Where I spent the summer

After a few month of rather tedious rather backing work, It's finally complete. It came out better than I expected and I ended up with pavers left.

I was surprised because I was always thinking that I wouldn't have enough to even complete what I had planned.
I was planning on cutting things shorter than the planed size, but ended up with exactly the planned size. This part is 10 ft X 20 ft.

This part is 6 ft X 14 ft. As always the pictures don't do justis to the actual appearance.

Glad the hard part is done. All that left is the back filling, grass replacement and yes all the cleanup.




After that I'm taking the rest of the summer and fall off.

I must be from a different planet

I for the life of me can't understand how these young computer science majors ever get a degree. They can sure try to develop something new, but can't fix anything when it breaks.

I spent all of a hour, troubleshooting a program this week to find the issue and fix it. After I got it fixed, a support staff member (whom is going to be the one to fix these things in the future) called to have me describe the method I used to find the problem. Their comment was, "I looked at the code, and couldn't figure out where the problem was." The problem was simple to find when you limit your search to the thing that failed and only run that part of it. The error is real apparent then. The real problem was occurring for a couple of days and no one could figure it out.

Maybe it because I have spent the last 30 years doing both development and code maintenance. I really think the first thing a new developer should do is be responsible for code maintenance before they are allowed to do any code development.

I would sure like to see the addition of a class to the computer science degree be a class in how to troubleshoot code and apply a fix. It's real frustrating when I am the only member of a multiple person development team that fix programs, no matter who the original author was.

It's Done

Well here it is, old frame with a new top and vise.

Looks pretty good, I'm real happy witht he work surface from Johnson's Workbench. The new top is 24" x 60" x 1-3/4". I re-worked the frame to let the top hang over 1 foot on each end for vise mounting and working room. I also lowered it to 32" high which makes it more stable. It will be a bench to sit at to work, rather than stand. I'll have to force myself to set if I have a lot of bench work to do.

The new vise is Woodcraft's small Front Vise. The Vise tail is out of a piece of 1-1/2" hard Maple that J0hnson's had in the Short Board section. Now it time to get to work a a couple of projects that I have.

Been Busy

I spent the day reworking my old bench. I got a new work surface and re-fitted my old bench to a new wood workers bench equipped with a new wood workers front vise.

So far I pretty happy with the way it turning out. Once I get closer to complete I'll post a picture of the new bench. It's been a long day, trip to Charlotte to pick up the supplies, then the day working out the kinks with the old frame.

Progress

I was able to get back to the desk this weekend. I have it ready for the new top and finishing.

Here is a pic of where it is now.

I invested in a new digital camera over the weekend. My birthday present to my self. It nice to have my own and not need to fine the boy to use his.

It is worth the money

I received the replacement stuff sacks from Outdoor Research(OR) this week. I wished all companies were as accommodating as OR. They sent me replacements for the ones that I told them had problems and they sent replacements. They didn't even want the old ones back to verify that the problems that I reports was actually what was wrong.

I will continue to do business with a company that has such a good guarantee. They really do have on infinite guarantee - and no questions asked.

Not sure if I will survive

It's been 2 weeks of the 12 hour days and I'm am really fried. My body is getting to old to put these hours in. We have made reasonable progress on the project but we are now to a point where everything is waiting on everything else. We have a deadline of Aug 2 to produce output for the vendor so that they can freeze the configuration. I think we will make it, that is if the tech lead can be left along long enough to produce what I need to complete the process.

On the bright side I only have one more week of long hours this month and then only 2 months left. I am REALLY looking forward to the planned pack trip the first week of October (8 - 11). Then it will be production launch for the first part of the project (yuck). If all goes well the launch "should be" uneventful but, we all know that Murphy likes to hang around during a production launch.

Sometimes it's worth the money

I posted a note on the Outdoor Research Forum about a problem with some of my pack gear. There response was "We have an Infinite Guarantee" and they sound like they will replace them. Dropped a note to customer service, so we'll see how it goes.

I may start a new blog for the packing side of life - haven't decided yet! (Stay Tuned)