Category Archives: Building things

Rejection, again!

Posted on June 27, 2024 by Brian Lawler

Chapter 3 – To read from the beginning of this saga, please click here. The rejections came, and quickly! Both the grading and building permit applications were incomplete. The county planners asked for more complete soils engineering plans. I contacted … Continue reading →

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Outright rejection!

Posted on June 25, 2024 by Brian Lawler

In the first installment of this story, I introduced my new shop building, and introduced you to the County Planning Department. They looked at my initial set of plans and threw them back at me. Too big, they said. I … Continue reading →

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I’m building a new shop!

Posted on June 23, 2024 by Brian Lawler

I have had a fabulous workshop in my friend Jim’s barn for the past 18 years. It’s the best workshop on earth, and I have enjoyed making things there. It has all of my tools in it, and it has … Continue reading →

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Rack one up to success!

Posted on April 29, 2024 by Brian Lawler

This is the third of a three-part post. To read the first part, please click here. To read the second part, please click here. I finished the bike rack clamps yesterday. I drilled and tapped the holes that needed threading, … Continue reading →

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A small, but fatal error in part positioning

Posted on April 24, 2024 by Brian Lawler

In my last post I discussed making parts to hold a rack on the back of my Superstrata carbon-fiber bicycle. To read Part 3 of these posts, click here. I have been machining those parts, and it has been a … Continue reading →

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Getting ready for Burning Man 2024

Posted on April 18, 2024 by Brian Lawler

This is part 1 of a 3-part post on machining aluminum parts for a bicycle. Click here to read Part 2. I have a gorgeous Superstrata electric-assist gravel bike. I bought it a couple of years ago (actually four years … Continue reading →

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Turning my new lathe into a really nice lathe

Posted on November 9, 2023 by Brian Lawler

My plan was to write about some graphic arts subjects. I attended two terrific events related to printing recently, and I will write about my experiences – soon. But instead, I want to write about my new lathe. I have … Continue reading →

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A long visit to the DMV
and traveling to Burning Man

Posted on August 22, 2023 by Brian Lawler

This is Part 4 of a series of stories about designing and building a trailer to hold a generator for Burning Man. To read the previous story, please click here. I had the trailer, minus its load, ready to be … Continue reading →

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A tale of trailer wiring

Posted on August 13, 2023 by Brian Lawler

This is Part 3 of a multi-part story about making a trailer for carrying a generator to Burning Man. To read the previous episode, please click here. The trailer is ready for licensing, so I have gathered the necessary paperwork, … Continue reading →

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Trailering the generator

Posted on July 28, 2023 by Brian Lawler

I left my detailed plans for the generator trailer with my friend Hank Van Gaale, who is the best welder in the universe. Then I flew to France, and went on to Switzerland and Germany for four weeks. While I … Continue reading →

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