i studied physics as an undergrad and a grad student for roughly eight years. during this time and as a result of this study, i picked up a number of skills that i would have looked down on as a snot-nosed kid who thought he was going to develop a grand unification theory. in grad school, i learned some physics, but i also learned a bit of machining, plumbing, dc and rf electrical work, repairing vacuum systems and handling cryogenics. this is nothing unusual -- most experimental physics students need to pick up these skills to be successful. i, however, left grad school before finishing my ph.d. i realized it would be nearly impossible to keep my mind occupied with what was happenning in the world of experimental condensed matter physics, but what about the other skills i'd acquired?
let's see... i need a machine shop to do machining, and i am planning on acquiring one from the folks at smithy. this, however, is going to take some time and money, so i'm not machining anything -- other than with a dremel -- right now. electrical fun? this again is a future project. i'd like to get some photovoltaics and a fuel cell for powering the abode, and thus curtail my share of dumping pollutants and greenhouse gases into the air. this, unfortunately, depends on local codes which i need to look into and, once again, money. vacuum systems and cryogenics? well, once i get the machine shop... so we see how all that will hopefully develop in the future.
but what about plumbing? let me clarify, first. by plumbing, i mean joining metal pipe to metal pipe and not having it leak. anyone can work with pvc, but i wouldn't try holding cryogens with it. i didn't learn to weld, which i regret, but i did learn to solder (sort of -- please don't go hunt down my advisors and ask about my early attempts). this was something that was accessible. go to a hardware store, buy a torch and flux and solder and... waste a bunch of rather expensive piping just to stay in practice?
there had to be a less frivolous way to do this. fortunately, we live in an area where there's been a great deal of construction over the past year. it's amazing how much copper would just be discarded from construction sites in the way of wires and bits of leftover tubing. so i started paying attention to when the wiring would go into local houses. after the electricians were done, there was a treasure trove of pieces of wire too short for construction work, but perfect for fucking around with the torch to make...
well, you'll see...
the first piece i did, though, was a pair of hands that i did actually purchase the materials for, instead of imitating one of the hundreds of turkey vultures that hang out in our neighborhood. this is a bad place to be roadkill, if you don't want to get eaten. i had a very specific idea for them well ahead of time, instead of going with whatever kicked me in the nuts before i walked into the garage...
so the list below will start with the hands. i'm sure more will be added -- i still have lots of copper wire left.
