Today I shall be Mainly...

[Marilyn]

We were intrigued by the signs for "Forbidden Corner" but couldn't decide if it was just for kiddies or not...or if it was just a rip off or not...or what it really was to be honest. But it seemed a bit dear for a total mystery, so we didn't bother.
Hard to know when you are a tourist. There are so many understated wonders, but even more overstated disappointments!
I have been incredibly impressed by some things, yet left wondering by others. So hard to choose.
I would be interested to know how your day went, Panbiker ( and if it is just a kiddies thing).

[PanBiker]

It's yet to come Maz but all the reports we have had from others that have visited have been along the lines of "fantastic and you will have right good time etc.." Stuff for adults as well as children. It was originally created as private folly but opened up to the public twenty years ago. It is still being expanded with new features. I'll report back when we've had a recce next week.

[SAC]

We went to forbidden corner last November not knowing what to what to expect but it's well worth a visit . Don't want to say to much as will spoil it but worth a visit .

[Marilyn]

So a bit of an adventure garden...
And there are several by the same name throughout UK? ( I am sure I saw at least three...)

[Stanley]

Tiz, I honestly can't remember when I was last with drink taken.....
The search for the gyroscope may yet turn out to be a 'forbidden corner'.... I certainly hit a brick wall yesterday....

[Stanley]

You know where I will be.... Things are going a bit better now!

[Marilyn]

A long walk late morning, followed by sitting outside in our backyard for lunch. Lovely Winter sunshine today and not a cloud in the sky. Our local Magpie population ( big black and white birds that are extremely territorial) have babies at present, and these juveniles are as big as their parents but have a grey fuzzy tinge to their white bits. They spend a lot of time on the ground as juveniles, and do crazy things like lay down and sleep on driveways and roads...dangerous places for babies to be really. We saw two, laying on their sides, having a fight with their feet, on the road. They are such big birds ( can stand 14 - 16 inches tall) that it looks really odd to see them laying about in vulnerable places. Mum and Dad are always nearby so I guess they will step in if danger presents itself. The parents tend to swoop humans if they get too close in the city, but are much more tolerant of humans being nearer their young where we live. Haven't been swooped despite passing within feet of their sleeping young.

[Big Kev]

Despite having to work early shift, I have been very well entertained this weekend by all the performers in the Barnoldswick Bands on the Square. Great music and all free.

[Stanley]

I've been impressed by the volume of sound......
I shall be rectifying mistakes caused by my utter incompetence.......

[Stanley]

Eventually I got there and made a functioning gyroscope.... Only one problem, I can't spin it fast enough for it to overcome its own weight so I shall be having a crack at a smaller, lighter version.

[plaques]

You could try taking some weight out of the rotor and leaving most of it in the rim. Whether you could reduce the thickness of the gimbal ring by milling the area between the pivots may be a bit more difficult.

[Big Kev]

Eventually I got there and made a functioning gyroscope.... Only one problem, I can't spin it fast enough for it to overcome its own weight so I shall be having a crack at a smaller, lighter version.

Have you tried an electric drill with a rubber wheel in it?

[PanBiker]

Is there a hole in the rotor shaft for a starting string? This is the common way of getting enough rotation.

[PanBiker]

Noticed also that there is no rotor guard, usually present so that when the rotor slows and the unit tips it does not run away with the rotor contacting the surface. Also creates more of a "caged" rotor and easier to hold for starting

[Stanley]

P, It's the weight of the ring that is the problem. The rotor has a very powerful gyroscopic effect but not enough to overcome the weight in the rim. Ian, I'd forgotten the hole to stop the string slipping.... I'll give that a try! Kev, I thought about a rubber wheel on the Dremel which gets up to about 20.000 revs but decided it was too dangerous. Yes, in its finished state it should have a light guard ring but I thought I'd see if it would work before investing any more effort in it.
I'd forgotten all about the hole! I'll try that this morning when I go in the shed, I'm sure the string is slipping at the moment. I did look at drawings on the web but never noticed a hole. As I said before, I'm satisfied I have it accurate enough, there is no vibration at all when it's running.
Thanks for the input.... very helpful....

[plaques]

The rotor has a very powerful gyroscopic effect but not enough to overcome the weight in the rim.

Trying to put these damned gyroscopes out of my mind. Takes me back to thinking about precession, cars turning corners, ships yawing, right hand rule and all those other thing affected by revolving discs. Precession.. Ever since Eric Laithwaite's got into trouble with his lecture on gyroscopes to the Royal Society I decided they were too complicated for me. He got a better reception at his Christmas lectures. Lecture..
Meanwhile we are away watching a young couple enjoying their wedding day.

[Stanley]

I have decided that life is too short to waste on gyroscopes beyond completing the small one and seeing whether it performs any better. Meanwhile, the exercise of having a crack at it is good for me because it pushes me towards better turning and more accuracy. Actually I am surprised I have done as well as I have considering the state of my eyes. Roll on July!
By the way, I mentioned that I thought reading was bad for me.... my eyes seem to be changing all the time. I am using a different pair of glasses for the computer this morning than usual... Very strange.....

[Stanley]

I wrote two articles yesterday and my head has at least three more rattling round in there. Shed goes on the back burner while I build a stock pile...... These things have to be done.....

[Sue]

Up at 6.30a.m. These light mornings!

Anyway my brain was buzzing with solving a little sewing problem . I had made a sunhat for Erin but how does an active 15 month old keep a hat on their heads. Ribbons are no good she would never let you tie them. Elastic looks cheap and nasty . In my dreams the problem was solved so at 7.00am I have just finished my creation. I made a tube casing in the same material as the hat and threaded it with that elastic used in childrens skirts and trousers. You know the elastic with button holes. I have put two small buttons on the inside of the hat and buttoned the elastic on to the hat. The result... a one inch wide elasticated, adjustable fabric coloured strap. I deserve a brew after my early morning efforts and brain storm. I will try to photograph it but with my ipad sitting on the kitchen table in France I will have to resort to my phone and bluetooth it down on to my laptop

sunhat.jpg

sunhat 2.jpg

dress and hat 2.jpg

[Stanley]

Did you consider super glue? Looks like a solution! I know what you mean by brain buzzing.... Good to have a brain but it can be inconvenient at times!

[Sue]

Super glue on the feet I think Stanley. She has just started walking and refuses to sit in a buggy even when her legs are collapsing with fatigue. The solution worked although I have a feeling it may be used more as a bag

[Cathy]

Very clever Sue, and what a lucky little girl to wear such a pretty dress and matching sun-hat
. Love the Owls.

[PanBiker]

Taking our Ruby home to Stratford, the joys of the M6 corridor for the 350 mile round trip.

[Sue]

I bought the material in France Cathy. Also some Elephant material. I still have to make the hat for that dress, but despite the pattern saying age 1 it comes to her feet so no rush for the hat. However Erin adores the elephant material. As soon as I showed it to her she held tight and we couldn 't get it from her. Same with the dress when it was finished then she insisted on wearing it even though it was too big. I'll look for the photo I was sent

Erin and the elephant dress.jpg

[Marilyn]

Aaaaa...how cute.
Is that her "cuddly" she is carrying?.
My son's "cuddly" was a lamb skin. It went everywhere with us, and I cut small sections off to slip in pocket or purse for emergencies or when the lamb skin needed a wash. I still have it. It is pretty thin now and bald in places because he used to rub it as he fell asleep.