Category Archives: Building

Final preparations for our trip [Photos] – Leaving this Friday / Saturday for Burning Man 2014!

We had a great work party last weekend with participants coming by the Berkeley CSO on both Saturday and Sunday. Our packing and organization is much better this year. A big THANK YOU of gratitude to all who have helped us get to Burning Man this year.

Here are some pictures of our recent preparations as we get ready to leave:

Photos by Gabriel and Mist-er.

Everyone is hard at work

Final Preparations in Full Swing!!!

We’ve been scrambling to finish last-minute planning, building, preparation and logistics for our trip out the Nevada desert.  We leave tomorrow for Reno, where some families from First Church of Christ, Scientist Reno will be hosting us Saturday night.  We’re planning on attending church on Sunday, answering questions and doing final shopping & prep, then leaving for the playa early Sunday morning, probably around 4am so we can arrive at sunrise.  THANK YOU to everyone who has been supporting our efforts, and we are welcoming online donations to help cover costs if you’re so inclined.  Our Prayer Watch calendar is filling up for the week, feel free to add your name and sign up for a slot.

Our 70% shade Aluminet cloth arrived!
Our 70% shade Aluminet cloth arrived!
Bought another Burner bike from Spoke Cyclery in Oakland
Bought another Burner bike from Spoke Cyclery in Oakland
Buying water containers - 55 gallon food-safe from Containers Unlimited in Hayward
Buying water containers – 55 gallon food-safe from Containers Unlimited in Hayward
Buying water containers - 55 gallon food-safe from Containers Unlimited in Hayward
Buying water containers – 55 gallon food-safe from Containers Unlimited in Hayward
Assembling materials and bikes
Assembling materials and bikes
Aluminet shade cloth
Aluminet shade cloth
Support wires for shade cloth
Support wires for shade cloth
Everyone is hard at work
Everyone is hard at work
More PVC for supporting the shade cloth
More PVC for supporting the shade cloth
Elwire for bikes!
Elwire for bikes!
Drilling holes for shade structure support pipes
Drilling holes for shade structure support pipes

Video of us testing our spinnaker shade cover at the Berkeley Marina — does it stand up to the wind?

We took our central shade column and spinnaker to the Berkeley Marina to test how it would all come together and hold up in the face of wind. We discovered that it was probably not going to work to use it.  Being designed to catch wind, it was hard to stabilize, and was very loud and noisy, not the environment we’re looking to create.  We may still install it on the playa as an art project though! 🙂

Reassembling the central shade structure
Reassembling the central shade structure
Laying out the spinnaker
Laying out the spinnaker
Guy lines and halyard for spinnaker
Guy lines and halyard for spinnaker
Yep, catching the wind!
Yep, catching the wind!

Heading home
Heading home

Working on central shade structure for Burning Man 2013

We did final construction / assembly for the central 6’x6′ x 12′ tall column for our shade structure today.

Evapotron progress!

Our initial attempts to cut the metal lath material we’re using for increasing surface area on our evapotron were not pretty — dull tin snips were not the right tool for that job.  Thankfully we were able to consult with Gabriel’s brother-in-law Mike, who runs a pre-fabrication shop in San Francisco, and he knew exactly what would be best to cut the material.  He also offered to make the cuts, which was a definite blessing.

Mike in the prefab shop
Mike in the prefab shop
Mike in the prefab shop
Mike in the prefab shop
Cutting the metal lath
Cutting the metal lath
Cutting the metal lath
Cutting the metal lath
Cutting the metal lath
Cutting the metal lath
Cutting the metal lath
Cutting the metal lath
Cutting the metal lath
Cutting the metal lath

Making progress with our Burning Man camp preparations: Tower of Shower and Evapotron!

Last night Julian, Grant, Gabriel and Amanda met at the Berkeley CSO to get some good work done on our camp preparations.  We worked on our shower structure (aka the “Tower of Shower”)  and an evapotron of our own design (to help evaporate used water at the camp).  We also got our 30′ dome actually ordered so it should be on its way soon!  It was a lot of fun and we’re really looking forward to the next 2 weeks of preparation before we drive out to the playa.  As always, we welcome your thoughts, prayers and good intentions!

Working on the frame for the shower
Working on the frame for the shower
Working on the frame for the shower
Working on the frame for the shower
Working on the frame for the shower
Working on the frame for the shower
Working on the frame for the shower
Working on the frame for the shower
First bit of the frame for the evapotron is complete!
First bit of the frame for the evapotron is complete!
Testing the load-capacity of the shower frame
Testing the load-capacity of the shower frame with a 3lb hammer.
Testing the load-capacity of the shower frame
Testing the load-capacity of the shower frame
Testing the load-capacity of the shower frame
Testing the load-capacity of the shower frame
Working on the frame for the evapotron
Working on the frame for the evapotron
Working on the frame for the evapotron
Working on the frame for the evapotron
Working on the frame for the evapotron
Working on the frame for the evapotron