$15 Fishing Boat
During the summer of my junior year in college I wanted a fishing boat for myself but I didn't want to spend a lot of money on it. The previous year I had found a 10’ aluminum skiff abandoned in the woods. That summer I went back in the woods with my truck and retrieved the boat. I wanted the capability to swivel around in a chair while I fished so I got two old office chairs from my friends’ apartment building. I removed the caster wheels and fabricated mounts for the legs out of scrap wood. I designed the mounts in a way that the chairs could be easily removed for transportation or storage. I used some old PVC pipe I had lying behind my shop and an old sailboat sail to fabricate a sunshade for myself. A friend of mine supplied me with some spray paint to paint the sides but we ran out when we started the inside. This whole fishing boat project ultimately cost me $15 for nuts, bolts, glue, and tape.
Fishing Boat
Magnetic Painting
When my sister got married, she asked me if I could build her a square 90-inch canvas painting of a tree without leaves that would also be magnetic. Her idea was to have all the guests write messages on paper leaves and place them on the painting during the reception. I loved the idea and was immediately on board.
I sketched up a design for the frame and quickly put it together.
Magnetic Painting Frame
In order to magnetize the painting, I lined the back of the canvas with twelve-inch-wide sheets of steel flashing. Since the steel flashing came in rolls, it had a natural bend to it. I drilled and threaded holes through the bracing of the frame so that the pressure between the canvas and the steel flashing could be adjusted using a wooden block.
Threaded Wood Block
To distribute the pressure evenly, I place a 1x4 vertically in front of all the wooden blocks.
Backside of Painting
On the back of each leaf, small magnets were glued.
Magnetic Leaves
Finished Painting With Leaves
Shelby Door Closer
The Shelby Door Closer is probably one of my simplest devices. I live in a rural area where my labrador Shelby is free to roam around. He taught himself to enter my apartment by pushing the screen door open with his nose but due to the lack of a spring the screen door would remain open. I looked all around my shop but couldn’t find an appropriate spring for the door. I didn’t want to buy one so instead I used a water bottle as a counter-weight. The water bottle worked flawlessly because I was able to find the perfect weight balance. Now Shelby can still come inside when he wants but the door fully closes after him.
The Shelby Door Closer
