gfish: (Default)
gfish ([personal profile] gfish) wrote2011-04-04 03:29 pm

Soltice/summer plans

To make it official: I'm not going to try to build the hexapod this year. I'm not giving up on the project -- in fact, I just got the new hydraulic test system running yesterday. But it's too complicated (not to mention expensive!) of a build to pull off in a single year. I think next year is still a reasonable goal, at least. I'm going to continue with the prototyping work for the next month or so, hopefully getting close to an entire working leg by the end of May.

Instead, when summer comes I'm going retro. I'll switch back to working on the C/S Kalamazoo, my railroad-style handcar. For those of you just tuning in, I spent last summer making it for Burning Man. It was only barely working in time, slow and very difficult to control. While I'm disappointed that the hexapod won't happen this year, I'm happy to have the chance to make the Kalmazoo work. It's such a gorgeous thing, it really pained me to leave it half functional.

While I have upgrades planned that will take most of the summer to implement, I'm hoping I can get things working well enough to use it in the Fremont Solstice Parade. That's the weekend of Faerie Worlds this year, so I know a lot of you will be gone. Of those of you staying in town, though, would there be interest in joining? I'd love a group of people all steampunked up, walking along with it and taking turns at the pump. I need to go walk the entire route, but I don't think there is much uphill... If I can just get the steering and flywheel action improved somewhat, I'll be more than happy to give up the driver's station!

I'd really like to do this, but it would be neither fun nor practical doing it alone. Let me know if you're interested.

[identity profile] keystricken.livejournal.com 2011-04-05 12:07 am (UTC)(link)
I'm happy to join you, and I'll keep my fingers crossed that all goes well.

[identity profile] k-crow.livejournal.com 2011-04-05 12:24 am (UTC)(link)
My summer schedule is a bit up-in-the-air, what with waiting to hear back about internships. But if I am available at Solstice, I'd love to help. :)

[identity profile] sistawendy.livejournal.com 2011-04-05 03:59 am (UTC)(link)
That must have been a tough decision, but I respect you for wanting to do it right.

[identity profile] mlerules.livejournal.com 2011-04-05 04:34 am (UTC)(link)
Have fun. Hope it goes well 'n' smoothly. I'll be at FW, so'll miss it this run.

[identity profile] niac.livejournal.com 2011-04-05 08:13 am (UTC)(link)
73 days.

[identity profile] maida-mac.livejournal.com 2011-04-05 07:00 pm (UTC)(link)
You two should get together and put this as a group entry. The Kraken, the Kalamazoo, and steampunk-costumed people would go together well!

[identity profile] gfish.livejournal.com 2011-04-05 09:36 pm (UTC)(link)
That sounds great. The Kraken will probably be able to run loops around the Kalamazoo. :)

[identity profile] ionan.livejournal.com 2011-04-06 02:54 am (UTC)(link)
I'm in.

[identity profile] ilmarinen.livejournal.com 2011-04-17 08:21 am (UTC)(link)
Cool! Keep me informed of planning for the fair, I would be interested in helping out. Would need to work on my costuming though.