Tuesday, November 15th, 2016
|
|
6:07 pm - Pruning acers (etc)
|
|
|
Tuesday, October 14th, 2014
|
|
2:47 pm - bulbs per m
|
|
|
Tuesday, July 16th, 2013
|
|
5:11 pm - wild flower identification
|
|
|
Thursday, November 19th, 2009
|
|
8:16 pm - Step dimensions - The magic equation!
|
aiwendel
|
I spent this afternoon measuring steps, after finding some 330x150mm steps (no nose) that seemed on the limit of nice (mine were 330 of which 30 is nose by 150 and therefore may have been outside the limit of nice).
I've measured a LOT of steps all over town.
I'm sure there should be some maths for the ideal steps
hmmm there's a table here:
http://outdoor-living.hardwarestore.com/learning/a-guide-to-building-outdoor-stairs.aspx
6inch->14inch, 7inch riser->12inch tread
I wonder if I can make a formula up for it...
*plots graph on cycas*
Line cuts the riser axis at 13 inches (33cm) and the tread axis at 26 inches (66cm). These both feel like reasonable maximum risers no tread and treads no riser, so I shall stick with them. (Later measuring confirms with my thigh perendicular to the ground the ball of my foot is 13 inches from the ground, and my stride is somewhere around 23-33inches, so the 26inch is reasonable too, for me, but I am big for a girl/smallish for a boy so a reasonable average person.)
I had to look up the equation for a straight line graph that's tragic! y=ax+b
Or in this case R=aT+33 (in cm), filling in, 0=66a+33 thus a = -33/66 =-1/2
so R=-T/2 +33
where R is riser height and T tread length in cm. Noses don't count.
Soooo with my riser fixed at 15cm, my ideal tread is: (15-33)*-2= 36cm.
This fits with the experimental data collected today, where 360x150 steps were very comfortable both up and down.
I must remember that equation. And fix my steps! However it does suggest my 30(+3)cm treads should go with 18cm risers. This is far too steep for outside; maybe I've made indoor style steps. :-/ hmph. 20cm risers go to 26cm treads - this fits with an indoor (steep) staircase...
Anyway.
The Magic Equation!
R=-T/2+33
or
T=(R-33)*(-2)
current mood:  determined
|
|
(2 comments | comment on this)
|
|
Sunday, May 25th, 2008
|
|
3:02 pm - Chelsea links
|
|
|
Wednesday, July 26th, 2006
|
|
5:17 pm - self employment
|
|
|
Monday, July 17th, 2006
|
|
12:17 pm - positive feedback 118qew
|
|
|
Friday, January 20th, 2006
|
|
4:56 pm - angelsey abbey winter garden.
|
aiwendel
|
first WOW Anglesey Abbey Winter garden is UTTERLY SPECTACTULAR. You should really really REALLY go to see it if you can.
The colours are astounding and the smells mindblowingly intense and beautiful.
Chimonanthus praecox Luteus (big yellow flowering wintersweet) and a smaller evergreen one were the most intense smells, but there was hamamelis (witch hazel, flourishing despite the alakaline soil - apparently tonnes of (acidic) leaf mould and a top up each year is the answer), viburnum tinus (ev gr white fls), vib. farrei candissimum (white flowered a bit like -> ), viburnum bodnantense dawn (pink fls all winter)
skimmia confusa Kew green was in bud, evergreen and apparently happy in alkaline soil.
The rubus (brambles) were glorious with their gleaming white stems (not sure which was which) and stood out beautifully against ever green backgrounds of garrya elliptica with it's catkins...
The willow was good but the dogwood better. In particular cornus sanguinea Winter beauty.
Various mahonias were doing their thing. M. aquifolium apollo was cute, low, purplish leaves, and a good back drop for the more colourful stems.
I didn't notice the daphe.
The kerria was being used for it's bright green stems, which was interesting. I hadn't considered this use before.
Cotoneaster lacteus was looking stunning, in leaf and Covered in bright red berries still. Apparently they are a bit of a last resort for birds so stay on longest.
Ground cover - pulmonarias were already starting to flower.
Hellebores on the other hand weren't doing great.
Bergenias were forgiven as their purplish undersides of their leaves gave them a glow that went terribly well with Prunus x subhirtella "autumnalis" this prunus was a small tree, and flowering, very pretty white flowers. Apparently it starts in autumn, goes on and off all winter then has another big flush in spring. And it has autumn colour. What a great tree. Grows to about 20 ft. (7m?)
The betula utilis jackmontii (non weeping silver birch with very white trunks) were just stunning. Literally stunning. Dark cornuses and black earth beneath, and just POW in your face white on black coppice. Just wow.
...
whatelse ... oh the phormium dazzler (short, red) with phormium Alison blackman (taller, darker, but still purply) made a very attractive combination.
Luzula (sedge)'s bright yellow green made a good back drop for somethings, and a rather glaring awkward one for others. Intersting though.
And there was an iris which was flowering. A flower a day and frost doesn't hurt them (or maybe doesn't matter since it's a flower a day?) But I'm not sure which one it was. I Think it was I. unguicularis, but it might have been I. u. lazica...
Meanwhile cyclamen foliage was doing a good job of dappline the ground in greens....
and the eyphorbias were in shape too...
|
|
(comment on this)
|
|
Friday, January 6th, 2006
|
|
6:06 pm - listing in google local
|
|
|
Sunday, July 17th, 2005
|
|
11:46 pm
|
|
|
Monday, April 11th, 2005
|
|
11:09 am - gardenweb
|
|
|
Thursday, March 24th, 2005
|
|
4:23 pm
|
|
|
|
6:09 am - prefab summer houses
|
|
|
Wednesday, March 23rd, 2005
|
|
3:04 pm - garden lights
|
aiwendel
|
http://www.capitalgardens.co.uk/acatalog/Feature_Lights.html
Due to time pressure am trying hard to avoid designing and building my own lighting system as I did before, in favour of buying some.
I can, on the other hand, see why I did it myself last time.
Some are ok, but the prices are silly...
and the idea of looking like a parking lot does not appeal.
must try and have hidden ones I think...
|
|
(comment on this)
|
|
Friday, March 11th, 2005
|
|
12:27 pm - wheelchair dimensions.
|
|
|
Sunday, March 6th, 2005
|
|
9:54 am - recycled glass aggregate...
|
|
|
Tuesday, February 22nd, 2005
|
|
6:38 pm
|
|
|
|
3:29 pm - key to fruit tree diseases
|
|
|
Friday, January 21st, 2005
|
|
11:35 am - giant chess
|
|
|
Thursday, January 20th, 2005
|
|
12:35 pm
|
aiwendel
|
Good news.
Ben of Scotsdales is currently working with his dad, who is an odd job/builder/hard landscaper.
Both should be able to come and help clear the garden in March, and he can help with plants, and his dad with paving etc.
Two strong men, one with plants knowledge, perfect. Happy to work as subcontractors too.
I'll have space for more workers in March too ( alixandrea - if your job runs out and you want to come back!), but it's good to know I have the start of a team...
Fingers crossed we </i>will</i> be able to zap the thing in just a few months.
Rates seem ok too. (£7.50/hr and £10/hr for son and father)
perfick.
My plans are going to Have to be up to scratch though!!
*gets excited*
|
|
(comment on this)
|
|
cheerful