It's been another week since I posted. I'm not slacking. Really. Part of it is those pesky customers that want me to make changes on their websites. Part of it is that Zoe got some weird results back from a mammogram. She is supposed to see a surgeon next week about a biopsy on some calcification and she went in this week for an ultrasound on a cyst. The ultrasound didn't show that it was a cyst and now they are talking surgery to remove whatever it is. This is upsetting to say the least. Zoe has been posting about it on her blog. Her mother who has Alzheimer's has been living with us. We sold her house and the new owners want to move the closeing up to June 1, which means we have to get her stuff moved out. Most of it is packed but it's like stuffing ten pounds into a five pound sack. We actually have it pretty much under control.

Then there is gordy's camera straps. I've sold about 15 of these little suckers and promises of more orders on the way. I've started working on a version that will attach to the tripod mount for those cameras that don't have strap lugs. I built a prototype...

I posted pictures of it over at Rangefinder Forum and got a lot of good input. I'm going to be talking to some local machinists about making the little metal thingy. Another customer requested colored waxed thread. I found what looks like a great source for colored waxed cord. I've ordered some red that should be in early next week. If it's good, I will be ordering other colors. My sales have been from the Rangefinder Forum folks and they have been a big help. One of my RFF customers did this cartoon on the back of his envelope.

Another, who is Japanese, has offered to translate description and ordering information into Japanese for my camera strap site so Japanese characters should be showing up soon. And then there was the stress test.

VOIGHTLANDER, of RFF, ordered a couple of straps from me and asked the following:

"A question ... your strap is it made from a continuous loop of leather or both ends are tied/hidden within the waxed thread.

I need to know if it's the latter cos i will take care not to swing the camera around as the strap ends may just came loose."

There is a glued joint under the waxed thread where the two ends are joined together. I've really pulled on these with my hands before to test them but I've been thinking about something a little more measurable. VOIGHTLANDER's question prompted me to do a test to destruction to see what the limits of this joint is. I first hung a vise and hammer that totaled 17 pounds.

That worked fine so the only other thing heavier I had was an old monitor. It weighs 25 pounds. It hung there just fine but the split ring was starting to deform.

At this point I didn't want to add more weight because I didn't want that much weight falling when something failed.

I think it's safe to say that if the camera you are carrying with the wrist strap is starting to deform the split ring that you might not want to swing it around.

Anyway, I've got a lot of links to put up today as well as some cleaning, a ceiling fan to install, and a lawn to mow. It may take most of the day to get the links up.