Archive for December, 2007

New Vector Banner

I also created a new banner that fits the new 950X200px size. This one is based off an image from ‘The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya’ and was inspired by Heart464’s ‘First & Second’ A Neon Genesis Evangelion wallpaper.

It’s all Vector art, I used Illustrator CS3 to create it.

This is only the first published version (5th test version), I going to try textures to give it more character and will modify the left side with some more unique vector shapes (no Live Trace art).

banner

Installed New K2 template for Wordpress!

I’m currently using Release Candidate 3, the newest K2 release.

This template has almost everything that I had to edit from the default Wordpress theme (Kubrick) and then some!

With K2, I’m able to upload a banner image via GUI instead of modify code and disable functions.

K2 also has tabs! I’ve been researching adding tabs for my site for months, even built a template with the basis for tabs! These tabs are perfect for what I need and after a little modification (rounding the corners), I’ll be set.

This is how you use Tabs with Wordpress!

I’ve noticed a bug where RSS entries bleed to the content if the entry title does not have any spaces and such-as-this-type-of-entry or is a file name without spaces. K2 does not cut title off after X amount width or characters.

Also, I did not like the gap at the top of the banner, it was part of the page which made it which. It should be gray with a border or not exist in the first place, obviously I chose the latter.

To eliminate the gap, modify your style sheet like so:

#page {

margin: 0 auto;
padding: 0px 0 10px;
position: relative;

}

 UPDATE:

K2, for some reason, ‘disables’ borders on images by overriding any border you put on an image with code in the style.css file.  Search for ‘img’ in the file and modify as needed:

/*img {
border: 0;
}*/


Rupp Update 3

Ruppdate 3

Frame

We stripped as much as we could with paint stripper off the frame, wheels, and other painted parts from the mini bike. Next weekend we’ll strip the rest and apply a small amount of Body-filler to our welds to cover up the ugliness of stick welding (It still looks pretty good without filler!).

We used Jacobs’s paint stripper and about 2-4 coats on the parts depending on the part, the frame got about 4 and the wheels got about 2.

We don’t know what the original color is; we found a coat of yellow under the obviously non original blue coat. We don’t know if the yellow is primer from the factory or what. If you know anything about how Rupp painted their bikes, please leave a comment.

The front wheel is cleanable but the rear has too much rust and would require paint.

wheels

wheels

We are currently researching frame paints and chrome paint. Any suggestions?

Rupp Resto updates 2

Now since the frame work is done, we looked at the engine.

The engine, a flat head Tecumseh is in good condition, minimal ridge at the top of the cylinder and the valves functioned just fine and butt up against the seats well. We removed all the carbon we could from the head and ‘short block’ and just put them back together using the still-good-condition head gasket.

We also rebuilt the transmission which is much like the modern Ford Freestyle transmission except this just has one variable-diameter pulley.

Rupp

The intake tube had to be remade. It was a pair of aluminum tubes with mounting plates on each end and a hose joining them (another modification). With the new angle of the engine, it would have sat is such a way that the carb would have hit the frame and would have sat at an angle.

So we found some tubing that slid over the existing intake tubes, heated it up to bending it so the carb sat at the correct angle, and used epoxy to seal it and keep the mounting plates aligned on the engine and carb.

He is a picture of the result (needs cosmetic work).

Rupp intake

Microsoft Word 2007: Change Default Font and Spacing in 5 Easy Steps!

Hate the default font (Calibri) and 10 pt line-spacing that is set to default in Word 2007? Then change it!

How to :

  1. In the ‘Home’ tab left click the little light colored square at the bottom right of the ‘Styles’ group. This brings up the styles window.
  2. Click the ‘Manage Styles’ button at the bottom, third from the left. This brings upa dialog box.
  3. Click the ‘Set Default’ tab, select the button ‘New documents based on this template’
  4. Make desired changes in dialog box.
  5. Click OK.

Word 2007

You’re done!

Thanks Mary Ann Richardson.

Acrylic (Plexiglas) vs. Polycarbonate (Lexan)

Maid

What are these? They are glass-like plastics, hard, clear, and are used in place of glass for many projects such as display boxes, racecar windshields, and bullet proofing your pope mobile.

Continue reading ‘Acrylic (Plexiglas) vs. Polycarbonate (Lexan)’