Table of contents for No 122 August - September 2025 in The Shed

When prepping this issue, I had one of those moments when I think, Gosh we have a lot of clever buggers in this magazine. It hits me every now and again, when I just get astonished by the skills and diversity of the sheddies we feature here, as it did again with this issue. Our cover story features Greville Wills, a miniature steam and electric train builder. His working life has been about as varied as a bloke could squeeze into one lifetime, but trains have constantly been there as his major passion. His skills and workshop are something to behold, and our Jason Burgess does his usual amazing job of getting us all the good oil on another great Kiwi sheddie. We have three articles from longtime The Shed…

NEVER MISS AN ISSUE DELIVERY TO YOUR HOME SAVE UP TO $24 ON RETAIL FAST FACTS NUMBER 12 Postal rates are increasing again this July! Every July, our postage costs for subscriber copies increase. This July, our costs will rise again by 30 per cent. We will maintain our current subscription rates for as long as possible, but if you’re thinking about subscribing, now is an excellent time to do so. ONE YEAR $89 SAVE 18%! SIX MONTHS $47 SAVE 13% ONE-YEAR DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION AVAILABLE FROM $39 TO SUBSCRIBE VISIT MAGSTORE.NZ OR CALL 0800 727 574 The Shed magazine subscription terms and conditions: • Prizes/Gifts are as stated, not redeemable for cash, and the publisher’s decision is final. No correspondence will be entered into.• Prizes/Gifts are administered by the participating magazine publisher.…

In the last issue, The Shed No. 121, we created a 3D digital model of a visor for a digital SLR camera using Alibre Atom 3D software. The design was done with 3D printing in mind as a cost-effective way of manufacturing for making just one visor. The process of turning this imagined part into reality is remarkably simple due to how easily 3D printing programs and 3D CAD programs talk with each other. Through the slicer The programs that prepare a 3D file (of an item to be made) so they can be produced using a 3D printer are called ‘slicing’ programs. This is because they slice the digital model of the part to be made into thin slices representing each layer of material applied by the printer nozzle.…

What tool is shown in the picture? a) A Quickee driver b) A Twistee driver c) A Yankee driver What is the main structure of a drilling rig called? a) Rodderick b) Derrick c) Frederick d) Broderick What is the hammer shown in the picture known as? a) Dead blow hammer b) Soft face hammer c) Thor hammer d) All of the above Is a battery heavier when fully charged? a) Yes b) No Why is this pipe wrench called a Stillson? a) Unknown – maybe a nickname b) Invented by a Mr Stillson c) Brand of the most well-known manufacturer How is the size of a Stillson wrench specified? a) Maximum pipe size it can grip b) Its weight c) Length of the jaws d) Length of its handle…

“These creative souls with a master plan have taken over the city, one wall at a time” The earthquakes in Canterbury devoured much of the old established city, leaving layers of rubble, red brick façades, and cinderblock walls. But the lining couldn’t be more silver for Christchurch City’s street/graffiti artists. They have offered a cheerful juxtaposition against a dreary, battered landscape. These creative souls with a master plan have taken over the city, one wall at a time. Every bus trip into town now reveals generous tributes to our national heroes of the past, with a new contemporary vibrancy. Iconic renditions of Christchurch’s John Britten and Sir Ed, and many, many more. The sheer scale of these masterpieces is quite remarkable, especially how lifelike they are. Not knowing the community…

His interests are as eclectic as his career choices. Space is definitely at a premium in Greville Wills’ garage workshop. On first look, the visual jumble of tools, projects, ornaments, neons, and former business equipment is confounding. Yet despite the wriggle room between the maze of workstations, there is an underlying order. Greville is an old-school tinkerer, model-engineering enthusiast, and a Mr Fix-It to his neighbours. He always knew the space here was going to be tight, so before he moved in, he pre-measured and drew a plan for everything from machine placement to car park spaces, factoring in ergonomics and power supply locations to make certain everything would fit and work efficiently. He is adamant that the layout suits his needs and says, “When I’m making things, everything is…

THE ELECTRICALS, SEAT, AND TANK REFURBISHMENTS CONTINUE About two years ago, I unpacked an old motorcycle (of about a 1952 birth year, Year of the Dragon, AJS 18S 500cc single) and started to rebuild it. I had stored it, partly in pieces, for about 50 years. Web searches on part numbers showed me that many parts were inconsistent in age: the machine is a bitzer. The upside to that is that I feel free to adapt parts and not remain true to the marque. This may result in some compliance issues later. Some months into intermittent work, I thought that I could write about it for The Shed, and here is the fifth article describing what I have been doing. I now wish I had taken more photos before commencing.…

A busy tourist trail runs south from Christchurch on State Highway 1. At Rangitata Junction, south of Ashburton, it turns onto State Highway 79 (called ‘Route 79’ locally) through Geraldine to Fairlie and then over the Lindis Pass on State Highway 8 to the southern lakes, Wanaka and Queenstown, the tourist playground. Travellers typically break their journeys in the trail’s small towns only long enough for a toilet stop and a pie. In the case of Geraldine, they may be making a mistake, because the pretty town, nestled at the edge of the foothills of the majestic Southern Alps, is home to a cluster of museums which would strongly appeal to your average sheddie. Geraldine is Museumville There is the long-established Geraldine Vintage Car and Machinery Museum at 178 Talbot…

In the last few issues, we’ve covered a range of subjects, including errors in the previous issue. I During these articles, we’ve used added code called ‘libraries’, so it’s time to explain why we use them and some of the pitfalls. Arduino has the big advantage of being ‘open source’, which is where a manufacturer or supplier doesn’t have control, and the public can freely use and contribute to the software. That’s not to say manufacturers don’t contribute, but they share their offerings for all to use without a licence or restriction (apart from the credit). The size of the Arduino ecosystem proves that open source works. What is a ‘library’? Many years ago, you’d have said it was a place that held and lent books (and other materials) to…

When I get too old to … what was it again? The lesson I’ve taken away from the following little exercise is that if I get too old to make it out to the workshop, I need not stop making things. Indeed, if push came to shove, this activity could even be done in bed! Delayed reaction It all started when I went to a Donovan concert somewhere around 1972, and came away with his Hurdy Gurdy Man song as an earworm. After a slight delay – 50 years, give or take – it occurred to me to find out what a ‘hurdy-gurdy’ was. That led to getting onto YouTube, eventually coming across ‘hurdy-gurdy reverse dance’ (check it out for yourself!) and getting gobsmacked, haunted, stunned. And immediately wanted to…

The largest indoor aquatic and sports centre in New Zealand is scheduled to be opened in Christchurch at the end of this year. The heat source for its heating system is a first for New Zealand. The Parakiore Recreation and Sports Centre will house a 50m pool; a diving pool; learner and spa pools; five hydro-slides; an aquatic sensory space; a birthday party room; a weights room; nine netball courts; offices for sporting organisations and venue administration; a café; and, of course, a VIP suite. The car park has been laid, and the court floor is being marked for various sports such as netball, badminton, futsal, and volleyball, so the opening can’t be that far away. Anchor project The Christchurch Metro Sports Complex is one of three ‘anchor projects’ –…

Currently, Christchurch appears to be in the midst of a building boom, with large subdivisions being developed on the fringes of the city. Within the city, old houses are being demolished and replaced with rows of apartments. Many of the replacement dwellings are sophisticated and attractive, though small. To the casual observer, the question inevitably arises: “Where are all the buyers going to come from?” At the same time, some older houses are being extensively refurbished, with much of the building’s fabric being replaced: interior linings, weatherboards, roofing iron. Some houses are taken back to just a roof supported by rows of studs, making it possible to see right through the building from one end to the other. Often, an extension is added. The final result is well up to…

The year 2024 finished with mixed emotions. I had just completed one of my favourite builds: Big Finks 498cc V8-powered Sidewalk Surfer skateboard, a homage to Ed Roth’s 1960s Kustom Kulture. However, issues at work cast a dampener on the festive season. Ongoing inclement weather during late December and January didn’t help. What better way to release me from my end-of-year malaise than a trip to the Christchurch City Council’s EcoShop? My happy place This place has been my go-to source for several recent projects, so hopefully it will provide some inspiration. A destination suggestion in mid January incurred the obligatory eye roll from her in the passenger’s seat, but nevertheless, we headed west to see what was on offer. Strolling around the myriad of shelves and bins, I spotted…

Our dysfunctional electricity industry has resurfaced to torment me again. Flick Electric has been sold to Meridian. A monopolistic company swallowing its competitor, yet again. I am a customer of Flick. This means my power bills will increase, and I will no longer get a reasonable price for the power I generate. It is probably not a coincidence that at the same time as Meridian swallowed Flick, Genesis reabsorbed its version of Flick, Frank. It felt it no longer had to compete. The partial privatisation of the power industry has proved to be a disaster. The gentailers have operated as a cartel, colluding on prices and actively seeking to game the system by running down the hydro assets to burn coal. Why, you ask? Simple. When Huntly is operating and…