Journal99 jun
From Simreal
June 1999
Sun, 13 June 99
I've been keeping a tradition, it seems, of updates only every 2 weeks or so. Life has been busy though -- since I've sent the book off on the first the teenager came back from Oregon, we've built bunk-beds, constructed a raised Japenese tea-room type of platform in our dining area, and moved my office to a different room.
Not to mention the work on Boris!
There are two new pictures -- an overview of the entire Boris frame, assembled, plus a closeup of one leg showing cylinder placement. I have to fab and weld on a couple of small clips, and Rick is still trying to find a way to make the big bracket that is the last thing he needs to do. His shop is being difficult, so wish him luck.
Actually, I think I've found a stock-metal solution to the bracket is trying to machine -- but his work is so much better, stronger, and attractive -- I'll wait until the last minute before giving up.
What was really amazing was the effort I had to expend to find the clevis pins to hold the legs together... ended up ordering them through a fastener dealer. I still need to get a few more clevis pins, some locking nuts, probably a few bolts -- I'll whip up a final hardware order next week.
Monday I'll be receiving the final Boris circuit boards. Last week, I got the final electronics to fill out the final boards. I even have pressure sensors. Dang, are they expensive -- I'm only putting on half of the sensors, and I hope to catch up the capabilities of the other half in software. As it is, 3 sensors per leg by six legs is 18 sensors by 18 dollars or so, is still painful.
It's all coming together... even at two weeks between updates, and all of the honey-do's, and everything.... Boris will move soon.
It's all just so exciting!
Wed, 30 June 99
I've assembled all of the Boris leg frames, and have attached 2 of the 3 cylinders to each of them... don't have pictures up yet. I've also built one of the control boards, and initial tests are hopeful -- I still need to shake-down the A/D and power control, and test it in-situ.
I was hoping to have a test leg moving by now, but overlooked the time it took to build cables for the system (done), build and attach mounting points for the electronics and valves (done), and write software to excercise the system (in progress). I'll certainly have motion of the test leg this weekend, including good testing software, and pictures for the web page!
I'll be in the position of recording video of Boris in motion soon, so if I can ever find someone in Austin, TX who will convert video to MPG or RM files for free -- I'll post those too!
Every time I bring a friend to the lab (to see what's on the slab), they exclaim -- it's so much bigger than I expected! I wish there was some way to convey the *size* of this thing to you readers... it's just huge!
Anyway, life continues to be unreasonably busy -- but progress continues, and motion is imminent!
