Master Carpenter

Carpenters...

I don't often admit it, but in the mid-1970s, out in New Mexico, we tried selling Pyramid Greenhouses. Yes, official pyramid-power-channeling Cheops-angle pyramids!

Long story about our almost getting conned into working with another scam Pyramid Power company (honest to God con man, who went to jail), but through that we met Frank, former Hollywood set builder. Among his stories were building a whole Western town in So NM, and a working elevator for an episode of Mission Impossible. Had his blueprints for the big penis from Everything You Wanted to Know About Sex hanging in his bathroom. Wonderful man, he and his wonderful wife, Jean, befriended us idiots.

Anyway, we asked Frank about designing a pyramid greenhouse. Gave him just the "Cheops" angle, and that we wanted a same-angle base (four trapezoidal panels). Frank took a pencil, did a few figures on a 2x4, built a jig, cut the frame pieces, which included some crazy angles at the peak, assembled them in the jig, we added the plastic cover in the shop, then trucked the pieces out to his back yard, built the foundation, set up the diamond-shaped structure, put on the flashing, and finally added the doorway.

We walked inside, he looked up at where one panel met another at the corners and noted that there was an almost indiscernible gap (on the inside of course). He said, "I'll have to adjust that by 1°." Stunning!

We actually sold a few. They were genuinely good greenhouses!

Then an employee sabotaged and wrecked us, but that's another story.