While normal day to day things don't require one to build, construct, or be innovative, it is something that I enjoy greatly, especially when they work out. They don't have to be monumental feats of engineering or woodworking. They don't even have to work. They won't work perfectly. But it keeps me thinking about what possibly could be built or made. So I present to you two projects I've done over the past few months.
The apartment I currently live in came furnished, and me not wanting to make too many unnecessary trips back and forth fit everything I could into my Honda Accord and that was it. I had brought books with me and wanted them to be stored properly. I also didn't want to invest in proper bookshelves as I would eventually have to move them somewhere else. I also had a box of pushpins-I think the one thing I am allowed to attach to the walls. Looking around the apartment I found several empty beer cases-the twelve pack of typically decent stuff. I looked for more rigid cardboard. I also used a Jimmy John's box and a pop tart one to mix things up. The horizontal dimension of the 12 pack are about the maximum to be used, I tried to make the Jimmy John's box horizontal, but it pulled out it's pins overnight. In the top corners of each box I put two long pins (the short ones will also pull out) angled downward to aid in supporting. Then when a new box was generated, it was simply added to the conglomerate.
Now as it is summer time here in the Northern Hemisphere, Ultimate frisbee season has started and I am participating in the Lawrence Summer League on Team 10. It is quite a bit of fun. My cleats that I usually use give me the worst blisters on my heels that I now have minor scars from. I wasn't too excited to go back to them and playing in flats is just plain out frustrating however comfortable those running shoes may be. I decided that the only way to go about this was to modify my running shoes to be comparable to cleats. I took my second pair of Asic's and began to imagine how I would go about adding traction. My though process ended with nuts, bolts, and several washers. I picked up the minimal hardware from across the street at Cottin's as well as an appropriate drill bit to put holes in the sole. The bit was marginally smaller than the bolt size to help prevent them from rattling around and potentially further damaging to the rubber. The bolts I picked out had tapered heads so that they would sit slightly more flush into the washers, and minimizing uneven surfaces for my feet. I placed 5 bolts on the front half of the sole, each with a large washer on top of the sole, and a lock washer underneath to prevent punch through. I replaced the in-soles and figured that it would be good enough. After playing one pick up game I soon realized that more padding was necessary. I found some 3/16" rubber at the re-store and cut out sections using the in-sole as a template, beveling the edges as well as notching out areas where the bolts touched it. Perfect! After 3 weeks of use I've only lost two nuts and washers on one shoe, which I plan on replacing with some sort of glue to prevent its loosening. I attribute the 5 touchdowns I caught last Sunday to the speed and comfort of these shoes.
