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Monthly Archives: November 2010
The Mathematics of Rafter and Collar Ties
Introduction As a boy, I remember seeing a dilapidated farm building that had a set of rafter ties in its attic. I noticed that the rafter ties had pulled away from the rafters they were nailed to. The rafter ties … Continue reading
Carpentry Math – Drawing a Circular Arch
I must admit that I find a certain satisfaction in the geometry that pops up in general carpentry. Fine Homebuilding has a nice video on drawing a circular arch that uses a basic geometric construction. This is something that I … Continue reading
Similarity Between Writing and Designing
I have always been interested in the actual process of design and its similarity to other tasks. I was reading an interesting blog post this morning on the process of writing. The author said that while writing, the good writer … Continue reading
Straight, Level, and the Curvature of the Earth
Introduction I frequently hear people make statements that somehow do not seem right. Today I heard a good example. During a discussion of laser levels, the topic of required accuracy came up. I heard a contractor make the following statement: … Continue reading
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The Importance of Role Models
Introduction I have worked with engineers my entire career, which spans the last 31 years. During this time, I have noticed that almost all engineers went into engineering because of some important personal relationship early in their life. The same … Continue reading
Carpentry Math – Drawing an Ellipse
Today I received an issue of Fine Homebuilding Magazine (Dec/Jan 2011). This has been my favorite magazine for many years. Every so often they have a bit of math and it always catches my eye. In this issue’s “Tips & … Continue reading
The Case of the Mysterious Radio Interference
Introduction When you build an electronic product, at some point you will be accused of building a product that is interfering with someone else’s product. In this particular story, a little bit of math quickly showed that the problem could … Continue reading
Measuring the Ring Voltage on a Telephone
Introduction I received an email yesterday from a sales engineer who was having difficulty measuring the ring voltage on one of our telephone circuits. The numbers he was getting did not agree with what my engineering group had measured. The … Continue reading
Personality Characteristics of a Great Engineering Hire
Introduction I was at dinner last night with some neighbors and the topic of hiring came up. My most important job is hiring the right engineering talent. When it comes to engineers, people frequently focus on their technical skills. While … Continue reading
