Dog Kennel for Guinness

I was asked to make a dog kennel by my girlfriends mum. As soon as I said yes to the project, I thought now what can I do to improve on existing designs. After a quick trip to some hardware stores like Bunnings and Masters. It seemed even a kennel for Guinness (Portuguese Water Dog) straight off the shelf would be harder to find than once thought. He is quite a large dog....

Most kennels were construction from Radiata Pine (Stained) and then cladded with weatherboard style planks and enclosed with a slanted roof and cladded with asphalt tiles.

After checking out these kennels it was clear that I could improve on the construction techniques and quality of materials. Air flow was quite an important aspect too, a lot of kennels I have seen previously are so enclosed that it doesn't take long before they start to smell quite bad. Another key improvement was to make the kennel mobile - caster wheels. 

Because Guinness already had a Aluminium framed bed, the kennel would act as a mobile shelter that can be moved anywhere the bed goes, simply slide the bed out and place in the desired spot and then unlock the caster wheels, roll over the bed and lock the wheels in place. Brilliant!



Below is the chosen kennel concept -

We picked Concept 2 to further develop, plywood roof won over shingles or corrugated iron.

A few design changes were made during the construction of the kennel. The most notable was the plywood roof. Originally it was inset between the front and rear framework. I changed the position of the roof so it covered all framework and so it had overhang. By doing this it provides protection from the elements for Guinness and the timber frame. Structurally it made the overall kennel stronger too.

Cutting the shoulder widths for the through slot - ready for chiselling!

Hand Chiselling each one keep the hand coordination right on check......

My sash clamps came in handy for this glue-up

Below is the assembly stage of the kennel

 

Here I have the solid Victorian Ash pitched frames with through slots

 

Steph fixing the battens onto the frame

Steph and Guinness enjoying a coffee break!

No Kennel is complete without a roof

I'd say hes pretty content with his new crib

Shout out to Stephanie Tan my girlfriend for helping with the construction of the kennel!

The New Joneses - Melbourne City Square

I was in the city the other week on my way to a Yarra Link meeting and I came across this demonstration of sustainable living. I thought it was great to see companies showing off their products and systems to assist ordinary people to leave a smaller footprint on earth. 

I ended up spending quite a considerable amount of time reading all the interesting facts that were placed everywhere from the bedroom to the kitchen stating statistics and info-graphics about consumerism and what we can do to make our lives more efficient and green. Also the  worm farm set up and the hanging plants caught my attention as something everyone should try to incorporate into their lives.

The initiative stated 10 steps to use less and live more (company and brand names are dropped extensively, all for good reason): 


1. MAKE YOUR MONEY COUNT
One of our biggest environmental and social impacts is our choice of bank. Part of the global movement refusing to finance fossil fuels, Bank Australia values our people & planet. Get a free home loan health check to see how you can save money & support a healthier planet.

2. BETTER ENERGY

Choose a greener energy company & support our clean energy future. Currently ranked 'greenest' by Greenpeace, Powershop is Australia's only 100% carbon-neutral power company. Consistently one of the cheapest, Powershop loves our planet & is easy on your wallet.

3. LOVE FOOD, HATE WASTE

Victorians throw $4 billion of edible food a year to landfill. This creates methane & wastes the money, resources & energy used to grow, process, package & transport our food. Shop to a list, buy what you need, eat your leftovers! Download theyumeapp.com for half-price, surplus food from Melbourne's top cafes and restaurants.

4. THE FUTURE IS ELECTRIC

When The New Joneses aren't walking or cycling, they're cruising their way to our fume-free future in their electric BMW i3. Their emission-free drive makes trips to the petrol station a thing of the past.

5. HEALTHY HOMES

Ecoliv Buildings' affordable, sustainable homes save space, energy, resources & money. The 8.2 star, off-the-grid, prefab home shows how easily we can embrace small spaces, maximize functionality, minimize material objects and unplug from urban life.

6. GAME CHANGING SOLAR STORAGE

Every hour, the sun provides enough power for our global annual energy demands. Battery storage now means we can harness clean power, AND store it for later. As fossil-fuel costs rise & solar prices plunge, join the rooftop revolution and be part of our clean energy future.

7. CHEMICAL DETOX

Keep chemicals from our skin, air, waterways & food supply with natural cleaning products, like lemons & vinegar. Choose grey-water-safe, plant-based products, like Earth Choice & Organic Care, who use recycled & recyclable packaging.

8. SOIL - WHERE FOOD BEGINS

Like us, soil needs food. Keep kitchen scraps out of the bin. Feed them to chooks, put them in worm farms or make compost to send nutrients back into our soil. Council-supplied green-waste bins take garden waste to make compost for farms and gardens. Use today's food & garden waste to grow tomorrow's lunch.

9. SHOP LOCAL

About 50% of money spent with local independent shops goes back into our local economy, compared to less than 14% from chain stores. Support local independents, like Barry the butcher, for healthier, happier, connected communities. Get online for home delivery from locals you love. 

10. LIGHTEN UP

LED lights not only save up to 89% off energy bills, now they can change how we live. Sengled revolutionary LEDs light bulbs, with built-in speakers, cameras & WiFi, reduce clutter, energy & waste. Lighten up with Sengled for smart, safe, super-sounding homes.

 Here are some photos from the set-up :

Hanging plants inside a cocoon of coconut fibre

Worm farm set-up

Growing your own vegetables is a highly rewarding activity

Very impressive set-up at City Square, Melbourne

The initiative was on from the 9th - 27th of February.

 For more information about the event go to:

http://www.thenewjoneses.com/

Yarra Link Project + Clean up Australia Day

 

Yarra River at its best

Once again the yearly event to clean up our act is here. Its only one day and only a few hours you can dedicate out of your weekend to keep our environment clean. This day doesn't solve all the litter and rubbish pollution that enters our ecosystems but can spread awareness to all that every bit of packaging, wrapping and materials that does enter these areas does effect every living organism whether now or in 100 million years time. Lets act together because we made this mess together.

The Yarra looks good from a far, but you don't have to look too closely to find litter.

The Yarra Link Project is a non-profit group dedicated to renewal of indigenous vegetation in a riverside parcel of land near Heyington Station, Melbourne. 

By removing litter from the Yarra Rivers banks and surrounding vegetation we will improve the rivers health and provide a cleaner ecosystem for all walks of life to enjoy. Please join us on the 6th of March to help improve the health of the river. We will be conducting a litter clean up along the banks of the Yarra River. And also other areas surrounding the river.
 
If you have any questions about this event, please don't hesitate to contact myself. 

My email is : rowan@yarra.link
 
Site Address
70 Heyington Pl
Toorak
VIC 3142 

Meeting Point: Meet at the corner of Lansell Rd and Heyington Pl. This spot is just outside the rear carpark of St Kevins Junior School. 

Date: March 6th 2016 

Start time: 10:00 AM 

End time: 11:30 AM 

DIA - Graduate of the Year Award Nomination (GOTYA)

Firstly happy new year to everyone!

I'm officially a graduate now. Never thought I would say that. But hey I'm going with it. I was notified not long ago that I have been nominated for graduate of the year in my category Industrial Design for Victoria/Tasmania. The judging process is quite lengthy and myself and the other nominees won't find out until mid to late March. But I'll keep you posted until then. 

Follow the below link to see last years winners and runners up graduates.

http://www.dia.org.au/index.cfm?id=320

Here's some pictures of Project Galada from the MADA Grad show. (Photos credit - Zan Wimberley)

Project Galada Full Barrier - MADA Grad Show 2015

Link close up - Accoya timber rings and recycled HDPE components

Endemic aquatic plants grow inside the barrier providing biofiltration for the Yarra River