Win this builder’s tool belt complete with tools

Build your own deck

Build your own deck

Building a great deck for typical Kiwi indoor-outdoor living is on every home-owner's list at some point. The deck we are building here is a fairly normal slatted timber deck less than one metre high. This article is an overview of general steps in building a deck and is intended as a broad illust...

Arduino, PICAXE microprocessors compared

Arduino, PICAXE microprocessors compared

In creating a fully automated target, with spring-back target buttons controlled by microprocessors, I was able to compare the workings of Arduino and PICAXE. Arduino and PICAXE  are two very different devices—like comparing a revolver and a shotgun. There are smaller Arduinos and bigger PICAXE...

My shed the barn

My shed the barn

When designing a house, first build your giant shed where you can make joinery for the house-to-be. That was the thought of Julian Pirie. But he was to take a special route—he decided to model his barn-like “shed” on old-style English oak barns, typically housing Aston Martins in magazines p...

Make a handy, small robot

Make a handy, small robot

Without knowing electronics, it’s easy to tackle this small robot which demonstrates how a machine can be programmed to back off obstacles it hits. Mark Beckett helped to construct his daughter Hayley’s easy-to-make “HaloBOT” which is controlled by PICAXE. You can follow the building proce...

My Dad’s man-cave

My Dad’s man-cave

Restoring old motorbikes and cars is Dad’s passion. The garage is home to four of Dad’s prize beauties all lovingly semi-restored in various stages of TTI (Time Till Ignition). The projects in question are two cars: 1956 Wolseley 6/90 Series 1 and 1935 Hudson de Lux 8 (side-valve, straight-eig...

Steam-bending

Steam-bending

This project to make a stool was developed as a way of introducing students to a number of basic wood-bending and shaping techniques, whilst also giving experience in several useful applications of the router. The stool consists of two legs in the form of continuous steam-bent hoops or arches, whi...

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Make your own dirtsurfer PDF Print E-mail
Written by IAN WATSON   

DirtsurferAbout ten years ago my son attended a “have-a-go-day” at the Tauranga domain.  He came home so excited about a new, wheeled board thing that he had seen. He described it to me and I duly made one. It turned out to be a dirtsurfer. He rode it for years and got quite skilled at using it. My son then left home and the board got left in a cupboard. Until recently.
One of my Year 10 (Form 4) students happened to be surfing the net and came across a site showing video of these people doing some radical things on what was called a “dirtsurfer”. He had been to all the bike shops and sports stores in town and could not buy one anywhere. Most places had not even heard of them.
I then remembered the dirtsurfer that I had made ten years ago, got it out and soon half the school wanted to ride the thing. The faster they go the easier they are to ride. Students learn to ride them in seconds.
I then came up with the idea that this would make an excellent technology project for my Year 11 (Form 5) class. The real-life issue this all stemmed from was: “I wanted a dirtsurfer and I could not buy one in New Zealand. Therefore, I will have to design and make one myself.” At the same time my students were able to record their technology practice and gain credits at Level 1.  
A clever part of the dirtsurfer is the front wheel “steering” mechanism. Inside the arms of the frame at the front sits a U-shaped swing arm made of channel steel and parallel with the ground. The back of the swing arm by the footboard holds the front-wheel axle. The pin allows the swing arm with the front wheel to pivot sideways about 15 degrees to the left or right, but not up and down, in order to steer the board.

Read more in the April/May 2010 issue of The Shed

 

 
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