A great effort (quick update)

Well, I'm a little late with the news, but for those of you following that don't know. We took 9th in the nation with the PakYak.

Awards ceremony

Hey, for all those who are interested In watching the awards ceremony for SkillsUSA in the chance that our team and the pakyak might place , the link is here: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/skillsusa09-awards and it will be broadcast at 5:00 CST. Thank you and wish us luck!!!

Kansas City

Today was the first day that we had any sort of competition related meetings. We set up the booth and got to see the other competitions. From the looks of it, it will all come down to the presentation, but I think we have a really good shot at this.

Tomorrow theres a competition for engineering technology that will not count for or against our projects (they're still trying to get this relatively new competition group ironed out) and from the sound of it it will be a problem solving completion. We will have to solve a problem with the tools provided and otherwise show our stuff. I think that will go well. I want to go through our presentation again though, just to get it down.

I'll keep you updated, competition is on Thursday.

Great news

I have finished (mostly) the newest of the five frames yesterday (makes two completed) and I gave it a try on the latest skin the Shelly at Aker Shorter made and it works! The skin and frames are a close enough fit to be interchangeable, this will make Shelly happy.

Anyway, I just thought I'd give the momentous news there before making my way off to Kansas city today. Wish me luck, and some aid wrapping up some things I still have to do.

Less than a Week

There is less than a week to go till Kansas city and I still have to get a few more things done, most of it minor though, namely:

Shelly over at Aker Shorter is still working on the newest skin and I still have to put a little more structure into our presentation, not to mention we have to rehearse it.

Later this week I'll post some pictures here of this last week, which was the first week of my summer vacation. I spent last week working on the other 4 frames and got really far on one of them, it might even go to Kansas with us as part of the display. As far as that frame goes its only the center brace and the gunwales that need to be completed.

Also I plan on posting pictures in the gallery of the SkillsUSA national competition, there will be over 17,000 competitors there in various competitions, that should make some things interesting to say the least. (e.g. finding a place to eat) I'm going to focus one what all I think is neat there, other groups displays and such.

I'll talk to you later next week, stay tuned for competition updates as we get closer to game time.

One Month, still alive... For now x.x'

I've still been working here, I just haven't been as diligent in updating or documenting the progress as the end of the school year winds down. w00t! one week!
*cough* anyway, I forget what I last mentioned, so heres a recap: The new frame has all but the gunwales, gunwale straps, wood seal, and tailored skin finished; The new frame is currently in the shop (Aker Shorter Upholstery) getting it's new skin; and finally I have started and finished a new banner for the National trip in June, its pictured bellow so take a look and tell me what you think.

For the National competition we will be taking the new banner, yet to be printed, both PakYak sets, and possibly equipment for a powerpoint or keynote presentation.

I do plan on getting the straps, new skin, and gunwales for the new frame all ready before nationals, we'll just have to see about the wood sealing. *crosses fingers*

Overall I'm very pleased with how this frame has turned out, there are a few rough spots, but nothing that can't be taken care of with a little TLC.

I've also uploaded a few new pics detailing a concept backpack design for the new frames, so be sure and check that out as well.

Long day, Much accomplished.

I might have mentioned this earlier, if not then oh well, but I'm not planning on having a regular meeting time for my team and I to work on various aspects of our project. Every Tuesday and Thursday.

Lately I've been feeling a bit of the pressure, a lot of things going on for me right now, but most importantly I have to get a new frame turned out so that the rest of the skins can be made. I want to make sure that the one I have for this frame, for whatever reason befits human error, fits on a new frame before giving the green light to make more. So because of this I spent after school today cutting two full sets of aluminum pieces out for frames and getting each of the pieces to the point where each only need to be drilled and countersunk. When all of this is ready by tomorrow evening I'll be able to do the drilling over the weekend and, hopefully, have two frames ready to assemble. (Hopefully because thats hedging the possibility that I'll make a stupid mistake, hence two sets of pieces)

I also cut templates out of card stock today so that I can use a metal punch to quickly mark where each hole is to be drilled.

All and all I feel as if I've accomplished much and that getting two frames ready to assemble by monday evening is now a much more doable goal. (Wasn't so sure about it this morning.)

Sorry, I don't have any more pictures for you yet, though I'll be sure to get some for the next post. Promis