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On Sun, 6 Aug 2023 00:47:34 -0700, Don Y <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid
wrote:
There\'s a store, here, that has a large sphere floating (though just
barely) on a pressurized jet of water. IIRC, it\'s a fair bit larger
(maybe 10-12 inches?). I\'ve always assumed it to be made of marble
but, that may just be the association with \"marbles\" (aggies) in my
mind as I\'ve never stopped to examine it (I don\'t think the store
management would be keen on folks messing with it)
http://www.sorvikivi.com/eng/index.html
This company can make granite balls from 12 cm to 3 m diameter.
At least the 50 cm version can be easily rotated by hand when the ball
is sitting on the pressurized water jet.
On 8/6/2023 2:07 AM, Clive Arthur wrote:
On 06/08/2023 01:51, Don Y wrote:
I\'m looking for some large (6+ inches dia) spheres that
can be machined to suit my needs.
snip
Any other materials I can explore?
Machinable Ceramics?
Can ceramics be (easily/economically) machined? I know they
can be formed in molds -- which would seem the easier way
to embed features.
OTOH, I believe there is shrinkage from that process -- which
might impact repeatability (?)
upsidedown@downunder.com wrote:
On Sun, 6 Aug 2023 00:47:34 -0700, Don Y <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid
wrote:
There\'s a store, here, that has a large sphere floating (though just
barely) on a pressurized jet of water. IIRC, it\'s a fair bit larger
(maybe 10-12 inches?). I\'ve always assumed it to be made of marble
but, that may just be the association with \"marbles\" (aggies) in my
mind as I\'ve never stopped to examine it (I don\'t think the store
management would be keen on folks messing with it)
http://www.sorvikivi.com/eng/index.html
This company can make granite balls from 12 cm to 3 m diameter.
At least the 50 cm version can be easily rotated by hand when the ball
is sitting on the pressurized water jet.
Anyone measured the radioactivity of these products?
Granite emits radon, beta and gamma radiation. The amount is normally very
low but easily detectable.
On 8/5/2023 9:33 PM, bitrex wrote:
Steel would be too heavy. Aluminum might be too soft
(too easily marred)
Any other materials I can explore?
Limestone?
https://www.theclassycottage.com/studio-a-travertine-sphere-6-7-70021.aspx
Oooooo.... that\'s a good idea! They don\'t seem to state a \"shipping
weight\" (to get an idea of it\'s actual weight).
Obviously, the material can be \"shaped\" but I wonder how practical
that is for \"random\" shaping? And, how prevalent the tools and
skills to do so?
[The bowling ball idea made sense in that folks can drill balls
in most alleys so I would assume there is a fair supply of
people capable of \"machining\" bowling balls -- beyond drilling
finger holes and engraving the bowler\'s name!]
There\'s a store, here, that has a large sphere floating (though just
barely) on a pressurized jet of water. IIRC, it\'s a fair bit larger
(maybe 10-12 inches?). I\'ve always assumed it to be made of marble
but, that may just be the association with \"marbles\" (aggies) in my
mind as I\'ve never stopped to examine it (I don\'t think the store
management would be keen on folks messing with it)
I will have to make a trip for some discrete inspection...
Thanks!
Radiation from granite is no issue unless you\'re living on a mountain\'s
worth of the stuff. And even then. It\'s not because some granite
formations emit radiation that all do.
Jeroen Belleman
Radiation from granite is no issue unless you\'re living on a mountain\'s
worth of the stuff. And even then. It\'s not because some granite formations
emit radiation that all do.
On 8/6/2023 3:47 AM, Don Y wrote:
On 8/5/2023 9:33 PM, bitrex wrote:
Steel would be too heavy. Aluminum might be too soft
(too easily marred)
Any other materials I can explore?
Limestone?
https://www.theclassycottage.com/studio-a-travertine-sphere-6-7-70021.aspx
Oooooo.... that\'s a good idea! They don\'t seem to state a \"shipping
weight\" (to get an idea of it\'s actual weight).
Obviously, the material can be \"shaped\" but I wonder how practical
that is for \"random\" shaping? And, how prevalent the tools and
skills to do so?
Companies that do e.g. gravestones and memorial monuments might be a good place
to ask.
Gravestones aren\'t particularly cheap and like obituaries, they tend toOn 8/6/2023 11:29 AM, bitrex wrote:
On 8/6/2023 3:47 AM, Don Y wrote:
On 8/5/2023 9:33 PM, bitrex wrote:
Steel would be too heavy. Aluminum might be too soft
(too easily marred)
Any other materials I can explore?
Limestone?
https://www.theclassycottage.com/studio-a-travertine-sphere-6-7-70021.aspx
Oooooo.... that\'s a good idea! They don\'t seem to state a \"shipping
weight\" (to get an idea of it\'s actual weight).
Obviously, the material can be \"shaped\" but I wonder how practical
that is for \"random\" shaping? And, how prevalent the tools and
skills to do so?
Companies that do e.g. gravestones and memorial monuments might be a
good place to ask.
Ah, that\'s a good idea! They can at least do 2D machining of the surfaces.
OTOH, you gotta wonder why most memorials are little more than name, dates
and some token \"Loving Father\" sort of crap.
On 8/6/2023 4:01 PM, Don Y wrote:
On 8/6/2023 11:29 AM, bitrex wrote:
On 8/6/2023 3:47 AM, Don Y wrote:
On 8/5/2023 9:33 PM, bitrex wrote:
Steel would be too heavy. Aluminum might be too soft
(too easily marred)
Any other materials I can explore?
Limestone?
https://www.theclassycottage.com/studio-a-travertine-sphere-6-7-70021.aspx
Oooooo.... that\'s a good idea! They don\'t seem to state a \"shipping
weight\" (to get an idea of it\'s actual weight).
Obviously, the material can be \"shaped\" but I wonder how practical
that is for \"random\" shaping? And, how prevalent the tools and
skills to do so?
Companies that do e.g. gravestones and memorial monuments might be a
good place to ask.
Ah, that\'s a good idea! They can at least do 2D machining of the
surfaces.
OTOH, you gotta wonder why most memorials are little more than name,
dates
and some token \"Loving Father\" sort of crap.
Gravestones aren\'t particularly cheap and like obituaries, they tend to
charge by the word or letter! My late father was interred at the
military cemetery on Cape Cod:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts_National_Cemetery
and there was no charge for that, but there was still a character limit,
can\'t offhand recall what it was though.
Either way it\'s difficult to summarize a life in the space available,
for both my parents I tried to come up with something more unique than
the kind of phrases you mention. For Dad I used six words and Mom seven,
New Englanders tend to consider brevity a virtue.
On 8/6/2023 4:01 PM, Don Y wrote:
On 8/6/2023 11:29 AM, bitrex wrote:
On 8/6/2023 3:47 AM, Don Y wrote:
On 8/5/2023 9:33 PM, bitrex wrote:
Steel would be too heavy. Aluminum might be too soft
(too easily marred)
Any other materials I can explore?
Limestone?
https://www.theclassycottage.com/studio-a-travertine-sphere-6-7-70021.aspx
Oooooo.... that\'s a good idea! They don\'t seem to state a \"shipping
weight\" (to get an idea of it\'s actual weight).
Obviously, the material can be \"shaped\" but I wonder how practical
that is for \"random\" shaping? And, how prevalent the tools and
skills to do so?
Companies that do e.g. gravestones and memorial monuments might be a good
place to ask.
Ah, that\'s a good idea! They can at least do 2D machining of the surfaces.
OTOH, you gotta wonder why most memorials are little more than name, dates
and some token \"Loving Father\" sort of crap.
Gravestones aren\'t particularly cheap and like obituaries, they tend to charge
by the word or letter! My late father was interred at the military cemetery on
Cape Cod:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts_National_Cemetery
and there was no charge for that, but there was still a character limit, can\'t
offhand recall what it was though.
Either way it\'s difficult to summarize a life in the space available, for both
my parents I tried to come up with something more unique than the kind of
phrases you mention. For Dad I used six words and Mom seven, New Englanders
tend to consider brevity a virtue.
On 8/6/2023 6:54 PM, bitrex wrote:
On 8/6/2023 4:01 PM, Don Y wrote:
On 8/6/2023 11:29 AM, bitrex wrote:
On 8/6/2023 3:47 AM, Don Y wrote:
On 8/5/2023 9:33 PM, bitrex wrote:
Steel would be too heavy. Aluminum might be too soft
(too easily marred)
Any other materials I can explore?
Limestone?
https://www.theclassycottage.com/studio-a-travertine-sphere-6-7-70021.aspx
Oooooo.... that\'s a good idea! They don\'t seem to state a \"shipping
weight\" (to get an idea of it\'s actual weight).
Obviously, the material can be \"shaped\" but I wonder how practical
that is for \"random\" shaping? And, how prevalent the tools and
skills to do so?
Companies that do e.g. gravestones and memorial monuments might be a
good place to ask.
Ah, that\'s a good idea! They can at least do 2D machining of the
surfaces.
OTOH, you gotta wonder why most memorials are little more than name,
dates
and some token \"Loving Father\" sort of crap.
Gravestones aren\'t particularly cheap and like obituaries, they tend
to charge by the word or letter! My late father was interred at the
military cemetery on Cape Cod:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts_National_Cemetery
and there was no charge for that, but there was still a character
limit, can\'t offhand recall what it was though.
Likely introduced because of space limitations. But, my point was, that
they
can also render \"graphics\" yet don\'t often do so.
Either way it\'s difficult to summarize a life in the space available,
for both my parents I tried to come up with something more unique than
the kind of phrases you mention. For Dad I used six words and Mom
seven, New Englanders tend to consider brevity a virtue.
Why the need to summarizes a life? If you feel like you have to say
something in a public space -- that you\'ve not said to them previously,
in a more intimate space -- you\'re really just saying it for yourself
so that OTHERS will see your words.
Growing up in New England, I never recall \"brevity\" being considered
virtuous. More often, the opposite was the norm (ever hear two
new yorkers arguing about where to buy the best slice of pizza?
or ball team? or...)
[Even Mainers are verbose; talking -- face to face -- is more common
back east than in much of the midwest and west, IMO, where ties tend
to be more tentative]
On 8/7/2023 12:06 AM, Don Y wrote:
On 8/6/2023 6:54 PM, bitrex wrote:
On 8/6/2023 4:01 PM, Don Y wrote:
On 8/6/2023 11:29 AM, bitrex wrote:
On 8/6/2023 3:47 AM, Don Y wrote:
On 8/5/2023 9:33 PM, bitrex wrote:
Steel would be too heavy. Aluminum might be too soft
(too easily marred)
Any other materials I can explore?
Limestone?
https://www.theclassycottage.com/studio-a-travertine-sphere-6-7-70021.aspx
Oooooo.... that\'s a good idea! They don\'t seem to state a \"shipping
weight\" (to get an idea of it\'s actual weight).
Obviously, the material can be \"shaped\" but I wonder how practical
that is for \"random\" shaping? And, how prevalent the tools and
skills to do so?
Companies that do e.g. gravestones and memorial monuments might be a good
place to ask.
Ah, that\'s a good idea! They can at least do 2D machining of the surfaces.
OTOH, you gotta wonder why most memorials are little more than name, dates
and some token \"Loving Father\" sort of crap.
Gravestones aren\'t particularly cheap and like obituaries, they tend to
charge by the word or letter! My late father was interred at the military
cemetery on Cape Cod:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts_National_Cemetery
and there was no charge for that, but there was still a character limit,
can\'t offhand recall what it was though.
Likely introduced because of space limitations. But, my point was, that they
can also render \"graphics\" yet don\'t often do so.
Either way it\'s difficult to summarize a life in the space available, for
both my parents I tried to come up with something more unique than the kind
of phrases you mention. For Dad I used six words and Mom seven, New
Englanders tend to consider brevity a virtue.
Why the need to summarizes a life? If you feel like you have to say
something in a public space -- that you\'ve not said to them previously,
in a more intimate space -- you\'re really just saying it for yourself
so that OTHERS will see your words.
Yep, physical memorials are for the living. Who else would they be for?
Growing up in New England, I never recall \"brevity\" being considered
virtuous. More often, the opposite was the norm (ever hear two
new yorkers arguing about where to buy the best slice of pizza?
or ball team? or...)
New York is not New England, aaaaaaaaaaaah!
[Even Mainers are verbose; talking -- face to face -- is more common
back east than in much of the midwest and west, IMO, where ties tend
to be more tentative]
You can\'t get there from here
Can ceramics be (easily/economically) machined? I know they
can be formed in molds -- which would seem the easier way
to embed features.
OTOH, I believe there is shrinkage from that process -- which
might impact repeatability (?)
On Sunday, August 6, 2023 at 9:12:23â¯AM UTC-7, Don Y wrote:
Can ceramics be (easily/economically) machined? I know they
can be formed in molds -- which would seem the easier way
to embed features.
OTOH, I believe there is shrinkage from that process -- which
might impact repeatability (?)
Fired ceramics are traditionally hollow, because they have to vent moisture or they
deform and crack. A solid sphere is gonna take weeks of air drying before you\'d even
want to try firing it.
Quicker to use plaster of paris.
For metals, casting a solid sphere is likewise thermal-stress-inducing; more suitable would be sintering
of powdered starting material. Hot-press sintering is even better, but takes special apparatus.
On 8/5/2023 9:00 PM, Lasse Langwadt Christensen wrote:
Steel would be too heavy. Aluminum might be too soft
(too easily marred)
Any other materials I can explore?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/144428340712 ?
That gives me an idea of what the sphere bitrex mentioned might weigh.
And, if \"stone\" proves to be the right option, then I can just
wait for the Gem & Mineral Show, this winter, to see what I can pick up
locally (let the seller come to me instead of the other way around)
Anyone measured the radioactivity of these products?
Granite emits radon, beta and gamma radiation. The amount is normally very
low but easily detectable.
Radiation from granite is no issue unless you\'re living on a mountain\'s
worth of the stuff. And even then. It\'s not because some granite formations
emit radiation that all do.
jeroen <jeroen@nospam.please> wrote:
Radiation from granite is no issue unless you\'re living on a mountain\'s
worth of the stuff. And even then. It\'s not because some granite
formations emit radiation that all do.
Jeroen Belleman
Radon gas from granite collects in enclosed spaces like basements. It is
extremely dangerous and causes lung cancer. See
Radiation and Health Effects
Most cancers from radon are produced by radon daughter decay products
(polonium, 3 isotopes; bismuth, 1 isotope; and lead, 3 isotopes) adhering
to the delicate cell lining and passageways leading to the lungs.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceut
ical-science/radon-daughter
Thorium in Thorium Molten Salt Reactors also has dangerous decay products
that include radon. See
The radioactive series of thorium-232
https://www.ld-didactic.de/software/524221en/Content/Appendix/Th232Series.h
tm
If you are living or working in a basement somewhere, you may consider
buying a Radon detector, such as sold on Amazon:
https://www.google.ca/search?q=radon+detector
On 06/08/2023 19:37, Mike Monett VE3BTI wrote:
jeroen <jeroen@nospam.please> wrote:
Radiation from granite is no issue unless you\'re living on a
mountain\'s worth of the stuff. And even then. It\'s not because
some granite formations emit radiation that all do.
Jeroen Belleman
Radon gas from granite collects in enclosed spaces like basements.
It is extremely dangerous and causes lung cancer. See
Radiation and Health Effects
Most cancers from radon are produced by radon daughter decay
products (polonium, 3 isotopes; bismuth, 1 isotope; and lead, 3
isotopes) adhering to the delicate cell lining and passageways
leading to the lungs.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceut
ical-science/radon-daughter
It generally only reaches danger levels when low pressure systems
pull more of it out of the ground and in badly ventilated low lying
spaces like cellars with dirt floors.
Thorium in Thorium Molten Salt Reactors also has dangerous decay
products that include radon. See
The radioactive series of thorium-232
https://www.ld-didactic.de/software/524221en/Content/Appendix/Th232Series.h
tm
If you are living or working in a basement somewhere, you may
consider buying a Radon detector, such as sold on Amazon:
https://www.google.ca/search?q=radon+detector
It is probably only worth worrying about it if you live on granite or
basalt rock though or soils derived from them. The real one to worry
about is the longer lived Rn222 which is a part of the U238
Th234/Th230 decay chain. The classical radium emanation. Certain
parts of my old physics department had to be specially cleaned in the
1950\'s due to early experiments on radioactivity.
There is around a 2ppm of uranium in a lot of crustal rocks - decent
quality mineable ore is incredibly rare though. Back when I did ultra
trace analysis we were forbidden from showing VIPs uranium in
tapwater because our customers (especially the water companies)
didn\'t like it.
On 8/6/2023 9:39 PM, bitrex wrote:
On 8/7/2023 12:06 AM, Don Y wrote:
On 8/6/2023 6:54 PM, bitrex wrote:
On 8/6/2023 4:01 PM, Don Y wrote:
On 8/6/2023 11:29 AM, bitrex wrote:
On 8/6/2023 3:47 AM, Don Y wrote:
On 8/5/2023 9:33 PM, bitrex wrote:
Steel would be too heavy. Aluminum might be too soft
(too easily marred)
Any other materials I can explore?
Limestone?
https://www.theclassycottage.com/studio-a-travertine-sphere-6-7-70021.aspx
Oooooo.... that\'s a good idea! They don\'t seem to state a \"shipping
weight\" (to get an idea of it\'s actual weight).
Obviously, the material can be \"shaped\" but I wonder how practical
that is for \"random\" shaping? And, how prevalent the tools and
skills to do so?
Companies that do e.g. gravestones and memorial monuments might be
a good place to ask.
Ah, that\'s a good idea! They can at least do 2D machining of the
surfaces.
OTOH, you gotta wonder why most memorials are little more than
name, dates
and some token \"Loving Father\" sort of crap.
Gravestones aren\'t particularly cheap and like obituaries, they tend
to charge by the word or letter! My late father was interred at the
military cemetery on Cape Cod:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts_National_Cemetery
and there was no charge for that, but there was still a character
limit, can\'t offhand recall what it was though.
Likely introduced because of space limitations. But, my point was,
that they
can also render \"graphics\" yet don\'t often do so.
Either way it\'s difficult to summarize a life in the space
available, for both my parents I tried to come up with something
more unique than the kind of phrases you mention. For Dad I used six
words and Mom seven, New Englanders tend to consider brevity a virtue.
Why the need to summarizes a life? If you feel like you have to say
something in a public space -- that you\'ve not said to them previously,
in a more intimate space -- you\'re really just saying it for yourself
so that OTHERS will see your words.
Yep, physical memorials are for the living. Who else would they be for?
Is there something wrong with your *memory* that you need a
physical manifestation of an event to \"remind you\"? I\'ve not
visited the gravesites of any of the folks I knew (as I\'ve lived
in many parts of the country and traveling JUST to visit a
gravesite is kinda silly). Yet, I vividly remember them,
our times together, etc.
And, I suspect they would be happier for that (cuz I can do it as
often as they come to mind!) than the fact that I put a few pebbles
on their headstone...
\"Country clubs and cemeteries, the biggest wasters of prime real estate\"
  -- Al Czervik
Growing up in New England, I never recall \"brevity\" being considered
virtuous. More often, the opposite was the norm (ever hear two
new yorkers arguing about where to buy the best slice of pizza?
or ball team? or...)
New York is not New England, aaaaaaaaaaaah!
Repeat for Boston. Central Connecticut. Vermont. New Hampshire
(\"north boston\").
A visit to the North End would find folks standing out on the sidewalk
chatting about <whatever>. Buying a piece of Caciocavallo would entail
a suitable commentary about merits wrt Provolone -- and the folks in
line behind you chiming in with *their* opinions!
That\'s not as common in the West. People tend to stick to themselves.
Some appear clumsy when \"confronted\" with conversation. SWMBO notes
that one of our neighbors never acknowledges anyone\'s presence (unless
she\'s had a bit to drink and then wants to moan about her dead son)
Either way it\'s difficult to summarize a life in the space available, for
both my parents I tried to come up with something more unique than the
kind of phrases you mention. For Dad I used six words and Mom seven, New
Englanders tend to consider brevity a virtue.
Why the need to summarizes a life? If you feel like you have to say
something in a public space -- that you\'ve not said to them previously,
in a more intimate space -- you\'re really just saying it for yourself
so that OTHERS will see your words.
Yep, physical memorials are for the living. Who else would they be for?
Is there something wrong with your *memory* that you need a
physical manifestation of an event to \"remind you\"? I\'ve not
visited the gravesites of any of the folks I knew (as I\'ve lived
in many parts of the country and traveling JUST to visit a
gravesite is kinda silly). Yet, I vividly remember them,
our times together, etc.
And, I suspect they would be happier for that (cuz I can do it as
often as they come to mind!) than the fact that I put a few pebbles
on their headstone...
\"Country clubs and cemeteries, the biggest wasters of prime real estate\"
   -- Al Czervik
I was laying flowers on my grandmother\'s grave the other day and there was a
man nearby having a picnic by his loved one\'s gravesite, can\'t say I\'ve ever
felt the need to do that.
of them aren\'t. But I think a reason we (well some of us, anyway) do them
regardless is they\'re part of what makes us human vs. beings of pure logic,
which sounds like an unpleasant way to be.
But if it\'s our destiny to all be replaced or merge with machines eventually
anyway (seems perhaps more likely by the day) then I don\'t see any need to rush
the process.
Growing up in New England, I never recall \"brevity\" being considered
virtuous. More often, the opposite was the norm (ever hear two
new yorkers arguing about where to buy the best slice of pizza?
or ball team? or...)
New York is not New England, aaaaaaaaaaaah!
Repeat for Boston. Central Connecticut. Vermont. New Hampshire
(\"north boston\").
A visit to the North End would find folks standing out on the sidewalk
chatting about <whatever>. Buying a piece of Caciocavallo would entail
a suitable commentary about merits wrt Provolone -- and the folks in
line behind you chiming in with *their* opinions!
That\'s not as common in the West. People tend to stick to themselves.
Some appear clumsy when \"confronted\" with conversation. SWMBO notes
that one of our neighbors never acknowledges anyone\'s presence (unless
she\'s had a bit to drink and then wants to moan about her dead son)
All apocryphal and anecdotal but I like my anecdote better. I think at least
with respect to small talk with strangers my experience is people in e.g. Salt
Lake City or Portland OR are much more willing to chat with a stranger in say a
grocery store parking lot, that behavior is less \"culturally acceptable\" in the
Northeast. New York included.
It\'s more unusual to find people with \"deep roots\" than back east.
??? Have you tried a Native American reservation? The last Wampanoag in
Massachusetts with no significant non-indigenous ancestry died around 1850,
though a fairly small population of people with legally sufficient Wampanoag
ancestry who consider themselves culturally Wampanoag remains.