A brief retrospective. All this stuff happened prior to my last blog entry, I just didn't have time to throw it in there. It's a lazy Saturday - I should be studying for Heat/Mass, but instead I'm blowing off steam on the internet....

First off, I spent the better part of a month working on a birthday present for Spencer (but it wasn't posted here... in case he reads....). I got the idea from a makezine project: hovercraft!!! So I decided it would be awesome to improve on the original design by using the parts from the RC car we shredded (and decided not to use) for the ME 444 project. I had a couple DC motors and the RC circuit/controller sitting around. I spent some time in the electronics shop figuring out what input/output voltages the circuit was using (so I could replace the supplied battery pack with a smaller, lighter version) and I got to work. Here's the alpha model:


And the motor did spin up just fine!! But the circuit only delivers about 1.3 V to the motor, so it's a little bit slower. Result: it doesn't lift off the ground :( bummer. But, it has to lift the weight of the circuit and the balsa housing, so I decided to make a lighter beta model:


Which also didn't have enough thrust to lift off....but it was closer. This one also delivers the full 2.3 V from the 2 AA battery pack to the motor (so it spins a LOT faster than the alpha), and it ONLY delivers thrust in the vertical direction (as you can see from the ducting). So that was kind of depressing that a soon-to-graduate ME can't make a damn hovercraft fly, but in hindsight it was because of over-engineering (too much mass from glue, other parts...) that did it. But I did put in cool features like: they use the same battery pack, and they both have on/off switches soldered in, so I'm pleased with the effort. They look cool and he was glad to get them, so it's not all bad.

My job interview in Kohler was pretty sweet. They have a very professional staff there - I met with engineering managers twice my age - basically the people I would be working for. They were all very positive, and open to the way I presented myself. They do some really interesting stuff there. Big opportunities for innovation and exploration there. The whole town is pretty cool - it's very 1920's industrial besides basically being a resort (Mr. Kohler has more money than Donald Trump!!):


Because it's in rural Wisconsin AND on the lake, there's a ton of recreational stuff I could do. If I lived there: I'd buy a sailboat, go hunting every winter, and take up golf (Mr. Kohler has two PGA quality courses in the town that any Kohler employee can play for $24). And also - probably not a big shot at getting continuing education... I'm trying to convince Stace we could live on the north side of Milwaukee so she can go to UWM or Marquette (I want my masters, too!!). Maybe we could live near the city when we're young, then move out to the country later... I dunno. Anyway you cut it - it looks like a cool place to live.

The Whirlpool interview went pretty well, too. First off - the rental car people upgraded me for free...so I was riding in style to St. Jo (about half an hour N.E. from Gary, IN):


Yeah. I know, right? Definitely the most expensive car I've ever driven. The headquarters is pretty serious business, too:


But St. Jo is known for its beaches, and I'd want to live in town there if I got the job. It's very quaint:

Honestly, I don't have the slightest idea what I'd be doing if I worked for Whirlpool. They didn't spend any time talking about the opportunities there - they spent all their time finding out about me. I was mostly interviewed by 20-somethings... there's nothing wrong with that, but I don't really feel like I got to see a complete picture of what they have to offer.

My B&M interview was also really interesting. They are involved in some reeaallly cool stuff. I feel like I could be a really well-respected professional if I work there (they basically require you to get your P.E. within 3 years...so I meant that literally). The work would be really technical and yet always varying. My presentation went well (it's a consulting company - so they want to see if you can handle yourself in front of a crowd), and each of the division managers was extremely polite and direct with me. I also brought my Delta design notebook, so hopefully that gave them a glimpse of the my problem solving style. I wish I had some pictures of the place, it's in a huge industrial complex - sitting on top of an underground parking facility which requires RFID tags to enter. There's security everywhere. They're pretty tip-top. BUT! I was there during a huge ice-storm. It took about an hour and a half just to drive me from the Airport to the hotel - and the guys there still took me out to dinner. I got snowed in the second day - so I missed Friday classes (which was a blessing in disguise due to all the stuff I had due that day). But - all in all I'm very satisfied with the result. I got to hang out with Nate & Mandy for two nights in a row. We all get along pretty well, and I have a feeling we'd be spending a lot of time together if I worked in KC. Mandy & Nate both really like their jobs a lot (which is especially good news coming from Nate since he WORKS for B&M), and they really like the city a lot. There's a shocking amount of diversity there - which is good. It's the "city of fountains" - second only to Rome for the number of fountains in the city. Wow. It's got great schools, nice neighborhoods, and super shopping (c'mon , Stace!!).

I haven't heard from anyone yet!! Including Delta!! I can't believe this. I went to the Cactus on Thursday night with Bryan and Sarah, which was awesome. Sarah wants nobody to offer me a job so I get stuck in Indy with her and B-spice. That wouldn't be all bad. I could get an M.S. at IUPUI in nightschool, hang out with Kel & Erin & Jay & Gretch & Chris & Brooke & obviously Sarah & Bryan.... so there's a lot going on there. I just don't feel like Indy is where I belong for the rest of my life. I dunno. I feel like I want some options.

So as far as things are going around here - I think Christmas is in the air. Stacey sent a care package to the guys and I (which was precious) - like we need more candy and cookies and cake, hah. But it was really sweet. The stockings are hung on the mantle, and I think we're all looking forward to a little vacation. This semester absolutely FLEW BY, but, as I said in an earlier posting I feel like it was a really good time. Craig & I had a really nice chat, and we're both in a really well adjusted, happy place. I'm very optimistic about the next couple of weeks, and also about the spring semester. I'll throw it out there right now - I'm going to try to convince my senior design group to make a steam engine. Think about it - that would be ASTONISHING! And in sort of the school-spirit with the whole boilermaker thing. Anyway, seasons greetings everyone.


Several teams of senior design this semester made a RC submarines. They're having a competition at the Aquatic center in 2 hours.... I really want to go. Seeya.