Help me Helping you!

The title says it all...

The thing is, I need online space to host most of the files (non pictures).

If you don't use dropbox YET let me tell you that you can help me while I help you to get to the cloud!

The cloud is so en vogue these days that you have to try very hard to miss it.

Dropbox is GREAT to share files between friends, backup you files, sync important files across different machines (and OSs!) and since it's in the cloud you can access it everywhere! And the best part: it's FREE!

To help me expand my (free) account, if you don't use DROPBOX yet please follow this link and register for a new account: www.dropbox.com (new account - referral)

I'll get a 250Mb bonus (until 8Gb, for each referral).

UPDATE: you also get an 250Mb Bonus

Thank you!

Vespa Gearing Speed Calculator (and tuning)

My first vespa related post - what took me so long?

I'm a Vespa passionate. I love the geared ones mostly. Well... I have to admit that the new automatic (the GTS - LX is too small for me) are starting to get in my system like a season virus. But, enough of CVT!

I'm planing a overhaul to my old (original) PX engine. Along with the new top-end a new primary gearing is key to get the most welcome elasticity - hopefully - to the expected broader (and torquier) powerband.

To get an idea were the new gear relation would take me I've put together an excel file to find out which transmission is better to suit my needs...

Of course, one can't just throw any combination and expect it to work.

The longer relation needs a powerhouse that matches the additional torque required to roll at all regimes. I have to leave that "study" to whoever dare to dive in to this as each one as different needs, different spectations and - of course - different budgets...

You can download the excel file HERE.

It's 'protected', sort of. I would leave it that way.

This is not rocket science, I know, and can be done with minimum knowledge of excel and math but for those who don't want to bother and just play with the numbers here it is for you.

You just have to choose the primary relation and the tire perimeter (the speed depends on both). Then, just look for your model standard gearbox fixed ratios and see the speed you get at the listed engine RPM. Simple.

Hopefully, this will help you to decide where to put your money to get the desired speed. If you want more (which I discourage on 10" wheels) you only have two choices (can be combined):

- build a torquier engine (big bore top-end, bigger carb, new exhaust) and get a longer primary gear;

- build a screamer to take the RPM higher;

(or a compromise between these two)

Also, remember the pick two out of these three rule:

- cheap

- fast

- reliable

I hope this can be helpful to someone. Let me know if you find any error...

PROJECT #02 - Cardboard NoteBook Stand (work ergonomics)

Work ergonomics is something you should pay attention. Lots of!

I found myself with cyclic come and go pain in the neck / cervical area. To fight that I started being more active and combined the GIM with outdoor sports in a (somewhat) regular basis.

But the pain would still come around: It wasn't just bad shape...

Then I started noticing my work habits and ergonomics. After some reading - though most is just common sense if you think about it - and since I was using a notebook the view angle,

monitor height and distance were all wrong and forcing me to an odd (unnatural)

position all the time. Instead of a relaxed - as natural as possible - position I was continuously in tension/stress at least in some muscular groups.

(source= http://dana.ucc.nau.edu/~cv86/ETC567/ergonomics/Ergonomics.html)

This was not good and needed change. Fast!

Also, I choose this link (and picture) because it starts with something interesting: "Ergonomic computer equipment is a multi-million dollar industry". So, I need to improve on the cheap without changing my desk, chair or other expensive apparel. In fact the only thing I needed to buy was a new keyboard (bad choice though).

I've said before that I'm cheap and also environmental conscious. Also, I like to get my hands dirt so... After little research I've come up with a simple solution: built myself a notebook stand out of sturdy cardboard packaging box that was due for recycle - focus on the 3R's policy:

reduce | reuse | recycle.

This was the final result:

It looks fragile but it's incredibly strong!

This fixed the height and view angle in relation to my head. The downside is that you need to buy a new keyboard as you can't use the laptop keyboard anymore... I´ve bought a (crappy) netbook keyboard that starts to fail at some keys (space bar - very annoying!) due to heavy usage I suppose... Don't make this mistake and buy a reputed piece of equipment to ease your wrists and retries/retypes.

I don't really recall in which I based my design so cannot link to it. It's clear this is not a new idea but I did some improvements and adaptations to my needs. I'm releasing the plans for my design - fell free to change it to your needs.

brigdes scan (A3):

sides scan (A3):

Hopefully, if you print in A3 you just have to glue the A3 sheet to the cardboard and cut with and x-acto. You may have to adjust the size due to the usual printer margins cut. (the base of the sides is 300mm; the bridges are 390x40mm)

When thinking about this post I guess it would be nice to have a 3D model that everyone could print or change to suit their needs. So I went the extra mile and made (started making) such model (in sketchup, of course) for you convenience.

(I still need some time to correct some last-minute issues - it'll be uploaded ASAP)

Hopefully I'll update this post also with an print friendly version from the sketchup.

Sure, I could just have bought some sort of laptop support but it wouldn't be as cool as DIY.

PROJECT #01 - WebServer netbook (sort of) - step 0: Introduction

One of my major concerns right now is the way I use power (electricity), the impact on the environment and - of course - on my monthly transfers (fees) to my power provider.

Anyone - financially challenged or not - should be environmentally conscious enough to drive a rational use of energy and keep the power bill to a minimum. Wasting gets you nowhere and Oil won't be around forever... "Cheap Energy" - if it ever existed - its closer and closer to an end.

Enough of environmental brainwash and get to it!

I need a simple solution to be able do lots of stuff (home / media / web server, home automation - arduino, ...) but for now let's focus on keeping a 24/7 PC running and keep the electricity cost as low as possible. The actual PC setup is an Intel Pentium(?) dual core D'940, with 4 physical HDD's and a GeForce 6xxx Graphics Card powered by and 500W power supply. Since the Intel D940 is still based on the Pentium 4 architecture you know it's hot like a mini-volcano and not very power efficient. One could simply replace the whole setup for a new-more-power-efficient i3 or i5 processor but I'm cheap AND this PC still does pretty much everything I need it to do. Also - and here comes the netbook part - I was offered some fully functional netbook in pieces (i.e., with no outer shell, no battery and no screen) which should be powerful enough for my needs.

The first tests confirmed that the hardware was 100% functional and the next step was about getting an enclosure for the collection of parts - it won't be much functional without a protective structure.

(reminder: insert picture(s) here)

It was obvious that I have to fabricate such structure.

After some brainstorming about the shape, materials and function I opted to build an acrylic housing/box.

Here comes to play sketchup. Sketchup is great! You can prototype and visualize the final part on your computer screen thus you can diagnose a problem even before you get to the workshop. Pretty much like other expensive prototyping software except that sketchup is FREE (as in free beer - at least the basic version). There are lots of tutorials about sketchup that get you started in no time.

Let see the 3D model:

What it should look like, in the end

View without top lid/Motherboard/HDD

Just the Motherboard/HDD model

What it end up looking, in the end

As you can see, I had to make some compromises to the final design for simplicity sake.


The next step on this project will be about the fabrication and hardware. Stay tuned.

Embryo...

Well, I had an idea and here I am.

I was spending much time with several DIY projects (and other stuff) and some (all?) weren't properly documented for future reference, neither I was sharing what I get to learn along the way and also some never attained completion for some reason. Hopefully, this other 'blogging project' will drive an extra stimulus to get those who found themselves in the limbo to the finishing line.

Let's see where this first idea take me in a few months time.

NL