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Showing posts from August 14, 2022

LavaCon 2026 and the future.

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LavaCon is a conference now going on 25 years. Its always fun at conferences where folks collaborate on what the future holds. This year I drove to Charlotte NC from Duluth GA to attend. I used the Tesla in Full Self Drive. I went park-to-park without touching the wheel for over 200 miles. It's crazy. I don't think most people understand how well it works. Lots of nay-sayers still, but it really does work. Be on guard, but enjoy. I spent some of my time "driving" while conversing with Grok as part of my daydreaming. I was discussing with Grok an idea I have of building a West system (cold molded) old style barrel-back runabout maybe 20 feet long- all varnished Mahogony. Of course this boat would have an exotic 12-cylinder engine under a transparent engine hatch between the twin cockpits. We discussed the designs, available actual study plans and pre-lofted design documents for the hull. We also discussed the best engine (perhaps a BMW N73) coupled with a Velvet Dri...

Roof Ridge Line Straightening

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There has been a "belly" in the porch roof ridge line for as long as I have owned this house (10 years). I am finally doing something about it as I prepare for a new roof, soffits, facia and gutters. I took more than half of the sag out today. I still have more jacking and bracing, but I feel good about the progress. Certainly I have lots of experience straigtening structures like this. I remember my Uncle and my Father straigtening the collaped roof on the laundry shed near Bridgton, Maine in the 60s. The first one I did was a garage in the late 80s. I am using the 20 ton hydraulic jack I purchased in the mid 90s to jack and straighten the house I restored in Victor NY. I can't say I like working in attics and crawl spaces. I like the value it adds when complete, since it is easy, but scary and complicated for most. It is "pure" work.