The Shed #81 Preview

CONSTRUCT A MOTORIZED TRIKE

BUILD THESE PINE BUNKS

NOVEMBER–DECEMBER 2018 ISSUE 81

GET CREATIVE WITH YOUR MAILBOX

PRODUCING

GUITARS FROM RECYCLED NATIVE TIMBER

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ELECTRONIC CRICKET REINVENTING THE GAME OF SPOTLIGHT

Contents

ON THE COVER

26

Guitar maker

4

Making stunning guitars from recycled native timber

Trikes

A sheddie builds some fun drift trikes for himself and his mates

112 54

60

How to make a smartphonecontrolled robot

A simple but effect way to gather swarf

BBC Micro Bit

78 2

Magnetic sweeper

Hi-fi speaker build

Can’t afford those top-shelf units?

Well make your own

The Shed 81 November/December 2018

90

Unique mailboxes

Put your individuality on show with a bespoke mailbox

Workmate

The fascinating history of this well-known shed staple, often called ‘a shed in a cupboard’

42

Bunk build

Follow our step by step build of a set of wooden bunks

104

Magic mirror

Yes, your mirror can talk back to you — we show you how

98

68

72

“Dad, we want a train please” — a sheddie tells the tale

Things you should know about battery charging and good practice

Battery train

Every issue 1 18 24 40 121 124 126 128

Editorial News Letters Subscribe to The Shed Shed books for sale Shed back-issues order form Nationwide Menzshed listings Back o’ The Shed We welcome our new columnist, ex–Shed publisher Jude Woodside

Battery safety

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News

Electronic cricket

Spotlight for the kids will never be the same once you make this

Subscribe and be in to win

This issue we have a Charmate Offset BBQ and Smoker pack, worth $1300, to be won by one lucky subscriber

A Taranaki sheddie invents a unique drilling aid for the oil and gas industry

40

The Shed 81 November/December 2018

3

Building a motorized trike

A CASUAL CHALLENGE TO BUILD A DRIFT TRIKE LED TO EIGHT MORE AND A SPECIAL RALLY

FUN ON THREE THE MOST YOU CAN HAVE

WHEELS

By Ian Parkes

Photographs: Adam Croy

4

The Shed 81 November/December 2018

A beautifully organized shed made it easier for Kim to keep nine trikes on track

The Shed 81 November/December 2018

5

News — a shed invention

Problem solved A TARANAKI ENGINEER HAS COME UP WITH A PATENTED DEVICE THAT ENABLES DRILLERS TO WORK ON PROBLEMS THOUSANDS OF METRES UNDERGROUND

By Ray Cleaver Photographs: Rob Tucker

A

Taranaki farm boy has come up with an invention that could save the geothermal and oil and gas industry millions of dollars — in his shed.

Well, Mark Horwell is no longer a boy, though he was raised on a farm.

In fact he has a degree in engineering, his shed has some high-tech equipment, and the concept and development of his invention have involved more than a dash of Kiwi ingenuity. Mark has come up with a device called a ‘Switchfloat’, which enables drillers to

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work on problems thousands of metres underground.

The Switchfloat is basically a nonreturn valve that can be opened downhole to allow wireline tools to be conveyed down the well.

Benefits

The Switchfloat system provides drilling operations with float-valve functionality while also allowing the valves to be locked open when required. All Switchfloat valves are able to be locked open by either pumping a ball or using a simple wireline

The Shed 81 November/December 2018

tool. A clear path is created through the valve so that tools can be conveyed safely within the drill string. Following this, the valves may then be closed to reinstate float-valve functionality.

The major benefit of Switchfloat is when the drill pipe becomes stuck, it enables tools to be conveyed down the drill pipe to find out where it is stuck, and cut the drill pipe off. Switchfloat also allows surveys in the drill pipe without the removal of drill-string float valves.

“This reduced tripping saves rig time, and wear and tear, and the device allows

The road to Switchfloat Mark (39) was raised on the family deer farm near Inglewood. He graduated as an engineer, with honours, from the University of Canterbury, and he has a few strings to his bow. He worked for Rolls-Royce in England 11 years ago in the field of aircraft-engine research and development. He developed methods to reduce residual stress in inertiafriction welding and filed three patent applications for the company.

The concept and development of his invention has involved more than a dash of Kiwi ingenuity

immediate wireline access in stuck pipe scenarios,” said Mark.

“It reduces make and break cycles on drill-string-threaded connections and there’s safety benefits associated with reduced drill-string movements.

“It also provides the ability to reverse circulate through a drill string containing float valves. The Switchfloat system is a patented technology and it has been successfully utilized in geothermal air-drilling operations with well temperatures exceeding 300°C.”

The idea

Geothermal wells in New Zealand are often drilled to around 3000m underground. High-pressure air and

Following that he was a stuntman for a while. He did a stunt course in Australia and performed in a live show in Berlin, racing round on motorbikes in Mad Max fashion. He also did some pyrotechnic work, telling The Shed that the 10 years of explosive expertise has helped in the oil and gas industry.

His property has a few bike jumps and an off-road bike sits in the workshop.

There’s nothing like a blat round the farm to clear the head.

water are pumped down the drill pipe and return up the annulus (outside of the drill pipe) to lift the drilled rock out of the bore hole.

One-way non-return valves are often spaced about 150m apart down the string. This contains the pressure within the drill pipe and reduces the time taken

Right: The patented valveopening device in the Switchfloat Below: The non-return valve on the Switchfloat

The Shed 81 November/December 2018

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Guitar making

Playing a fully scratch-built OMstyle acoustic guitar

26

The Shed 81 November/December 2018

C R E A T I V E

A SHEDDIE’S LOVE OF MUSIC AND WOOD FUSE IN THE CREATION OF BESPOKE GUITARS FROM RECYCLED TIMBER

By Sue Allison Photographs: Juliet Nicholas

The Shed 81 November/December 2018

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Build a set of bunks

Our finished bunks complete with top of the line Sealy mattresses, ready for their new home

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The Shed 81 November/December 2018

We decided to give the completed bunks to a needy family as recommended by the North Shore Women’s Centre

MAKING BUNKS IS THE PERFECT PROJECT FOR BEGINNER WOODWORKERS. MEN’S SHED NORTH SHORE HELPED WITH THE BUILD

W

hen planning content for The Shed, we strive to feature projects that have real usefulness and are fun to do. At a planning meeting, we discussed making a set of wooden bunks — kids love bunks and a wellmade set will last many years and can be handed down through the family. The ‘my dad made those’ scenario made us feel good. But there was the question of who would build them — a good skill set is required, a decent range of tools, and a bit of space, plus, what to do with the bunks once built?

Who, where, and how?

By Ian Parkes Photography: Adam Croy and Roger Curl

We had visited the Men’s Shed North Shore in Auckland and been impressed with the members there and their extensive set-up. We approached Larry Klassen and his team and put

the idea to them. Great concept, they said, especially happy to be involved as The Shed had decided to give the completed bunks to a needy family, as recommended by the North Shore Women’s Centre, the bulk of whose work is focused on domestic violence. Our Shed team sourced some wonderful sponsors to assist with the worthy project.

Placemakers supplied all the materials, Sleepyhead the mattresses, and Resene the polyurethane varnish finish. Two team members at the Menzshed took charge of the build — Bernard Gardner and Winston Garnett.

Building your own bunks is a lot more simple than it looks, making them a great project even for first-time woodworkers.

Unlike some things you could make, these will probably get used every day and every time you see them you will get

The Shed 81 November/December 2018

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THE SHED NOVEMBER–DECEMBER 2018 ISSUE 81

CONSTRUCT A MOTORIZED TRIKE

BUILD THESE PINE BUNKS

RECYCLED TIMBER GUITARS

NOVEMBER–DECEMBER 2018 ISSUE 81

GET CREATIVE WITH YOUR MAILBOX

PRODUCING

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T WO YE ARS

ELECTRONIC CRICKET REINVENTING THE GAME OF SPOTLIGHT

PRIZE WINNERS CONGRATULATIONS TO GRAHAM A. FROM WHAKATANE & RON B. FROM HAMILTON CLOCKMAKER’S PRECISION & ARTISTRY

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