Category Archives: Inventions

Flying on a Hammerhead Shark

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Every once in a while a project morphs or leads into several different projects. An example is my hammerhead shark balance board Hammerhead Balance Board.

It’s made from a recycled desktop. I really wanted something different than a standard skateboard/surfboard shape, so I went with this design idea.

A balance board is like a skateboard but with a roller and track on its underside, instead of wheels. The board is 40″ long.

Just imagine a board that you stand on, with a movable fulcrum centered underneath. I decided that I would be less likely to break bones on this, as opposed to a skateboard – right!

Additionally, I thought once I improved my balance, I could add wheels to the balance board and it would morph into a skateboard.

Here is the roller that I will be using. I ordered this one from Vew-Do.

While building the board, I decided that I needed a balance paddle. So begins another project. I felt that I needed a safety stick (like a cane), so that I would not tip over while on the board.

Here is the balance paddle under construction. It’s made with 4 old ceiling fan blades glued together (a fan blade pair on each end) and laminated pallet wood for the paddle shaft.

I’ll show you how to build the paddle in a future post as well.

The balance board is not even complete, and now I am making a paddle too. But wait, there is more!

One morning I awoke from a dream and realized that I had been flying on the back of a hammerhead shark. So very cool I thought, “How could I do this – I mean really do this.”

Then it hit me, add a hydrofoil wing to the bottom of the board. If I could add the wing, I could literally fly above the water on the back of a hammerhead shark – a dream come true!

Hey, guess what? I am building a hydrofoil wing. I ordered this cool kit from Clearwater Hydrofoils. Of course it has to be fiberglassed, but I will learn a new skill. One post soon, I’ll show you that process too.

So, one project often morphs and/or leads to many others. The project fun never ends! What would life be without projects?

Pattern Disc Viewer

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What the heck is a Pattern Disc Viewer anyway? Well, it is a device that I designed to manufacture the theme of a dream. I know crazy – right!

The idea is simple really. Wear a mask that restricts your field of vision, while focusing on a specific image, for 15 to 30 minutes a day. The daily conditioning will increase the likelihood that you will dream about the image you have been viewing. There is a little more to it, but that is the basic concept.

Here is the finished product.

The viewer has a semicircle at the front which holds the disc. The disc has the image printed on it. I also disguise the image with a pattern printed over the image, which increases the chances that the image appears in your dream. For more on this concept, please read this post – Can You Talk To Animals In Your Dreams?

Additionally, there is a red LED flashing circuit mounted on top of the viewer. This is a second conditioning feature which is used in conjunction with another device that I wear while sleeping – The Dream Trainer.

I made the basic viewer out of cardboard. I downloaded a 3D viewer template from the web and slightly modified it for my use.

Once the viewer box was built, I constructed a simple LED flashing circuit kit.

Then mounted the circuit to the top of the box.

Finally I added an on/off push button switch, 9V battery, and head strap supporting Velcro. Note the disc image cannot be detected.

The principle disc image that I work with has a human figure speaking and listening to marine mammals.

I can tell you that the concept does work. Marine mammals have a lot to talk about!