Chapter 9

That night I reread an old favorite, the earth is invaded and conquered but the invaders end up dying from microbes.

School the next day was just another day and it went by. I was always busy in class doing my work to keep ahead so I can’t say it was slow, just nothing noteworthy. I wrote my usual letter to Judy updating her on events. I even told her about the hayride I was going on.

After school, I stopped at Guys Newsstand and bought another notebook; this one for an adjustable shower head. When I got home I wrote out the general use and purpose of this notebook, then signed and dated it. I also wrote my first thoughts.

The device I had in mind would adapt any standard straight shower head to being adjustable. The idea being if you removed a showerhead from the pipe fitting, the pipe fitting had a male threaded end. The showerhead itself would have a female thread.

I would have made three pieces. Part one would be a pipe length with a female end, which would thread onto the pipe fitting at the water output end. It would have a cup on its other end. That would form half of the ‘socket.’ This part of the socket would have a male thread around its outer lip.

The other half of the socket part two would be a cup with a female thread to fasten to the male threads. It would have a hole in the center of the cup so that it could slip over the third piece. The third part would be a threaded pipe with a male fitting so it could attach to the showerhead. The other end would have the ‘ball’ which would fit into the cup. The ball would have a hole through its center so water could flow through to the showerhead.

So to assemble the unit, you would first attach Part One to the water pipe. And then slide Part Two over Part Three. Place the ball of Part Three in the socket of Part One. Tighten the threads between Part One and Two. The last step is to fasten Part Three to the showerhead.

Boy, this would be more fun than last Christmas helping Dad assemble Mary’s dollhouse, with Tab A into Slot B. That sheet metal would cut you in a heartbeat.

My adaptor was simple to design, but how would I get it made? I decided to go back to Mr. Donaldson the shop teacher for ideas.

That night I read a book about a volcano erupting in Rome. It had people being fed to the lions, witches, earthquakes, lightning strikes and murder through poisoning. Exciting stuff but the language in the book written a century ago was so heavy it was tough going. My Aunt Merle had bought the classics I was reading as a set. I bet she never read this one.

Thursday it was drizzling rain and looked like it had settled in for the day so I didn’t try to run. Mum had gotten up early and was doing laundry. She had Dad’s work pants set out to dry. She was using those metal frames that fit into each leg and were adjustable. They would hold the material taut so when they dried she didn’t have to iron them.

I arrived at school early, so I would have time to see Mr. Donaldson. I showed him my rough sketch in my notebook of what I was trying to make. He thought it was a good idea.

He said, “If you just want one, have a machine shop form the parts. If you want many then you will need molds made so they may be cast in aluminum.”

“I would like just one to see if it will work,” I replied.

“I don’t see why it wouldn’t, the only concern I would have is abrasion wear on the inside of the ball and socket. Since it will be sealed, there shouldn’t be a problem. If you use a machine shop you want them to use hard material like chrome for the interface of ball and socket. They would have to send them out for plating but then the unit would last forever.”

He proceeded to tell me, “A machine shop will want drawings. Who will do that?”

“I hadn’t got that far in my thinking. How much do you think that would cost?”

“I would charge one hundred dollars if it was me.”

I came back with, “Are you interested in the job?’

“For one hundred definitely, that would take care of Christmas for us, three kids make it expensive.”

“Okay, but when you make the drawing, use Jackson Engineering in the letterbox, that way there is no question who owns the product. Also, I ask that you sign a Nondisclosure Agreement, I don’t want this to get out.”

“I can do that, also this is an adaptor, do you want a set of drawings for this to be built right into a showerhead for new installations?”

“Yes please.”

“I would ask another hundred dollars for that drawing.”

“That would be fine.”

I wrote out the deal in my notebook, and we both signed and dated it. He was very surprised when I pulled out my wallet and gave him three twenties.

“Is the rest on completion okay?” I asked.

“More than okay Rick, I can see that you are going to make some serious money in your life. Keep me in mind if you have any other projects.”

“Now is there a machine shop in town that you would recommend?”

“I recommend Bellefontaine Tool and Die, but you should know that my brother and I own and run it.”

“That’s great, the fewer people involved, the better I like it. Please give me a quote on building five adaptor units. Please handle that with your brother and just give me a quote. While you are at it would you please buy several brands of common shower heads and see if it would require much in the way of redesign to build in the ball and socket. I will pay for the shower heads.”