(Year 2012)
Retired March 2011, I got much more time to handle the planned desmo-cycles published here 6 years ago and other / new cycles as well.
What I did last year:
Preparation for the Desmo-show in Budrio (opening April 28, 2012).
Composing a ringbinder with descriptions and partly newly taken pictures of all the desmo-artefacts (heads and perpex & metal models) in Dutch and English.
Visiting the museum in Bologna / Budrio (end of April 2011) and meeting the board organizing the Desmo-show.
Entering the backlog of (about 70) patents in de patent database “Octrooi” and filing the paper copies in the ringbinders necessitating 6 new ringbinders.
Retro computing (32 bits computer and old OKI needle printer) to make ASCII-prints from different selections from the database for statistical data.
Transferring this oldfashioned database (already started in 1984 with the PSION programm “Archive” on a Sinclair QL) to the new platfoms Excel and Word.
Printing the whole database in recordform in a Dutch and English version (two separate ringbinders).
Completing the drawer with the desmo-patentcards (pictures and bibliographic descriptions) with about 200 new cards, totals about 600 cards now.
The drawer shows in a nutshell the whole collection of ever invented systems ordered according to the desmo-classification.
With the new statistical data I updated the article “100 years of desmo-patenting” to “110 years of desmo-patenting” adding new graphs as well.
Updating other parts of “Desmodromology” like “my thing”, “news”, “systems” (adding a newly discovered desmo-engine) and the photopages.
Recording new video takes from the models (still have to be updated on the site).
Physical collection:
Made footplates for the Parallel-twin and the first type 4 valve-head
Bought a used ST3 head an put it on a footplate.
Disassembled the ST3 head with the brand new factory parts (gift from the Ducati factory) and made a perspex model with these parts.
Put the Desmosedici head between centers.
Updated the desmo-room
Documentation
Correspondence
Preparation for the interview and photosession in Motorrad.
Finding the evidence (Packer story and supposed Arnott patent).
To do list:
Downloading the pdf’s of all the desmopatents and hyperlink them in the Excel “Octrooi” database.
Acquiring a complete (used) Testastretta head.
Mercedes W 196-model in 3-D Rapidpro printing.
Reorganizing all the desmo-related computerfiles (all formats).
Inventarisation and partial digitalisation of all the desmo-related paper documents.
The David Brice story (Mercedes SLR).
Ever expanding the “Systems”-pages.
Adding new artefacts to the desmomuseum (Group 10 and Group 4 models) and making a new series of pics. (Photo4).
Starting with the New Book-project…… : A real “oldfashioned” but modern glossy looking book about 110 years of DVG.