dryfly.ca started as a website for sharing one of my DIY projects, a stitch and glue kayak. Since then I've added several more projects including a skin-on-frame kayak, cedar strip canoe, kayak paddles, canoe paddles, building a spey rod, and an antenna for receiving OTA HDTV. I also occasionally ramble on about politics, technology, bike racing, product reviews and last but not least, our kids.
Click on the Photo Gallery to lots of my pictures in their full glory, including family, friends, boat building, travels, etc.
February 22, 2007 at 11:00 pm · Filed under Tern 14 kayak
I recently finished applying System Three’s WR-LPU to the Tern14. I chose to use this material primarily for two reasons. First, it is touted as being a very tough finish, longer lasting than standard varnishes. Secondly, it is a water-based suspension which means that it avoids nasty organic solvents. I had heard and read about some difficulties in applying the finish. Apparently it has a fine line between drying to fast and leaving orange peel or applying too much and causing runs or sags. Ultimately I wasn’t too concerned about getting a “pro” finish so I thought I’d give it a try.
I decided to try and spray the wr-lpu. System Three’s manual suggested that spraying the lpu would result in a better finish. Not only that, but it gave me a great excuse to buy a cool piece of equipment: a Fuji Q3 HVLP spray gun. Overall, my experience with the wr-lpu is mixed. I think it’s possible to achieve the almost-perfect finish by spraying lpu and not sanding/buffing. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to achieve this myself. Despite practicing on scraps along with coating several coats, I never applied the lpu in a way that gave a “check out that great finish” result. It is clear to me that lpu application process is not very stable and that small changes in application or perhaps formulation (ie dilution with water) or environment make big differences. With my own eyes I saw myself spray a surface that would go from glossy to patchy Read the rest of this entry »
February 11, 2007 at 9:15 pm · Filed under Just Stuff
I guess it’s not that surprising, but I’m constantly awed (and impressed) with the imaginations that kids have. See the photo below? Those are two small dried-up pieces of play-doh. For two days Grady has been saying that they are his special tools. The white one is a screw driver, and I think the blue one is a wrench. He even has “real” play tools, go figure. To me, this highlights my conviction that kids require only the simplest of toys. If a toy needs a battery, chances are that it will actually hinder the usability and fun that a toy inherently possesses.
Here it is, another layman’s technology review. Read with caution because I’ve never actually even seen or used a Canon XTi.
I’ve been biased towards Nikon cameras for some time, but there probably isn’t any real reason to pick one over the other if you are starting out in dSLR. Certainly if you already had some Nikon compatible lenses your decision would swing towards Nikon. That would probably be the easiest way to decide between these cameras.
I’m not even sure if the D50 is a current model for Nikon, it may have been superseded by the D40. The D40 is quite similar I understand. I think its metering isn’t as good as the D50 and it is a bit cheaper. I think they both come with the same lens.
Who is better? Wayne Gretzky or Sidney Crosby? Bobby Orr or Mario Lemieux? People far more knowledgeable than I have attempted to answer this question. This of course begs the question, “Don’t you have something better to do with your spare time?” But I digress. Perhaps it’s the proud parent in me or maybe it’s simply recognizing talent when I see it, but as the video below shows, Grady is well on his way to great things on ice.
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