Andrew Lionais

Team Culturing Information

last updated: 2. July, 2011

WHO are you?

• Name - Andrew Lionais
  

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• Location (city, country) - Sydney, Canada

• Contact Information (email, phone, Skype) - andrewlionais (at) hotmail (dot) com, (902) 549-2929

• Introductory Video -

• Resume/CV -

WHY are you motivated to support/develop this work?

• Do you endorse open source culture?

Yes

• Why are you interested in collaborating with us?

I hope, and believe, that OSE will dramatically shift the future to producer/user communities by empowering individuals and in the process start to hammer home a new set of values to replace consumerism and overconsumption. I hope that it will allow me to enjoy the fruits of modern technology without perpetuating the unsustainable and unethical system that I am presently part of. I also hope that it gives me the tools and knowledge to produce more efficiently and free up time to deeper develop myself physically, mentally and spiritually. My goal is to be building my own community within the next five years.

• How do you think that the GVCS can address pressing world issues?

The GVCS, built on an open source platform, has the potential to level the gap between the rich and the poor by empowering individuals and communities with the tools and knowledge to live a high quality life without negatively affecting the lives of others or the planet.

• What should happen so that you become more involved with the project?

I should finish renovating my house, find some tenants for a while, apply and move to the farm for a bit to help with fabrication of the GVCS tools...in between my current relaxed work schedule.

• What are you missing in the project?

• What are your suggestions for improvement of the project?

More updates. More pictures, blogging and video. While I understand you are busy, I check the website once a day with the hopes of finding new information. That is what keeps me excited. It is great to see progress. I am a fan of written updates as I am often in areas with a slow internet connection and cannot stream or download video.

WHAT

• List all of your skills in these areas: Communications - Organizational - Computer Support - Finances - Design - Natural Building - Electronics - Automation - Metallurgy - Engineering - Fabrication - Agriculture - Energy - Architecture - Video/Graphics/Art - PR/Marketing - Education - Construction - Industry - CNC - Chemistry - Product Design - Other

Communications:

• I am well written. I have developed and edited machinery operating and maintenance procedures. I can write and edit letters and documents. I have experience writing, reviewing and editing technical contracts with professional contractors.

Computer Support:

• I have a functioning level of basic office software. I have used some audio editing programs.

Design:

• I have great 3D conceptual skills and can put that into practice while designing and fabricating. I think outside the box and can draw upon many years of experience in the marine field where creative solutions are paramount to keeping machinery running with limited spare parts and supplies on hand. I have a strong appreciation for good design as I operate and maintain all the equipment onboard(The equivalent of a small town).

Natural Building

• I am well read on many aspects of natural building including site selection, orientation, passive solar, thermal efficiency and storage, building materials, natural finishes and green roofing. I am familiar with, and have helped friends work on, log and timber frame houses.

Electronics

• I have had some formal education in electronics and minimum experience

Automation:

• I am familiar with the basics of automation and PLC's. I have used ladder logic and some programming using function blocks to modify and trouble shoot systems onboard such as electrical distribution and automatic sail trim.

Metallurgy:

• During my degree I studied the manufacture of steel from ore, principles of alloying, properties and compatibility of metals, heat treatments and destructive and non-destructive testing.

Engineering: I graduated from the Canadian Coast Guard College with a fourth class marine engineering license. I am presently studying to complete my second class license. While not an expert in any trade, I have experience and schooling in:

• Diesel engines
  
• Steam
  
• Refrigeration
  
• Hydraulics
  
• Welding and Machining Plumbing
  
• Electrical distribution, power generation, and basic electrical trouble-shooting
  
• Motor control circuits
  
• Basic PLC's and logic
  
• Technical sketching and Blueprints - Hand drawn (No CAD experience)
  
• Fresh water production and treatment
  
• Sewage treatment
  
• Fuel and oil purification
  
• Strength of Materials
  
• Metallurgy
  
• Control Systems
  
• Thermodynamics
  
• Electrotechnology
  

Fabrication:

• My strength is design and fabricating. I can produce very finished looking work if necessary. I am methodical and plan what I build to minimize waste of materials. I am most comfortable with a stick welder but feel I could better my skills on a MIG very quickly. I have a little experience with TIG welding. I can operate a lathe and milling machine. I can cut threads. I can use a torch or plasma cutter. I have no experience with machines for bending or punching steel. I have done a bit of custom body work on my own vehicle.

Agriculture:

• I have tilled, tested and prepared soil, planted seeds and seedlings, weeded and harvested. I have a good grasp on many of the concepts of permaculture including crop rotation and complimentary planting.

Energy:

• I am well experienced with the operation of industrial diesel electrical generation equipment and distribution networks. I maintain 12V and 24V battery systems. I have installed a small 12 volt solar panel system. I have helped friends maintain their 65KW micro-hydro system. I am familiar with the concepts of most off-grid electrical generation.

Education:

• I believe that people learn the most from being included. Project learning, for all ages, keeps people interested, gives them a sense of ownership, and solidifies the relevance of accompanying subject matter. I am a good instructor when teaching a subject matter I am familiar with. I am patient and attentive to the varying needs of each individual.

Construction:

• I have helped friends with framing and insulation/vapor barrier. I have installed doors and windows. I have shingled low pitch rooves.

Industry:

• I have worked in the marine industry for the last 10 years.

• How have you already contributed to the project?

I am a true fan. I have posted links on social media outlets, expressed great excitement about the project to my friends, family and coworkers, and have made many people watch the GVCS overview video.

HOW can you help?

• How are you interested in contributing to the work of GVCS development?

I will continue as a true fan. I am also interested in visiting Factor e Farm to help with the fabrication of GVCS tools and aid in their development and ....

• Can you volunteer to work with us, and if so, how many hours per week?

With my present work schedule, I can visit the farm for up to 26 days at a time. While there I would be capable and willing to work 60-70 hours per week.

• Are you interested in working with us for pay? If so, what services can you offer, and what is your hourly or per-project rate?

I am a certified Marine Engineer. I feel that the greatest help to you would be with the fabrication of the GVCS tools. I am a competent welder with a fair bit of custom fabrication primarily using steel. I presently work for approximately $28/hour on a yearly salary. I would work for free for my first DPV and possibly subsequent ones. If conditions warranted, and the offer was there for a long-term appointment, I would leave my job for somewhere close to $25/hour. I am not sure what the legalities of working in the US as a Canadian citizen are at this point, so volunteering what time I have available seems much more reasonable at the present moment.

• Are you interested in Dedicated Project Visit?

Yes.

• Are you interested in purchasing equipment from us to help bootstrap development?

No. I do not have the funds to do so and am located too far away to make it practical or sustainable. I will hopefully build several of these projects in the coming years in my own community.

• Are you interested in bidding for consulting/design/prototyping work?

No. Not as a team or project leader. I would however like to be involved in the design/prototyping/re-design process if the opportunity arose. I am creative and have a good head for conceptualizing machinery. I have worked the last ten years in an industry which has lots of room for creative solutions while at sea with limited support, spare parts, and stock material.

• Are you a True Fan? If not, why not?

I am a true fan.

• Would you like to see yourself working with us on a full-time basis?

Possibly. I would like to first visit and get a feel for the environment before leaving my current secure employment. If it is as exciting, challenging and rewarding as I imagine it to be though, I would definitely say yes.

• Are you interested in using the technologies that we are developing directly?

I am interested in building and using several of the technologies starting with the tractor, sawmill and CEB press.

• Are you interested in being part of the world's first, open source, resilient community? The GVCS is the preparatory step for the OSE Village Experiment - a 2 year, immersion experiment (2013-2014) for testing whether a real, thriving, modern-day prototype community of 200 people can be built on 200 acres using local resources and open access to information? We are looking for approximately 200 people to fill a diverse array of roles, according to the Social Contract that is being developed. This may be the boldest social experiment on earth - a pioneering community whose goal is to extend the index of possibilities regarding harmonious existence of humans, ecology, and technology - as a beacon of light to benefit of all people on Earth.

Yes. Most certainly. I believe that this is the most reasonable solution to many of the planet's social and ecological problems that I have ever heard of, and I would love to be a part of it. It is most definitely a game changer for the future, and I have no doubt that the growing momentum behind it will see it achieve all its stated goals.