Under my thumbs
My thumbs will requires some recovery time, after the project building this afternoon. Lacking a proper saw, I held the hacksaw blade (firmly) while I took my aluminum bar and turned it into two shorter pieces. Then, lacking a proper drill press, I used a small power drill to pierce the four holes required for my “idea”. After supper, I bent the first bar into a rough circle, using my thumbs for pressure, and finally I fastened the bolt assembly into place, using thumbs and pliers. Did I succeed? Yes. Is it as “pretty” as the commercial version? It’s all in the eye of the beholder, right? With experience, the 2.0 version will be a little less angular. And in the end, the design doesn’t discuss cosmetics: this is a coupling loop for an antenna, and RF goes wherever it pleases. I don’t have the ability to model the project, as would any university-trained engineer. I’m just making something for the fun of it.
Meanwhile, our basement renos are back on schedule. In this case, the contractor is better at this sort of thing than I am, and I am satisfied that he’s saving me from the 1.0 version of a household disaster. When it comes time to paint, I can probably handle the brush well enough to cover up some flat walls. The trim will be handled by someone with a sharper eye. And this time around (we are technically at version 1.5 of the renos, the doors will close and latch, with the nails driven all the way in and any shim stock trimmed to a minimum.
