Twin Barrels Are Heating Up

The race is this Saturday.  We are taking the rig to the mountain tomorrow for a test run.  This thing is 10 feet long, probably 400 lbs, and hops like a bull in a rodeo stall.  It is a bone crusher. It will make you a cartoon.  It should have a poet in residence.  It scratches so many itches I can hardly focus.  

Here is how to make one:

First you get three wine barrels.  

Wrap two of them with bicycle tires and staple. 

Countersink and screw the banding to the staves. 

Shove an axle through them.  

On the front barrel you need to build a plates for each side to mount the rotors and the brake assembly

Mount the aforementioned technology

Build yolks

Cut hole in third barrel to accommodate an old truck axle

Bolt third barrel to old truck axle using angle iron

Attach yolks to an old truck axle and third barrel with kingpins

Style and attach gussets where needed 

Build handle bars off of front yoke

Add foot pegs on front yoke for leg steering

Let simmer 

My pal and team mate David Lewin made this image that will be on our race jerseys.  

The ladies love it!

Twin Barrels Burning Team:

Eric Black, Architect

Derrick Benson, Kaizen Leader

David Lewin, Industrial Designer

Sam Tannahill, Winemaker

Trevor McWilliams, Assistant to the Intern

and myself

Update

Quick update on a few projects:

The Soapbox car has a pulse. 

The Plastiplums are not yielding very exciting results...yet.

Peeper chairs are done.  Kiddie Conference Table on deck.

Portland Adult Soapbox Derby

One of the 39 coveted spots is MINE!!! The Adult Soapbox Derby is one of the best events I have ever been involved with.  This will be the second entry for me.  In '06 we were 11th on the waiting list and got the call a couple of weeks before the race, notifying us that we were in.  We managed to fabricate a rickety rig that ended up looking like a pile of dead pelicans on the side of the course 3/4 of the way down our first run.  

This year is going to be different.  Inspired by both the tenacity and the visual impact of an unflushable flake, Team Floater is poised to make soapbox history with the new concept vehicle.  I can't say I have seen one of these before.  It is basically a giant two wheeled skateboard made with a couple of wine barrels.  (UPDATE!  As inspiring as the unflushable flake is, we have changed the team name to the more appropriate "Twin Barrels Burning")

First order of business is to drink 120 gallons of wine.  

Here is the doomed pelican.