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April 29, 2007
Flying wind farms
From Make Magazine -- News from the future: Flying wind farms - Harvesting energy in the sky
Economist magazine has a possible solution to using land for power generating windmills... Put them in the sky!IF IT ever seems windy where you live, be thankful you do not live 10km up in the air. At that height, the jet-stream winds blow stronger and more constantly than ground level winds, carrying up to a hundred times more energy.
So, just as oil companies are drilling deeper and in more remote locations in search of new reserves, pioneer wind-power engineers are looking higher in the sky for new sources of energy. Conventional turbines will not take them there--the highest to date is just over 200 metres tall. So they are trying to invent a whole new technology for harvesting wind: electricity generators that fly.
One of the most ambitious ideas has been developed by Sky WindPower, a company based in San Diego and led by Dave Shepard. Mr Shepard began his career cracking Japanese military codes during the Second World War, then developed machines for reading written text. His work led to the squared-off numbers still seen on bank cards today.
Posted by eubie at 10:53 AM permalink
Joinery basics: Make Magazine
From Make Magazine -- Joinery basics
Popular Mechanics just posted up a good instructable on joinery basics, lots of photos and step-by-steps...The best way to hold together a high-end woodworking projects, whether you're building a timber-frame home, putting together a trestle table or making a step stool, is with a bit of glue and hand cut joints.
It is easier to use mechanical fasteners, like nails and screws, but to add that look of first-class work, with smooth, metal free visible areas, nothing will do the job like a direct joint between parts, bonded with glue. Of course, the type of joint you need depends on a variety of factors, like the nature of the materials, the function of the joint, strength and appearance, available equipment, and your own level of skill. Joinery may be intimidating to the beginner, but, like any other building skill, all it takes is a bit of practice.
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Here we dissect the workings of two primary joints, the edge joint and the mortise and tenon. WIth these joints, you can build a wide array of furniture and tackle a number of woodworking projects without having to rely on unsightly (although time-saving) nails and screws.
instructables : Joinery Basics - Link.
Posted by eubie at 10:40 AM permalink