The Bricoleur: Making Do

Claude Levi-Strauss used the term "Bricoleur", referring to a maker, of sorts, who makes do with the tools and materials at hand. Terry Frohm, principle technician at the CRRF Chuuk marine laboratory in Chuuk in the early 90s, used the term "Making Do" in reference to appurtenances and contrivances, innovations he cobbled together in creating a functioning laboratory, with a minimum of expensive and specialized equipment or hardware.

I recognized, in Levi-Strauss's descriptions of the Bricoleur, the Micronesian fishermen's use---of necessity---of available materials to solve their own technical problems: Marshallese fishermen used a piece of broken glass or a sharp piece of Aluminum beer can to clean a catch of fish on the beach; spears were fashioned of discarded heavy iron wire from water-tank bands, straightened and sharpened; their slings made from old airplane inner tubes. Goggles were carved from wood---using possibly a kitchen knife sharpened on a piece of pumice that had drifted onto the beach, their glass from a
relict World War II airplane. Gillette's study of Tuna fishing in Tokelau features a demonstration by a Tokelauan elder: trapping an air bubble in the hand cupped over one's eye to provide an air-water interface through which to see fish clearly.

This Blog cannot adequately honor the resourcefulness of those men, but I have borrowed the words of Terry Frohm, to describe the purpose of this proposed collection of solutions and innovations of various kinds. These solutions are embarassingly rich in their reliance on modern materials. The intention is to develop a repository of cheap and easy solutions to problems that are important to me. I I hope it can serve as more than a collection. Rather, by example, a reminder that solutions are often at arm's reach, and not in catalogs.


Wednesday, April 3, 2019

Towards making a lab illuminator using CREE LEDs

I have a Fenix UC35 flashlight, rechargeable by USB, and extremely powerful and robust.   1000 Lumens max, adjustable.  I have been using it in place of a microscope illuminator for a Stereomicroscope.

One thing that troubles me is the limited amount of time to be able to use full power.  I think 25 minutes is the maximum.  Also, it does not run directly from USB when connected.  That is, it charges from a bulit-in USB-Micro port, but when USB is plugged in, the lamp does not operate.  Oh!  And by the way, the flashlight's micro usb port has been malfunctioning for a long time.

Fenix has not reseponded to my trouble report, even though the light has an ostensible lifetime warrantee.  I'll probably buy a charger.   And I'll file another trouble report if I don't hear from them---heck, it's been several months!

Meanwhile, I'm combing the internet searching fore ideas about making a lamp.  I plan to post some links here.

Something about Electronics, and some other bits:

  • Here's something about Making a bike lamp
     Here

A supplier with DIY stuff

  • LED-Supply
    • Including optics and brackets, etc., dox.  Good!
 

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