We started the day with a quick hike up Bamforth.. We didnt have time to go to the window because I had a meetign I had to get to.. It was a beutiful, frosty day !

After work, DIane, Rebar and I met up at Elliott’s shop to do our first round of casting. Elliott had been working on the molde we made the other day. 

First step was to assemble the two sides of the mold “we’d “made..  I say “we’d made” because elliott had made most of it to include the filling sprue holes and vents. He’d also used low sulfer clay to smooth out the cavity.  We actually had 2 moleds.. one of a stylized Alia airplane  which Ben had 3d printed for me.. and one was a samstone

Next we waited for the pewter to melt.. Elliott gae it a little torch assist. The melting point of this lead-free pewter is about 500 degrees fahrenheit. 

Then it was time to pour the hot metal. I believe the crucible held about 6 lbs of the molten metal. My job was to pour it in the mols as quickly and safely as possible. I poured both molds. The speed is necessary to make sure the metal; spreads evenly through the mold Liquid metal is sooooo beautiful !

Voila.. the molds filled well (I thought) 

Then it was time for the metal to cool. In about 30 minutes the mold was still hot.. but not too hot to handle. We pulled the molds apart. The alia mold was hard to get out because of the complicated pattern of sprues we needed to fill in the ssmall parts. It took some muscle and some cutting to be able to free the cast of the plane. Elliott is a master of this stuff.. 

FInally the plane was free. Pretty good !.. THere was one part of the tail that didnt get filled.. but we have plenty of metal.. and anything thats not great we can re-melt !

The samstone came out perfectly.. It actually had a golden cast due to the baby powder we used a releasing agent. 

THis was a great first try .. and so much fun. Huge thanks to Elliott for teaching us about casting. He’s such a wonderful guy.. its really an honor to get to work with him !

Nite all, nite sam

-me

THere are still signs of Lochie all over the place.. the mood is still quite. I thought this bucket of tissues that were still out said alot.

Tonight was Yoga and soup night potluck  at home. I love these gatherings.. especially during the winters.  

Great yoga, great food and great company. 
nite all, nite sam

-me

It was a pretty quiet day today.. People at work were still taking in the impact of memorial services for Lochie and CP the day before. THe mood was very quiet and thoughtful.. 

The pictures from Lochies gathering were still up in the Hanger and in other parts of the building .. I found one of the pictures I shared among all the others. This is when Lochie had the samsone with him as he was about to land in Bentonville.

It’s goign to take a good while before things seem normal again around here. 

Nite all,, nite sam

-me

We left Hula and drove to BETA.  The North Hanger was full of BETA people and their family and friends , I’ve never seen it more packed.  Lochie was special to so many people. .. Lochie’s family lives in Australia, so BETA had been his home away from home for several years. He was an expert pilot, an amazing scientist and a very fun guy who was up for anything anytime.  The memorial was informal and heartfelt. It was kicked off by our CEO and friend Kyle.   Lochie had lived with Kyle and Katie and their family through the pandemic and was like family to them.

Kyle spoke about Lochies many  talents and all that he’d brought to BETA.. He also talked about Lochies passion for people. Kyles comments were loving and funny in a way that had all of us in tears.. in a good way.  He told some really funny stories .. 

THen Simon Lochies Dd got up to speak. 

We left Hula and drove to BETA.  The North Hanger was full of BETA people and their family and friends , I’ve never seen it more packed.  The planes had been moved out and the hanger was full of pictures of Lochie and CP. The kitchen cre had food and drink for all of us..    the Hanger felt warm and welcoming. It was an amazing feeling to be there with so many friends sharing the same sadness. . 

Lochie was special to so many people. .. Lochie’s family lives in Australia, so BETA had been his home away from home for several years. He was an expert pilot, an amazing scientist and a very fun guy who was up for anything anytime.  The memorial was informal and heartfelt. It was kicked off by our CEO and friend Kyle.   Lochie had lived with Kyle and Katie and their family through the pandemic and was like family to them.

Kyle spoke about Lochies many  talents and all that he’d brought to BETA.. He also talked about Lochies passion for people. Kyles comments were loving and funny in a way that had all of us in tears.. in a good way.  He told some really funny stories .. 

We left Hula and drove to BETA.  The North Hanger was full of BETA people and their family and friends , I’ve never seen it more packed.  Lochie was special to so many people. .. Lochie’s family lives in Australia, so BETA had been his home away from home for several years. He was an expert pilot, an amazing scientist and a very fun guy who was up for anything anytime.  The memorial was informal and heartfelt. It was kicked off by our CEO and friend Kyle.   Lochie had lived with Kyle and Katie and their family through the pandemic and was like family to them.

Kyle spoke about Lochies many  talents and all that he’d brought to BETA.. He also talked about Lochies passion for people. Kyles comments were loving and funny in a way that had all of us in tears.. in a good way.  He told some really funny stories .. 

ThLen Simon Lochie’s Dad got up to speak.   He too was lvoing and funny.. He talked about what Lochie was like as a kid.. (much as he was when we all knew him)..  I had met Simon very briefly at CP’s memorial earlier in the day. I could tell instantly that he was a kind and funny man. I was moved deeply by Simons comments. I know first hand how hard it is to stand in front of hundreds of people and talk about your son who has died.  Lochie knew Sam’s story and had a Samstone wiht him when he landed in Bentonville on that historic first cross country electric flight. I plan on reaching out to SImon ..  I know that the people  who had  reached out to us when Sam died who were also a member of “that club”.. were very helpful to me.

THe rest of the service… no.. it wasnt a service .. it was truly a celebration. Ryan and Charlotte got up and sang a song they’d written together  about Lochi.. it was called” I’ll see you in the Moon” (I think).  There were movies and pictures.. I was particualrly moved by this great tribute that our friend Jerry put together. Its of Beta people reading from a blog post of Lochie’s . It was beautiful.. ( I found a link to it below.. I hope it works)

Then came a huge number of tributes.. The caputos when first and people were invited to stand in line to talk about Lochie. THe line quickly grew.. There were 20 people in line, then 30.. Everyone had funny and moving stories.. DIane and I left around four and the line was still about 20 people.. I understand it went till about 5:30. It was amazing

It hadd been a hard and moving day.. lots of tears, lots of laughs.. A really fitting tribute to a great soaul

RIP Lochie and CP. .. you will eb part of BETA and all of us forever

Nite all, nite sam

-me