Standing desk

Like most people in IT, for that matter anyone that is tied to a desk for work,  I have noticed that I am achy and uncomfortable after a few hours of work sitting at my desk. I've also read the studies that have shown that working at a desk is a sure fire way to reduce the longevity of my life.

I have tried stretching and getting up and walking around regularly. That helps but it hasn't solved my achy problems.

After reading many posts and study results I am convinced that standing and walking desks are a good solution to the problem.

Phase 1 of this is a standing desk. I am planning on using my standing desk for 1 month to see if I like it and if it helps comfort. I am going to use it at least half of the day every day that I am in the office.

The standing desk that I have is a Jaco SL that I modified slightly. I removed the monitor stand, keyboard tray and PC tray.

Phase 2 will come next month (or whenever I find a cheap treadmill).

I will update with my progress.

Atomic 4 Thermostat cleaning

While investigating cooling issues in my Atomic 4 I came across an FAQ at the Moyer Marine site that described cleaning the thermostat every season. "It really is better to use a thermostat in the Atomic 4, and to keep it clean by soaking it in vinegar every season." 

While I have had my thermostat out annually for winterizing, I have never cleaned it. So I decided to give it a try.

Half way clean, after 2 days soaking in vinegar

I had no idea how dirty the thermostat was! In fact, I though that the thermostat had been rusty but, now that it is clean, I realize that the rust was just gunk. 40 years of gunk took 3 days of soaking to clean (and 3 changes of vinegar).

I also wasn't sure what temperature rating my thermostat was rated for so I tested it by boiling it.

The thermostat started opening around 125 degrees Fahrenheit and was fully open around 160 degrees.It was approximately 1/4" open at it's fullest. I'm not sure if either of these are measurements are within spec because I can't find a good reference online. If anyone knows, please comment below.

I'm not sure if my dirty thermostat was the cause of my cooling issues but it couldn't be helping.

Electronics makeover - Part 1 - Radar mast

My radar mast was purchased second hand (Kijiji is my heroine). While it was a great deal ($50) it didn't quite fit my boat. The first step in my radar installation process was to adapt this radar mast for my use.

Cut off existing mounting points and brackets
The mast had existing mounting brackets welded in places that aren't suitable for my boat. I cut these off using an angle grinder with a metal cutoff disk. It was very quick cutting through the aluminum...Careful not to take off too much! I also took this opportunity to sand off the existing paint and smooth out the overall surface of the mast.

Create and install mounting bracket for GPS receiver
Using a combination of a bracket that was on the original radar mast and some aluminum plating that I had laying around, I created a nice little mounting bracket for the GPS receiver. Basically I just formed the plating into a two piece circular mounting bracket using a piece of 2" pipe as a form.

Prime and paint
I used automotive aluminum spray cans to prime and paint the while unit. The paint seems very durable. We'll see if it holds up.

Deck Installation
To install the mast I used a 3x6 (1/4" thick) piece of aluminum as a backing plate and a pivoting bracket at the base. I drilled holes to accommodate the 1/2" stainless bolts that would secure the mast to the backing plate. I applied silicone sealant to the bottom of the mast and around the screw holes to prevent water leakage.

Rail bracing
Using more spare pieces of aluminum, some bits and pieces from other clamps, and a hose clamp, I attached the mast to my aft safety rail. This is still pretty ugly and I need to come up with a better clamp here.

Extra bracing
I quickly realized that the mast still did not have enough stability. I created an additional diaganol brace from my GPS mounting bracket to the cabin deck on. I used a piece of 1" aluminum tubing for the brace. I think it could still use one more brace on the other side but I'm going to wait and see how it performs first.

Installation of gear
I installed the radar and GPS receiver using the provider hardware. I did realize, after the fact, that the hole that I had drilled for the cabling wouldn't accommodate the GPS connector. I had to make some last minute modifications to get it to fit.

If more detail on any of these steps would be useful to you, ask for clarification in a comment below and I'll update with the further detail.