# Here's what one (very bright) guy did after retiring.



## Josiah (Feb 21, 2015)

I'm green with envy.






http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/21/y...r-fun-after-a-lifetime-of-workaday-rules.html


----------



## AZ Jim (Feb 21, 2015)

Here ya go Josh, 100000 toothpicks pounds of Elmers glue and 40 years.  Now, you have a project.


----------



## AprilT (Feb 21, 2015)

Speaking of green with envy, you both are going to be amazed when I find the work this other retired did in their empty free time.

BRB gotta go find and see if I can post that masterpiece they did.  Again BRB


----------



## AZ Jim (Feb 21, 2015)

*Tappin my foot, arms crossed, waiting.....waiting.......your hair is fine....come on, come on.....


----------



## SifuPhil (Feb 21, 2015)

I dunno ... I think the kinetic toothpick sculpture is more impressive than the tie machine. Isn't the whole idea of engineering to make something not only useful, but also _efficient_? 

_10_ motors to tie that tie?


----------



## AprilT (Feb 21, 2015)

Here ya go

View attachment 14723


----------



## AZ Jim (Feb 21, 2015)

SifuPhil said:


> I dunno ... I think the kinetic toothpick sculpture is more impressive than the tie machine. Isn't the whole idea of engineering to make something not only useful, but also _efficient_?
> 
> _10_ motors to tie that tie?


And it's not a proper tie.....a Windsor knot.


----------



## Josiah (Feb 21, 2015)

I'm afraid my fine motor skills are not what they use to be (you should see my handwriting) and so I'm afraid the toothpick sculpture is a non starter. Riding the pony looks like fun though.


----------



## AZ Jim (Feb 21, 2015)

AprilT said:


> Here ya go
> 
> View attachment 14723



Uh......ok!


----------



## Meanderer (Feb 21, 2015)

Brilliant! ...just in time for the age when we no longer wear ties.   Hard choice....10 motors or 100,000 toothpicks?


----------



## SifuPhil (Feb 21, 2015)

AZ Jim said:


> And it's not a proper tie.....a Windsor knot.



Well, the article mentioned that he's a small guy, so maybe a full Windsor would be too much for him ...


----------



## SifuPhil (Feb 21, 2015)

Meanderer said:


> Brilliant! ...just in time for the age when we no longer wear ties.   Hard choice....10 motors or 100,000 toothpicks?



And which choice would be more environmentally friendly?


----------



## Josiah (Feb 21, 2015)

He went to MIT, men wore fore and hand ties in New England. What would be a real challenge would be tying a bow tie.


----------



## Meanderer (Feb 21, 2015)

SifuPhil said:


> And which choice would be more environmentally friendly?


How many trees to make 100,000 toothpicks?  How many Elmers to make enough glue?


----------



## Josiah (Feb 21, 2015)

April, do you still have a halos?


----------



## Meanderer (Feb 21, 2015)

Josiah09 said:


> He went to MIT, men wore fore and hand ties in New England. What would be a real challenge would be tying a bow tie.


----------



## AprilT (Feb 21, 2015)

Josiah, I do when I wake with a shade of yellow, by the time I lie in bed it's a burning red with little prongs coming out the sides.


----------



## SifuPhil (Feb 21, 2015)

Meanderer said:


> How many trees to make 100,000 toothpicks?  How many Elmers to make enough glue?



Your standard birch toothpick is 2-[SUP]5[/SUP]/[SUB]8[/SUB]" long by [SUP]1[/SUP]/[SUB]16[/SUB]" wide ... 

(2.625" L)(pi)(r[SUP]2[/SUP]) = 0.008 sq. in. / toothpick

x 100,000 toothpicks = 800 sq. in. total area

Given an average birch tree diameter of 12" ...

(pi)(r[SUP]2[/SUP]) = 113.04 sq. in. = *7.079 inches of a 12" trunk* to produce 100,000 toothpicks.

___________________________________________

Now, as for those horses ...


----------



## rkunsaw (Feb 22, 2015)

I went to the Rube Goldberg school of engineering, but I haven't worn a tie in 30 years.

 I have no idea what a Windsor knot is. I can tie a square knot and a sheepshank though.

I think April's project is more along my skill level.


----------



## oakapple (Feb 24, 2015)

what, pray, is an Elmer?


----------



## oakapple (Feb 24, 2015)

can't men do something useful with their spare time, like Hoover the bedrooms?


----------



## Josiah (Feb 24, 2015)

oakapple said:


> what, pray, is an Elmer?



The Borden Company use to be a dairy business later they switched to glue. During their dairy days their logo was



Once in the glue business they switched their logo to Elsie's friend Elmer and named their popular glue after him.


----------



## AZ Jim (Feb 24, 2015)

Damn Josh, you are a virtual fountain of knowledge, I didn't know that....I knew both products of course but never made the connection between them.


----------

