Brianna Log

This is a log tracking my (Brianna Kufa's) progress at Factor E Farm

Current Progress

 * I have completed 1 CEB, although it hasn't been tested with bricks yet.
 * I erected the other 3 CEB's and as far as metal goes, they just require the hopper, grate, shaker motors, and secondary cylinders to be installed.

Plans For the Near Future

 * Finish all of the metalwork on the remaining presses

Completed

 * Leg Holders
 * CEB Tools- Still needs tools for electrical.
 * Soil loading drawer
 * Roller guides-Thanks Chris
 * Feet

In Progress

 * Primary arms-Instructions current, need more photos.
 * Arms - secondary-Needs diagrams.
 * Frame with main cylinder - Instructions begun, need to be finished, needs diagrams and photos.

Other

 * Three Point Adapter Quick Attach
 * Life Track Trailer Ball Quick Attach

September 8, 2011
The final supper: 

September 5, 2011
Although I did not update my log in the past week, I've accomplished a lot. Last week I:
 * Made all of the shaker motors for the CEBs
 * Prepared the hoppers for erection by welding up the hinge plates, punching holes in the side pieces, and bolting the two together
 * Installed all of the drawers
 * Made and installed the plates for the controller holder, and valve holders.
 * I fixed the press foot with the broken bolt.
 * I am in the middle of making the hopper and grate supports.
 * I welded the nuts for the grate mounts in place.
 * I welded up the gap at the top of the spacers.
 * I cut and punched a bunch of plates for the Power Cubes.

I leave FeF tomorrow, and before doing so, I plan on having all of the hoppers and grates erected on the remaining 3 CEBs.
 * I plan on finishing all of the wiki instructionals within the next month
 * I plan on helping my grandfather make a proposal for the ironworker, and work with him on figuring out the other details for that and the well rig.
 * I plan on researching how to adapt CEB building to withstand earthquakes
 * I plan on becoming a project manager for one of the mechanical GVCS pieces.

I did not update the wiki at all this week due to all of the long hours. Things that I messed up originally and needed to fix were:
 * I messed up the press feet and had to weld bead on the side to fix it. On one of them, I installed it with a messed up bolt and had to fix it out and rethread the bolt.
 * I needed to fill in the gap at the top of the compression chamber on the spacers.
 * I did not make the shaker motors as efficiently as I could have, so it took much longer than it ought to have. I figured out more efficient processes which I will be posting on the wiki.
 * I mounted some of the sensor holders too high, so had to weld extensions onto them.

August 30, 2011

 * I finished welding the press feet and installed them. One of them had a busted bolt and still needs to be removed again and fixed.
 * I welded the leg holders to the frame that was messed up.

 Power Cube Welding from Open Source Ecology on Vimeo.
 * Welded 5 Power Cube frames, 45 minutes each:



August 29, 2011

 * I made the grate mounts for the CEBs.
 * I began removing the press feet because they were not large enough. I started welding extra beads onto them to bulk them up.
 * I made and mounted the brickholder plates and dirt holder plates
 * I installed one drawer.

August 28, 2011
 Brianna - Dedicated Project Visit from Open Source Ecology</a> on Vimeo</a>.
 * Completed 4 CEB frames:
 * I erected all of the remaining frames.

August 27, 2011

 * I finished the remaining arms and legs
 * I helped move all of the frames, arms, legs, and drawers to the outside workspace and started erecting the frames.

August 26, 2011

 * I put the finishing touches on the fourth and final frame.
 * I stretched the frame.
 * I fitted the drawer
 * I tightened all those nuts and bolts.
 * I cut all of the angle for the arms, and marked the hole locations. I also torched the holes in the primary arms.
 * I worked on the shaker motor for Marcin. [[Image:shaker1.jpg|thumb|The shaker motor mount]]
 * I added rebar supports to the mount.
 * I wrestled with the drill press for an hour or so trying to make the coupler hole thru the shaker rod. Turned out the bolt on the shaft was a grade 8 bolt and is therefore undrillable.
 * I continued working on the frame instructions.

August 25, 2011

 * I helped shonda do fancy math! Used statics to determine stress on each bearing to determine max load and fatigue.
 * I continued working on the frame, finishing all torching and welding, leaving only stretching the cylinder and tightening all the nuts and bolts.
 * I fitted the cylinder
 * I made all the sensor and magnet holders, torched holes and welded nuts for them in the proper locations.
 * I made all of the cylinder spacers
 * I shot a couple instructional videos for the wiki on squaring and fitting the cylinder.
 * I went with chris to Orchelns to get supplies. We got nuts and bolts, threaded rod, thread tape, chalk, sawblades and more.

August 24, 2011

 * I continued working on the frame.
 * I mag drilled all of the holes for the crossmembers, drawer members, and cylinder supports
 * I cut materials for the cylinder supports and prepared by punching them.
 * I cut the spacers and began welding them.
 * I finished preparing the cylinder by making the press foot and squaring it with the cylinder.

August 23, 2011

 * I finished the Soil loading drawer wiki page by updating the instructions and adding many photos.
 * I prepared the Frame with main cylinder to be assembled by grinding off and smoothing out all of the cuts, punching the holes in all of the crossmembers, and clamping the verticals to the jig. The holes were ready to be mag-drilled first thing in the morning.
 * I didn't make as much progress as hoped on the frame, as I woke up really late from working so late the night before.
 * I helped Marcin move the first CEB into the new workspace.

August 22, 2011



 * I welded the quick attach back to the box blade, as it had broken.
 * I completed the drawer on the 4th CEB.
 * I stayed up till 5am with Marcin finishing the roof on the new structure.

August 21, 2011
Today I started the log and recorded what I've done here in the past couple of days.
 * I updated the Soil loading drawer page fabrication instructions to make it the most modern version.
 * I began the Frame with main cylinder fabrication steps on the wiki.
 * I added the coupler on the shaker motor on the first shaker motor.
 * I I finished the remaining Leg Holders.
 * I prepared all of the cuts for the drawer.

August 20, 2011

 * I finished welding the cylinder to the press foot on the back side. [[Image:millshedip.jpg|400px|right| The Millshed in progress]]
 * I began making the Soil loading drawer for the 4th press. This proved to be a little frustrating as the metal we ordered all was about an inch longer than how we ordered it, so I had to make nearly twice as many cuts to prepare them.
 * I helped Marcin raise the roof for the new workplace. We stayed up till 4am raising it inch by inch with a farm jack. We screwed in tall 2x4's to hold it in place as we were lifting it.

August 19, 2011

 * I finished the two frame/cylinder components of two of the 4 CEB presses I am building [[Image:Meandceb.jpg|thumb|right|350px|Me with the 2 ready to assemble ones, and the third, already assembled one in the background]]. These are ready to be erected (meaning adding arms, legs, hopper assemblies).
 * I began welding the cylinder to the press foot on the fourth CEB. See Frame with main cylinder. I took some time to square it up perfectly, so that the plate is perpendicular to the cylinder in all directions.

August 15, 2011

 * I made the Life Track Trailer Ball Quick Attach.[[Image:ballattached.jpg|thumb|200px|The Trailer Ball Quick Attach]]
 * I finished attaching the Three Point Adapter Quick Attach.