Here Vatos
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Guess which one's our professional lunatic, I mean, advisor.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Socha Strikes Again!!!
Our ASCE Professional Advisor Matt Socha gives us a Sac Section plug, and writes up MidPac -- April 25th-26th by the way:
Here Vatos
.jpg)
Guess which one's our professional lunatic, I mean, advisor.
Here Vatos
Guess which one's our professional lunatic, I mean, advisor.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
SOUTHEAST!!!
Get ready to rumble in Orlando.
Southeastern Steel Bridgers are set to fly tomorrow at ole Brighthouse Stadium.
Among the interesting parties:
2008 NSSBC Host - Florida Gators
Southern Poly
North Florida
UCF
Tennessee
South Florida
Florida Tech
Florida International
Alabama-Huntsville
Alabama A & M
Embry-Riddle
FAMU/FSU (you need two schools to compete?)
Florida Atlantic
Georgia Southern
Tennessee Tech
Middle Tenn. State
Alabama
Miami
Puerto Rico, Mayaguez
Southern Alabama
Vandy
Should be a great conference, can't wait to hear who won what!
Southeastern Steel Bridgers are set to fly tomorrow at ole Brighthouse Stadium.
Among the interesting parties:
2008 NSSBC Host - Florida Gators
Southern Poly
North Florida
UCF
Tennessee
South Florida
Florida Tech
Florida International
Alabama-Huntsville
Alabama A & M
Embry-Riddle
FAMU/FSU (you need two schools to compete?)
Florida Atlantic
Georgia Southern
Tennessee Tech
Middle Tenn. State
Alabama
Miami
Puerto Rico, Mayaguez
Southern Alabama
Vandy
Should be a great conference, can't wait to hear who won what!
Let me tell you the time...
...about how I was so hungry I ate a bandaid.
The deck welding is coming along faster than expected, Saturday side assembly is still an attainable goal.
The deck welding is coming along faster than expected, Saturday side assembly is still an attainable goal.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Welcome to the Enterprise
WEDNESDAY APRIL 26TH WE GIVE THE INTERVIEW IN THE 1203 LAB.
The local Davis newspaper, the Davis Enterprise, has come out of the blue and are requesting interviews, pictures etc. for an upcoming feature article next Monday. Jessica and Chris will be around come Wednesday, but perhaps any Team members enjoying their time off too much could coordinate with Delicious to get in on the deal...
The local Davis newspaper, the Davis Enterprise, has come out of the blue and are requesting interviews, pictures etc. for an upcoming feature article next Monday. Jessica and Chris will be around come Wednesday, but perhaps any Team members enjoying their time off too much could coordinate with Delicious to get in on the deal...
Look for us!
Sunday, March 23, 2008
History of Badger Canoe
On YouTube, a beautiful piece of vid work covering Wisconsin Madison's rise to unprescidented Concrete Canoe success:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Friday, March 21, 2008
Captain's Log...
Oh snap! There's gonna be a logrollin' contest at MidPac!!!
By the way...CO's own Jeff Spiro came up with the idea...not bad for a dude from LA.
You'd think this would actually get Humboldt State to come to the Conference for once...maybe $tanfurd will come...hmm...
By the way...CO's own Jeff Spiro came up with the idea...not bad for a dude from LA.
You'd think this would actually get Humboldt State to come to the Conference for once...maybe $tanfurd will come...hmm...
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Early Notes to all MidPac Folk
Steel Bridge assembly will be held in the lower level of the Mondavi Center Parking Structure (ie no "damn thermal expansion!"). It's a pretty long structure, there's some natural light that will peak through, but in the event of cloudy weather we're prepared to bring in external lights and shine the ceiling so everybody can see just fine. There's a slight grade to the structure, and the floor is a kind of lightly textured concrete...IT ISN'T POLISHED, so don't worry about piers slipping all over the place like they did at Salt Lake City 2 years ago.
We'll have 2 loading stations with your basic dial gauges doing the measuring. As far as we know 2 weight sets will be there as well, one from Santa Clara, one from Chico...is this correct? Isn't there one from Big Sac as well? Oh well, There Will Be Libres.
Our shop will be open the night before the meeting and before the competition to make as many repairs or last minute MIG or TIG welds as is necessary. We've also got grinders, chisels, a shitty drill press and various fab tools to help you get everything ready. Feel free, if you're running a little behind, to come out and make it on time and use the shop if you need last minute things done before aesthetics judging.
From sources at UCD ASCE, the judging panel may be a little light, but the head judge knows her stuff, so there shouldn't be any major foul ups...so long as we...uh...triple check the scoring eh?
Hope all you in NorCal and Reno can make it, we're looking forward to having everybody on campus for a fun time win or lose!
Word of the warning...Davis cops are a bit stalkish at times, take it easy on the hooch in the Nalgene bottle...or at least, be VERY downlowsy about it.
Hoping the builds are coming to a close very soon!!!
Let's all get stoked in Davis!!!
We'll have 2 loading stations with your basic dial gauges doing the measuring. As far as we know 2 weight sets will be there as well, one from Santa Clara, one from Chico...is this correct? Isn't there one from Big Sac as well? Oh well, There Will Be Libres.
Our shop will be open the night before the meeting and before the competition to make as many repairs or last minute MIG or TIG welds as is necessary. We've also got grinders, chisels, a shitty drill press and various fab tools to help you get everything ready. Feel free, if you're running a little behind, to come out and make it on time and use the shop if you need last minute things done before aesthetics judging.
From sources at UCD ASCE, the judging panel may be a little light, but the head judge knows her stuff, so there shouldn't be any major foul ups...so long as we...uh...triple check the scoring eh?
Hope all you in NorCal and Reno can make it, we're looking forward to having everybody on campus for a fun time win or lose!
Word of the warning...Davis cops are a bit stalkish at times, take it easy on the hooch in the Nalgene bottle...or at least, be VERY downlowsy about it.
Hoping the builds are coming to a close very soon!!!
Let's all get stoked in Davis!!!
Monday, March 17, 2008
Green or Black Beer Sir?
Happy St. Paddy's Everybody!
(anybody who knows Éirinn, knows it's all about dancing leprechauns and pots of gold...that's why so many emigrated to Americay...hahaha...all fun just the same, DRINK UP!)
(anybody who knows Éirinn, knows it's all about dancing leprechauns and pots of gold...that's why so many emigrated to Americay...hahaha...all fun just the same, DRINK UP!)
Friday, March 14, 2008
Lateral Bracing
Double check yourself out there...with a top of deck height set around 2.5' you've got a lot of load relatively far off the ground. Check your bracing...it's not just about passing the lateral test...it's about surviving those 5,2 and 6,1 scenarios.
Keep those connections tight people!
Keep those connections tight people!
TIG Job
We've commenced the welding of the pins!!! They're shiteloads easier now that we've got a sweet aluminum jig made by the one and only Señorita Deliciosa. Cormac will burn the rest of those in today, and hopefully we'll finish up tigging the OT A.G.S. doves this afternoon as well. Direction is starting to come into play now, so let's make sure we remember that things are symmetrical with some pieces. Be careful, and do it right the first time laddie!
No meeting this weekend. Study hard for finals...it's like Warp Speed here at UC Davis...go go go!
No meeting this weekend. Study hard for finals...it's like Warp Speed here at UC Davis...go go go!
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Ecole
This has nothing to do with Steel Bridge, but L'École de Technologie Supérieure, on top of having quite the intricately fabricated Steel Bridge, also has, or has had, one of the most kick ass Mini-Baja crews in the land.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Did you just call me a jive turkey?
Since we are "Semi-Pro" fabricators we're always correcting the mini-mistakes as we go, but this time, things are going pretty damn well. The A.G.S. doves have broken ground, and all that's needed is a bit of an arc on the straight males. A new sort of double chucked pipe fuser in the Ag Shop is supposed to cut our TIG welding time by 500%...uh, so, HELL YES we're gonna give it a go so long as Tom Bell has got a few minutes.
OT welding is pretty much done...though we've got to weld on the bones and the A.G.S. doves into place when they're done, but the ties are all in, and we're seeing what the frame looks like up above. It looks hot, not like that crappy Paris Hilton hot, I mean like NASA re-entry hot, we're talking fireballs people. Jeff continues to push himself and the assemblies are flying together everyday, cutting precious seconds with each batch of runs. It is encouraged to all potential Assembly Team members to come in, if only for 30 minutes, get some assemblies and practice. It's a great stress reliever, and it will help you retain skills better rather than coming out only on Saturday for 3 hours. Good luck with the upcoming finals week, hopefully we'll be nearing completion on the tail-end of it. Get ready to rumble!
...
Love me Sexy!
Monday, March 10, 2008
Practice!
Great job everybody on Saturday...practice only makes you faster, and it's showing. High five to Jeff for coming in on Sunday to get some extra assembly work in, he's already cut his yard time by roughly 150%. Well done! Alright Chrolympians...it's another week of Tiggin' and Millin'. Let's get it done.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
A connection is made!!!
We've got our first working slip fit OT connection. We'll have to see how we bolt it to alleviate the 1/32" hinging on the one side, but 75% of them are Rock Solid...not stealing your ole' thunder UW boat crew.
Friday, March 07, 2008
A great week...so far!!!
While tomorrow's shop and practice runs should seal up another great week...we had a great workweek as well. Cormac was fusing like gangbusters all week, and with a little help from Daret this morning, the OT and it's special sections are completely TIGged. The Bridge is starting to look like NASA's own, Gene Krantz would be so proud.
We're running out of things to precision mill, which usually only means one thing: We need to finish all the hard precision milling on the fancy connections. This Bridge is ack-basswards compared to what we've done before, so it's like working in reverse of the reverse. The hardest connections...aka the A.G.S. dovey dove doves are going last, but it's all good. Now that we're practiced up in the Student Shop, the hardest stuff is coming at the right time.
This next week, we'll make sure that everything is in order for the DK Tigging...the welds are small, but the alignment needs to be money or will be leaning like a cholo. Hopefully Cormac nurses his sore throat for next week, because we've also got a fixa' dealie bobber to do on the center 4 CD's...Designer Estupido!!!
No worries. Keep on hoppin' mates, and don't let any bringer downers deter you from the task at hand!
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Minnesota Media
Little news blurb here that aired before the Midwest Regional. Great job Gophers. The stiffness was there!
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Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Sound the Siren!!!
Wisconsin is off and running!!! If they're even half as good on the assembly site as they were last year, we'll all be on the chase. Nice job Bucky!
http://www.engr.wisc.edu/studentorgs/bridge/
http://www.engr.wisc.edu/studentorgs/bridge/
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Latest Intelligence...
With our new found pot of gold, a.k.a. Cormac McHugh, doing some TIG welding now while Daret nurses his sore-arse back, we're about 60% done with the fine tuned welding on the OT.
...Construction practice has officially commenced, and with the results from the Midwest sizzling in our noggins, it's only fuel for the fire ahead. We'll continue to finish up cnxn projects this week, and shoot to finish all OT welding by Saturday night...along with perhaps...all DK cnxn welding.
...
Tonight we're having a film day...mainly watching NDSU, Iowa State, Minnesota and SDSU from the Midwest Regional, but also some film from 2007. Looks like we're on track for the finish date of Jolly St. Patrick, but one extra week won't kill us to get it all right...if only winter finals weren't scheduled on that extra week, dammit!!!
Monday, March 03, 2008
Next on the List...
It looks like The Southeast Conference, which is huge, will have the Steel Bridge World all to themselves for one weekend at the end of March.
Details here on the UCF/Florida Tech joint hosting of the Southeast ASCE Regional Conference:
http://www.2008sesc.com/
From this conference, 2008 NSSBC Host the Florida Gators will look to improve on their 12th Place finish at Northridge. Inventive, aggressive, and always quick on the assembly, Southern Poly will also look to knock off the Gators in Orlando. North Florida, Tennessee and Tennessee Tech will also be in the mix. Other schools who may turn some heads include South Florida, Florida Tech, UCF, all the Alabama schools, Auburn, Vandy, FIU, and Southern University. Should be a great event to watch. Don't think Matt will make this one, though tix to Orlando are cheaper than Cedar Rapids, IA....of which, the flights got cancelled anyway. Dude, not much driving either...well, we'll see. Be on the look for the Chrome Ollie hat in O'do.
Details here on the UCF/Florida Tech joint hosting of the Southeast ASCE Regional Conference:
http://www.2008sesc.com/
From this conference, 2008 NSSBC Host the Florida Gators will look to improve on their 12th Place finish at Northridge. Inventive, aggressive, and always quick on the assembly, Southern Poly will also look to knock off the Gators in Orlando. North Florida, Tennessee and Tennessee Tech will also be in the mix. Other schools who may turn some heads include South Florida, Florida Tech, UCF, all the Alabama schools, Auburn, Vandy, FIU, and Southern University. Should be a great event to watch. Don't think Matt will make this one, though tix to Orlando are cheaper than Cedar Rapids, IA....of which, the flights got cancelled anyway. Dude, not much driving either...well, we'll see. Be on the look for the Chrome Ollie hat in O'do.
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Midwest
From the "Cookie Monster"...(wtf am I called around the lab now Jess?)
"What's up y'all. Okay, so the Midwest was le intersting. A lot of great bridges, but man, did we see some pain and agony as well. What was it, like 4 or 5 bridges couldn't stand the load? 2 collapsed: South Dakota State, and Lakehead, yes, the Thunderwolves will not be in the NSSBC for the first time in 10 years. Watch that friggin' torsion people, and truss buckling...it's shredding all non-hackers who don't pack the analytical gear to serve at the 2008 NSSBC...don't get too skimpy laterally!!! However, don't go overboard either unless you're playing the lightness card (Longhorns this could mean you - Hook 'em up at Gainesville). I reckon the Rules committee had this in mind after seeing last year's, uh, questionable lateral bracing scenarios, same, somewhat in 2006 and 2005...though loadings change.
Top 3 were as follows:
1. North Dakota State -- getting old guys, Fahrvegnügen, just be normal for a change and slack off like the rest of us engineering students who are too good at math, and too shitty at writing to warrant any other kind of degree...C's make degrees fellas...but in all seriousness, the Bison are young, and they showed enormous nerve and resolve having to follow the impressive run by the Cyclones. Great job guys (and gal?). Don't make me whip out the Sausage Factory award for you dudes in Gainesville! The two weeks of practice time really showed, great job working the assemblies. ;-)
2. Iowa State -- had a great time, no idea on the structual numbers, but they did incorporate a lot of doves in the Bridge (pleeeease credit Penn State todos, we stole it from them way back when) and the practice and preparation showed as they drew first blood on the Assembly Site. Very good showing following a pretty imprecise regional Purete de Acero in 2007. But...why paint it dark green flake? is it a Christmas thang?
3. University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (no penalty for bad name woo hoo!) -- first in stiffness, but took a little bit too long on the assembly, but kudos for the huevos to not put any builders on the long side...YES, it is possible to assembly with 4 builders, but put some wingspans at barge, and detail your pier to truss/beam/pier-lat cnxns properly, if you want to see if it works...I'd suggest the ex-basketball playing Civils (or MechE's, don't be closed minded, it has always worked like Expelliarmus for us) in the program, or any freaks of nature (a.k.a. pain loving goths) who've survived the Braveheart rack.
No word on the rest of the finishings exactly, but UW-Platteville (still sporting the Wisconsin State Pen jumpsuits), SDSU, Lakehead, Minnesota State-Mankato and the host University of Iowa all failed load tests, either laterally or vertically...duh. The Fighting Sioux of The University of North Dakota did not fail, however, as they were quietly dubbed "El Puente Pequeño que Puede". UND had a very simple bridge, straight out of a statics text book, but the sucker held just fine, so good job there...unfortunately when you come to Davis to play us next fall on the gridiron, you well get your asses handed to you in all the ways that aren't pleasant. 14-2 in 2001 is still sticking in our craw, die Sioux die, just the white people, not the Native Americans, they're all cool with us. Good job though UND, it wasn't an easy load scenario.
Exact numbers won't be detailedd here, mainly, 'cause I quite frankly don't know them exactly, but NDSU and Iowa State put up good times, they'll be pretty fast come Nationals, but, thinking about it, with 2 barges in the mix, everybody with enough preparation and creativity will be able to get a good time -- maybe faster than you thought possible, so get crazy with the Cheez Whiz and get on that shizzle.
Top 10 Random thoughts on the trip to Iowa City:
1. Tighten that bolt NDSU...that's the stiffness problemo right there! Wtf "Professor"?
2. There's a prototypical Iowa Highway Patrolmen just outside of Iowa City waiting for a lifetime Hollywood gig as the essential crewcut, clearheaded IHP cop...74 in a 70? Dude, seriously...the warning wasn't worth yo time, especially with no visable ice on the road for 230 miles. Beeyatch! But seriously,...fark off and be glad I wasn't doing the typical 85 I'd do in Cali.
3. The California Aggies should've yelled Byaaaaaaaah! following their 2007 run.
4. Uhhhhh...it may be cheap to sleep in the rental car from midnight to 6 am in Iowa City...but not recommended, as my huevos are still recovering from frost bite, and not the kind from a cold hearted woman.
5. It's okay to talk to Californians, even if our society is a little bit completely upside down from the Midwest. We're just crazy on the outside...and don't mean no harm, 'cause we're country boys and girls at heart gettin' down on the Farm!!!
6. Iowa City has less cows and way more steakhouses than Davis...friggin' hippies!
7. Don't find yourself on a semi-broke streak and travel halfway across the country...only to find your flight to Cedar Rapids cancelled because of this thing called weather...
8. In the land of cute Asian, Polynesian, and Indian chicas here in Davis, it's refreshing to know that cute white chicks (non-psychos) are still in the mix...at least somewhere.
9. It's just a stupid Steel Bridge, don't be nervous, but please, prepare yourselves.
10. When in Iowa, stop by the Kum and Go. Chatsworth would be so proud!
(this list and blog entry was written under the power of Icehouse/King Cobra ---please pardon the Bush-Speak)."
"What's up y'all. Okay, so the Midwest was le intersting. A lot of great bridges, but man, did we see some pain and agony as well. What was it, like 4 or 5 bridges couldn't stand the load? 2 collapsed: South Dakota State, and Lakehead, yes, the Thunderwolves will not be in the NSSBC for the first time in 10 years. Watch that friggin' torsion people, and truss buckling...it's shredding all non-hackers who don't pack the analytical gear to serve at the 2008 NSSBC...don't get too skimpy laterally!!! However, don't go overboard either unless you're playing the lightness card (Longhorns this could mean you - Hook 'em up at Gainesville). I reckon the Rules committee had this in mind after seeing last year's, uh, questionable lateral bracing scenarios, same, somewhat in 2006 and 2005...though loadings change.
Top 3 were as follows:
1. North Dakota State -- getting old guys, Fahrvegnügen, just be normal for a change and slack off like the rest of us engineering students who are too good at math, and too shitty at writing to warrant any other kind of degree...C's make degrees fellas...but in all seriousness, the Bison are young, and they showed enormous nerve and resolve having to follow the impressive run by the Cyclones. Great job guys (and gal?). Don't make me whip out the Sausage Factory award for you dudes in Gainesville! The two weeks of practice time really showed, great job working the assemblies. ;-)
2. Iowa State -- had a great time, no idea on the structual numbers, but they did incorporate a lot of doves in the Bridge (pleeeease credit Penn State todos, we stole it from them way back when) and the practice and preparation showed as they drew first blood on the Assembly Site. Very good showing following a pretty imprecise regional Purete de Acero in 2007. But...why paint it dark green flake? is it a Christmas thang?
3. University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (no penalty for bad name woo hoo!) -- first in stiffness, but took a little bit too long on the assembly, but kudos for the huevos to not put any builders on the long side...YES, it is possible to assembly with 4 builders, but put some wingspans at barge, and detail your pier to truss/beam/pier-lat cnxns properly, if you want to see if it works...I'd suggest the ex-basketball playing Civils (or MechE's, don't be closed minded, it has always worked like Expelliarmus for us) in the program, or any freaks of nature (a.k.a. pain loving goths) who've survived the Braveheart rack.
No word on the rest of the finishings exactly, but UW-Platteville (still sporting the Wisconsin State Pen jumpsuits), SDSU, Lakehead, Minnesota State-Mankato and the host University of Iowa all failed load tests, either laterally or vertically...duh. The Fighting Sioux of The University of North Dakota did not fail, however, as they were quietly dubbed "El Puente Pequeño que Puede". UND had a very simple bridge, straight out of a statics text book, but the sucker held just fine, so good job there...unfortunately when you come to Davis to play us next fall on the gridiron, you well get your asses handed to you in all the ways that aren't pleasant. 14-2 in 2001 is still sticking in our craw, die Sioux die, just the white people, not the Native Americans, they're all cool with us. Good job though UND, it wasn't an easy load scenario.
Exact numbers won't be detailedd here, mainly, 'cause I quite frankly don't know them exactly, but NDSU and Iowa State put up good times, they'll be pretty fast come Nationals, but, thinking about it, with 2 barges in the mix, everybody with enough preparation and creativity will be able to get a good time -- maybe faster than you thought possible, so get crazy with the Cheez Whiz and get on that shizzle.
Top 10 Random thoughts on the trip to Iowa City:
1. Tighten that bolt NDSU...that's the stiffness problemo right there! Wtf "Professor"?
2. There's a prototypical Iowa Highway Patrolmen just outside of Iowa City waiting for a lifetime Hollywood gig as the essential crewcut, clearheaded IHP cop...74 in a 70? Dude, seriously...the warning wasn't worth yo time, especially with no visable ice on the road for 230 miles. Beeyatch! But seriously,...fark off and be glad I wasn't doing the typical 85 I'd do in Cali.
3. The California Aggies should've yelled Byaaaaaaaah! following their 2007 run.
4. Uhhhhh...it may be cheap to sleep in the rental car from midnight to 6 am in Iowa City...but not recommended, as my huevos are still recovering from frost bite, and not the kind from a cold hearted woman.
5. It's okay to talk to Californians, even if our society is a little bit completely upside down from the Midwest. We're just crazy on the outside...and don't mean no harm, 'cause we're country boys and girls at heart gettin' down on the Farm!!!
6. Iowa City has less cows and way more steakhouses than Davis...friggin' hippies!
7. Don't find yourself on a semi-broke streak and travel halfway across the country...only to find your flight to Cedar Rapids cancelled because of this thing called weather...
8. In the land of cute Asian, Polynesian, and Indian chicas here in Davis, it's refreshing to know that cute white chicks (non-psychos) are still in the mix...at least somewhere.
9. It's just a stupid Steel Bridge, don't be nervous, but please, prepare yourselves.
10. When in Iowa, stop by the Kum and Go. Chatsworth would be so proud!
(this list and blog entry was written under the power of Icehouse/King Cobra ---please pardon the Bush-Speak)."
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