Altar Project: Progress and Some Physics
After much sanding over several days, of both the carcass and the columns, I was able to attach the columns in place on the carcass. This involved applying adhesive to one side, clamping it in place on the outside and then using a ladder, screwing it from the inside of the box several times to apply the proper "clamping" pressure. It required lots of up and down and some minor contortions but I was able to get them in place satisfactorily.
My next step was to obtain some more oak to start batching out various trim details which you see on the workbench. It always makes me sigh a bit to cut up an expensive board into small pieces but it has to be done to achieve the effect the client desires. Next up, I will start cutting the joinery on all those small pieces and after more sanding, start attaching them to the altar permanently. Then it should visually start looking more like an altar.
I'm an engineer so it stands to reason, I loved physics in college. It was one of my favorite classes to be able to solve complex problems using math and knowledge of physical laws. However, I am finding out that I have forgotten A LOT of what I have learned over the years thanks to my eldest in college who has to take a basic physics course this semester for her degree. A handful of times this semester, she has texted me a problem she is having trouble solving and asking for my help. I dutifully head downstairs, get a sheet of paper and a pencil and usually after some internet searching to refresh my memory, spend an hour trying to solve the problem. This one was no different though when my daughter entered my underlined answer, all homework is done on a computer and just entered into the appropriate box on a webpage, it told her that the answer was incorrect. More head scratching and recalculating went on before I asked her to enter 0.656, an untruncated number. That turned out to be the right answer. Whomever programmed the website needs to be drug out on the street to be tarred and feathered for not having several acceptable answers depending on how one rounds their answer!
In case anyone is interested, the problem is thus. An empty box (a cube of the dimension shown above) is floating on water with one third of the box submerged. Ignoring the thickness of the box walls, what is the height of the water that must be poured into the empty box to cause it to sink?
My granddaughter would ask for help in algebra, but it had been 60 years since high school. I was able to help in grade 9 but not any longer.
ReplyDeleteMy last days of helping are rapidly approaching.
DeleteI liked physics when it related to astronomy but never took a formal class in it, so my homework took me FOREVER. We do get rusty! My French has lost a lot of its fluency over the years. Use it or lose it!
ReplyDeleteI still enjoy the mental challenge of doing various things and my hope is that will keep my brain sharp until the rest of my body no longer has use for it.
DeleteI hated Physics in College...I think I got a D and it didn't help that it was an 8AM class, guess I should be happy for the D:) Your project is coming along nicely!
ReplyDeleteMy daughter's opinion of physics is much like yours!
DeleteJust give me basic math, please. (though I did like geometry quite a bit)
ReplyDeleteGeometry was another favorite of mine, much better than "differential equations from hell" which is what we called Calculus 4 class in college.
DeleteWhen I was taking my physics and engineering classes, it was drilled into our heads that the equation was the most important part of solving a problem instead of a numerical result. Entering a number as an answer to a physics problem doesn't seem like the correct way to teach physics.
ReplyDeleteI liked (loved?) my Calculus, Physics, and Engineering classes , it seemed like it explained how everything worked, I never understood how someone could hate that.
Just to be "that guy", my quick calculations come up with 0.65666 m, so I'd say that 0.657 is a better answer than 0.656
I think you and I have a lot in common.
DeleteBack in the day, the answers to the odd questions were posted in the back of the book so you could check to see that you were on the right track half the time. These days, they don't have books. It is all online and no answers are published so the only way they can check is to type in the correct answer. When rounding errors make for an incorrect answer, it really leads to a lot of unnecessary frustration in my opinion.
Two comments: First, I love the way the altar is taking shape. Absolutely beautiful and I look forward to seeing more progress and eventually the finished product. Second, you lost this liberal arts major when you started the physics discussion. But you have my utmost admiration and respect.
ReplyDeleteI don't discuss physics often, or even occasionally for that reason. Most people don't appreciate it like I do.
DeleteYour altar project is coming together beautifully, even with all the intricate work involved. The patience and attention to detail you’re putting into those trim pieces really shows. I can imagine the satisfaction when everything starts fitting together just right! And yes, I get the sighing over cutting into pricey oak it's always hard to sacrifice good wood for the greater good of the project.
ReplyDeleteAs for the physics conundrum, I love how you’re getting back into the groove of it with your daughter. It's great that you’re able to help her out, even when some websites make it more complicated than it needs to be. That problem sounds like a great example of practical physics at work. I can see how rounding errors can drive you crazy, especially when a seemingly small detail like that makes all the difference.
Looking forward to seeing more progress on your altar. By the way, you're invited to check out my latest post—I think you'll enjoy it.
Thank you!
DeleteThis well beyond my paygrade, Ed. I wish you well and hope the altar project turns out wonderfully, which I have no doubt it will. The last time I talked physics was ... checks watch ... it looks like never. There's a reason why I went into marketing.
ReplyDeleteThere is also a reason I didn't go into marketing!
DeleteThe alter front is definitely taking shape and looking good.
ReplyDeleteYou make a good point about computers and nuances. I ran into this doing a nutritional analysis once. Options were multiple choice but really quite limited. Under 'yogurt' there was no option for homemade whole milk plain, and the only choices for granola were a few well known brand names with a much higher content than I make. So of course the results were inaccurate and useless. Still, not something that will ever be changed I suspect.
Yeah, unless it is brought up to the coder's attention, things like that will never change. Many companies out source coding so the chances are slim of ever reaching a coder's attention.
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