Clair Rose log
About:
After three non-stop years at UW-Milwaukee, I graduated this past May (2014) with a BA in Political Science and Journalism. I heard about OSE when Marcin came to my school this past February to talk about his organization and recruit interns. Like everyone here at Factor e Farm, Marcin's vision of material/intellectual freedom for all resonated with me deeply, so I applied for a summer internship, got it and came here. Aside from my obsession with making things from scratch, the aspect of this project that interests me most is its potential to empower impoverished, urban communities in places like my home town, Milwaukee. I hope to visit FeF again and continue working with OSE as a remote collaborator for years to come.
Thanks for reading. Please email me with any comments or questions about my log at crsprenger@icloud.com
August
August 19, 2014
Wrote full draft of master plan (minus the cover letter, which I wrote later in September) for OSE Milwaukee fall 2014-summer 2015
Met with OSE Milwaukee Chapter Ambassador Rachel Beyer for the first time in person. We discussed the master plan, which goals we want to tackle first/can realistically work towards right away and our long term vision. Along with chatting about our interests/hobbies/etc. :)
Week 9 (part 2)
July
Week 9 (part 1)
July 31, 2014
Collected data on brick measurements
Levelled new gravel in front of the Hab Lab
July 30, 2014
Finished building as much of the carbon composite curing oven as I could (there's some electronic components in the oven that I don't know how to use/install yet)
Started cleaning up workshop for VeloCar workshop
Marcin, Devin Ward and I met with Rachel Beyer and Jesse DePinto via Skype about plans for the Milwaukee chapter
July 29, 2014
Took care of personal financial stuff
Finished cutting oven parts, began assembling it
July 28, 2014
Began building carbon composite curing oven to use on VeloCar parts
Week 8
July 27, 2014
Learned how to drive LifeTrac 6
July 26, 2014
Continued editing the press release
Did some research on
July 25, 2014
Bent rebar into squares
Spoke with Emily Aiken about OSE PR over the phone
Began editing the first draft Marcin wrote for a press release
July 24, 2014
Had a Skype conference with Rachel Beyer (OSE Milwaukee Chapter ambassador), Ellie Jackson and Keith Hayes (beintween executives) about collaborating on cross-promotion/projects/etc.
Trimmed a lot of rebar
July 23, 2014
Bent a lot of rebar
July 22, 2014
Cut a lot of rebar
July 21, 2014
Started compiling list of/contacting potential Milwaukee partners
Compiled more contacts for OSE generally to network with about collaboration/workshops
Week 7
July 18, 2014
Poison ivy rash...really bad...got medicine to help
Continued working out issues with slurry-mixer design, got advice from Yann, Charlie and Devin. I think we're done with the design...
Parts list for/drawing of Devin's initial design:
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Two angles of design with Marcin's edits (on bottom, the top is just some initial measurement notes I made for the Sketchup model I decided I didn't feel like making just yet):
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Sketches of/measurements for materials we have:
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Sketches of new design with measurements (Initially we were going to using two bolts going different ways to attach the main shaft to the pipe without it wiggling too much, but Marcin suggested we just ensure at least 10 inches of the shaft reaches into the pipe so we don't have to drill a new hole in both pieces and can use just one bolt for shearing. I confirmed that we would have 3 inches more than enough shaft to fit into the pipe with the changes Marcin made to the design, including the addition of a 1/2 inch spacer. Then I wanted to check that there would be enough space for the coupler to fit between the motor and the barring with the 1/2 inch spacer, and found that there wasn't. There also wasn't enough space for the main shaft to enter the coupler far enough. So I drew out the design and figured out we would need the spacer to be another 2 3/4 inches taller for the changes to provide enough space for both shafts and for the coupler not to be too close to the motor body or barring.)
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Draft of instructions on how to prepare parts for assembling Devin's initial design, plus some notes I wrote out trying to solve the same issues mentioned above: <a href="https://opensourceecology.trovebox.com/p/7fu/token-5b057b2aa8">
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I also practised welding in the workshop with Charlie until like 2 a.m. We tried making a bracelet out of a piece of scrap pipe. It still needs some work yet, but it's getting there.
July 17, 2014
MADE BREAD ALL BY MYSELF :D
Did a tiny bit of publicity research for MicroHouse, got board fast
Continued communicating via email with MKE Chapter peoplez about stuff, planned Skype meeting with Marcin/Devin/MKE people for next week (which has been rescheduled a couple times, not actually sure which day we're doing at this exact second)
Drew out Devin's slurry mixer, discussed it with Marcin, reworked/redrew it with Marcin's edits, reviewed changes with Devin
Took inventory/collected most parts for slurry mixer into one spot
Cut off and ground down three pieces of metal that were attached to the universal rotor mount for a previous project
July 16, 2014
Learned how to make bread from Guillaume :D
Sent out an email to publicity contacts about a new workshop discount and future collaboration
Emailed back and forth with MKE chapter leaders about plans for fall, which also involved talking to Marcin and doing some research
Drove to Kansas City, MO, and dropped off bolts that needed returning at a hardware store (didn't realize we were exchanging them for a different size :/)
Picked up the second half of the donation I picked up yesterday
Picked up new intern Elana from the airport
Continued communicating with MKE chapter people for a bit about plans for fall
Talked to Yann about his experience in design sprints/how they work/the best way to organize them
July 15, 2014
Drove to Kansas City, MO, to pick up donation of about 400 organizational boxes
Loaded them onto the van with the person I met there
Stopped by Sutherlands in Cameron to return three cement bags
Came back to FeF and unloaded boxes into old workshop
Used mallet to bend soil deflectors into 45 degree angles
July 14, 2014
Wrote and published blog about Days 38-43...still gotta get back in the groove of writing these at least every other day :/
Helped around the workshop with whatever people needed me to do to help with CEB Press, especially grinding down welds, bending steel with a mallet and cutting/attaching rubber to several steel parts
July 13, 2014
Started removing (flaking) plaster from one of the outside rooms in the HabLab to prep for re-plastering it
Taught new intern basics on how to weld
Did some research into the OSE bakery oven, which I hope to build a prototype of in the next year while I'm back in Milwaukee
Week 6
July 12, 2014
Nothing. :)
July 11, 2014
Cleaned tables for potluck
Helped unload steel for CEB Press
Helped with inventory
July 10, 2014
Wrote draft email format to use for Micro House 3 publicity
Contacted 24 organizations about sending out info on the workshop out to their members
Finished organizing drill bits, installed two shelves (errrr--tried to, the Stephen came and showed me what I was doing wrong/why they shelves kept falling when I'd install a different one)
Bent and torch-cut/filed a hole in a small plate of steel for slurry-mixer
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July 9, 2014
Wrote and published blog on Days 35-37
Organized the shelves with drill-bits/other stuff on them (took longer than expected...I was up past midnight...)
July 8, 2014
OH MY GOSH I HAVEN'T UPDATED THIS IN FOREVER. Sorry.
Began slide show on slurry-making procedure (probably not using it any more, at the morning meeting we decided to scrap our original plans and do slurry-making ASAP because all the soil is perfect for slurry since it rained last night)
Collected ten 50-gallon drums for slurry
Cleaned out 100-gallon steel barrel with Brenna and Devin
Used grinder to smooth out area around the holes in the barrel so we could weld scrap-metal-patches over them
Welded one patch successfully, metal was too thin when I tried welding other holes so I asked Marcin for help
Watched Marcin thin-metal weld (I didn't have time to practice it myself yet, but I will soon :D)
Learned how to cut steel with a torch, cut a few pieces of metal for the barrel patches
Used grinder to smooth out the edged of a few patches
Attended community meeting where we talked about ways to improve the blog/OSE media generally
July 7, 2014
Spent all day trying to set up a pump to drain the hole that the pool is supposed to go in...fortunately I failed, because it rained heavily that night :p Aidan helped me a ton though, because he's awesome
Week 5
July 4-6, 2014
Attended Power Cube workshop orientation Helped with documentation for a few hours Caught up on blog posts (here and here), wrote and published two on July 5 Spent way too much time creating a wicked-awesome SketchUp file of a slurry-mixing-device that Devin designed, which we're not using any more. But it's pretty. And precise. So yay. :D
July 1-3, 2014
I made the mistake of not updating my log for so long that I forgot what I did these days. Most likely it involved helping Devin with plans for the slurry-mixer/working on the SketchUp file (photo under July 4-6)
June
June 30, 2014
Typed out quick draft of CEB Press overall assembly flow
Continued finishing up CEB Press shaker manual, adding several slides to hydraulics section
Began blog about Day 30, which will touch on Days 26-29 as well
June 29, 2014
Came back to Maysville, MO
Week 4
June 25, 2014
Flew back to Milwaukee, WI (for Lady Gaga concert :D)
Wrote and published blog on Day 24
June 24, 2014
Continued making edits to CEB Press shaker manual
Finished and published blog about Day 23
Helped install soffit on the east and north sides of the Hab Lab
Downloaded software for Lulzbot and Ultimaker, began reading Cura manual
Began blog about Day 24
June 23, 2014
Wrote and published blog about Days 20-22
Began making edits to CEB Press shaker manual, mainly the hydraulics section
Helped clear out a Solar Cabin and sort through findings
Began learning how to use CNC Torch Table
Typed up draft of instructions on how to set up the Torch Table, posted link to Google doc file on CNC Torch Table wiki page
Began blog about Day 23
June 22, 2014
Travelled back to Factor e Farm
Week 3
June 21, 2014
Volunteered at the Midwest Renewable Energy Fair information desk for two hours
Attended several workshops at Fair
Learned how to use CEB Press controller to make a brick
June 20, 2014
Volunteered at the front gate of the Midwest Renewable Energy Fair for three hours
Attended several workshops at Fair
Finished and published blog about Days 16-19
June 19, 2014
Went to third day of CEB Press-build workshop
Welded some parts of the frame together
Used grinder to clean up welds
Helped with final workshop clean-up
Began blog about Days 16-19
June 18, 2014
Went to second day of CEB Press-build workshop
Practised welding for a couple hours
Made missing part for frame using a grinder and drill
June 17, 2014
Went to first day of CEB Press-build workshop
Received welding lesson/practised welding
Began assembling CEB Press frame with Victor, documented assembly with photos
Set up time lapse of day (I learned June 23 that the time lapse I took this day and the next two days ultimately failed, because I didn't adjust the settings correctly.) :(
June 16, 2014
Took road-trip to Wisconsin for workshop
Week 2
June 13, 2014
Finished and published blog about Days 11-12
Made progress on CEB Press shaker assembly manual
June 12, 2014
Began blog about Days 11-12
Finished assembling pool frame
June 11, 2014
Finished and published blog about Days 9-10
Made progress on CEB Press shaker assembly manual
Led pool assembly process, completing most of the frame
June 10, 2014
Made progress on CEB Press shaker assembly manual
Worked on pool assembly "swarm" instructions, laid out pieces to prep for taking inventory/assembly
Created practice design in SketchUp
June 9, 2014
Finished and published Blog on Days 6 through 8
Moved parts for pool assembly from workshop to near where the pool will be, began reading through manual
June 8, 2014
Helped with cob oven
Took pictures of cob oven-making process
Began Blog on Days 6 through 8
Week 1
June 7, 2014
Drew possible paint design for pool deck
June 6, 2014
Wrote minutes for morning meeting
Finished and published blog about Day 5
Finished bolting frame for CNC Torch Table Prototype 2
Made progress on CEB Press shaker assembly manual
Interviewed three interns
June 5, 2014
Wrote minutes for morning meeting
Finished and published blog about Day 4
Made progress on CEB Press shaker assembly manual
Organized workshop for 30 minutes
Finished cutting steel for CNC Torch Table Prototype 2, bolted some of the pieces
Began blog about Day 5
June 4, 2014
Wrote minutes for morning meeting
Wrote and published blog about Day 3
Posted to OSE's Facebook and Twitter
Began blog about Day 4
Began manual on how to assemble the shaker in the CEB Press
Organized workshop for 45 minutes
Carried bricks/gathered compost materials for raised-bed gardens
Interviewed two interns
Downloaded Ubuntu and OpenShot
June 3, 2014
Finished blog about Day 2
Downloaded CEB Press FreeCAD module
Wrote minutes for morning meeting
Began slide show on how to blog for OSE
June 2, 2014
Wrote blog about Day 1
Wrote minutes for morning meeting
Disassembled old model of CEB Press
Learned how to repair extension cords
Began blog about Day 2
