Monday, November 21, 2016
Machine for Preserving the Wind show video
Here is a video showing my latest installation work, Machine for Preserving the Wind. Its up till June 30th, 2011 atTruck Gallery in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
There is also a review of the show up here at FFWD Weekly.
Oh, and Adam Savage tweeted a link to my sculpture, my inner geek is unspeakably happy.
Each of the 40 poles that make up the piece are mounted on a string pivot, allowing them to sway freely. They have a cast concrete counterweight at the bottom that balances the wooden pole so they can sway with the slightest movement. These are then connected with a series of strings that allows them to be pulled back, and released to sway freely on their own. In this way the poles are indirectly coupled to the drive mechanism, they can be pulled back, but then they are free to sway and swing on their own, resulting a much more organic and random movement than if they were directly coupled.
To drive this mechanism the poles are connected to a pair of large wooden cams. A cam is basically a wheel with an irregular shape that causes a follower on the wheel to move back and forth in a fashion reflecting these bumps. In this case each bump outward corresponds to a gust of wind, and pulls the poles backward. The two wheels turn at slightly different speeds, and the output of each is mixed and averaged, resulting in a program that takes over 14 minutes to repeat.
The cam wheels themselves are driven by a multi stage reduction drive. An electric motor, of the type usually used in a household furnace, is hooked up to a worm drive speed reducer, and then to a two stage chain drive, this setup brings the speed of the motor down from 1725rpm at the input to half of an rpm at the output, a reduction of over 3000:1, this process increases the torque from half a foot pound, to over 400 foot pounds after friction losses. This was fun to design.
Saturday, September 24, 2016
Wind Poles North Glenmore Park
Here's a small video showing those wind poles in action at North Glenmore Park. They move remarkably easily once you get the counterweight mass balanced properly.
Now I just need to make a system of ropes and cams to replicate that movement indoors.
Friday, September 23, 2016
Sailboat wind vane plans
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Sunday, August 14, 2016
Keep your Roof Safe from Wind and Storm Damage
The British weather is an eternally popular topic of conversation – often to the point of satire – and is regularly the cause of much disgruntled grumbling about grey clouds and drizzle. However, the country has been the subject of some pretty devastating, and largely unexpected, freak weather events in its time. Mostly, these come in the form of gale force winds, deep snow, hail storms, heavy rain and cold snaps – all of which can be potentially damaging to your roof.
Of these, severe winds and hail are perhaps the two biggest threats, and a number of steps should be taken before a forecast storm arrives to protect your roof from the elements. It’s rare that a roof will not be designed to handle the typical wind strengths of its area, yet, even in the normally temperate UK, extreme weather conditions can never be ruled out.
Certain parts of the roof will be subject to more damage than others, such as the perimeter that bears much of the load. Most damage results from a fluctuation between a downward blowing force (positive pressure) and an upward suction (negative pressure), pushing and pulling the roof structure around and initiating stress around the edges.
If wind can get below the membrane of the roof at all, problems could escalate rapidly. If it has more to ‘grab on to’, the positive and negative pressure combination can begin to peel back the roof from underneath, both perpetuating damage to the structure and allowing precipitation to enter your home.
Similarly, tile movement and damage has obvious negative consequences, such as an increase in permeability and the risk of leaks, and should be assessed and attended to immediately. During high winds and storms, your roof is in danger of sustaining damage from falling debris, and falling tree branches or sharp stones can be massively hazardous.
There are a number of steps you can take to protect your roof from extreme weather conditions, such as checking for loose tiles and gaps on your roof before a forecast storm arrives. This is vital – if this is left unattended, your roof will be highly vulnerable during strong winds and rain. The same applies to guttering, fascias and around chimney stacks, which take most of the brunt of the weather.
Tie down or bring inside all loose items, such as ladders, garden furniture or ornaments, and keep the area below chimney stacks clear in case of collapse. Evidence shows that, even in hurricane conditions, roofs will rarely blow off completely, and are far more susceptible to puncturing and cracked tiles as a result of airborne debris.
Check that your home insurance policy covers storm damage – it should, although flying debris destruction is generally excluded. If so, most repairs should be completely covered, putting your mind at ease during periods of excessive weather.
This post was written by skilled and experienced roofers at Morgan Asphalte Roofing Ltd, who are fully accreditated from all relevant associations, including Trust Mark and Constructionline.
