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04/22: Sticks & Quarried Stones

April 22, 2008 Greg Traverso Uncategorized

Over the past couple of days, Gilbert and I, and for part of the time a young stone worker, Murafu, laid out and built the footings for an 8’x20′ cargo container which I bought last week, which we’ll use for secure storage. We dove headlong into the arithmetic world and suffered the geometric heartache of having our rectangle unmasked as a parallelogram flush with 89 and 91 degree angles. But we were men about it, dried our eyes, and measured the diagonals a dozen more times until, Holy Pythagoras! a-squared times b-squared really did equal c-squared.

What follows is the photographic record of this small step for mankind.

Step one: A return to the past. High school geometry. Gilbert and I trying to lay out a perfect rectangle 8\'x20\'. Try it some time. It took an embarrassingly long time to get this phase in the books. Step one: A return to the past. High school geometry. Gilbert and I trying to lay out a perfect rectangle 8\'x20\'. Try it some time. It took an embarrassingly long time to get this phase in the books.
Then we set up this beauty, a borrowed sight level, and took some preliminary ground readings to determine the degree of slope in our exquisite rectangle. That\'s Gilbert in the background holding the 8\' measuring rod. Then we set up this beauty, a borrowed sight level, and took some preliminary ground readings to determine the degree of slope in our exquisite rectangle. That\'s Gilbert in the background holding the 8\' measuring rod.
And Gyro Gearloose at the helm. Looking deeply into applied mathematics and the uncertain future. And Gyro Gearloose at the helm. Looking deeply into applied mathematics and the uncertain future.
Gilbert dug the 24\'x24\"x30\" holes at the corners of the rectangle in the rock hard black cotton soil. We shot all the levels, and then poured a nine inch reinforced foundation in each hole. Gilbert dug the 24\'x24\"x30\" holes at the corners of the rectangle in the rock hard black cotton soil. We shot all the levels, and then poured a nine inch reinforced foundation in each hole.
And tamped and agitated the concrete to help it settle around the suspended rebar. More on that in a bit. And tamped and agitated the concrete to help it settle around the suspended rebar. More on that in a bit.
Then took another round of levels. Then took another round of levels.
The rebar, Y8 and Y10, comes in forty foot long u-shaped lengths. You\'ll see them in the next picture. We straighten them in the Y of this acacia tree in front of Gilbert\'s house. The rebar, Y8 and Y10, comes in forty foot long u-shaped lengths. You\'ll see them in the next picture. We straighten them in the Y of this acacia tree in front of Gilbert\'s house.
We hacksaw it into the lengths we need and then bend it how we want it. We hacksaw it into the lengths we need and then bend it how we want it.
We make the medium sized bends on our lunch bench with four heavy duty nails pounded in it as fulcrums. We make the medium sized bends on our lunch bench with four heavy duty nails pounded in it as fulcrums.
The smaller bends are muscled with a piece of pipe\'s help, known to truckers as a \"cheater bar.\" The smaller bends are muscled with a piece of pipe\'s help, known to truckers as a \"cheater bar.\"
Some banding wire, and we have the foundation reinforcements, which we put in the middle of the nine inches of concrete we poured which the stones rest on. Some banding wire, and we have the foundation reinforcements, which we put in the middle of the nine inches of concrete we poured which the stones rest on.
The mason, \"Murafu\" (tall guy) shapes the chosen stones more to his liking. The mason, \"Murafu\" (tall guy) shapes the chosen stones more to his liking.
And sets them on the foundation, guided by his plumb bob and this squared off grid of string. And sets them on the foundation, guided by his plumb bob and this squared off grid of string.
Two of the bent pieces of Y8 rebar are put between each course for torsion stability. Two of the bent pieces of Y8 rebar are put between each course for torsion stability.
Gilbert mixing the concrete in our hi-tech facility. The proportions for the foundations are: 1-cement to 3-sand to 6-ballast (small stones). For the mortar between the stones it is: 1 cement to 4 sand. Gilbert mixing the concrete in our hi-tech facility. The proportions for the foundations are: 1-cement to 3-sand to 6-ballast (small stones). For the mortar between the stones it is: 1 cement to 4 sand.
A container full of cement to go with the four of sand on the plastic sheet. A container full of cement to go with the four of sand on the plastic sheet.
It\'s all pretty hard work, but, of course, some of the crew have their own ideas about how to pass a hot afternoon. It\'s all pretty hard work, but, of course, some of the crew have their own ideas about how to pass a hot afternoon.
After endless measuring and remeasuring we wound up with four columns just like this one. After endless measuring and remeasuring we wound up with four columns just like this one.
The other three were within a quarter inch of each other. This one for some reason was an inch and a half low. So we cut this piece of wood to that exact height and raised the level with concrete. The other three were within a quarter inch of each other. This one for some reason was an inch and a half low. So we cut this piece of wood to that exact height and raised the level with concrete.
Then leveled to the exact height of the other three. Then leveled to the exact height of the other three.
A thin, rough coat of watery concrete -plaster- finished off the pillars. In a week or so, when the weather permits, I will hire a truck to pick up the container we have bought and a crane here to place it on our very solid footings. A thin, rough coat of watery concrete -plaster- finished off the pillars. In a week or so, when the weather permits, I will hire a truck to pick up the container we have bought and a crane here to place it on our very solid footings.
The remainder of the load of quarried stone, the 12 tons of sand and the 10 tons of ballast. Our future building materials. The remainder of the load of quarried stone, the 12 tons of sand and the 10 tons of ballast. Our future building materials.

It’s not the pyramid of Giza or the Three Gorges dam (we already did that), but it is a safe, extremely level future home for our new/second hand container. And a very handy brush up of some old book learning.

For the beauty of unchanging theorems,

David

Comments(10)

  1. Pat Gustorf says
    April 22, 2008 at 2:52 pm

    Dave – What a great story!! I am going to show this to my Geometry class next week. I now have an answer to “when are we ever going to use this?”!!!

    Know all of you are in my thoughts and prayers. I so enjoy your updates and so appreciate all you are doing for so many…

    Love to you, Pat

  2. martin says
    April 22, 2008 at 8:21 pm

    classic sportscenter moment:

    clip of a shaq quote: “my game is like the pythagorean theorem — there is no answer.”

    dan patrick: “we didn’t have the heart to tell him the answer is c-squared.”

  3. Greg Traverso says
    April 22, 2008 at 11:51 pm

    Dave, to me this is a turning point with the website. It is a way for one to follow the progress of the building phase of the project in a very real way. I also really like the picture of the day captions with the date–it makes it come alive. Good on ya mate, cheers, Greg

  4. david says
    April 23, 2008 at 12:27 pm

    Pat,

    Yes, geometry in action! And it falls into the..”if he can do it, surely all of you can” category. Thanks for the prayers and thoughts. Douglas sent me China’s song from his new movie –terrific.

    Love to you and Jon and the kids,

    David

  5. david says
    April 23, 2008 at 12:30 pm

    Martin,

    Then I guess I’ll have to turn down Diesel’s request to come and help us build in the off-season, which unless they get it in gear, is going to start any day now.

    We all miss you,

    David

  6. david says
    April 23, 2008 at 12:33 pm

    Mista Gleg,

    Glad you can feel the goings on here in a different way on the website now. You, better than anyone, know the rhythm and hum of life here.

    Moving on,

    David

  7. Peggy says
    April 24, 2008 at 9:53 pm

    Pat beat me to it, but I was going to suggest this slide show be viewed in math classes all over the planet. We have to pass this on to teachers. I’ll do my part.

    What an excellent job you did with the story, showing the exercise of the brain muscle in addition to all of the others. I see that you put a strain on your brain — keys locked in the car with the motor running??!!

    Such good work, David
    We love you!

  8. Debi says
    April 29, 2008 at 6:28 pm

    Dave,

    That’s the cutest damn dog! And the puppy’s pretty good lookin, too.

    The blog is excellent, we’re going to steal the format for our blog. Then it can be from your blog to our blog, and so on.

    Love,
    Debi

  9. Janine & Migdalia says
    April 29, 2008 at 8:07 pm

    Hi David,

    I am not sure if you actually have the time to read all these responses BUT every little move you make and report makes the two of us jump of our seats and cheer! Gosh it must be hard having kids, hahaha! And I am not going to comment on the math … Keep up the good work. Say “Hi” to Gilbert and his wife. Also, could you write some about Mary and Joyce?

    Much love,
    Janine & Migdalia

  10. David says
    April 29, 2008 at 10:29 pm

    Hi Peggy,

    Yea, that geometry is taxing stuff. It’s even worse than I owned up to…my spare key was in my backpack, which was also locked in the cab of the truck. Good things there are so many guys around handy with a coat hanger (which we bought at a nearby kiosk for 10ks) who are always anxious to help.

    Thanks for the encouraging words and all your hard work, Peggy.

    Love,

    David

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