Deck Work

Carousel 2 and 3 production in San Rafael

Hola Numies!

Work weekends have become work weeks and we accomplished so much this week, I'm tempted to say with some confidence that we will actually be bringing our project out to BRC in good shape. To everyone who worked this week, excellent job!

Tues - Thursday: all the deck panels were cut, more Cars were built by John and Jenny, Buddah, the devil, praying hands. Planning for the August 2nd fund raiser, Kevin fixed Buf's laptop and removed a virus, (we'll be wired on the playa), Tim Black got our sound cards, Shane came over and measured the carousel.

Friday: Car production at the Bird's Nest.

Saturday: Jenny, Susan and Julia painted and decorated cars (furry bunny haunches!) at the Bird's Nest. Shane, Shekky and John went to Alco and got the rest of the iron for Carousels #2 and #3!

Kevin came over and we all spent the day cutting all the spokes, rafter and kickers, stripping the axles and welding axles to the steel frame. We have one more full day of welding and drilling to have the carousels ready!

Tim worked on the Tower in Hayward.

Sunday: Shane and Julia picked up more bikes, wood and hardware in SR and worked on the Carousels. Kevin and Jen found bikes and gears in the East Bay. We had a large crew at the Bird's Nest and we finished painting the deck and worked on the cars. It was a great day with Cheryl and Chris (Cheryl brought over an amazing art cake!), Sheryl, Barb, Mom and Max, Jennifer and Chad.

Production, cars and the Carousel

Brian and Bre!

Yet another amazing weekend o' work just commenced folks.

Thursday: John worked on some roof panels and put together the middle 1 foot panels. He also figured out the concept for the mecha. John and Jenny also cut out the devil and buddah car pieces.

Friday: John and Jenny built the Goddess Fertility car and a Death car. Jenny worked on the panels.

Saturday: Katherine put together the fliers for the August Fundraiser. Buf, John, Julia and Shane painted most of the deck panels. The Giants lost to the hated Padres. Kevin took Buf's computer for readying for the playa and three deep cells for cleaning and testing, he'll do this stuff at home. Shane and Julia brought over bikes and we have a connection for all the car bikes! We still need 7 bikes for the mecha panels.

Brian and Bre came by and we had a great party and showed people the cars and panels and a good time was had by all. We ended up going to sleep around 2.

Sunday: Home Depot Run. Shane and John finished cutting the deck panels and finished the first car deck panel. Buf painted more deck panels. Jenny and Julia worked on mojo bags and painted the middle panels. Barb, Jennine, Carol and Max the dog came over and did some serious paper mache on the rabbit car.

We're in OK shape. Next weekend, John and Shane are going to Alco to get the iron and rotary connector stuff for the last two carousels. We hope to have all the pieces fabricated in two weeks for the last two carousels and the 6 queen's posts. Those days will be in sunny San Rafael. Man it was cold out here this weekend. We can use at least one other person for 3 days worth of work in San Rafael.

On the art font, we have most of the paper mache done now and we hope to begin working on the sculpted cars this week.

There is tons of painting to do now. We need 8 foot 2x4s desperately. Please see if you have any laying around or, if you're driving and you see scrap, grab it. Also, we need those other 10 speed or mountain bikes for the mecha.

Finally Prom Pics!

Tim Working on the Tower Base!

Mark and Fowler came over and drank beer! Mark also figured out some calculations and brought his dog.

More Pics, Flambe and workday

Tecgirl's Flambe Pics

Heather Gallagher AKA CameraGirl

Once again, we got a LOT of work done. Wow, thanks everyone for coming. We will be having work weekends for the next 6 weeks to get everything finished.

Friday: Tim and Jenny took 4 of the panels over Crucible Steel in Oakland and installed them for the Flambe Lounge.

Saturday: Shekky FINISHED the car frames. We have all 12 frames now and 6 of them have sculpture on them. Chip came over and shot some excellent footage of everyone working. Buf painted the inside roof panels black, Kevin cut up a huge awning I got from the Laundry. We'll use these pieces of metal to construct the frames for the mechanical wheels. Susan, Katherine and Jennifer worked on paper mache for the cars. Allison also came over and helped us with the cars. Julia sewed mojo bags. Jenny worked on all the art stuff. Shane and Tim figured out and put together the ROOF. John started on the middle 1 foot panels and just hung out ;-)

Saturday night we went to the Flambe Lounge and the Panels were a HUGE hit! People are entirely stoked about the carousels. We *might* have a couple photos to post from that also.

Sunday : Jenny and Julia picked up the Panels from Oakland, Fir came over and made wings for the angel car and painted some of the middle panels. Chris and Sheryl stopped by and dropped off some paint. John and Shane figured out and installed the DECK for the carousels. We now have the roof and deck templates and can finish this stuff quickly.

Monday : Seth is hard working on the clean up plan to be turned in tomorrow. John will finish the fire plan, camp layout and time line for project construction on the playa and we'll send this stuff to Crimson Rose tomorrow. I *think* we'll make it, Another great weekend of work will really make us feel like we're getting close.

This week John will finish all 12 of the middle panels. Jenny will work on the main panels and cars. Susan is coming over on Thursday to work on the cars and Shane will be coming by to finish the deck panels for the rest of the carousels. If anyone would like to stop by to work during the week, just send us an email. There is PLENTY of work to get done.

Fire Cannon

Pictures of the Carousel and of the panels in progress.

GREAT weekend of accomplishments, a precursor to the work to COME as well move into high gear.

Friday: The Prom Party was great fun. There was drinking, there was 80's music and the Down Low Rocked. Good Times were had by all.

Saturday: John, Jenny and Shekky worked on the CARS - there are 8 frames built and sculpture is being done on them. It was a glorious day in the Sunset sunny enough to get sunburnt. Shekky churns out the car frames like a man possessed.

Sunday: John and T Black (voices of fire) discussed the sound events. Chris and Chip will be working on this with us. Fir and John went to Home Depot and purchased supplies and picked up a ladder from Shekky's house so we can work on the roof of the carousel. Fir and Jenny worked on the cars. Shane and Julia stopped by and John and Shane worked on the under carriage, setup on the playa plans and cars while Jenny, Julia and Fir put primer on panels and worked on the cars.

We also had random people stopping by since we were out in the front and John, Jenny and Shane gave tours to at least 7 people interested in the project. It was really cool to show them what we're doing. Art in the Sunset, who would have guessed?

We gear up in two weeks for the serous push. We have 8 weekends left to finish the project. We can do it, but it will require a lot of work from everyone. Now is the time to rally people.

Tim hard at work on the Tower! Last couple weeks.

Unfucking believable. We kicked ass this weekend people.

Friday: Jenny and John finished a prototype of the first car. It is a two headed Dog Sarcophagus that the Tibetan Buddhists use. Thanks for letting us borrow the books Sheryl and Barb!

Saturday: So much completed. 3 Car frames by none other than Shekky (the Nightstalker). They're going to be an Angel, Ra, and an Alien. Jenny did paper mache on the Dog car. Our garage is a full production zone. Kevin also came over with Ash and we went to Home Depot to pick up all the wood we think we need for the Cars.

Sunday: Whoo Hooo! We made our deadline. Kevin came over and made a car frame. This will be a Devil Car. Shane and Julia brought over wood for the last 4 panels and Shane and John FINISHED the carousel steel! We right now have a 15 foot wide, 18 foot tall carousel that is turning in our back yard, pushed along by the gentle ocean breeze. Jenny and Julia also began paper mache on the Alien and Angel cars.

Sunday: John and Jenny picked up Car materials and began Car prototype

Saturday: Meeting and Carousel #1 setup in the back yard at the Bird's Nest

Wednesday - Friday: Tim worked on the Tower and Picked up angle Iron from Aclo.

Thursday: John and Kevin figured out the car undercarriage design. Bikes will be cut and attached to two spokes, with the tire being beneath the car seat for maximum friction (to make the thing spin). It was decided that Shekky will be responsible for taking the bikes apart, hack sawing the rear structure and getting to the bikes to SR. Thanks Shekky!

Saturday: The "Work Party" was a bust. The weather was terrible and most people were out of town for the weekend. Sheryl, Barb and Buf brought Shekky's wood over and we stacked it in the back yard. We had a very good discussion about the camp and jobs with them. Sheryl and Barb have access to a truck and John is giving them some jobs that relate to the camp and the art project.

Saturday: John met with Chris about sound events. Chris has some great ideas on how to do this that involve a music source and a 12 channel mixer always being powered on, but only being activated by the "ritual" buttons in the cars. He will give us an update including costs soon. Chris really does rock!

Saturday: John and Jenny met with Chip from Vogon 42. Chip taped some footage of the "project" and Jenny's panels. He has a PA we can use, wants to camp the Vogons next to us and he says they are willing to take over the stage aspect of the camp. Chip rocks entirely.

Sunday: We had a fantastic work day in San Rafael attended by Shane, Julia, Tim, Susan, John and Jenny. The first carousel mast structure and rafters were finished and the carousel was raised! It spins freely.

Other camp organization was discussed and it was decided that party fund raisers are not the way to go and they came up with a really cool idea that we're excited about that incorporates the idea of the project and the experience of Burning Man into a way to raise funds. Jenny and Susan will give all that information out at the meeting next Saturday.

This week I pick up a fire cannon on Monday and work on the cars, research and work on electrical stuff at the Bird's Nest. Jenny is painting the panels all week. Shane and Tim are going to buy another load of iron to complete the bottom spokes of the carousel.

Carousel Moving day will be next Saturday early in the day.

Things are moving along nicely! See you all next Saturday!

Saturday: Fir didn't get the message that the meeting was cancelled so she showed up with a bike for the carousel AND her friend's truck!!! She and I went to Home Depot and bought some plywood, 2x4s and simpson ties. We *were* going to build roofs for the carousels, but we've changed the plans and all of this wood except the plywood can be used for the bar. I'll pull the 2x4 and simpson tie cost out of the art project budget.

Thanks Fir, you rock! So, we've got wood for the bar. I'll send a separate email about construction of that.

Sunday: Jenny, John, Shane and Julia met in San Rafael and built 4 more panels, only 4 left to build. We also put together the plate and bolts for the mast. We then welded the mast to the plate and attached the whole thing to the pivot. We have a (currently) 18 foot mast and axle that turns easily.

We also finalized the roof structure, went over the budget and discussed the jobs matrix and what we need in terms of work from people to make the project a reality.

Jenny's been painting the panels every night.

Saturday: Shane and Julia went to the scrap yard and for 100$ got a mast, enough angle iron for spokes on one carousel and some steel plates.

Sunday: we stripped down a 3/4 ton axle (using an acetylene torch which was very fun) and welded it to a metal stand and it spins! We also figured out the spokes and a steel platform for the spokes and mast to go into. Tim is using a drill press to put the bolt pattern in the spoke plates this week. We also began stripping another 3/4 axle for the second carousel.

Jenny has started painting and she has three panels going. Looks like mother (mary lilith etc), the devil (minions, v.mankind etc) and twins (duality, water, separation etc). She's working archetypes and icons that have ritualistic and iconic commonality across religions I'm doing research on religion to give her images and mythology she's using while painting these large things.

We need bikes! I've got two, we need two more. Shekky or Kevin had some bikes, where did those end up? We also need someone with a vehicle to go on scrap runs. Who will have time and a vehicle to do that?

I've also started on the switches and sound events.

Here's an update on our progress. Pics!

Saturday: Shane and I went in the rain to Ace Auto in Bayshore and spent 3 hours "digging" though 350 lb axles using levers such as oily 4x4s and a metal pole we found wedged in the pile. After successfully moving a 700 lb Jaguar engine off the top of the pile, we were able to move two 1 ton truck axles out of the pile. We got a 59 Dodge Truck and something else that wasn't marked.

we also go some scrap box steel, an axle off an air compressor that we can either build a trailer onto or use as the bearing points for the top of 2 carousels and a bunch of distributors that have some pretty cool gears in them. Covered in grease, wet and exhausted, Bill at Ace GAVE us all this stuff because we're artists and Ace supports the arts.

It rocked.

We then took all that stuff to San Rafael and cut the axles so we've got 4 pivot points for the 3 carousels and the tower. The pumpkins are sitting in Shane's driveway. Kevin, I know you're in Europe, but since you missed all the fun getting those axles, we decided that we'd let your first job when you return be to pick up the pumpkins from Shane's and get rid of them.

We want to you experience a little bit of the joy we felt getting that stuff off the pile. You know what pile I'm talking about. ;-)

Shane and I then went to Home Depot and bought (4) 8x4 birchwood panels, a bunch of douglass fir 1x2 framing wood, screws, nails and a nice box cutter. We went back to his house and cut the panels and I put one frame together before we ate and it was too late to finish. I brought the wood back to the Bird's Nest.

Julia took some great pictures, so we've got documentation! We have to get pictures or video of our progress. I'm writing it all up for Burning Man. Satch also hung out, which was fun.

On Monday, Jenny picked up some Gesso and paint and she's started on the panels.

So that's where we're at. Next weekend we weld the pivot axles and start on the spokes. We may also get some more birchwood.

The Art Project is in full effect. Here's an update on our progress.

Tuesday: Shane, Jenny and John met at our house on Tuesday and drew up "final" plans for the size of the carousel. We drew them out on the street. The 3 carousels are each 15' across, the central tower is 4' across and the entire project takes up 70 - 90 feet.

Thursday: Jenny and I met with the Burning Man art team on Thursday. They're really excited about the project. Lady Bee said we hit the nail on the head with our project and that there were only two other projects she, Crimson and Larry had thought had really interpreted the Theme the way they'd hoped to see it interpreted.

We signed all the contracts including the Art Agreement, Fire Safety agreement, Payment Contract, Tax forms and Liaison instructions. Our art project is registered as is our theme camp.

For those of you who are wondering how you can participate, there will be plenty of ways to. We will be having work days to build things like the outer structures for the Carousels and the Camp structures. I will put together a list of things we need done, that the Art Team may have limited time to do that will include:

• Putting together the required Safety structures, plans, first aid etc.
• Working on the Carousel roof structures
• Working on electrical and mechanical aspects of the carousels.
• Working on Sound events. (we hope to tap Dom's friend Sylvia for advice on this)
• Building the camp structures.
• Events and Fundraisers. (Jen is handling this with Julia, Jenny and Dom)
• Planning and executing on the playa, things like the kitchen, plumbing, camp electrical system

We will be placed to one side of Center camp between Center Camp and 3 o'clock. We are on the rung of the first Large Scale Art projects on the avenue that leads out to the Man. This is an extremely prestigious location.

We anticipate that our camp and project will get thousands of visitors over the course of Burning Man, so we need to start thinking about how we're going to make that happen. The Camp needs to be open in the front to our "Temple/Bar" and have places where people can come to hang out.

We also will need lighting for the camp. We've already got some art for the camp. We'll figure all this out at the next meeting and I hope to set up committees who will be responsible for different things.

This is a HUGE project and we've only got 4 months to complete it. We will need everyone's help to pull this off. Start thinking about what you can do to help and we'll figure it all out at the next meeting.

The Carousel is going to be a wonderful and spectacular thing to behold.

Shane, Jenny and I are meeting this week to finalize the art plans. Next weekend on Saturday we're going to pickup the first supplies and we'll have 4 panels at the Bird's Nest on Sunday so Jenny can start painting.

We have an enormous amount of work to do in 4 months. I will call for work days to work on things like the roof structures for the carousels. We will also need to keep on time with events, the camp organization and the bar.

This will be a lot of work, but it's do-able. I'll let you know more this week once we're entirely sure about the grant status, (when we get cash) and the finalized carousel plan.