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2024-06-15 06:47:47 - Paul D. Foy -
Guttering issues

Having graduated from the Filton, Bristol, UK college with a qualification in plumbing (with a particular mention for my competence in guttering issues) I now find I am engaged in more theoretical studies on the matter of guttering. The course at Bristol was a very practical one and alas one or two of the attendants didn't last the full duration of the studies. The guttering discipline especially can be a difficult one, a very practical one, with tight tolerances and an eye for fine detail needed. The inclination of the gutter is a very important factor in its proper appraisal and the correct choice of downpipes and siting is vital. I hope these practical studies will give me a firm base going forward.



2024-11-28 19:13:07 - Paul D. Foy -
Immediately after WW2 the Bradford textile industry had a new series of inventions and enhancements following years of stagnation as it concentrated on the utilitarian production of clothes for military use. George Ambler did researches on the problem of drafting wool (pulling apart the fibres to air and twist and make into yarn to weave). Apparently there were many inefficiencies and problems in the process. He called upon the services of the first class Cambridge University mathematician Miss D. M. Hannah to check and extend his theoretical work. The result was the Ambler Superdraft mechanism which could easily be fitted to existing machinary and became a staple attachment. Mathematicians are always happy to help out particularly if they can develop a bit of theory.







2024-07-30 06:32:09 - Paul D. Foy -
Yea (for the one downpipe central scenario), you can get clear rates of the water which will handle a complete downpour (720mm /day) by nudging the inclination up (8. 0mm per 3. 5m drop say), but the issue is the speed of water at the downpipe orifice will (i) tend to shoot past (ii) is greater than the empirical value for flow in a channel as given by Manning Stainton - so might not be able to be achieved. We are thus tending to scrupulous keeping the gutter clear and free of debris and leaks at the joints, in this case.






2024-07-30 06:19:39 - Paul D. Foy -
Having looked at the front face of the block of flats where I live, it is actually difficult to site two equally spaced downpipes because of the alignment of windows along the front. This leads me to conclude that guttering issues (looking after the fabric of the building) were secondary in this building's construction, preferring aesthetics or more flats in the space or something. Now with easy, robust guttering software available these considerations can be taken into account early on. So I'm now not quite sure what the contractor is going to do. I shall see if the current downpipe may do with an altered alignment of gutter.






2024-07-13 20:22:55 - Paul D. Foy -
I see this as very powerful. The guttering contractor faced with his continual problem of fitting gutters to roofs tries to formalise his procedures, so they are less of a struggle and more mechanical. Out of his efforts develops the subject of graph theory and network flows and the need to write computer programs. (Pure) mathematics is a very practical subject all about solving your daily problems.




2024-07-13 06:10:06 - Paul D. Foy -
I've outlined a few of the theoretical concepts (graph theoretic ones) for the gutter operative to get a feel for the theory behind the practice of guttering. See the manual. I undertook my apprenticeship in guttering at Filton College Bristol, yet the operative might like to consider the theoretical courses available. There's one at Cambridge University and some colleges are very sympathetic to unusual routes and backgrounds (Trinity college) even homeless people (though not my college Robinson college here, the standards there are quite exacting).




2024-07-12 20:30:03 - Paul D. Foy -
Feeling reasonably confident about the Guttering software package I post what I conclude is the best course of action to improve the situation at the front of the block of flats where I live: 2 downpipes equally spaced along the front with guttering aligned to empty into them in both directions on both downpipes. Gutter inclination: 6. 5mm drop per 3. 5m gutter length. So its not just military applications where a bit of calculation and precision to exercise the talents of the operatives comes in useful.




2024-07-07 18:35:50 - Paul D. Foy -
I see this software as the kernel to a more extensive river or catchment area management software. The river is perhaps the gutter and the stream and tributaries draining into it the downpipes in reverse. A flow too fast for the river or tributaries (how this is judged (Manning Stainton?) I don't yet know) is an overflow and a flood. I'm sure there must be some area of mathematical theory behind this (networks and graphs). Yet the challenge would be to make a simple model which is nevertheless useful and could make some real predictions - isn't this what the Met Office does? Perhaps make such a simple model available to the homeowner, empowering as is the philosophy of the (now only) brand Mathematical Services.




2024-07-03 07:44:11 - Paul D. Foy -
There have been further changes to enable are more complete and accurate (yet simple) description of the gutter shape to be made. As mentioned in the previous comment this could now be used to model a river as the profile need not be a square but a trapezoid. A bit of fun at the moment, this one. Due to repeated enhancements I feel the price has to very modestly increase - to �10. 45.




2024-07-01 19:04:05 - Paul D. Foy -
I added another small section to the Advanced tab. The option to calculate the Manning Stainton speed of flow in an open pipe such as a gutter. This was an empirical formulae developed by the Irish engineer Robert Manning. Its useful to know this as it gives the flow rate were the gutter of infinite length. A good design would see that the flow rate given by the straightforward kinematic equations of motion is similar to the Manning figure. Anybody sitting in an office can do this (or on site if you've got a laptop). Incidentally I found it quite interesting calculating the flow rate of the Mosel river in Germany at its confluence with the Rhine 70km from Alf (there is a height difference of about 35 meters). The figure I got I could believe from remembering seeing the river flow at the Deutches Eck in Koblenz.




2024-06-28 04:53:43 - Paul D. Foy -
Some think I am creating an unfair competition. That I am deliberately using my (Western) graduate status and the low price to snuff out competition only to raise the price later. But I've worked hard for these qualifications, often in the evening and the money used in development was through selling my labour to legitimate sources during the day. Anybody is free to compete, the offering is (relatively) low tech in that it relies on the user's hardware and operating system software (a PC environment) rather than in the cloud (only relying on browser software). So there's still 3rd party involvement.




2024-06-28 04:41:18 - Paul D. Foy -
I've added a tab (as an advanced option) to the Guttering software that permits an installer to have a good stab at calculating the coefficient of friction for water flowing down the gutter. This enables a more accurate estimation of distance to downpipe and gutter inclination to be calculated and set. The software has been deliberately designed so that a installer faced with the practical difficulties of measuring the parameters need only do this in a relatively rough and ready manner as he can use his eye to cast over a picture to get a feel for this friction estimation. The software is however PC based so a laptop will be needed on site if it is the installer that does this. The price point is still �9. 45.




2024-06-23 09:25:56 - Paul D. Foy -
What pleasure does the installer of guttering have in these software development issues, when the design work is hived off to the admin clerk in a comfortable office. He's simply regarded in a time and cost manner - no thought about his pride in his work - he has to compete on time (unlike say a solicitor who charge his time). Well you become professional by doing things well, there is satisfaction and respect in doing a job well, of being part of a quality undertaking. Ephemeral I admit but they are as ephemeral as the intellectual pleasure the writer of the software may get. There is also the feedback from the practitioner to develop a process - you learn how to do things better and easier by doing them, as well as being instructed how to do things.




2024-06-19 06:53:38 - Paul D. Foy -
Software permitting anybody with the skills and equipment of the previous comment is now available from www. mathematicalservices. co. uk/tradesman. This is a simple model but I recommend it to make basic decisions, which is what is usually needed. It will certainly prevent making the mistake of the property where I live and will guide one to making a design as in the comment of The Shambles, Settle (two downpipes instead of one!). I may well go on to enhance it along with the price :).




2024-06-17 06:08:42 - Paul D. Foy -
Sorting out the design of these things needs nothing more than a tape measure and judiciously counting paving slabs or bricks to get the dimensions of the gutter lengths. The gutter specs are often standard or from a manufacturers data sheet. With a bit of simple software any woman, sitting at a computer, can spec out what's needed in terms of frequency of downpipe and their diameter. Any woman that can do accounts or book keeping. But I bet not many women are doing this never mind writing the software to enable this. They're are not doing it because they don't feel it's their job or part of their remit because they're are even fewer of them fitting the gutters - so they have no skin in the game. But I have come across them developing missiles to kill people and take out buildings and equipment. So some things are a woman's job, like clearing rubble as well.




2024-06-16 09:50:45 - Paul D. Foy -
A fine collection of guttering and downpipes at the rear of The Shambles in Settle, North Yorkshire, UK.




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