Ultimate Camping Shelter

In 2017, I decided to build a camping shelter that we could use at music festivals and other trips where we needed somewhere to hang out during the day.  I wanted it to be easy to set up and easy to move around.  I also wanted it to be strong enough to hold two hammocks, so that Jackie and I could sleep in the shelter if we wanted to.  I ended up with the design featured here, which is a good solution, but not perfect.

The design is comprised of four steel tubes, which are tethered together and to anchors in the ground via ratchet straps.  The straps are tightened after the shelter is set up, which makes the structure incredibly strong.  This provides a sturdy point to hang the hammocks from, and also means that the shelter is sturdy enough to stand up to very high winds.

Each side is removable, including the floor and roof.  I used military grade tarps as the sides and roof of the shelter, which are super thick and durable.  I also built a box to move the shelter around in, which can be mounted to the top of our SUV so we can take the shelter wherever we go camping.

Overall it was a really fun project!  I can provide more details to anyone who is interested in iterating on this design.

LEGACY CHEST

For several years, I’ve kept various objects as keepsakes from my younger years in an antique traveling trunk. The idea of condensing all the objects that I consider to have nostalgic or sentimental value into whatever can fit into the limited space inside a selected box has always been attractive to me. I hate clutter and keeping old things that aren’t useful anymore. This method allows me to justify keeping a few very important things and parting with the rest.

As I’ve grown older, I’ve had a few friends and family members pass away. I’ve also helped my Mom deal with the material aftermath which follows the death of a loved one, struggling to determine what to keep and what to sell or otherwise dispose of. I thought using the same strategy I use to sort my own personal treasures could also be used to organize and store the personal objects of a loved one after they pass, thus this project was started.

The idea is to create a standardized box that would hold pictures, clothes, documents, jewelry, or whatever someone determines is important. At the end of someone’s life, this box is what is kept and passed along to family as years pass. Each person in my family would get one, to use during life and afterwards, and the collection of boxes would eventually all be stored together at a family-owned property, such as a cabin or vacation house shared by everyone.

It seems like an interesting way to deal with a difficult issue, as well as creating an interactive memorial for the ones we have loved. Looking through what someone considers to be their most important objects would be a great way to remember them and honor their life, as well as cope with their loss.

Custom Workstation

Currently, I'm working on the initial design for a custom workstation for my PC and server hardware.  The desktop will be adjustable, for standing or sitting, and will accomodate all of my various tools and hardware that I use on a daily basis.

I'll post some images of my CAD model soon.  I am considering making some videos of the design process as well.