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A knockoff of sixties-style "egg" or "womb" chairs, this recliner was made from the shell of an old wheelbarrow. I got the idea when I was working construction, and some of my fellow workers would tip a wheelbarrow forward onto its handles, wheel-end in the air, and use it as a chair. I tried it, and it's surprisingly comfortable just like that. However, a wheelbarrow won't stay balanced like that, so I redesigned the concept with new legs and a plush, upholstered interior. The cushions are corduroy, with neodynium magnets holding them in place so they can be removed for cleaning. An earlier prototype can be seen on my flickr page here.
This thing is crazy comfortable, like a big, inhabitable shell that is soft on the inside. Pretty cheap to make, though the end product is a little heavy and bulky.
This thing is crazy comfortable, like a big, inhabitable shell that is soft on the inside. Pretty cheap to make, though the end product is a little heavy and bulky.
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Signing UpStep 1Preparing the Barrow
The first photo shows how the wheelbarrow can be tipped onto its handles and used as a chair as it is.
I got my wheelbarrow for free by posting a wanted ad on craiglist. They are also plentiful at the dump and in suburbua in general, where people tend to buy them for one or two projects and then never use them again. Ask around.
This wheelbarrow had been used to mix concrete. I removed the cured cement with a hammer and screwdriver. Light, rapid taps will crack a lot of it off; get the rest by chiseling and scraping with a flat head screwdriver.
Then I used a Dremel to cut the bolts that held the frame onto the barrow since they were rusted together. The rest is staightforward and heavy on the elbow grease: sand off the rust and old paint with 60-grit sandpaper, then 100-grit, then wash the loose rust, dust, and paint off with a stiff brush and hot soapy water. Last, clean it again with a rag and denatured alcohol.
I got my wheelbarrow for free by posting a wanted ad on craiglist. They are also plentiful at the dump and in suburbua in general, where people tend to buy them for one or two projects and then never use them again. Ask around.
This wheelbarrow had been used to mix concrete. I removed the cured cement with a hammer and screwdriver. Light, rapid taps will crack a lot of it off; get the rest by chiseling and scraping with a flat head screwdriver.
Then I used a Dremel to cut the bolts that held the frame onto the barrow since they were rusted together. The rest is staightforward and heavy on the elbow grease: sand off the rust and old paint with 60-grit sandpaper, then 100-grit, then wash the loose rust, dust, and paint off with a stiff brush and hot soapy water. Last, clean it again with a rag and denatured alcohol.
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Ever been to a restaurant & stuff yourself until you have trouble moving? You want someone to just "wheelbarrow" you to the car.