Last Wen we announced that we would like to start a large prestige build. After going to Detroit Makers Faire and seeing some really awesome stuff. The idea of a large project to get TC Makers on the map was a worthy goal.

So lets start brain storming, nothing is set in stone, but here are a few basic requirements.
- pedal powered (mpls/stp is a biking community after all)
- light weight but large
- able to take down/apart for travel to events
- fire and/or smoke
- some form of illuminated fabric or e-frabric with arduino control.
- sound system with interactive inputs

Some of these seemingly random requirements are in place to make sure everyone in the hack fac can participate in some way.

Let the ideas flow.... Any and all ideas are welcome, just submit a post. In a couple of weeks, we can go through them together at the wen open house.

With those ideas for requirements, this has to have been suggested before but....

A pedal powered dragon!

Lightweight metal frame, with small-med burner in a dragon head on the front. Or at least a smoker with appropriate lights.

Wings to be covered in a dark cloth with EL wire "veins" and other accents. Oooh, oooh Also have EL wire sewn in the shape of our logo. You could alternate between being a dragon and a billboard.

Somewhere it needs big speakers we can blast a dragons roar out of.

Make it seciontable, head, tail and wings detach from a center peice that contains the 'bike'.

Personally, I'd love if somehow the design allowed it to function as a pedal pub.

But I hear that there is some funky legal wrangling/paperwork that has to happen. Anyone know the local pedal pub people enough to ask them how they did it?

The have a link right on their faq page to this

http://twincities.pedalpub.com/fineprin ... SF3672.pdf

I'd paste the relevant section but simple copypasta really screwed up the formatting.

The gist.
A vehicle operated for commercial purposes that is powered by 5 or more people similar to a bicycle.

If this is to function as a Pedal Pub then we are talking drive shafts? As we will have to rotate the input power 90 degrees.

Next what is the capacity? Are we talking a fixed size or are we talking modules and articulation? A pedal train pub.

Some ideas:

• Perhaps pedalpub-like drive, but not a pedal pub
• Maybe a walking exoskeleton creature, or simple walking getups for the baby creatures
• Clear vision lines for pedalers: was there an idea to have them enclosed?
• Changeable shell to create different creatures - I love Bessie the Sea Cow
• Places to keep brochures, business cards, souvenirs to hand out
• 360 degree horn speakers
• Significant holes/ventilation areas for comfort and high wind compatibility
• Pedaler costumes/outfits/t-shirts to serve as creatures legs or as complement to design
• Electrical assist
• Video projection methods for eyes or even body panels
• Fiber optics?
• Skeleton of light flex rods, such as used for arch tents or trade show tents, hang body panels over the rods
• LEDs, LEDs, LEDs!

Skyler, I don't think I saw you wednesday night when we announced the pedal powered fire breathing dragon, but you basically summed up what we want to do.

Either you were there and I'm an idiot, or it's a case of you channeling the hours long discussion we had on the road trip back from Detroit, and the announcement wed. night.

Either way, you rock, and and better be deep in the project.

I said while we were at detroit maker faire that I wanted to build a tent / yurt / dome type structure of some kind so that we can present at events from something that's ours, rather than the standard display tent; after a couple hours of doodling today, I want to start making a pvc pipe framed, tarp covered, dragon shaped "thing" for this purpose.

I think it would be very helpful in trying some of the ideas out for the large size pedel powered fire breathing dragon.

I'm hoping to have some 3d renders up soon, ask me for these, as accountability helps me make.

Riley

No, you didn't miss me. I missed out on Wed. Night this week. Might be in tonight a bit and lots on Sunday though

I mentioned this to Riley already, but if it could be useful I have an 11 foot chunk of 2 x 5 1/8" structural AL tube that I'm willing to donate, it's left from building the frame of my CNC router. It just so happens it was welded with the twin of the TIG that was just acquired.

It's light strong and and very straight and true. My friend who welded my frame is making car haullers out of his.

Pete

Where is it going to live, and/or who's footing the bill for the "parking permit"?