TED Talks

TED Talks...

I recommend watching (or listening to) TED Talks regularly. Look at a few done by folks your aware of, then check a few others. They're usually interesting.

A recent one I enjoyed - Mike Rowe -

http://www.ted.com/talks/mike_rowe_celebrates_dirty_jobs.html

Rain & Black Blogs

We're looking at a week of predicted rain. Woo Hoo! You could feel that the real hot broke last week. Still hot, just not as hot. A light rain is falling now.

Black Blogs. I've been looking at a lot of motorcycle blogs. Guess what? Their all on a black background. I figure thats where I messed up. Now all I need is to loose the 'shift' key, find some sculls and iron crosses and get some real loud deaf metal then I'll be cool(?).

OH Yeah, this is bitchin!

9/14 - Bitchin, but I like the white background. And it rained a boatload last weekend.

Shooting for 100/100

We hit the 67th day over 100 degrees!

It's a great marker. "You think this is bad, boy! Shoot, now 2009, that was hot."

Thanks and Chill

The Brammo Enertia

I've also been learning from the Brammo Enertia. The CEO, Craig Bramscher, is pretty interesting. Take a look, it's about 9 minutes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roJCa7i4qFY

Their site:

http://www.enertiabike.com/

Four New Prints

Detail 7 1/3

Tré 3 Primary

HS5 Detail

HS5 Detail v2

All the images are 7" wide.

The Electric Bike Project is Underway!

UPDATE 10/12: This project is on indefinite hold. Ran out of string!

The electric bike project is underway with the purchase of a 1985 Kawasaki KDX 200 frame yesterday.

We're not trying to reinvent the wheel here. All the information is out there, my job is to find and assemble something that works.
Frame, motor, energy.
The guide lines for the 1st bike a lightweight frame that all 6'5" of me fits. For the first attempt the KDX fits the bill. For 50 bucks and 15 years in a field, it's not bad. Got to clean it up, make it safe and go from there.
The motor will probably be a MARS, 10kw, 3000rpm.
Batteries should be Lithium-Ion (Li-ion) or Lithium-Phosphate (LiFeMgPO4 or LiPO).
The Controller and Battery Management confuse me at this time. I will figure it out though.
I'd like to entice someone to join in with their own project. Whack and hack out some of these problems, it's a big puzzle.
Got lots of support so far, and several smart friends to bounce off of. Even the old diesel sub captain, Pops, is on board (diesels ran on batteries below snorkel depth).
The fellow I got the bike from was very interesting. Maybe 40, a doer, maker with more projects than he'll ever be able to handle. Right off the bat he was talking about a book he just finished about a french guy who invented the earth scrapper. And who said all you meet on Craigslist are weirdos.
Don't look too closely at the photo. With the Seagull and the mig in the background folks might think I'm a motorhead, I'm not, I swear.
OK, check in.

Multiples

I like multiples and the screen printing is fun. Here we're drying "Tré 3 Primary" prints.

Electric Motobike Research

Electric Motobike Research

The kid in me has wanted another motorcycle for a long, long time. The ’72 BMW R60/5 was a gas that got sold to do a show around ’84 and that was the last one.

Over the years I keep thinking about the Zearfoss boys 185 Kawasaki. It was a small high rev zinger on a large lightweight frame and it probably had 5 speeds. Fast, nimble perfect for getting around town.

I pay attention to all sorts of things. One area has been the EV (Electric Vehicle) thing (not sure there’s a better word).

Motorcycles seem to be a fun and good place to explore. Now I want one. I want the same thing as the Kawasaki, light large frame and a strong zippy motor.

The motors are there. All the parts to coordinate the motor, battery and the road are there. And now, I think, the batteries are there. The newer lithium-ion technology are lighter, hold more power and are safe to throw away. Their expensive, relatively, but that’s only on the front end. They out last lead acid batteries 4 or 5 to 1.

So, there are several E-motorbikes on the market, I’ve studied about ten, gotten real confused, culled the options and have decided on one.

It is the Zero S from zeromotorcycles.com. I would recommend this bike to a friend and use it as a model if I were to build one (or 2). Go to the site look around. Be sure to watch the Jay Leno video. The only downside for me is the size of the frame. Leno looks a like he fits the bike but barely. They say (wiki-answers) he’s 5’ 11”, I’m a lot taller, too lanky for my own good at 6’ 5”.

Other manufactures to look at:
#2 on my list is Enertia Bike Brammo - www.enertiabike.com
Lennon Rodgers - www.electricmotion.org
Electric Motorsport - www.electricmotorsport.com
Mission Motors - www.ridemission.com
Photo: zeromotorcycles.com

Run it through the Printer

It's only a $100 printer, what's to go wrong? So far nothing.

Prints for promotion

A slight adjustment of the screen allows a logo or tag.
Someday I'll get to posting some.

Prints of the furniture details

Detail of "Tré 2"





Detail of "Tré 5"





Detail of "Tré 6"

Screen Printing

I've been screen printing images of the furniture details. It's an interesting blend of hand and computer work.

All the sources are mine so it doesn't matter how their put together. There's also a crudeness available that I do not allow in the furniture/sculptural work. I'm sticking to a small format, 8 x 8", and doing short runs, 15 - 40 pieces. Classically signed and numbered (sort of like art). And some will be sold.

I'm also doing promotion pieces with a title and contact.

St. Patricks Day

Ok, I'll be spending the evening at Fado, in the warehouse district. Heading out about 6. Hope to see you there.

O' hedge




Map

Fado Pub site

Out with the Old

It's time to shake off the last eight years. I suspect I'll get to loose the Bin Laden strip soon.

The Inauguation

I don't have the words for this moment in history. Optimism maybe.

Thanks

Fortune

My fortune cookie may have called me gay...

...(not that there's anything wrong with that).