mini tug part four and final episode

Launch day arrived and the tug performed to all expectations on sharp turns it would submerge the transom corners and spin like a top.It took spray over the bow and wet the windows and it remained dry in the wheelhouse:)....I think that the journey was worth the effort and would recommend anyone to have a go,the tools used were Titon table saw,Dewalt drills and saws but any brand will do.Total price including boat would come in under $300 Australian....cheers Stewart

recycled scrap timber offcut wall

This is the back wall in the house at Gundagai that was demolished by time and vandals and was rebuilt with 3x2 soft wood offcuts from Tumut recyclers,I used a nail gun to put the wall up. Total cost of $6 Au for the timber insulation and sisal.

recycling

This shed is built from recycled everything, Note the no bolt scaffolding.There is a roof ladder on the roof that clips over the roof capping.

Saw horse (stallion) from the wood pile the legs are let in using a draw knife to shape the top ends of the legs

Removing willow from the river bank to be used in bodgering,willow is a noxious weed. The trailer was made from scrap.That's a friend Brian Beasley loading wood,Brian is a artisan wood bodger and pole lathe operator and ukulele player

This light stand and gate were built from scrap and bits from the rubbish tip

sprint car model

Hi all this was my first foray into sprint car racing.
I gave up the idea when we moved to Gundagai ..For those of you who don't know where Gundagai is its half way between Sydney and Melbourne and 100 kilometers from Waggawagga.The animal is an echidna which visits the garden looking for ants and borers etc.
This is the radio control version capable of 80 k/hr its a bit dangerous as these things weigh about the same as a small lawnmower and are run inside an oval track with timber fencing around the outside. I put it through one of these fences,(they are made from 6x1 wood) and it did three end for end rolls before coming to a stop.

boat garden

When the top wouldn't fit the hull for the mini tug that's when the mini tug boat became a vision.The garden is about a month old as it is seen here on the bottom right. The moulding has holes drilled about half way up and doesn't need a lot of watering as water fills the bottom half. My wife loves it and I got lots of brownie points. I thought since this post was written I might do an update with some photos.Top left is a new garden made from an old spa bath and top right is my shade house I made at Gundagai. Top centre is how the garden has grown since the first post. cheers Stewart

cycle cars

These are some of the cars we made for Shell Mileage Marathon

Car 19 was made by the driver and achieved 94 miles per gallon.This car had mini front wheels Datsun gearbox and a Dihatsu differential with a robin 5hp Robin motor out of an old cement mixer with loose belt drive to the gearbox.The mud guards were from my box trailer come to think of it the front wheels came from the same trailer mmmm.

Car11 got 150 miles per gallon and was articulated and was originally powered by a 10hp Honda driving a large fan until I crashed it and rolled it on its roof,This car crashed several times during development.

Car 20 got first in the experimental section of the energy challenge 33rd overall and was(I believe) to be the first and only Shell Mileage Marathon car to be registered to drive on Australian roads.The bloke with the hat is Ernie Dingo the TV presenter. The funny thing is when he presented himself I didn't have a clue who he was :). Hi Ernie I know you now!!!!!

The PIRTEK car won the transmission drive award for unique drive system.Was powered by a Kawasaki engine.
All cars won the gas guzzlers award in the Shell Mileage Marathon

mini tug part three

All the screws were taken out and replaced with Australian red cedar dowels ,the windows glued in with silicon, the use of pva glue for the dowels as immersion into water is unlikely.This took about three days to complete...cheers Stewart