Bottom flow of water -- Saturday, August 03, 2002 at 07:31:54 (EDT)
1/2 of wall done! -- Saturday, August 03, 2002 at 07:31:09 (EDT)
Bottom bowl -- Friday, August 02, 2002 at 18:47:22 (EDT)
t-shirt dream -- Thursday, August 01, 2002 at 13:28:39 (EDT)
Bottom bowl -- Thursday, August 01, 2002 at 06:15:41 (EDT)

Also, after much heated debate in Sac'to, we have decided to change how the water flows out of the bottom bowl spouts...
  
Here's the three options, none of which is ideal:
  
1) submersible pumps
    have the water flow out among the bricks
    bury submersible pumps below playa level
    all water flows to the low spots and the pumps recirculate
    pros:
        a lot less pipe since all water flows near the fountain
    cons:
        must dig wells for pumps -- 10"x10"x10"
        must piece together pond liner to fit into wells
            possible leaks
  
2) in-line pumps
    have the water flow out among the bricks
    make a well for the suction hoses to draw water in
    run the suction hoses out to the outer edge to the pumps
    run the water lines in *under* the pond liner
    pros:
        *very* clean appearance -- all lines go under the pond liner
    cons:
        suction requires a deep well as well
        also, suction hose must loop from under the pond liner
            out to the wells
  
3) buckets under each spout
    have 6 buckets that the water flows into
    use submersible pumps in the buckets
    pipe all the buckets together
    pros:
        no digging, no piecing of the pond liner
        can be set up on pavement after the Event
        keeps fuel from under people's feet
        keeps people back away more [safety]
    cons:
        water blowing out is not recirculated
        now I've got to find 6 nice-looking buckets
        and they have to be plumbed together
            keeping in mind transport and ease of assembly...
  
None are good.  But we're now leaning towards the buckets.  Being able to be set up on pavement is a big, big win.  Finding nice buckets is a bummer...
  
However, I could pipe the buckets either off-set or with an elbow in the next bucket such that as the water flows from one bucket to another, it forces the water turn spin -- helping flame tornadoes!
  
Anyway, this is what we'll probably do.
  
Kiki
  
PS Note that with buckets, we're assuming there is little/no water in the basin area [with the bricks].  We were taking advantage of this in case we needed to drain the fountain -- all the water *would* flow into the basin area...
  
We still need the pond liner or we'll instantly have a mud-pit.  However, we could still treat it like there's lots of water flowing -- seal it well, and then it *would* serve as a reservoir in a pinch.  We'd make one deep well for a pump at the edge, and make it so you could hook a long pipe to it to a submersible pump in the well [take one of the pumps and use that.]  Pump the water to the top and it should all go away.
  
Note also: this brings up a recent worry of mine: how to fill this damn thing the first time!  If we could just dump water into the basin area, we're set!  It doesn't matter if *we* have to wait a long time, but it *does* matter if we keep Snook and his truck from going out to party! :)
  
Looks like the best way to go, considering the buckets.

I got 1/2 of the way around of the lower weld for the wall this evening!  This includes the back welding, so that's quite a bit!  I was running out of argon, and the wind was really picking up, so I called it a night.  [Now it's *really* blustery outside!  I think the wind doesn't like the bottom bowl... :) ]
  
I'm going to run out the tank early [well, okay, 10am] tomorrow morning, trade it, and get going again.  But I probably won't get all the lip done by 2.  So if you were planning to come out to help turn the bowl, let's wait...  [Always call me anyway, because plans change instantly!]
  
Speaking of that, I'm now thinking that pounding the lip before welding it on might be the best way anyway.  Scott's fear is that it will cause the edges of the lip to pull together, thus making the inner radius larger.  But this might actually *help*, since the spouts have to curve down and back up -- thus they would take up the slack.  Anyway, now I think it's best to pound first, then weld, and *not* turn the bowl.  Hopefully I can get that all done tomorrow.  [It's really not that much work.  Just pray for no wind please!!! :) ]  Then all that's left is the "collar" in the middle to hold back the water and allow the piping to go through the center.
  
Getting there!
  
Kiki

Well, I'm working hard on the bottom bowl right now.  Not much for others to do, unless they want to go up to Sac'to and bust ass like Allen and his friends up there are doing!  They're making amazing progress every day now!
  
As it is, it looks like I'll be heading back up with the bottom bowl sunday night for assembly on monday night!  Yay!
  
My goals this week are to pretty much *finish* the bottom bowl.  I got the wall tacked on last night [a *bitch* in the wind!] and hope to get the lip tacked today, and possibly both welded.
  
The lip is tricky.  If I weld on the lip before I pound it rounded, that means I have to turn the bowl over.  So I was thinking of pounding the lip *first* before welding it on.  Teiwaz thinks we can easily turn the bowl over.  I'm dubious, but since this would make life easier, I'm leaning that way. :)  We'd need hands, though.  Could any strong folks come over tomorrow to help turn the bowl over, like around 2?  I should have the wall and lip welded in by then *cross fingers* so it should be far more structural.  We'd probably turn it in the box to help hold it together.  Or build an *internal* support for the bowl by using the cut-outs from the pounding box.  Or both.
  
Tricky tricky.
  
Anyway, there's not much to do here but help with that.  If folks want to go up to Sac'to this weekend [without me, but under Allen's capable direction] let me know.  I'll talk to Allen first and see if he can use more folks, but he might, if you feel like taking the drive up.
  
Anyway, I have a bunch of pictures to put up!  And some *really* incredible ones from last night!  [portrait quality cool stuff!]
  
Kiki
Note: my mail was broken from July 25th to August 1st.  If you sent me mail, please resend.  Why yes I'm quite pissed by this...

I've had this idea/dream of making a very simple stencil and using copper and black spray paint, make some very simple t-shirts for the crew.  These could also be used for simple banners attached to the torches, or to masts standing around the fountain or in the procession.
  
It's *very* simple, and would be very easy to make your own with a blank white shirt.  We'd probably do these on the playa.
  
http://burningideas.com/firefall/egeria/pics/020612-pendant/Kiki/pendant_shirt.jpg
  
What do you all think?
  
Kiki
  
  

So tonight, I got the bottom bowl cut.
  
This means I *must* get the wall welded in before it is moved again -- hopefully, friday or saturday, back to Sac'to.  It will collapse otherwise.
  
I realized yesterday that one full circuit of welding is about 30 linear feet -- the same amount of welding I had to do to put the sheets of copper together.
  
I have to weld two full circuits of the bowl for the wall and lip welds.
  
Welding the sheets together took me about two days, but they weren't full days, and I waited a good while to weld the "creamy centers". :)  I could probably weld a full circuit in a day.
  
Not a call for help, just a verbal heavy sigh of trudging work...
  
Kiki -- 60 linear feet of welding...
  
PS Really my tactic is to tack [with 2" tacks] the wall and lip in, then to focus on welding a good solid 1/3 along what will be the bottom when the bowl is transported upright.  This should be quite doable.  Getting the whole thing welded would be far better, though. :)  To work! *whip lash sound* :)

Modifications to the script and pages by Kiki.