Hey Gar, I really enjoyed this article, especially the section on Frankenstein prototyping. I think about assumptions a lot, usually because the ones I've made are faulty. Your comment "We have this perceptual blindness where we tend to see things as they are rather than the potential for what else they can become" is spot on. Making the perceptual shift can benefit us inside and outside the walls of the shop. Thanks for the thought-provoking article.
Your Frankenstein story of parsing known reservoirs of gadgets, goods, and such to scrounge for ideas reminded me of the first time I entered a farm & feed store with all manner of farm equipment and paraphernalia, of which I was clueless as I was a city boy. I just walked up and down all the aisles taking in the vast collection of things, many of which I had no idea what was the purpose of said items, but their configuration triggered ideas immediately. It ultimately made me aware of how websites apparently think they know what you want rather than just letting your imagination go and view the plethora of things that might set you free but they wish to control the journey. Bad. I will close my remarks with an observation about the first aid kit. Please include a tourniquet (North American Rescue makes the best) in the mix. I know because of an accident my brother had with a lawn mower when we were kids. Lots of red that day. The little brother saved the big brother. He never picked on me after that day.
On the subject of first aid kits, I have added a tourniquet to my shop/camping portable kit. After hearing of a local tradesman almost dying from a miter saw accident, I added one just out of sheer fear. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. Great newsletter as always. Thanks!
Great tips Garth, and timely. One caveat: Hydrogen peroxide is not the right chemical for wounds. It damages tissue in open wounds. Use clean water instead, dry and treat with antibiotic or iodine as necessary. Hydrogen peroxide is a great disinfectant for cleaning surfaces, just not for wound care.
When I cut myself (too often) I let the blood flow briefly to flush it out. Blood is the perfect disinfectant. Then I use a bandaid or wound closure strips to close it up tightly. Healing is done in a day or two.
Hey Gar, I really enjoyed this article, especially the section on Frankenstein prototyping. I think about assumptions a lot, usually because the ones I've made are faulty. Your comment "We have this perceptual blindness where we tend to see things as they are rather than the potential for what else they can become" is spot on. Making the perceptual shift can benefit us inside and outside the walls of the shop. Thanks for the thought-provoking article.
Your Frankenstein story of parsing known reservoirs of gadgets, goods, and such to scrounge for ideas reminded me of the first time I entered a farm & feed store with all manner of farm equipment and paraphernalia, of which I was clueless as I was a city boy. I just walked up and down all the aisles taking in the vast collection of things, many of which I had no idea what was the purpose of said items, but their configuration triggered ideas immediately. It ultimately made me aware of how websites apparently think they know what you want rather than just letting your imagination go and view the plethora of things that might set you free but they wish to control the journey. Bad. I will close my remarks with an observation about the first aid kit. Please include a tourniquet (North American Rescue makes the best) in the mix. I know because of an accident my brother had with a lawn mower when we were kids. Lots of red that day. The little brother saved the big brother. He never picked on me after that day.
I very much like what is explored in “Rule of Thumb for Buying Tools.”
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Here’s a quick change to be made in, “Don’t Stack Things on Top of Other Things.”
Change this…
On of his key principles is not to stack unrelated things on top of other things.
To that…
One of his key principles is not to stack unrelated things on top of other things.
On the subject of first aid kits, I have added a tourniquet to my shop/camping portable kit. After hearing of a local tradesman almost dying from a miter saw accident, I added one just out of sheer fear. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. Great newsletter as always. Thanks!
Great tips Garth, and timely. One caveat: Hydrogen peroxide is not the right chemical for wounds. It damages tissue in open wounds. Use clean water instead, dry and treat with antibiotic or iodine as necessary. Hydrogen peroxide is a great disinfectant for cleaning surfaces, just not for wound care.
When I cut myself (too often) I let the blood flow briefly to flush it out. Blood is the perfect disinfectant. Then I use a bandaid or wound closure strips to close it up tightly. Healing is done in a day or two.