Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering - (Archive)

ABE Weekly Newsletter 11.30.2007

Winners of "What's the Purpose?"

Marc Lott found this wooden (presumed) measuring device in I Ed II.  What is it and what does it measure?

Stamped on the end is "Lufkin Rule Co. Saginaw Mich"

We have received four replies of the correct answer!  Congratulations to Charles Schwab, Hans van Leeuwen, Thomas Isenhart, and Stephen Barnhart.

Thank you all for your replies! Some are posted below:

"It is a board and log rule, made from hickory and oval brass head, for hooking over the timber. Lufkin rule was the world’s largest manufacturer of measuring devices in its heyday. The markings on the brass for an 8/18 rule are for 12, 14 and 16’ on the one side and 8,10 and 18’ on the other side.

Sometimes known as the inspector’s rule, it was quite expensive for its time: $33.60 per dozen!"

"It is a measuring device to be sure. It will measure board feet of ruff cut lumber. Any good lumber mill or yard uses these devices."

"I suspect that it is a timber 'curisers stick' or 'log scaling stick'used in the quick estimation of the number of board feet of lumber in a log or tree"

Ag Leader Visits Davidson

Al Myers and Michael Voss of Ag Leader Technology, Inc. visited Davidson Hall this week to see the new lab made from their donation of the latest precision agriculture equipment.

More about this donation to come.

Pictured: Tom Brumm, U. Sunday Tim, Ramesh Kanwar, President of Ag Leader Al Myers, and Michael Voss of Ag Leader

New Staff Member

Dawn Miller joined the department as a part-time program assistant.  She is working for Tom Brumm on a project entitled “A Model for Integrating Entrepreneurship into Degree Programs at Iowa State University” funded by the ISU Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship and the Ag Entrepreneurship Initiative.  Dawn has a master’s degree in Ag Education from Iowa State and is experienced in curriculum development.  She began work on November 1.  If you see Dawn in the hallway, welcome her to ABE!

ABE Honors

LeQuetia Ancar received an ISU Teaching Award.  Congratulations!

Read more

Hans van Leeuwen has been given a courtesy appointment in the Department of Food Sciences and Human Nutrition. This appointment is in addition to his courtesy appointment with ABE. Congratulations!

Senior Design Presentations - Tentative Schedule

December 6th 115 Davidson Hall

 

                    AE 415 Presentations

 

2:45 pm -      Disposal Options for the Stickwater and B-Grease Wastewater Stream

Karl Broer, Pranav Chopra, Jon Rosengren

 

3:10 pm -      ISU Quarter Scale Tractor Team

                        Stephen Carr, Jeffrey Langner, Clint Recker

 

3:35 pm -      Development and Testing of a Hydrogen Sulfide Detection System for Use in Swine Housing

                         Ross Muhlbauer, Ben Selvig, Randy Swestka

 

                    AE 416 Presentation

 

4:00 pm        Automated Grain Drying System

                         Barrett Reed and Brian Toms

 

 

December 12th 115 Davidson Hall

 

                    AE 415 Prosentations

 

1:00 pm        Environmental Controls for Layer Chickens

                        Ricky Acevedo, Brad Bond

 

1:25 pm        Waste Management System Design for an Open Cattle Feedlot in Central Iowa

                        Alyson Beatty, Andrea Clancy, Jacob Mayer

 

1:50 pm        Bin Sampling Probe System

                        Derek Gage, Kevin Klingbeil, Jason Wellman

 

2:15 pm        Corn Cobs: Optimizing Collection, Storage, and Transportation

                        Austin Carlson and Ryan Zenisek

 

2:40 pm        Chemical Mixing Station

                        Brent Applegate

 

                    AE 416 Presentation

 

3:05 pm        Agri-Speed Hitch Electrical/Hydraulic Add-on

                         Traye Hindman, Jadon Kool, Matt Miller