How a Marine Propeller Pattern is Made
Submitted by cac on Wed, 2012-05-16 21:25A bit bigger than what might go on most of our boats, and I would have expected more CNC use these days, but apparently not always.
I must say that I enjoyed when they got the angle grinder out for heavy wood removal. Same thing I've done (and it works great).
This is a video showing how we create a set of marine propeller patterns. The patterns are used by a foundry to mold in sand and cast the finished propellers in stainless steel.
For more on what we do, visit http://www.industrialshapeandform.com/
Hubless Bicycle
Submitted by cac on Thu, 2012-05-10 22:07Bicycles are a great form of transport for boaters. Good exercise, no gas, etc., but somewhat space intensive. This concept design not only looks really slick, but is space saving.
Flying Hovercraft
Submitted by cac on Wed, 2012-05-09 14:15
OK, looks like a lot of fun, but not seeing $190,000 in my budget.
Refrigerator shelves
Submitted by cac on Tue, 2012-05-08 21:36There's a growing movement among some of building "tiny houses", often based on a standard trailer. These intrepid builders follow a lot of the "less is more", "minimalism", and "green" trends. This leads to some great ideas that could also translate to boat cabin builds, etc. Check out this great idea for reusing old refrigerator shelves. I may just use that...
The American Queen - returned to service
Submitted by cac on Mon, 2012-05-07 15:25The American Queen, A 436 passenger, classic paddle wheeler boat (with a pair of
modern “Z-drive” pod propellers) is again providing service on the Mississippi River.
The American Queen, the largest passenger steamboat ever built, has returned to service on the Mississippi River -- offering passengers regular overnight cruises on the river for the first time in four years.
The South Street Seaport Museum
Submitted by cac on Sun, 2012-05-06 22:25
Neat looking museum in New York. If you're ever in the area, sure looks worth checking out.
Sixteen galleries have opened to the public with a lively interweaving of the city and the sea through photography, video, historic artifacts, and contemporary design
PlanetSolar - successful solar powered circumnavigation
Submitted by cac on Sun, 2012-05-06 21:47Well, it's been a while, but PlanetSolar's Turanor successfully completed it's world circling cruise on May 4th, 2012. This French article (translation via Google) covered their arrival in Monaco.
Build your own surfboard
Simple, nice looking surfboard. They may only use it for decorations, but good job. Who knows, it may surf great.
Do note the slick, stenciled stain job. I like the thought of having a pattern on a wood product like this, and it was done with gel wood stain and duct tape :-)
The Concrete Canoe
Submitted by cac on Thu, 2012-05-03 23:01Make sure and check the MAKE Magazine link and read the article. Lots of other resources on canoeing with concrete.
How to choose a kayak
Submitted by cac on Thu, 2012-05-03 09:54Seems like there are a lot of kayak and canoe enthusiasts out there, and it's obviously a fairly inexpensive way to get on the water. Not to mention great exercise.
I am certainly no expert in this area, but this article looked like it might be a good quick overview into some of the decisions you should think about if considering a kayak purchase (or build).
