try now to integrate Geco in an interdisciplinary architectural engineering studio: hoping we can show you some nice applications of your tool, I'll keep you update and sending now details by e-mail. Here the file (very welcome to be shared). It most probably contais trivial errors by me, thanks for helping and giving some tip! Gr. Michela
FILE:
Ok, right, I see the outputs update correctly. Origin of problems must be in some different mistake I do:
- Incident radiation: I am not sure I understand what is going on: why I get so many 'not a number' ? (The Galapagos report is full of NaNs).
Bio-Diversity: 0.887 Genome[0], Fitness=NaN, Genes [89% · 44%] { Record: Too many fitness values supplied } ...
Genome[7], Fitness=NaN, Genes [74%] { Record: No fitness value was supplied } ....
Genome[9], Fitness=NaN, Genes [37% · 11%] { Record: Genome was mutated to avoid collision Record: Too many fitness values supplied }
- Daylight calculations: the geometry accumulates withouth deleting the previous models. As a consequance, results almost do not change after few varations (so, outputs get updated but do not vary). In current daylight definition: the first object being imported is the one where the grid has to fit; its setting makes it cancelling all the other objects during import. All the others, do not delete anything when imported. When running loops (manual or GA) that vary parameters, the entire geometry do not get cancelled - so I guess the loop does not pass back by the cancelling step, but imports only the geometry which has been varied by the parameters using the setting of that import component only? I will then try again by changing the order of the operations, but if you have specfic tips, let me know.
THANKS!
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h tubes are redundant so surfaces overlap instead of interpenetrate, so it is not a good system.
Cocoon is the best answer these days unless you can get Exowire/Exoskelton to work. If you want more control over shape, feed your uncapped tubes into Cocoon as meta-surfaces and delete any and all of the inner meshes to just keep the outer single closed one, but this is just duplicate-culled lines used as meta-lines:
Turn down the CS input to 0.005 for this result, from 0.02 used for faster preview. In fact bake the lines and only test Cocoon on a few of them in order to get the result you want before doing the whole thing.
Whole thing at 0.005 cell size takes 5 minutes for Cocoon and 2 minutes for refinement to a smooth and even mesh.
Actually, seems like 0.005 is way too fine, giving a 600MB STL file.
So, 0.01 cell size at less than a minute total:
159MB STL which is still a bit too big for places like Shapeways. Wow. OK then 0.02 cell size, but I have to increase diameter or my two smoothing steps in refine collapse things too much, an in fact I set it to no smoothing, getting more volume and a reasonable 46MB STL file:
Alas, now it's more frail and overly organic rather than mechanical. Increasing diameter just merges it into perforated plates too much. File size is simply an issue with this complexity level, so different 3D printing services will have different file size limits.
Exowire/Exoskeleton would work but your original mesh hasn't been MeshMachine remeshed to be regular, so short segments ruin it. Here is just a corner:
I think that's why more wires fails, at least. Pretty temperamental component.
Switching to MeshMachine is needed, I guess, instead of Cocoon refine, to remesh away so many small triangles along the boring tubes. Crucial for good remeshing was to set Flip to 0 or I failed to get a rough enough mesh.
It's an adaptive mesh so I can retain good detail while roughing out the tubes.
MeshMachine is terribly slow for this whole thing, like 6 minutes, and blows up for this overly rough setting, 20 steps, so less rough, ugh, I'm out of time. I think free Autocad Meshmixer is the way to make a better smaller mesh, after a refined output from Cocoon. MeshMachine is just too slow to tweak and when it blows up, creating massive triangles jutting out, it hangs too when you change settings.
Starting with a Cocoon refined mesh certainly helped Meshmixer. Using triangle budget lets me have full control. Here is 150K triangles instead of 200K:
STL file size down to 40MB. I think Shapeways is 70 or 100MB limit? So it can be even finer. Here is the Cocoon output versus the Meshmixer reduction:
To use Meshmixer, turn on View > Show Wireframe, Command-S to select all and use Edit > Reduce from the palette that appears.
Cocoon can end up making a few inner meshes where things get weird in your uneven original mesh with small holes so fish out the main mesh by adding a List Item node.
The best strategy for Cocoon is indeed to make an overly fine STL so you avoid any need to tweak forever in Grasshopper, but then you can achieve a smaller mesh file size while preserving shape instead of things turning all smearly organic in Grasshopper.…
. From the Thermal Comfort Indices component, Comfort Index 11 (TCI-11):MRT = f(Ta, Tground, Rprim, e)
with:- Ta = DryBulbTemperature coming from ImportEPW component- Tground = f(Ta, N) where N comes from totalSkyCover input. Tground influences the long-wave radiation emitted by the ground in the MRT calculation.- Rprim defined as solar radiation absorbed by nude man = f(Kglob, hS1, ac)- ac is the clothingAlbedo in % (bodyCharacteristics input)- I can't find any definition in the code of Kglob and hS1. Could you tell me please what are those values referencered to? --> probably the globalHorizontalRadiation but how?- e = vapour pressure calculated from Ta and Relative Humidity input
Do you agree that in this case the MRT does not depend on these inputs: location, meanRadiantTemperature, dewPointTemperature and wind speed?It does not depend neither on the other bodyCharacteristics like bodyPosture, age, sex, met, activityDuration...?
MRT calculated by the TCI-11 method is the mean radiant temperature of a vector pointing vertically with a sky view factor of 100%?For ParisOrly epw,
2. From the SolarAdjustedTemperature component (that seems to be more used for the UTCI calculation examples on Hydra compared to TCI-11).
In contrast to the TCI-11, this component distinguishes diffuse and direct radiation and contextualizes the calculation thanks to _ContextShading input, right? It can also be applied to a mannequin thanks to the CumSkyMatrix and thus evaluate the dishomogeneity of radiation exposure.This component seems not to consider the influence of vapour pressure on the result --> is it then more precise to put the MRT output (from the TCI) as an input of meanRadTemperature for SolarAdjustedTemperature?The default groundReflectivity is set to 0.25 --> is GroundReflectivity taken into account in the Tground or MRT calculation in the TCI component? If yes, what is the hypothesised groundReflectivity?The default clothing albedo of 37% (TCI-11 bodyCharacteristics) corresponds to Clothing Absorptivity of 63%?
If the CumSkyMatrix input is not supplied, I get 9 results for the mannequin --> where are those points/results coming from?
If the CumSkyMatrix input is supplied,I suppose the calculation of the 482 results correspond to a calculation method similar to the radiation analysis component that is averaged over the analysis period. Right?But I don't understand why the mannequin is composed of 481 faces and meshFaceResult gives 482 results.
Finally, what is the link between the MESH results, the solarAdjustedMRT and the Effective Radiant field ? Is there a paper to have a detailed explanation of the method?
3. Here are some results for the ParisOrly energyplus weather data. You can find here attached the grasshopper definition.There is no shading in this simulation and the result coming from the ThermalComfort indices for MRT is very different compared to the solar adjusted MRT.Why such a big difference and which of the result should be plugged into the UTCI calculation component?
Results for ParisOrly.epwM,D,H:1,1,12
Ta : 6.5°Crh: 100%globalHorizontalRadiation: 54 Wh/m2totalSkyCover: 10MRT (TCI-11): 1.2°C
_CumSkyMtxOrDirNormRad = directNormalRadiation : 0 Wh/m2diffuseHorizontalRad: 54 Wh/m2_meanRadTemp = TasolarAdjustedMRT: 10.64°CMRTDelta: 4.14°C
_CumSkyMtxOrDirNormRad = CumulativeSkyMtxdiffuseHorizontalRad: 54 Wh/m2_meanRadTemp = TasolarAdjustedMRT: 10.47°CMRTDelta: 3.97°C
_CumSkyMtxOrDirNormRad = CumulativeSkyMtxdiffuseHorizontalRad: 54 Wh/m2_meanRadTemp = MRT (TCI-11)solarAdjustedMRT: 5.17°CMRTDelta: 3.97°C
Thanks a lot for your helpRegards,
Aymeric
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and export the geometry out to VVVV to render it LIVE! RawRRRR. In this case, a digital audio workstation Ableton Live, a leading industrial standard in contemporary music production.
the good news is that VVVV and ableton live lite is both free.
https://www.ableton.com/en/products/live-lite/
i am not trying to use ipad as a controller for grasshoppper. I wanted to work with a timeline (similar to MAYA or Ableton or any other DAW(digital audio workstation)) inside grasshopper in an intuitive way. Currently there is no way of SEQUENCING your definition the way you want to see that i know of.
no more combersome export import workflows... i dont need hyperrealistic renderings most of the time. so much time invested in googling the right way to import, export ... mesh settings...this workflow works for some, for some not ...that workflow works if ... and still you cannot render it live nor change sequence of instruction WHILE THE VIDEO is played. and I think no one wants to present rhinoceros viewport. BUT vvvv veiwport is different. it is used for VJing and many custom audio visual installation for events, done professionally. you can see an example of how sound and visuals come together from this post, using only VVVV and ableton. http://vvvv.org/documentation/meso-amstel-pulse
I propose a NEW method. make a definition, wire it to ableton, draw in some midi notes, and see it thru VVVV LIVE while you sequence the animation the WAY YOU WANT TO BE SEEN DURING YOUR PRESENTATION FROM THE BEGINNING, make a whole set of sequences in ableton, go back change some notes in ableton and the whole sequence will change RIGHT INFRONT of you. yes, you can just add some sound anywhere in the process. or take the sound waves (sqaure, saw, whateve) or take the audio and influence geometric parameters using custom patches via vvvv. I cannot even begin to tell you how sophisticated digital audio sound design technology got last ten year.. this is just one example which isn't even that advanced in todays standard in sound design ( and the famous producers would say its not about the tools at all.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iwz32bEgV8o
I just want to point out that grasshopper shares the same interface with VVVV (1998) and maxforlive, a plug in inside ableton. audio mulch is yet another one that shares this interface of plugging components to each other and allows users to create their own sound instruments. vvvv is built based on vb, i believe.
so current wish list is ...
1) grasshopper recieves a sequence of commands from ableton DONE
thanks to sebastian's OSCglue vvvv patch and this one http://vvvv.org/contribution/vvvv-and-grasshopper-demo-with-ghowl-udp
after this is done, its a matter of trimming and splitting the incoming string.
2) translate numeric oscillation from ableton to change GH values
video below shows what the controll interface of both values (numbers) and the midi notes look like.
https://vimeo.com/19743303
3) midi note in = toggle GH component (this one could be tricky)
for this... i am thinking it would be great if ...it is possible to make "midi learn" function in grasshopper where one can DROP IN A COMPONENT LIKE GALAPAGOS OR TIMER and assign the component to a signal in, in this case a midi note. there are total 128 midi notes (http://www.midimountain.com/midi/midi_note_numbers.html) and this is only for one channel. there are infinite channels in ableton. I usually use 16.
I have already figured out a way to send string into grasshopper from ableton live. but problem is, how for grasshopper to listen, not just take it in, and interpret midi and cc value changes ( usually runs from 0 to 128) and perform certain actions.
Basically what I am trying to achieve is this : some time passes then a parameter is set to change from value 0 to 50, for example. then some time passes again, then another parameter becomes "previewed", then baked. I have seen some examples of hoopsnake but I couldn't tell that you can really control the values in a clear x and y graph where x is time and y is the value. but this woud be considered a basic feature of modulation and automation in music production. NVM, its been DONE by Mr Heumann. https://vimeo.com/39730831
4) send points, lines, surfaces and meshes back out to VVVV
5) render it using VVVV and play with enormous collection of components in VVVV..its been around since 1998 for the sake of awesomeness.
this kind of a digital operation-hardware connection is usually whats done in digital music production solutions. I did look into midi controller - grasshopper work, and I know its been done, but that has obvious limitations of not being precise. and it only takes 0 o 128. I am thinking that midi can be useful for this because then I can program very precise and complex sequence with ease from music production software like ableton live.
This is an ongoing design research for a performative exhibition due in Bochum, Germany, this January. I will post definition if I get somewhere. A good place to start for me is the nesting sliders by Monique . http://www.grasshopper3d.com/forum/topics/nesting-sliders
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the pipe component .I have one curve ,but Pipe component outputs two pipes .This guide curve have two kinks . Pipe component fails at one of them .
Bug #3
I guess this bug may have been fixed .
Wish #1
I hope adding an "reverse list" option to the right-click menu .I think this would be useful (at least for myself).
Wish #2
I hope the SimplifyTree component would clear the zeros located at the end and middle of branch in condition the branches have same length.For example, I have a tree looks like :
A = {0;1;0} B = {0;1;0;1}
C = {0;1;0;0;1;0;0;0}
After simplify ,I get:
A = {1} B = {1;0;1}
C = {1;0;0;1}
And if the tree structure is something like:
A={0;0;1;0}
B={0;0;1;1}
C={0;0;1;2}
After simplify ,I get:
A={1;0}
B={1;1}
C={1;2}
But If the tree is:
A={0;0;0;0;0;0}
B={0;0;1;0;1;0}
C={0;0;1;0;2;0}
I get:
A={0;0}
B={1;1}
C={1;2}
WIsh #3
I came across conditions that there is no direct way to handle some Datatree matching problems . And now I think I find what's the problem :GH now lack the capability to make cross reference between lists/branches .For example, I have two trees ,the first one have two branches {0}&{1}, the other have three branches{0}&{1}&{2}.Now GH would do:
what I want is :
If this can come true ,I can say it would be very very very useful . I just have a coarse idea on how to do that: Like () wrap items,{} wrap branches, then [] wrap trees .
Say I have a tree [0] ,which have three brabches{0},{1},{2}. So [0]=[{0};{1};{2}] or [0]=[{0},{1},{2}]
If this is ruled, the following fomula is meanningful:
[0]=[{0}] (this means tree[0] just have one branch)
[0]=[{0;0;0};{0;0;1};{0;0;2}]
[0]=[{0;0};{0;1};{0;2}]=[{0;0;0};{0;0;1};{0;1};{0;2}]After that, Maybe we could match [{0};{1}] and [{0};{1};{2}] very easily (Longest List;Shortest List;Cross Reference) ??
I tried to explain the concept of "tree" to my friends ,but I am confuzed somewhere myself .For example ,how could we have a tree including branches {0},{0;0}and{0;0;0} at the same time??{0} should be the biggest tree trunk,and {0;0} is part of {0} .{0;0;0} is just the smallest trunk and store the least data inside .How could the biggert trucks are empty while only the smallest branches contain items ?(David drawed a datatree that tell this,remember??)
But if this idea is acceptable ,then I could make a fairy tale about tree to them :
(Long long ago...)
[0] is a tree ,[1] is a tree.
{0},{1},{0;0}.{0;1;0} are branches.
{0}=(0,1,2,3,4,5) is branch.
[0]= [{0;0;0};{0;0;1};{0;0;2] is a standard tree .
[0]=[{0;0;0};{0;0;2};{0;0;3] is a pruned tree.
[{0};{0;0};{0;0;0}] is an illegal tree .
Gh is lenient enough to allow the existence of illegal tree .
Gh is lenient enough to allow the existence of empty trees& empty branch&null items.
We can use PathMapper to transform an illegal tree into a legal one and vice versa . We can use PathMapper to do any things to tree&branch&item.
Wish #4
wish for Split List component : it would have a wrap option just like many other components.In this way , we can split a list of data at -1 .I think this would be useful .
wish #5
wish for a Preview toggle component .See picture below (it's fake).
this toggle look mostly like the boolean toggle, but it have a input param by which we can control the preview logically and smartly .
When there is no input ,we can control swith the preview with a double click action .This toggle component could control all gh geometry overriding the global setting .The link curve between toggle and target works just like the galapagos.
Wish #6
Wish for adding arc angle output to both Arc 3pt and Arc SED components.This would make things easier sometimes .
Wish #7
Many times I were puzzled that a same gh script would perform perfect if the input is single surface but buggy while the input is more than one surface .After debuging many times ,I just found that if one or two component of the script do things smarter ,this kind of bugs would never happen again !! Simply saying:we need a optional datatree match behavior. Say I have two datatree [{0;0};{0;1}] and [{0;0;0};{0;0;1};{0;0;2};{0;0;3};
{0;1;0};{0;1;1};{0;1;2};{0;1;3}] Normally {0;0} matchs {0;0;0},{0;1} matchs other branches (Longest List behavior).Now I need {0;0} matchs {0;0;0},{0;0;1},{0;0;2},{0;0;3} separately and {0;1} matchs {0;1;0};{0;1;1};{0;1;2};{0;1;3} separately .I cant describe this matching rules accurately but it's very obvious .I hope you can understand the meaning .
I remember David said once that he would not change anything about the datatree matching rules in order to avoid destroy people's production work .And that is my bottomline too .What I want is when I need one component to match the input datatree in this way ,I can switch it (just it ) into this mode (Assuming these is a "xxx mode" option in component's right-click menu ). In this way ,All the exist Gh def would not be destoryed.
PS. I am not carping but I found the DivideKink param input of Divide Curve component is useless except adding a segments output .
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I live on my computer and I even sleep with it, so learning all this is probably within my reach but I'm a complete beginner as of now.
I'm downloading the 32 bit version of rhino 5 since the 64 bit doesn't seem to work with your downloads Jon.
I haven't grasped everything you have made yet Jon I can't even begin to understand what your IFC stuff is actually capable of, but just to be clear I'm not interested in solely being able to tell that something is colliding as there are already software that can do that beautifully. What I want to do is bypass that step altogether by never having collision-checking back and forth go on, even collisions which aren't physical collisions, but rather just violations by code. The simplest way to do this would be to simply make the geometry of the beams 2 feet wider than they are in real life, so that way you could put a light right next to the 'over-sized' beam and it would still be within the rules. But that would be extremely primitive and I'm sure there's a way to do it mathematically.
Just to clarify, I'm the fire sprinkler designer in the architectural circus. The sprinkler designer (me) doesn't really get the luxury of telling the other trades that they're colliding with my stuff and they should move. Rather, I get their drawings, find out I'm colliding with them, and move around them. So it would be of great use to me to have this be automatic - that is, to automatically space my sprinklers the neccesary distance away from all obstructions. There are different spacing rules for different obstructions - walls, beams, open web steel, unit heaters, hvac ducts depending on how wide the ducts are, lights, fans, high rack storage, basically anything that would obstruct the water spray from a sprinkler needs to be taken into account and spaced away from.
It's therefore a very attractive idea to be able to just draw a rectangle (representing the walls of a simple room) for instance, have the sprinklers automatically spaced as far apart as possible within the rectangle according to the rulebooks (to minimize the amount of sprinklers needed which minimizes the material cost of the job).
Then add obstructions inside the rectangle, such as a beam, and have the sprinklers relocate themselves or add new sprinklers to accommodate for the new obstruction.. Keep adding obstructions until you have the realistic 3d model of the room, with the sprinklers spaced accordingly, and you have an up-to-code sprinkler system.
There is one example where sprinklers actually need to be spaced really close to, rather than away from, an object.. and that is the ceiling (sprinklers must be within 12 in of ceiling typically).
If the HVAC guy decides to reroute his ducts right through my sprinklers, then I could draw 3D HVAC ducts (I usually get 2D drawings coming in) going right through the room and the sprinklers would relocate and auto-space away from the ducts, without actually having to tell the HVAC guy he is colliding with me because all that will do is require me to do a redesign anyway.
And presto, the HVAC guy loves me because I didn't complain to him at all and seemingly did all this work by moving around him when all I really did was use the computer to do it, the job gets done much faster and I don't have to worry that I'm going to lose my job in court because I made a silly human error when I was patching my system manually because some HVAC guy made me redesign 12 times in different places.
From what I have been reading from you guys, doing this is possible although (I realize) ambitious. The end result would be vastly increased productivity, less error making, cheaper design cost, etc. Using programs like Rhino, architects are getting more and more funny-shaped buildings and making it difficult for guys like me to make sprinkler systems within the rules, and I see it as an inevitability that computers will be making almost all of the typical design decisions in the future when it comes to life safety systems, I'm just trying to see if it's possible to start implementing this extra aid today.
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diseño, construcción y entendimiento de nuestro entorno.
BIM está poniendo a disposición de los diseñadores y gestores auténticas bases de datos que pueden generarse, conectarse y editarse de forma paramétrica, proporcionando una sólida capa de realidad a los ejercicios de diseño generativo y computación que son objeto de estudio en Algomad, el seminario que busca popularizar la programación y la parametrización en el diseño y en la experiencia de nuestro entorno construido.
Tras un paréntesis en 2015, Algomad vuelve con el objetivo de demostrar cómo una visión computacional del BIM es una oportunidad para mejorar la forma de trabajar de ingenieros, arquitectos, constructoras y operadores de edificios e infraestructuras, tendiendo un puente entre las técnicas de diseño digital más avanzadas y la realidad de la construcción.
Algomad 2016 tendrá lugar en el centro de Madrid, en IE School of Architecture and Design, IE University, los días 3, 4 y 5 de Noviembre de 2016 y comprenderá 4 talleres así como ponencias a cargo de expertos de primer nivel.
Estructura de Algomad 2016
Algomad 2016 se estructura en torno a tres áreas temáticas principales:
BIM, como la metodología total específica para el sector de la construcción.
Computación, englobando las aplicaciones de programación y parametrización al diseño de edificios e infraestructuras.
Realidad, como marco de trabajo, buscando siempre resolver problemas reales a través de los dos puntos anteriores.
Público objetivo
Arquitectos, arquitectos técnicos, ingenieros y en general académicos, estudiantes de últimos cursos y profesionales del mundo inmobiliario y de la construcción que compartan un interés por la digitalización de nuestro sector. Se espera un nivel mínimo en el uso de herramientas BIM y de parametrización. Algomad proporcionará formación adicional y gratuita en las herramientas básicas a emplear en los talleres para asegurar un correcto desempeño.…
an almost planar tissue (your case) can cause a variety of issues up to the undo able state (metal parts/components grow in size as well for no reason). See forces estimated by FF below.
2. Therefor I strongly suggest to consider Plan B (a) mastermind a secondary "anchor" capability in order to achieve a far more stable system (b) use a mount design that can support this (and comply with the attractor concept of yours). Here's a variable mount custom system (mostly machined AND not cast) that is suitable for the scope (Rhino reads the stp file OK .... but makes a colossally big file - thus I attach here the original).
3. On first sight lot's of things in this system appear "odd". For instance: is it stable? Why these double cables are used? How far can be adjusted? (that's a classic case for feature driven parametric design - not doable with Rhino).
4. This concept (strut axis exported only) is tested in FORMFINDER and some other far more complex membrane apps that I use quite often (not RhinoMembrane). Here's is what FF tells us about:
Observe a different kind of "stress" when this is converted to radial type:
5. If you insert the stp file to the Rhino file provided (exactly as exported from FORMFINDER - no mods of mine of any kind) you'll see what goes where (and why). That way the usage of double cables is rather obvious (and a lot other things - for instance the way that the struts achieve "equilibrium", see the slots in the base mount plate.
6. If this approach is worth considering your definition requires some serious rethinking (far more simpler/manageable with the drawback that the real parts they are "static" they can adjust only as far this particular solution allows them to do - controlling them parametrically is clearly impossible with the current state of R/GH capabilities).`
All in all: this case works because the cables push the anchor points downwards and the struts push them upwards.
more in a while
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reaky thing consisting from triangulated "modules" (i.e an assembly out of this, this and that) where the exterior edges ARE always under tension (= SS 304/316 cables OR nylon) and the interior ones MAY be under compression ( = steel, aluminum, wood, carbon) OR ... some of them ...may be under tension. Bastardized T trusses deviate a bit from theory ... but who cares? (not me anyway). T trusses have many variants (but as the greatest ever said: Less is More).
2. Large scale T for AEC is the art of pointless since it costs around the GNP of Nigeria. Here's some indicative components from a module of a multi adjustable TX system costing (the module) ~ the price of my Panigale (Google that):
The above is mailed to a friend who has MIT (yes, that MIT: the top dog) on sight ... therefor he needs some appropriate "credentials", he he.
3. The distance that separates the above with the demo TDT node provided is around 666.666 miles - but we don't care: we are after Art not some testimony to vanity.
4. On purpose I've used a smallish ring to give you a clear indication upon the constrain numero uno in truss design: CLASH matters.
5. You'll need:
(a) A decision related with the tensioners (classic Norseman + SS cables or nylon machined thingies?).
(b) A machinist who can do elementary stuff (like the adapters) and can weld this to that (the "ring" for instance). His abilities must be 1 in a scale of 100. If the fella has a computer (not a CRAY) and he knows what 3dPDF is (hmm) ... well ... use that way to communicate with him PRIOR designing anything: He must agree on the parts BEFORE the whole is attempted (as a design in GH or in some other app).
(c) A carpenter with a wood lathe for the obvious. BTW: BEFORE doing any TDT attempt > ask the carpenter about the available wood strut sizes. Against popular belief DO NOT varnish the wood (use exterior alkyd/oil stains from some top maker like the notorious US company PPG).
http://www.ppgpaints.com/products/paints-stains-data-sheets
(d) Good quality cigars (and espresso) plus some classic music (ZZTop, PFloyd, Cure, Stones, U2 etc etc) during the assembly.
(e) Faith to the Dark Side (see my avatar).
May the Force (the dark option) be with you.…