Our camp is building a 30' 4v (or 5v?) dome. We tried a test build yesterday and were able to get about half way through it, starting at the center (as the manual suggested) and working outword by iteratively adding the next layer below the work so far.
But at some point it just became too heavy for us to lift for more than a couple minutes at once. We concluded we need some way of supporting the dome's weight while building, and of course we'd like to do it on a budget by avoiding renting some expensive sort of hoist, jack, or similar.
What I'm thinking is getting five 5' step ladders and supporting the dome that way. These would be placed under the "row" that's one row above the one we're working on (in other words, it would support the row where the bolts have been tightened already) and would be spaced around the five "sides" of the dome, generally speaking. Then when we're ready to advance a row we'd pick up the dome manually and someone would go in and move all the step ladders outward to the next row.
Has anyone tried this approach, or have a better suggestion?
Thanks in advance,
Peter Adkison
Camp Baggage Check
[email protected]
Supporting the weight of a big dome during a build
-
PeterAdkison
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Thu Aug 25, 2005 5:57 am
- Location: Seattle
-
MikeVDS
- Posts: 1899
- Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2006 2:10 pm
- Burning Since: 2006
- Camp Name: Tiki Fuckos
- Location: Tiki Fuckos, Upland CA
- Contact:
We're doing a 40' soon so we've been doing some reading and talking and thinking. At this point we have two options. We could buy scaffolding and build from the bottom up. We have a 20' that we build bottom up. Some people hate going from the top down and others like it that way.
The way to do it from top down is finish the bottom layer, and bolt all the struts that attach to it in place before lifting it. That way when you lift it the struts swing down and you just need someone to bolt the horizontal struts in place. If you're having a problem with that, you may just need more people helping. I know some of the bigger domes use around 30 people by the end and it's easy.
The way to do it from top down is finish the bottom layer, and bolt all the struts that attach to it in place before lifting it. That way when you lift it the struts swing down and you just need someone to bolt the horizontal struts in place. If you're having a problem with that, you may just need more people helping. I know some of the bigger domes use around 30 people by the end and it's easy.
-
sputnik
- Posts: 7865
- Joined: Wed Sep 08, 2004 6:17 am
- Burning Since: 2004
- Camp Name: Ubercarney
- Location: Detroit
I seem to recall seeing cranes used to hold up the really mongo domes last year. Not that I suggest that this is a good way to do it, unless you're bringing your own crane that is. I have read about using a central mast that is guyed off and winching the dome up. Not sure how much your dome weighs, or how strong of a winch system you would need though.
There is a double crane system that is part of ancient technology.
A rope goes over the top and the section pivots.
I bet Le Chat could explain it better.
It might help.
A rope goes over the top and the section pivots.
I bet Le Chat could explain it better.
It might help.
"Everything is more wonderful when you do it with a car, don't you think?"
-girl by the fire, watching a tree moved by car bumper in the bonfire
It would be a shame if I had to resort to self-deception to preserve my faith in objective reality.
-girl by the fire, watching a tree moved by car bumper in the bonfire
It would be a shame if I had to resort to self-deception to preserve my faith in objective reality.
Even on a more modest dome, there are some safety points to keep in mind- Pivoting struts, even with the endpoints ground down, can swing around and bite you. A dome balanced on a series of ladders can slide VERY easily, especially lubricated with slippery playa dust.
I've seen people erect big domes by the tedious Lone Man On A Ladder method, with a ground crew steadying the ladder and passing up the struts, LMOL making many, many trips up and down. Another approach is to build sideways- Assemble about a third of the bottom, work up as high as you can and then add more struts to the sides and top as the structure can support it. This way, you push the whole thing upwards without having to lift the entire mass. This approach is easier for non-linear thinkers...
Yet another, theoretical approach is the "New England Barn Raising"...Assemble the dome in perhaps a half-dozen segments on the ground and then raise and assemble them side-by-side. After two segments it should already be able to stand on its own, and then a few trips up the ladder and/or structure will secure everything.
Or you could pack a box with booze, chocolate, porn and whatever other commodities you can gather and scan the playa for someone with a skybucket. Approach, bribe, and assemble.
I've seen people erect big domes by the tedious Lone Man On A Ladder method, with a ground crew steadying the ladder and passing up the struts, LMOL making many, many trips up and down. Another approach is to build sideways- Assemble about a third of the bottom, work up as high as you can and then add more struts to the sides and top as the structure can support it. This way, you push the whole thing upwards without having to lift the entire mass. This approach is easier for non-linear thinkers...
Yet another, theoretical approach is the "New England Barn Raising"...Assemble the dome in perhaps a half-dozen segments on the ground and then raise and assemble them side-by-side. After two segments it should already be able to stand on its own, and then a few trips up the ladder and/or structure will secure everything.
Or you could pack a box with booze, chocolate, porn and whatever other commodities you can gather and scan the playa for someone with a skybucket. Approach, bribe, and assemble.
Howdy From Kalamazoo
-
falk
- Posts: 415
- Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2005 1:15 am
- Burning Since: 2004
- Location: Silicon Valley
- Contact:
I built a tripod-like crane to support the dome from the center, winching it up as layers were completed.
(more photos & sketches here)
Advantages are that this allows a lot of people to work on the dome at the same time, and it's more fun. Disadvantages are that when suspended in the air, the dome will want to buckle, possibly catastrophically. I don't think I'd use this method with a 40' dome, and a 30' dome is pushing it.
All in all, it might be more practical to invest in a couple of tall A-frame ladders and build from the bottom up.
Building in sections and trying to mate them is a bad idea; until the dome is finished, the pieces are very flexible and wiggly; getting the sections to match up would be like getting pants onto an uncooperative toddler -- if the toddler was an octopus. (Although we have had success building the bottom two layers bottom-up, then the top four layers top-down, and mating the two halves.)
(more photos & sketches here)
Advantages are that this allows a lot of people to work on the dome at the same time, and it's more fun. Disadvantages are that when suspended in the air, the dome will want to buckle, possibly catastrophically. I don't think I'd use this method with a 40' dome, and a 30' dome is pushing it.
All in all, it might be more practical to invest in a couple of tall A-frame ladders and build from the bottom up.
Building in sections and trying to mate them is a bad idea; until the dome is finished, the pieces are very flexible and wiggly; getting the sections to match up would be like getting pants onto an uncooperative toddler -- if the toddler was an octopus. (Although we have had success building the bottom two layers bottom-up, then the top four layers top-down, and mating the two halves.)
The Sectional Approach definitely requires that you NOT have unattached struts...But as long as everything's bolted to SOMETHING else, and you don't make the segments too large, it can work fine. (Sometimes you have to un-and-re-bolt a few times.)
A handy tool that I rigged up is a stick of 3/4" conduit with two sets of "double clamps", spring clamps that are bolted together. One clamp clamps the conduit, and the other clamps the strut or ladder or whatever. It's like a giant version of the "third hand" rig for electronics hobbyists that has two little jointed arms terminating in alligator clips. No giant magnifying glass, though- Out there, it'd just set you on fire.
A handy tool that I rigged up is a stick of 3/4" conduit with two sets of "double clamps", spring clamps that are bolted together. One clamp clamps the conduit, and the other clamps the strut or ladder or whatever. It's like a giant version of the "third hand" rig for electronics hobbyists that has two little jointed arms terminating in alligator clips. No giant magnifying glass, though- Out there, it'd just set you on fire.
Howdy From Kalamazoo
-
DoctorIknow
- Posts: 861
- Joined: Thu Aug 26, 2004 3:07 pm
- Burning Since: 1998
- Camp Name: Camp Do Nothing
- Location: Thailand/Sacramento
Hope you went with the 4 frequency (or less!)
I would say "are you crazy" about a 5 frequency, except I don't say things like that.
Lets see, first off you can only build a 3/8 or 5/8 5 frequency dome.
The 4 frequency makes a perfect half-sphere that can be on one flat surface, but no half-dome for the 5 frequency.
Also, instead of 6 different lengths of spar for the 4 frequency, you would get 9 different lenghts for the 5 frequency.
ALSO, for the 3/8 5 freq. there are 350 spars (between 3' and 4' all) and for the 5/8 5freq there are 425 spars. (think 850 ends to flatten and holes to drill!)
I have a 30' diameter 4 frequency. I built a 4 frequency 'cause it looked prettier on paper and in photos and because a piece of 6foot lycra can be stretched perfectly along the 2nd "row" of spars and the base and provide privacy in the dome.
If only I'd know the total work BEFORE I cut the conduit and was committed: there are 250 spars.
Until you have the pleasure of pounding out the ends (500 ends for a 4 frequency) at about 20-30 wacks of a 3lb sledge = 10,000 - 30,000
wacks) or taking probably even more hours finding a hydraulic press,,,,,and forget about a vise....(I used a huge one in a metal working shop and it worked maybe 20 times before I actually busted it!) it's difficult to remember exactly why a 3 frequency was rejected.
About pounding: if you have an assistant, you could use two hands on a short length 5lb sledge and reduce likely possibility of carpal tunnel sydrome! And, if you're gonna pound, be sure to pick up a worthy anvil... I got a 55lb one for $29 at Harbor Freight (hey , even the cheapest Chinese pot steel works OK for an anvil... maybe not wrenches, screwdrivers or socket sets however... LOL)
BTW, to cut the conduit, I would choose to buy a $10-$30 tubing/pipe cutter instead of using a metal cutting blade in my cut-off saw. Damn thing makes a horrendous mess, stinks, can be dangereous, and puts out about 200 decibles! (I don't know the correct number, but it's the kind of sound that makes your teeth sting even when you have 30db reduction ear muffs on!) The pipe cutter would take longer probably, but maybe not as it would be easier to just mark the cut point instead of having to jury-rig a jig for the cut-off saw. Of course really cool would be an electric hack saw, but they ain't cheap and of no use to me in the default world....
Last tip: if you use paint to identify your spars (for
the 4 frequency, 3 sets of them SEEM to be the same lenghts)
DO NOT paint the ends as it will chip andcause MOOP almost equal in imposibility to gather as glitter.
Good luck
I would say "are you crazy" about a 5 frequency, except I don't say things like that.
Lets see, first off you can only build a 3/8 or 5/8 5 frequency dome.
The 4 frequency makes a perfect half-sphere that can be on one flat surface, but no half-dome for the 5 frequency.
Also, instead of 6 different lengths of spar for the 4 frequency, you would get 9 different lenghts for the 5 frequency.
ALSO, for the 3/8 5 freq. there are 350 spars (between 3' and 4' all) and for the 5/8 5freq there are 425 spars. (think 850 ends to flatten and holes to drill!)
I have a 30' diameter 4 frequency. I built a 4 frequency 'cause it looked prettier on paper and in photos and because a piece of 6foot lycra can be stretched perfectly along the 2nd "row" of spars and the base and provide privacy in the dome.
If only I'd know the total work BEFORE I cut the conduit and was committed: there are 250 spars.
Until you have the pleasure of pounding out the ends (500 ends for a 4 frequency) at about 20-30 wacks of a 3lb sledge = 10,000 - 30,000
wacks) or taking probably even more hours finding a hydraulic press,,,,,and forget about a vise....(I used a huge one in a metal working shop and it worked maybe 20 times before I actually busted it!) it's difficult to remember exactly why a 3 frequency was rejected.
About pounding: if you have an assistant, you could use two hands on a short length 5lb sledge and reduce likely possibility of carpal tunnel sydrome! And, if you're gonna pound, be sure to pick up a worthy anvil... I got a 55lb one for $29 at Harbor Freight (hey , even the cheapest Chinese pot steel works OK for an anvil... maybe not wrenches, screwdrivers or socket sets however... LOL)
BTW, to cut the conduit, I would choose to buy a $10-$30 tubing/pipe cutter instead of using a metal cutting blade in my cut-off saw. Damn thing makes a horrendous mess, stinks, can be dangereous, and puts out about 200 decibles! (I don't know the correct number, but it's the kind of sound that makes your teeth sting even when you have 30db reduction ear muffs on!) The pipe cutter would take longer probably, but maybe not as it would be easier to just mark the cut point instead of having to jury-rig a jig for the cut-off saw. Of course really cool would be an electric hack saw, but they ain't cheap and of no use to me in the default world....
Last tip: if you use paint to identify your spars (for
the 4 frequency, 3 sets of them SEEM to be the same lenghts)
DO NOT paint the ends as it will chip andcause MOOP almost equal in imposibility to gather as glitter.
Good luck
There are other ways to do the hubs.
I would suggest using Black Leightning or the equal with inserts too for hearing protection with tools like that.
If you check the charts, certain frequencies are hardly blocked by the cheaper muffs.
There is a big difference in wear comfort too.
They aren't unrelated.
http://www.howardleight.com/products/pr ... .asp?id=18#
http://www.howardleight.com/products/pr ... .asp?id=17#
Click on the decibel ratings to get the full chart.
I use the version three, very comfortable.
There is a version by AO that looks very similar, imported from australia.
There are even better electronic versions with active noise reduction.
Harsh noise actually does do more damage to your hearing.
These two come in different sizes.
http://www.howardleight.com/products/pr ... .asp?id=10#
http://www.howardleight.com/products/products2.asp?id=9#
I would suggest using Black Leightning or the equal with inserts too for hearing protection with tools like that.
If you check the charts, certain frequencies are hardly blocked by the cheaper muffs.
There is a big difference in wear comfort too.
They aren't unrelated.
http://www.howardleight.com/products/pr ... .asp?id=18#
http://www.howardleight.com/products/pr ... .asp?id=17#
Click on the decibel ratings to get the full chart.
I use the version three, very comfortable.
There is a version by AO that looks very similar, imported from australia.
There are even better electronic versions with active noise reduction.
Harsh noise actually does do more damage to your hearing.
These two come in different sizes.
http://www.howardleight.com/products/pr ... .asp?id=10#
http://www.howardleight.com/products/products2.asp?id=9#
Putting up a big dome
I designed the 60-foot, 4v dome in Entheon Village last year. We tried a test set up before bringi it to the playa and only got half of it up building from the ground up. We needed dozens of poles with "crotches" to hold the hubs up. A 60-foot dome is 30 feet tall making it impossible to reach the top with ladders. It took forever just to get halfway. A 30-foot dome, however, can be built that way pretty easily if you have several step ladders ranging from 6 to 12 feet. You still need poles to hold the sides out after the structure gets higher than people can reach from the ground.
On the playa we had a DPW crane and built the dome from the top down. A geodesic dome is really floppy until the last strut goes in and it is sitting on the ground. What helps this problem immensely is to build a spreader structure two courses down from the top that hold the sides of the dome out from the center. Even then, there was a problem with the dome wanting to collapse inward below the level of the spreader. We needed about 20 people around the outside of the dome holding the sides out while another dozen people connected the struts.
You definitely have to watch out for swinging struts, asepecially during tear down which goes faster (maybe too fast) than setup. A couple of people narrowly missed getting whacked when we were taking down the dome.
Because building a really big geodesic is so complex and requires a lot of people and a crane to assemble, I designed another type of dome for Burning Man 2007. This will be a 65-foot diameter radial dome (not geodesic) for Amphibia - a 2007 theme camp. It is a lot heavier than a geodesic but not as complicated. Using my truck and a winch, eight to ten people can put it up in three to four hours. We took it down in about 2 hours when we did a test set up in May. Pictures and info at http://planetamphibia.com
On the playa we had a DPW crane and built the dome from the top down. A geodesic dome is really floppy until the last strut goes in and it is sitting on the ground. What helps this problem immensely is to build a spreader structure two courses down from the top that hold the sides of the dome out from the center. Even then, there was a problem with the dome wanting to collapse inward below the level of the spreader. We needed about 20 people around the outside of the dome holding the sides out while another dozen people connected the struts.
You definitely have to watch out for swinging struts, asepecially during tear down which goes faster (maybe too fast) than setup. A couple of people narrowly missed getting whacked when we were taking down the dome.
Because building a really big geodesic is so complex and requires a lot of people and a crane to assemble, I designed another type of dome for Burning Man 2007. This will be a 65-foot diameter radial dome (not geodesic) for Amphibia - a 2007 theme camp. It is a lot heavier than a geodesic but not as complicated. Using my truck and a winch, eight to ten people can put it up in three to four hours. We took it down in about 2 hours when we did a test set up in May. Pictures and info at http://planetamphibia.com
-
DoctorIknow
- Posts: 861
- Joined: Thu Aug 26, 2004 3:07 pm
- Burning Since: 1998
- Camp Name: Camp Do Nothing
- Location: Thailand/Sacramento
Measuring struts : Metric RULES!
Once upon a time before Pres. Reagan killed the countrys move to metric (well on it's way, BTW) one couldn't even buy a tape measure in a hardware store that DIDN'T have metric and inches on the same tape.... Now they're hard to find but still around.
http://www.desertdomes.com is the definitive burner dome site, but mistakes are easy to make in making your struts, and measuring mistakes are the worst. Tara Landry's (the creator of the site) has a fantastic calculator (and reverse calculator) that is perfect.
However, since the calculator works in decimals, it makes absolutely no sense to use feet/inches in any part of your calculation. You either end up with decimal inches (yeah, find a tape measure for that!) or convert the decimal to a fraction, and you would have to use 1/32's, which are easy to make mistakes with while cutting struts or drilling holes.
Metric is so much easier and takes about 10 seconds to learn.
We know it already, like this:
$1 = 1 millimeter
$10 = 10 millimeters = 1 centimeter
$1000 = 1000 millimeters = 100 centimeters = 1 meter
Imagine if our money was in inches/feet
A penny would be 1/16 of a inch dime
A inch dime would be 1/12 of a foot dollar
A foot dollar would be 1/3 of a yard dollar
A yard dollar would be 1/1760 of a mile dollar (I know, the $1000 bill went out of circulation in the gangsta days of the 20's LOL)
That's how silly inches/feet/yards/miles are, and how many of us even know what that system is called!
USING INCHES:
Heres what you have to do with the result from the calculator if you want a 12foot4inch radius 3 frequency dome:
Strut A = 30 pieces 4.308' long
-----That's 4 feet plus .308 of a foot, so .308 x 12 = 3.72 inches
-----So, that's 4' 3.72inches. Now, find a chart and determine that .72inches equals 23/32"
-----then add them all together and get 4 feet 3 & 23/32inches
-----and then, just to make it sane, use 48" for 4 feet, and add it up again
-----and get 51 and 23/32 inches. Whew!
USING METRIC:
Now, for the same radius dome (which equals 377centimeters)
Strut A = 30 pieces 131.4 centimeters long
-----131.4centimeters = 1314 millimeters
That's it! You're ready to measure!
You get your tape, go to the 1000 millimeter (1 meter) mark, go to the 30 centimeter mark, then go just one little mark to the 1millimeter line and you're there. (that's rounding down 0.4millimeter impossible to measure.
Another example: If you got a measurement from the dome calculator like 202.9 that would mean 2 meters and just 3 millimeters (rounding again) to the right of the 2 meter mark.
Good luck, and metric ain't no Commie plot as Reagan suggested LOL
http://www.desertdomes.com is the definitive burner dome site, but mistakes are easy to make in making your struts, and measuring mistakes are the worst. Tara Landry's (the creator of the site) has a fantastic calculator (and reverse calculator) that is perfect.
However, since the calculator works in decimals, it makes absolutely no sense to use feet/inches in any part of your calculation. You either end up with decimal inches (yeah, find a tape measure for that!) or convert the decimal to a fraction, and you would have to use 1/32's, which are easy to make mistakes with while cutting struts or drilling holes.
Metric is so much easier and takes about 10 seconds to learn.
We know it already, like this:
$1 = 1 millimeter
$10 = 10 millimeters = 1 centimeter
$1000 = 1000 millimeters = 100 centimeters = 1 meter
Imagine if our money was in inches/feet
A penny would be 1/16 of a inch dime
A inch dime would be 1/12 of a foot dollar
A foot dollar would be 1/3 of a yard dollar
A yard dollar would be 1/1760 of a mile dollar (I know, the $1000 bill went out of circulation in the gangsta days of the 20's LOL)
That's how silly inches/feet/yards/miles are, and how many of us even know what that system is called!
USING INCHES:
Heres what you have to do with the result from the calculator if you want a 12foot4inch radius 3 frequency dome:
Strut A = 30 pieces 4.308' long
-----That's 4 feet plus .308 of a foot, so .308 x 12 = 3.72 inches
-----So, that's 4' 3.72inches. Now, find a chart and determine that .72inches equals 23/32"
-----then add them all together and get 4 feet 3 & 23/32inches
-----and then, just to make it sane, use 48" for 4 feet, and add it up again
-----and get 51 and 23/32 inches. Whew!
USING METRIC:
Now, for the same radius dome (which equals 377centimeters)
Strut A = 30 pieces 131.4 centimeters long
-----131.4centimeters = 1314 millimeters
That's it! You're ready to measure!
You get your tape, go to the 1000 millimeter (1 meter) mark, go to the 30 centimeter mark, then go just one little mark to the 1millimeter line and you're there. (that's rounding down 0.4millimeter impossible to measure.
Another example: If you got a measurement from the dome calculator like 202.9 that would mean 2 meters and just 3 millimeters (rounding again) to the right of the 2 meter mark.
Good luck, and metric ain't no Commie plot as Reagan suggested LOL
That's precisely why I default to 2V domes for all of my projects...There's still substantial Slop Factor, that goes away as soon as you upgrade to 3V. I've got as much as an inch difference in many struts of my geodesic atrocities, yet they stubbornly refuse to collapse.
When I use the dome calculator, I try to plug in figures that are easier to "metricize".... Like .5 feet (six inches) or .33 feet (four inches). A little patience with replugging the numbers can yield results that are much easier to remember between the computer and the bandsaw.
When I use the dome calculator, I try to plug in figures that are easier to "metricize".... Like .5 feet (six inches) or .33 feet (four inches). A little patience with replugging the numbers can yield results that are much easier to remember between the computer and the bandsaw.
Howdy From Kalamazoo
Who needs the metric system?
My car gets forty rods to the hogshead!
There are measuring tapes in decimal inches and calculators that switch back and forth with a button, but it is easier to do it all in metric.
SK-Facom has some good metric/fractional tapes if you want one.
They closed an intersection here because of a mis-translated conversion from feet to metres.
Of course, they also left all the lighting for miles of parkway off the plans.
My car gets forty rods to the hogshead!
There are measuring tapes in decimal inches and calculators that switch back and forth with a button, but it is easier to do it all in metric.
SK-Facom has some good metric/fractional tapes if you want one.
They closed an intersection here because of a mis-translated conversion from feet to metres.
Of course, they also left all the lighting for miles of parkway off the plans.
"Everything is more wonderful when you do it with a car, don't you think?"
-girl by the fire, watching a tree moved by car bumper in the bonfire
It would be a shame if I had to resort to self-deception to preserve my faith in objective reality.
-girl by the fire, watching a tree moved by car bumper in the bonfire
It would be a shame if I had to resort to self-deception to preserve my faith in objective reality.
-
Lassen Forge
- Posts: 5320
- Joined: Tue Feb 22, 2005 9:35 pm
- Location: Where it's always... Wednesday. Don't lose your head over it.
Re: Measuring struts : Metric RULES!
Like 16 pence to the shilling, 20 shilling to the Pound? Easy as Cricket. (Need I say more?) If ya grew up with it it's wonderful, of not it's a nightmare.DoctorIknow wrote: Imagine if our money was in inches/feet
A penny would be 1/16 of a inch dime
A inch dime would be 1/12 of a foot dollar
A foot dollar would be 1/3 of a yard dollar
A yard dollar would be 1/1760 of a mile dollar
"Imperial", tho most people call it the American system. Could be worse - try the Russian system, where you have 40 funt (фунт) to to the pood (пуд). Or try Cubits (Hmmm - Russian uses this one, too - called an Aershyn and, um, Milya, which is appx. 1 1/2 Leauges... not to mention the good ol Vodonschaya, the size of your good Russian Vodka Bottle (not quite 750 ML)...DoctorIknow also wrote:That's how silly inches/feet/yards/miles are, and how many of us even know what that system is called!
I love this stuff.
You shoulda seen some of *our* engineering "miracles" during forced Metricization in the 80's and early 90's. *Especially* dealing with old structures. We officially converted back last year, much to *everyone's* relief. We had to get really good and bootstrap conversions on the fly for quite a while. Yuck.gyre wrote:Who needs the metric system?
My car gets forty rods to the hogshead!
There are measuring tapes in decimal inches and calculators that switch back and forth with a button, but it is easier to do it all in metric.
SK-Facom has some good metric/fractional tapes if you want one.
They closed an intersection here because of a mis-translated conversion from feet to metres.
Of course, they also left all the lighting for miles of parkway off the plans.
Most engineering supply houses and lumber yards habe tapes in inches and tenths. Or feeet and tenths. Impractical (usually) but fun.
-
Teo del Fuego
- Posts: 1391
- Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2005 10:31 am
- Burning Since: 2005
an acquaintance of mine is the owner of an engineering software firm charged with satellite telemetry (or something like that) for NASA. A subcontractor working for his company calculated thrust in feet/pounds (or something Imperial like that) when everything else was written in metric system. A muli-million dollar thing to Mars was lost in space as a result, you may remember it in the news several years ago.
the Imperial system absolutely reeks. I still cant remember how many teaspoons in a cup and how many pints in a gallon and I have to pause and do some division to figure out if that 3/8s socket is a little bigger or smaller than that 17/32 socket.
As you can see, I aint no rocket scientist!
the Imperial system absolutely reeks. I still cant remember how many teaspoons in a cup and how many pints in a gallon and I have to pause and do some division to figure out if that 3/8s socket is a little bigger or smaller than that 17/32 socket.
As you can see, I aint no rocket scientist!
The bosch automotive book has scads of useful conversion factors.
Very handy if you ever work on a car too.
For sockets you need a chart.
Snapon has one in their catalog or you can make your own.
Very few useful crossovers though.
It is good to know those and if you buy specialty wrenches, those sizes are a good place to start.
Remember that larger fits over smaller, but not vice versa.
19.05mm
22.28mm
38.1mm
Works best with six point tools too.
My swedish car has metric and fractional hardware everywhere mixed.
I am not amused.
Very handy if you ever work on a car too.
For sockets you need a chart.
Snapon has one in their catalog or you can make your own.
Very few useful crossovers though.
It is good to know those and if you buy specialty wrenches, those sizes are a good place to start.
Remember that larger fits over smaller, but not vice versa.
19.05mm
22.28mm
38.1mm
Works best with six point tools too.
My swedish car has metric and fractional hardware everywhere mixed.
I am not amused.
"Everything is more wonderful when you do it with a car, don't you think?"
-girl by the fire, watching a tree moved by car bumper in the bonfire
It would be a shame if I had to resort to self-deception to preserve my faith in objective reality.
-girl by the fire, watching a tree moved by car bumper in the bonfire
It would be a shame if I had to resort to self-deception to preserve my faith in objective reality.
-
falk
- Posts: 415
- Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2005 1:15 am
- Burning Since: 2004
- Location: Silicon Valley
- Contact:
http://ars.userfriendly.org/cartoons/?id=19991212Teo del Fuego wrote:... A muli-million dollar thing to Mars was lost in space as a result
Genie wish?
Not my original idea but i've seen folks use a Genie Lifter to lift the frame as you go.
one of these boys - about 400something bucks where i'm at to rent for a week.
http://www.genielift.com/ml-series/index.asp
one of these boys - about 400something bucks where i'm at to rent for a week.
http://www.genielift.com/ml-series/index.asp
-
MikeVDS
- Posts: 1899
- Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2006 2:10 pm
- Burning Since: 2006
- Camp Name: Tiki Fuckos
- Location: Tiki Fuckos, Upland CA
- Contact:
That money conversion thing seems way more complicated than it should be. Foot dollars? Seems to me one should just learn the basic prefixes and the base units and everything else you can figure out on the fly. If you understand the prefixes and know what a meter is, what a kilogram is, etc you can figure out the rest.