4-dYpR5ZhPgNigQD6ewyQcuEETZ/s1600/model+making+workspace.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyGbsjEAZwhnEZEQgeFuAg1UskNPo8ZPROh0wZ68CqcCAPDwH4Txbs0uE3upEvFz-J-_yPw75SEY1Ae0IOuan7Vpy3jrZnY02Kb6XeP1eong4HaOzFS4-dYpR5ZhPgNigQD6ewyQcuEETZ/s320/model+making+workspace.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">and set to work turning said box of chocolates into a cardboard model.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihyphenhyphen-RqX2EGDxIMt_cy7sYz87q_1E5HvHm8jqh_j8qlO8_kWaBx02zTKYEREN11hIehdG6sjHeiE-d4sCa9x0qdqoPjG-IMIfTv5NYzLfrIATHqwsCM5dtf9q3Eq7EecBbgeFlfYGOhniE6/s1600/model+pariahcycle+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><img border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihyphenhyphen-RqX2EGDxIMt_cy7sYz87q_1E5HvHm8jqh_j8qlO8_kWaBx02zTKYEREN11hIehdG6sjHeiE-d4sCa9x0qdqoPjG-IMIfTv5NYzLfrIATHqwsCM5dtf9q3Eq7EecBbgeFlfYGOhniE6/s320/model+pariahcycle+crop.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I then went out to the shop and used some bike parts and other stuff to lay out a full-scale mockup on the floor.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS4bTMAzwKLKmZQOZfUtRjmQ66p0s_xoW4f3hCchXfeBG1IwDrHtp7HzxSgwOt1chz8KuSex4VpyUEItC5DCT1UM5f4ZwHqFKtYsUiEm8Lr8p-oNhx1tIVPsxsTzpWSIE-HxPALMhGrlXr/s1600/Mockup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS4bTMAzwKLKmZQOZfUtRjmQ66p0s_xoW4f3hCchXfeBG1IwDrHtp7HzxSgwOt1chz8KuSex4VpyUEItC5DCT1UM5f4ZwHqFKtYsUiEm8Lr8p-oNhx1tIVPsxsTzpWSIE-HxPALMhGrlXr/s320/Mockup.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">This was to help give me a sense of scale so I could estimate the amount of material that I will need, and in doing so, what I've realized is that, despite the two and a half feet that the redesign eliminates from the Pariahcycle's overall height, it is still going to be about seven and a half feet tall. This is still ridiculous, but not unmanageable, and still better than the nearly ten feet that it was originally going to have to be.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Additionally, according to my measurements, and (probably incorrect) math, I am going to need about 40 feet of steel tubing and 30 feet of bike-chain, which is a lot.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10491497591183011455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020979890717998096.post-46607476563376109652013-02-13T20:38:00.001-07:002013-02-17T09:48:00.159-07:00Dear Readers,<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I feel compelled to mention why my posts have been coming at such irregular intervals. This is mostly because this blog is something that I do in my free time for fun and as a supplement to the work that I'm doing for</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">mostly</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> unrelated reasons. The work often progresses at an unpredictable pace as I have to fit it in between other things that I'm involved in, and as a result, writing about the work will forever be equally erratic. I will do my very best to make the posts as frequent as possible, however, dear readers, if you are expecting them to come with any regularity, then I must inform you that you have an inadequate understanding of the nature of DIY.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_miABkz8AqeLa0OqDnw7IH4jYoBtle-GtfWhHxMPeaqKw-1vpMiF0tNujmrJg-RKHoCCsSw5JnGWERQVcCmF9fKVh8kN4CXPxPP0aqbmf_WzT1bw1s93mwJDBC53OvOe0rjVaAH0KeUUK/s1600/men+w+kite.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_miABkz8AqeLa0OqDnw7IH4jYoBtle-GtfWhHxMPeaqKw-1vpMiF0tNujmrJg-RKHoCCsSw5JnGWERQVcCmF9fKVh8kN4CXPxPP0aqbmf_WzT1bw1s93mwJDBC53OvOe0rjVaAH0KeUUK/s320/men+w+kite.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">DIY is impervious to all attempts to constrain it to any kind of meaningful timetable. Inspiration can come in a flood one minute and a trickle the next and the results </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">typically go through a bunch of painstaking changes and revisions and come out the other end unrecognizably altered from their original state</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. Tasks that you expected to take minutes to complete often end up taking hours, then once you've spent all those hours working on them they can wind up failing anyway, and then life frequently gets in the way of all of it. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI0NLptF6cnxO4OWnRYBqwMWJdtqY6Fr9ZdbT5pVjLRBT_oH4x3DAy-haEPD2ljfj7Gd6o06yJ_nYDUOSibS0ZhT4viekeMuoIt_u2QFDN9bHDIxC3s85k_nzEsC2CQ6kcyJPp1Q5bQUm3/s1600/white+rabbit,+black+rabbit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI0NLptF6cnxO4OWnRYBqwMWJdtqY6Fr9ZdbT5pVjLRBT_oH4x3DAy-haEPD2ljfj7Gd6o06yJ_nYDUOSibS0ZhT4viekeMuoIt_u2QFDN9bHDIxC3s85k_nzEsC2CQ6kcyJPp1Q5bQUm3/s320/white+rabbit,+black+rabbit.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This unpredictability is the source of the excitement and often the extreme frustration inherent to the process, and i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">n the end, somehow it all turns out to be worth it.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> As a result, you learn things about the materials you're using and the personality of your tools. You find that you are capable of coming up with more elegant and creative solutions to problems than you ever expected. Eventually the result of your toil may turn out to be something amazing,</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdhFk0Z3P4GuR2o81mKLvQhPOlfRIuCT7xc1ItXMrmlCqL3h6PN17lvtsbN99HkZ2SuHHjacs3YHMYMpA7KPqhRi2GX9WtupBM0cYvNTh5KHLSlMT9T505NaNI1tRm1YV34yGou9TAE2ee/s1600/What+every+married+woman+must+not+avoid+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdhFk0Z3P4GuR2o81mKLvQhPOlfRIuCT7xc1ItXMrmlCqL3h6PN17lvtsbN99HkZ2SuHHjacs3YHMYMpA7KPqhRi2GX9WtupBM0cYvNTh5KHLSlMT9T505NaNI1tRm1YV34yGou9TAE2ee/s320/What+every+married+woman+must+not+avoid+crop.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">but don't ever expect to finish it on time.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sincerely,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A concerned blogger</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10491497591183011455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020979890717998096.post-8627771433886919322013-02-01T22:09:00.000-07:002013-03-01T14:49:24.794-07:00Dismantling CompetenceThis week I began disassembling all the bicycles that I obtained from my ad in order to find out what was usable and what wasn't.<br />
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Along the way I encountered some problems.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAmMfbQuzSaFxTriod9-DtZONvN4j6ni-X4lp-Gl0cmU0QJSc6NM1XZoMFPB4vW-mPuqSkp_YjZDU-QR4Rhlfr2mLbI5VBY21AJbN11mBp3QP4D8s9cRCxgYMvqXGfONIBULeD_bONC1Dt/s1600/Not+the+right+size.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAmMfbQuzSaFxTriod9-DtZONvN4j6ni-X4lp-Gl0cmU0QJSc6NM1XZoMFPB4vW-mPuqSkp_YjZDU-QR4Rhlfr2mLbI5VBY21AJbN11mBp3QP4D8s9cRCxgYMvqXGfONIBULeD_bONC1Dt/s320/Not+the+right+size.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Like never having the right size hex key</div>
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in a box of hex keys this size.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhFt6tG5xfgwjZYBjH7c6S5kzXhYwN2DjI7zgNLFS5q3c8FP52Rsz5dxU7pA_Rs6CTNTObhbVM3_I8eEOVZwX43KS_4JBPdb-92u3XI-nA4vdxVWPXhq99Lo53RHbYRQG9AeiJRkuDEUFB/s1600/Allan+keys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhFt6tG5xfgwjZYBjH7c6S5kzXhYwN2DjI7zgNLFS5q3c8FP52Rsz5dxU7pA_Rs6CTNTObhbVM3_I8eEOVZwX43KS_4JBPdb-92u3XI-nA4vdxVWPXhq99Lo53RHbYRQG9AeiJRkuDEUFB/s320/Allan+keys.jpg" width="314" /></a></div>
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I also discovered some typical aspects about the way bicycles are built that would not have been a problem had I possessed the proper tools.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRjMPNZU0_qL-CG1pLfU2T_jizQIjTcF5p2HFF4olWH2nGboQKxpCqNGjsErsDD2h1ycdkAoBlu1veHy6nh9Pr-JSeapuJcymfxFuLtejzl9fKPXpEIN69CkTEKd9YOuxTHLdrZ-WLWreO/s1600/chain+wrapped+around+frame+better+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRjMPNZU0_qL-CG1pLfU2T_jizQIjTcF5p2HFF4olWH2nGboQKxpCqNGjsErsDD2h1ycdkAoBlu1veHy6nh9Pr-JSeapuJcymfxFuLtejzl9fKPXpEIN69CkTEKd9YOuxTHLdrZ-WLWreO/s320/chain+wrapped+around+frame+better+pic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This, for instance, would have been extremely easy to handle with a $5 chain breaker, but of course I don't own one.</div>
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I managed to solve this, however, in one of my (extremely rare) moments of brilliance, by using a hammer, a punch and a nut.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMVE-SmyvBQmf_s-MPe8jBfuV_QJa3kmQFp0MkIGL9e-9xhBWUYyAoZHDSy_OlWDXjvXWrRZ4wGCJVnqMywDPcImFA-GJAW1OyQZgU9enPnHe2zbkTZG-YrKPMnf0QEmHIYO91kKbOEq3B/s1600/chain+punch+cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMVE-SmyvBQmf_s-MPe8jBfuV_QJa3kmQFp0MkIGL9e-9xhBWUYyAoZHDSy_OlWDXjvXWrRZ4wGCJVnqMywDPcImFA-GJAW1OyQZgU9enPnHe2zbkTZG-YrKPMnf0QEmHIYO91kKbOEq3B/s320/chain+punch+cropped.jpg" width="284" /></a></div>
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I also had to contend with my own ignorance about how certain types of hardware work.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicRDIAlqzuU9yaJHVomjid1VAdyOqMgIjUbUze5KOTT1hX2MIisGjd10YQ19NUq78Tmk36t1t-AUQC7G0BObsYx4-qgIwAqC9W8VpSgcsdnSjQEPfY4ueJSTFarN8MRdddq1_8NxjzayM3/s1600/mystery+bolt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicRDIAlqzuU9yaJHVomjid1VAdyOqMgIjUbUze5KOTT1hX2MIisGjd10YQ19NUq78Tmk36t1t-AUQC7G0BObsYx4-qgIwAqC9W8VpSgcsdnSjQEPfY4ueJSTFarN8MRdddq1_8NxjzayM3/s320/mystery+bolt.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I struggled with this little silver thing on this green bike for much longer than I care to admit, trying to unscrew it or wiggle it out. I even tried banging on it for a little while with a ball-peen hammer to no avail</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFYhZL1Vi-mZJZ0QTjtLnjYIGSGJ3SdT77PjpWOJamScmC-73FcPGLkiYvkbjnMzUgaIq9GgfxIgT4iYOXo4FULHk0fc2qUeJCSmF4cyY_Wem_qGuJuj_A4MXkjLePV3BrU3qbSkWIOGHF/s1600/cut+frame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFYhZL1Vi-mZJZ0QTjtLnjYIGSGJ3SdT77PjpWOJamScmC-73FcPGLkiYvkbjnMzUgaIq9GgfxIgT4iYOXo4FULHk0fc2qUeJCSmF4cyY_Wem_qGuJuj_A4MXkjLePV3BrU3qbSkWIOGHF/s320/cut+frame.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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before giving up and cutting it off with an angle grinder. </div>
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Not long after I did this, however, Kai of <a href="http://burningbeardfab.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Burning Beard Fabrication</a> strolled into the shop to see what I was working on. I showed him all the bikes and explained that I was harvesting parts from them. He saw what I had done with the green bike and asked why I had decided to cut it rather than just take it apart, to which I replied that this little silver thing was some kind of permanent factory fixture made from an indestructible material of indeterminate origin, and that neither I, nor anyone else on planet earth, could possibly remove it. Kai then picked up the frame, looked at the silver thing for a second, tugged on it once and it came out in his hand while the other side fell out onto the floor.</div>
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By this point I was down to the last bike in the pile, and I was feeling pretty accomplished until I encountered this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXYJGFRnkNIZcAHn5KhcYE4EoaF0KVUQZS2ovFpRXBV4XqlB5bT8ydoNbFwJAwx89ImEPN0yUaXt-shl2lA7ioo2No8I1eg3OEItiU3jMcvhxKf5iu4kMjUHD0sH5eFkBl-xeYIi3B9YCp/s1600/rust+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXYJGFRnkNIZcAHn5KhcYE4EoaF0KVUQZS2ovFpRXBV4XqlB5bT8ydoNbFwJAwx89ImEPN0yUaXt-shl2lA7ioo2No8I1eg3OEItiU3jMcvhxKf5iu4kMjUHD0sH5eFkBl-xeYIi3B9YCp/s320/rust+3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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This nut was so badly rusted that it and the crank arm were both essentially welded to the spindle of the crankset making it impossible for me to twist it. Eventually, with a lot of WD-40, swearing and a dead-blow hammer I was able to get the nut loose, but the crank arm was still impossibly stuck. </div>
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so I put the arm in a vice and found a piece of wood, which I used to try and pound the spindle through.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKUMdPrszY_UT0amYf9ApCi0BVHGaSGqz2me-gD6f8gZS_PWli-kDd6PFZtQSXmstlUFfZOHmE1VgKAP-q9OhmIVoAJS8-0IGKAEndXZYLYudHhhwez4NpNKmg1u0H5p7Lt2bA6aGB5UVU/s1600/Splintered+wood.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKUMdPrszY_UT0amYf9ApCi0BVHGaSGqz2me-gD6f8gZS_PWli-kDd6PFZtQSXmstlUFfZOHmE1VgKAP-q9OhmIVoAJS8-0IGKAEndXZYLYudHhhwez4NpNKmg1u0H5p7Lt2bA6aGB5UVU/s320/Splintered+wood.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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It didn't work.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1fGVnSOHA9X5NQjWbU1uz3idrPr27B2LjORFJhVv7mpOFywCYRnGPjlEuxV-AR_CLpJAUSkt9LUlIRTonA73b7nLAG_8j0qqRG5Ki9LjjSfXIRMIC9dVibtVHiinMdrX42FKtkzRdlwZI/s1600/vice+contraption+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1fGVnSOHA9X5NQjWbU1uz3idrPr27B2LjORFJhVv7mpOFywCYRnGPjlEuxV-AR_CLpJAUSkt9LUlIRTonA73b7nLAG_8j0qqRG5Ki9LjjSfXIRMIC9dVibtVHiinMdrX42FKtkzRdlwZI/s320/vice+contraption+3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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So I improvised. This also failed. </div>
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At almost that very moment Kai came in for a second time and picked up a monkey wrench. He used this and his not-inconsiderable strength to disassemble the crank-set while his girlfriend Lisa and I held the frame steady. Once it was out, all it took was sticking it in the Hardy-Hole of the anvil and one little tap on the end with a hammer and the spindle popped right out of the crank arm accompanied by a shower of ball-bearings. And thus, after 20 minutes crawling around on the shop-floor looking for, and miraculously finding all of said ball-bearings, disassembly was finally complete.</div>
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In the end, it took me just shy of ten hours</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcVp22D7fYDdoQ7C00llBC9RuVjYmniYqwFCxwagQ7Icm2wp-UMALdiPOxE9ShVsk-4rrT-e1WO7Z_VJKreU5Jf3B1H8IgMpXoim5KqZntc4pwBF8QaSvasKJOT39nGnZEt6yDD-eY0ZZd/s1600/tools.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcVp22D7fYDdoQ7C00llBC9RuVjYmniYqwFCxwagQ7Icm2wp-UMALdiPOxE9ShVsk-4rrT-e1WO7Z_VJKreU5Jf3B1H8IgMpXoim5KqZntc4pwBF8QaSvasKJOT39nGnZEt6yDD-eY0ZZd/s320/tools.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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and this many tools</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI9F7H1JBukPXFqYLQx4RS6Xz52tXWGdKHKdhL1d4qPgXIb65trVoOq2XS6koVAQA0IZfRQdYIldwFAYi-3Eg9s_hyx_EyPliEXl4jA8Ohu-IxHVbR7RGH2u2BxbCozx8wN_U18_XMTB-7/s1600/six+bikes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI9F7H1JBukPXFqYLQx4RS6Xz52tXWGdKHKdhL1d4qPgXIb65trVoOq2XS6koVAQA0IZfRQdYIldwFAYi-3Eg9s_hyx_EyPliEXl4jA8Ohu-IxHVbR7RGH2u2BxbCozx8wN_U18_XMTB-7/s320/six+bikes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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To reduce this</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5KTmeC4vdKldbs13ykvROWsIOPdIZXFbR6HHD7fK0Y481ANihbgCHRhK6RJpVeA0cbOtKozGF59gwD5FTEL3XDW4Q1bMDGEGSKgzrvqbERXy7EJR1MIhDuMEZfA-zSrRPol5IsDinUUJ7/s1600/Bike+pile.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5KTmeC4vdKldbs13ykvROWsIOPdIZXFbR6HHD7fK0Y481ANihbgCHRhK6RJpVeA0cbOtKozGF59gwD5FTEL3XDW4Q1bMDGEGSKgzrvqbERXy7EJR1MIhDuMEZfA-zSrRPol5IsDinUUJ7/s320/Bike+pile.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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To this. But I succeeded. (with help)</div>
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These bikes had some sand in them,</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAbhPwaZHiTJRiIQNRYJBi-8ufz4yl4DygAv3X8n1dhaITllwBtrlFsHzc8UCjC1_h4aljmkGM2RHD2NsL9FMl1C3OGO3RW2QGSFs1tgSb7brKmFUn3qm9z6vjcpgNgarMDk0NxMXKr-jz/s1600/sand.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAbhPwaZHiTJRiIQNRYJBi-8ufz4yl4DygAv3X8n1dhaITllwBtrlFsHzc8UCjC1_h4aljmkGM2RHD2NsL9FMl1C3OGO3RW2QGSFs1tgSb7brKmFUn3qm9z6vjcpgNgarMDk0NxMXKr-jz/s320/sand.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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and some rust,</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdfpAKTQ9YjpakjjDILMEewjvaHDHIudLsCKzeLFaPTObEx343c6UqwVKKigx7H5eZmB3iC734A5Sk9IWq0j8Qdhi4s12gVzraxs5WhOc64-E2fdCOY5lrD1gBxBL-EtsfMT8tJmPvvnTf/s1600/Rust+Mosiac.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdfpAKTQ9YjpakjjDILMEewjvaHDHIudLsCKzeLFaPTObEx343c6UqwVKKigx7H5eZmB3iC734A5Sk9IWq0j8Qdhi4s12gVzraxs5WhOc64-E2fdCOY5lrD1gBxBL-EtsfMT8tJmPvvnTf/s320/Rust+Mosiac.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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but despite all this and the fact that most of them had been sitting in someone's back yard for an indefinite number of years, I was able to salvage a surprising number of usable parts from them. These parts will find new purpose as the <a href="http://pariahcycle.blogspot.com/2013/01/what-is-why.html" target="_blank">Pariahcycle</a> and other dangerous machines of marginal practicality soon to come.</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10491497591183011455noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020979890717998096.post-86326844840570371212013-01-31T00:34:00.004-07:002013-02-13T22:40:02.651-07:00Bumming Spokes<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Broke is the state in which we artists most typically find ourselves, so in order to get ahold of enough materials to execute a project, it's necessary that we explore means of obtaining these materials that don't involve paying for them. Usually this involves begging, barter, offering favors that we may or may not follow through on, and often dumpster diving. About a week and a half ago, in keeping with this tradition, I placed an ad on Albuquerque craigslist. The ad offered peace-of-mind in exchange for bicycle parts.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Apparently people are in desperate need of peace of mind. Within that week and a half, nine bicycles and assorted accessories had been unloaded into my possession. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaNkSkCgtymJiwOKGCMLvGM98Z4dQ0C_p1P2on6B_F8Tp2i7iM5w4lOS_BdU5QCoLU3EH6RxKedZ-4SxR05KKESAnXG0x8QyXzuX6Pl1PVmGoVZz2H3ss9lE2nxsQzJHtjE1joMtDCcDvu/s1600/Bicycle+Mosaic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaNkSkCgtymJiwOKGCMLvGM98Z4dQ0C_p1P2on6B_F8Tp2i7iM5w4lOS_BdU5QCoLU3EH6RxKedZ-4SxR05KKESAnXG0x8QyXzuX6Pl1PVmGoVZz2H3ss9lE2nxsQzJHtjE1joMtDCcDvu/s320/Bicycle+Mosaic.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This should be more than enough to get started. Most of them are only in half-bad condition, which is more than good enough for my purposes. Six of the bike frames are steel, and three are aluminum which I won't be using for this project because MIG welding is much more convenient than TIG. </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10491497591183011455noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020979890717998096.post-28464075268346786782013-01-19T19:04:00.001-07:002013-02-13T22:40:38.560-07:00What is the Why?<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">First of all, I have to mention that I believe that the attempt is more important than the "Why". Too much importance is placed on emphasizing the "Why", and not enough on just doing, and making simply for the satisfaction that comes with the act. Good planning for a project is important, but the answer to the "Why" is not even secondary, or tertiary. The only thing that is important is that the project is attempted. I believe that many people with great ideas don't pursue them because they are intimidated by the prospect of being asked "Why" and the judgement that inevitably comes with not having a concise or eloquent answer to this unfair question. The "Why", most of the time, detracts from the "Do" and is often simply the refuge of those who lack creativity or vision. Frequently the purpose of a thing can only be determined in retrospect because every angle can't be thought of, and every outcome can't be predicted, so what I ask is that the people that are so overly reliant on the "Why" to give life meaning just learn to roll with it for once and take "because I can" as an answer.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">That having been said, the purpose of starting this blog is primarily to document the progress of this project:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7d7isXHkarjWDizY6REl1NLW45LU_AmRMptnWDXfVr-wmG2X5DAD7L7IfP5RW6u8J4Gyo7JGUR7wSV_-dcQP_gGWFdIX591yS0Ways0g3vv9fgmvI0CgzsEhMVP65PwLmNYstr3rBJhFi/s1600/pariahcycle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7d7isXHkarjWDizY6REl1NLW45LU_AmRMptnWDXfVr-wmG2X5DAD7L7IfP5RW6u8J4Gyo7JGUR7wSV_-dcQP_gGWFdIX591yS0Ways0g3vv9fgmvI0CgzsEhMVP65PwLmNYstr3rBJhFi/s320/pariahcycle.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Which will be the terrifying, inimitable and exceptionally dangerous Pariahcycle. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It's also about other things in the spirit of shed-innovation since so many great things have come out of a crazy idea set in motion by a couple of passionate and maybe less-than-perfectly-sane enthusiasts. Things that are mechanical or creative that pique the interest or titillate the corpus callosum and blur the line between art and technology. It is a tribute to anyone who has attempted to pull a concept from their mind and deliver it into reality, and meant as proof that anyone can accomplish incredible things with the right attitude and dedication. </span></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10491497591183011455noreply@blogger.com1