THE HAMILTON MINUTE

Your source for insights and information about Engineering


An Engineer in the Woods, Installment 14: Woodwork Part 2, Order and Schedules

Monday, July 2, 2018
The week passed with no contact from Fred the fancy lumber guy.  I was juggling the electrician, the plumber, the carpenter, the antennae/audio/IT crew, the hardwood floor guy, the tile guy, the insulation guys, and still finding time to work at the Joliet office with a trip here and there to o...

On & Off The Road Again

Friday, June 15, 2018
  The benefits of a good walk and a bit of friendly inquiry continue.  The other day I was in Springfield IL, leading a class on Land Acquisition for the IL DOT.  After the first day, wanting to clear the mind and exercise the legs a bit, I embarked on an evening stroll and stumble...

An Engineer in the Woods, Installment 13: Woodwork Part 1, Design

Friday, June 1, 2018
On a gray Saturday morning while I was at the office struggling to meet a Monday morning deadline, Kristen approached the counter at the lumber yard. A scruffy looking guy in a faded plaid shirt sat hunched over a computer keyboard at a desk behind the counter. “Hi. We’re remodeling a...

Expert Witness or Expert, Witness?

Monday, May 14, 2018
I’ve been serving as an expert witness for engineering related cases for over 25 years.  It’s never been a big part of our business, but when an attorney contacts me with a question or a concern I can usually help, and if it turns into a case, oftentimes I get hired.  Brian Bot...

An Engineer in the Woods, Installment 12: Why Handicap Accessible?

Tuesday, May 1, 2018
You’ve stayed with me for a year now, so I’m going to risk a slightly different writing style for this installment of the Woods. The house used to have a natural flagstone floor in the entry foyer that was very rough and very uneven.  Most of the doorways were a standard 30&rdquo...