"We are perishing for want of wonder, not for want of wonders."
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My Mission: To construct one pencil with tools constructed by myself out of raw materials. The pencil must be functional and comparable to the modern day wonder that is "The Pencil". This idea is based on an Essay by Leonard Read
Full Disclosure
I am a self-proclaimed "Free-market", "Free-Trade", and "Capitalism-loving", "globalist". I also believe that it was probably impossible for one man to make a pencil in 1958. Will it be impossible in 2008?
I don't know, but I want to be the one to try.
About Me
- Tyler Farrer
- Blogging since the ides of March 2005
Labels
- collaboration (1)
- contribute (1)
- cost (2)
- economics (4)
- FAQ (1)
- genius (2)
- history (2)
- how-to (4)
- kudos (1)
- mission (1)
- plan (6)
- quote of the day (4)
- resources (3)
- to-do (5)
- week in review (1)
- wonder (1)
- word of the day (3)
Slogan
"Yet, not a single person on the face of this earth knows how to make me."
--The Pencil
Projected Completion Date
December, 2008--Exactly 50 years from the time that this challenge was issued.
Educational Resources
Pencil Construction Skills
- No Woodworking Experience
- No Engineering Skills or Degree's
- Some Fingerpainting Experience
- No Embossing Experience
- No Trade Experience
- No Mining Experience
Blog Archive
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2007
(29)
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April
(28)
- A Kiln
- Will You Use This Pencil?
- Timberlines Assesment of My Mental Health
- Yielding Graphite From Limestone
- Timberlines: Pencil Pusher
- Overcoming Pencil Bigotry
- A Steep Learning Curve
- Graphite: Fruitless Searching
- The Pencil:Three Types Of 'Wood'
- A Pencil Poem
- They've All Got Pencil Envy!
- Pencil, Pen Definitions
- Eraser? Try Breadcrumbs
- First Week: Week In Review
- Pencilmanship: A Lathe For Your Pencil
- One Pencils Introduction To Scale
- Public Service Message: Help Build One Pencil
- Humble Writing Stick
- Pencil Revolution
- In Want For Wonder
- I Only Want...
- A Conservative Estimate Of Costs
- Radio Built Into A Pencil
- Considering The Eraser
- How A Pencil Is Made
- How Do They Get Lead In There?
- A Germ Of An Idea
- Beginnings:Embarking On A Journey
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April
(28)
2 comments:
I think this task is confusing form with function. The function of a pencil is a tool for drawing black lines. You probably could make a charcoal style writing stick without too much hassle.
If you are trying to match form, then, yes, you have a very difficult job. Your success in the endeavor would greatly henge on accessibility to the right materials.
You know Chesterton also wrote a little story called "Chalk" that I think you'd like.
On the other hand I'm trying to match form. I could easily do an early form of pencil that consists of the "lead" wrapped in string. You would unwrap the string as you wear down the tip to expose more lead.
That would be too easy and hardly prove anything.
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