Projects
Coro Mini Catamaran
I wanted to see what a 4ft by 8ft sheet of fluted plastic would look like folded origami style into a water tight pontoon for a Catamaran boat. After making a paper model I calculated the sq. ft. interior space to determine the waterline loaded with 200 pounds. I wasn’t too pleased with the…
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Coro Speed Boat II
This was the first of my gas powered fluted plastic boats. I called it the Speed Boat. PVC was used for the Gunwales, but this proved to be a poor choice to secure an upper decking. Also the light weight 1.2 HP Gamefisher motor was used. The fluted plastic was folded for the transom, creating…
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Burningman pedal car
When my wife decided to come with me to the Burningman art festival I started looking for ideas on a two person pedal vehicle that I could make for the event. I spied on this picture. During WWII when France was occupied by the Germans and fuel was confiscated for the war effort,…
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FWD recumbent trike
I had an idea of making a skate type quadracycle. I felt this would be a fun racing vehicle on a short tight-turn course. Before making a full scale mock-up I wanted to test out the idea of using neoprene wheels. I purchased two wheels from a push scooter outfit and decided to…
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The Cycle Kart
For PDF plans, click here! Once my other prototype proved the neoprene wheels would work, I ordered 4 wheels from a push scooter outfit. These are 9″ in diameter, which are bigger than most. A BMX free wheel hub was added to the drive wheel. I don’t have proper machining tools for accuracy, but I…
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Cooking oil candle stove
I made this heater/stove for a small push cart shelter. For the main housing I used a Costco peanut can. This top view with the lid off shows the three vegetable oil candles. To make the you first need a floating wick. I used a small 3/8″ length of wine cork. I drilled a…
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Ammo box stove
This was my version of the air tight Ammo stove. The box I had was pretty small in comparison to others I’d seen. It was fun to build but the fire wouldn’t last for more than a half hour. I was hoping for a longer burn time. The bolt on the front (left) of the…
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DIY car top carrier
Here I am playing around again with a $20 sheet of 4×8 foot 4mm thick fluted plastic. I thought I’d make a car top carrier. I buy my fluted plastic at Laird Plastics Inc. (206-623-4900) in downtown Seattle Washington where they stock several thicknesses, sizes and color choices. Made with zip ties and held down…
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Survival kits
First I want to say that a common space blanket is one of the best things to carry on a day hike. Here I’m exploring more than just keeping warm. In 1986 Mother Earth News asked a few Outdoor experts to come up with a DIY survival kit. They were all huge and too big…
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Survival mailbox stove
Made with a mailbox, bent electrical conduit, copper wire and a rain gutter, this was an experiment in what a person could use around their home to create a make-shift stove for cooking and boiling contaminated water in case of a natural disaster. I used a drill for holes, but you could use a nail…
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