Bo's Blog

2011-12-03T04:26:00.001-08:00

Energy from The Sun.
   About Ten Years ago, I had the idea to make Tiles for the roof that were in fact solar cells, so the whole roof , or at least the sun facing side was a voltaic generator. Today my dream has come true, Voltaics on both the Workshop and the House it means we have finally closed the loop and our electric bikes are sustainable from the sun. also all the power we use from home( I work from Home mostly so I don't have to add to Road Pollution ) computers lights even heat to a small degree can come free.
   Next stage Daytime storage probably at 12volt ( its like economy 7 in reverse) so we can use computers, TV's ect at night. Lead acid batteries ( car Batteries ) to store the power and a simple inverter to run up to 240volt AC. Available from Maplins) In time most appliances will run at this or up to 36 volt as the roof panels produce direct current at 36 v The transformer that wastes 20% converting up to 240v ac will go.
   Whole streets could convert sharing the dividend and more importantly free power, it could see the end to the craving for Nuclear. Why aren't people shouting from the rooftops "We want solar Power", and why aren't the government publicising this ground breaking advance in renewable energy, possibly because the roots for this project reside with the previous administration. Or maybe as I suspect ,sour grapes,  they are going to cut the feed in tariff ( what you get for generating energy too the grid) on the 12 December from 43pence to 21 pence a swingeing cut which could decimate this burgeoning industry. Ring your local councillors now and help to reverse this ludicrous decision. Meanwhile its getting cold in my office I know I will put on my fan heater
after all its free now!

2011-11-14T10:26:00.001-08:00

Had a bumper crop of bookings come in, Christmas was looking like Scrooges pantry! 11 days in all more than enough. The Clown car has been out again it can go forward and back and it can go up slopes too something I was very worried about, the old petrol engine was very powerfull 850cc Mini and the new electric motor is no bigger than a dinner-plate. The Phnematics are a liitle problematic but I can't see why, so I am waiting for enlightenment. The sound sampler system is working just need a couple of bits from Maplins (keypads) and it will be working it matches the amplifer perfectly. all in all a good day.

2011-11-12T02:56:00.001-08:00

I remember when I started on my artistic career, I hate the term but can't deny that is what it is, I felt that my life should be the expression, and my Expression/product should be my life. This presupposes  that I managed to live a life worth expressing. With me so far, trouble is we get so bound up in expression that we forget the living bit. The Day to day., and possibly the enjoyment. Yesterday went to a Workshop on creativity in Education met lots of old friends and met some new ones also became more aware of what's happening out there in the big world, big investment in Head energy and I missed out on my making time in the workshop with my Frankenstein recreation of the Clown car. Got out of balance with myself.
   Just realised I used to write this sort of stuff in a diary, never felt the need to publish it but then I have nothing that is a secret so why not.
   Heard from Jackie in oz that they have formed a storytellers cafe on Skype, the more people that use Skype the better it will get as it uses a little bit of your CPU to live ( that's what I was told if its inaccurate let me know), I also was told yesterday that Skype is now owned by Microsoft?
To quote Spock, The Vulcan not the doctor "Live long and prosper"

2011-11-09T10:35:00.000-08:00

I got on one of my long term Hobby horse's today "The design stage" Started in school as your rough book, you scribbled down your ideas randomly crossed bits out Then the ultimate indignity you had to write it out neatly for the teacher to read and Mark! All the lost trails crossing outs meanders in mind space gone and with my handwriting I was lucky to get a B, I have always, well sometimes, regarded myself as A Plus material.
For years I did not write a thing, until computers came along, I love the ability to save multiple drafts ( the crossing outs ect) To move text around its more efficient. I can store it, and that nuisance that always breaks the pencil, and its friend the paper, poor dead tree! are gone. So when I make things I just start making them its what we do in a conversation its unique, the ideas that come along are seamlessly incorporated into the creation be it poem or Clown car. Trouble is not everyone thinks like this, writers in particular , The desire to organise and design seems to be sapping organisations energy things/ideas never seem to get past this design stage.

The Arts council for instance want all the artists to describe what they do before they do it even though a painting or a performance or even a talk on the phone would describe it better. We are obsessed with the design stage. "The more I do the more I want to do", I believe the Bard said something similar about something totaly differnt. Rant over
The Pic is Michelle transporting her new office Chair by bike from Gateshead to Newcastle look at all the abandoned cars!

2011-11-08T14:32:00.000-08:00

Just back from Badminton, won four games I must be on a roll, so far no one has visited my blog so I might be talking to myself, nothing changes! I still feel strangely up for this time of year, even though there is very little work about ( paid work that is Gigs) I am still up to my armpits in clown car entrails fitted the air-tank and most of the valves and pump wiring next. I love the process of building something seeing it come together and change this car is like Kafka's Metamorphosis its realising its change both in me and itself ( bit weird that but if you make things you know what I mean) This is the first time I have truly collaborated on a building project and it feels good

2011-11-07T04:50:00.000-08:00

Been to the Sage Gateshead for the free thinkers,festival saw James Wales Wikipedia man very interesting available on Podcast through BBC 3 also Susi Albright not sure of spelling and of course Germain Greer, doesn't she age well! My head felt numb I did not feel depressed as I usually do when confronted by such erudition.
I have been embarking on one of my biggest making projects so far, perhaps its success so far has buoyed me up from my usual winter sadness. The project is a complete rebuild of my petrol driven clown car taking out the engine and putting in an electric motor, also dumping all the hydraulics and using pneumatic s.
Surprise surprise, it works. totally silent. Malcolm, and I (Malcolm Berry of www.weirdmotors.com)
who I met at the Makers Fayre here in Newcastle, he is also converting an Austin Mini with a Fiberglass body (the car not Malcolm) to run on electricity. James from www.Sonodrome.co.uk is making a sound sampler using ardwino which I should get sometime this week! Exciting times
OOps Forgot to say a big thank you to all those helping me on this reinvention Bo.