You can’t do that! You’ll kill yourself!” said the hippy to the gypsy as he began slicing  into into an LPG gas bottle with a four-inch grinder. Sixteen years ago, self-styled “hipsy” Stuart Guy found himself spending his first South Island winter in an un-insulated house truck.

The Shed magazine visits a huge collection of Kiwiana in some old chicken sheds in Oamaru; as featured in Issue 76, January–February 2018.

As part of our article on sockets, spanners, and bolt sizes in The Shed Issue 76, enjoy this video of the Wurth Flexidrive standard in action.

Anyone flying into New Plymouth airport may look twice at a hangar on the western end of the airfield with an unusual tail of a large aircraft poking out. Few would realise what’s within: ZK-PBY, a 1944 Catalina flying boat, the only airworthy one in New Zealand and a remarkable aircraft with a remarkable history.

New Zealand has been slow to adopt the electric bike revolution that is sweeping the globe but a couple of keen Kiwis (and a Canadian) are using their ingenuity to create e-bikes with a difference.

Hydroponics is all about growing without soil. In many ways this simplifies the lot of the gardener, but it gives them added responsibility for providing plants with the right level of nutrients. As water with nutrients tastes, feels and looks much the same as plain water, a testing instrument called an “EC meter” or “CF meter” is used.

How often do we need to bend sheet metal, but are put off because of the drama involved? We may turn to a couple of bits of angle iron fitted into the jaws of a bench vice and try to exert even pressure as we fold the metal. I’ve done this and felt less than satisfied with the results.

Chris decided the solution was build an outdoor bathroom featuring two baths so he and Meg could both enjoy a long soak together.