This is an Idea to build a mobile workshop that can be used to make and fabricate farm tools in the UK.
The Problem
Many farms don't have a full workshop and so cannot easily fabricate their own tools. Many specialist tools are expensive and so it makes sense to share these tools.
Proposed solution(s)
Crowd fund for
- Modular system of toolboxes, containing themed sets of tools.
- A large mobile workshop trailer, or a mobile project vehicle/truck with internal workbenches.
Proposals for tools
Wood working tools
- Chain Morticer for constructing timber frame buildings Commercial chain morticer
Metal working tools
- Mig Welder For hand welding, or use with the 3D printer Auto set Mig welder
- Oxy propane cutting kit For hand cutting metal, or with the CNC table Oxy-propane
- CNC cutting table For making accurate parts from sheet metal or plywood Opensource Cutting table
- 3D Metal printer For making metal parts, Opensource 3D metal printer
- Pipe bender - for bending pipes Pipe bender
- Magnetic drill to drill accurate holes in metal Magnetic drill
- _ Adjustable Jig arms_ To hold pieces of metal together so you can weld them easily Jig arms
- Breathing kit Breathing is nice Respirator & mask
- Sand blaster & box To clean stuff up Sand Blaster
Electronics tools
- _ All the essential recommendations here_ Lab kit
- Software defined radio for analysing & broadcasting RF signals Hack RF
SoilHack tools
- Microscope
- Compost tea brewer
- Sprayer
- Compost heap sensor
Proposals for Transportation
Post 1997 licence holders
-
<750kg trailer capable of carrying CNC cutting table, or one other tool module. Accessible, low fuel/ Carbon cost.
-
Mobile project vehicle. Vehicles greater than 3.5 tonne can be driven by those with a post 97 licence if they are mobile project vehicles If pre 1960 can also be Tax & MOT exempt it would of course need to be maintained in a roadworthy condition. Something like this Bedford would be less than £3K. Higher fuel/ Carbon cost, but much higher load capacity.
Pre 1997 licence holders
- Large mobile workshop trailer (approx 3 tonne MAM pulled by small landrover)
Similar projects
Comments
Hi. Good idea. The whole concept reminds me of the mobile machine shop J. Baldwin used to drive around. I saw it featured in a video called "Ecological Design: Inventing the Future".
Your list: Metal working tools
Mig Welder For hand welding, or use with the 3D printer Auto set Mig welder Oxy propane cutting kit For hand cutting metal, or with the CNC table Oxy-propane CNC cutting table For making accurate parts from sheet metal or plywood Opensource Cutting table 3D Metal printer For making metal parts, Opensource 3D metal printer Pipe bender - for bending pipes Pipe benderI realize your list is preliminary and simply representative. Of course, there'd be all sorts of necessary hand tools (hammers, tongs, pliers, clamps, angle grinders, etc). But I thought I'd add a few essentials to the prelim list, based on my experience:
Bench grinder(s) mounted with broadly useful wheels Drill press Compressor Abrasive-disk metal cut-off saw
As you say it's just an initial brain dump. I started with the fancy exciting tools.
Wonder whether the weight of this is worth it: http://opensourcemachine.org/
Would solve the bench grinder, drill press & metal saw in one tool. But it is a lot of weight for a mobile unit..