
Hi, I'm Josh.
And I have a snowboarding problem.
It's led to countless meals spent crouching over muddy campstoves trying to make something worth eating and scheming of a better way.
What began as laughable experiments with plywood and wishful thinking has grown into CHEFRACK. It's my joy to share these journal entries from along the way.
Evolution 0.0 - 5.0
Get version 5.0-
0.0
I devised a hanging sheet metal table from things found at the dump.
-
0.1
Profoundly sketchy yet suprisingly helpful. Top is too slippery and the stove keeps sliding off.
-
1.0
Experiment with a frame on a cargo rack to integrate a cooler, stove, and storage under a big worktop.
-
1.1
Painted it red and declared victory. So far I have left off body panels, hope I don't come to regret it.
-
1.2
I hugely regret it. Storm over Wolf Creek Pass absolutely trounced the little guy. Gotta rethink this.
-
2.0
I swapped out the wood elements for metal and HDPE in an attempt to make it passibly waterproof.
-
2.1
Cargo rack base is clearly sub-optimal. Looks like I'm gonna have to learn how to weld.
-
2.2
With a custom fabricated hitch I can now use T-slot aluminum for the frame, which allows for body panels!
-
3.0
Took the newest prototype to Fruita, CO for a weekend of testing. I really like having a big cooler always at the ready.
-
3.1
Weekend in Steamboat, CO reveals cooler drawer is going to be a problem. Track gets dirty and then the wheels grind.
-
3.2
Despite my fretting about the design, we had a grand old time. Imperfect as it is, I love having the party on my hitch.
-
3.3
A new idea struck me in the middle of the night. What if the tops flipped out to reveal the countertops beneath?
-
4.1
A breakthrough! We rushed off to Canyonlands National Park to try it out!
-
4.2
Learning how to CNC mill so that I can thermoform a utensil tray and stove rack out of a single, continuous plastic piece.
-
4.3
Et voila! Now the stove sits securely and the propane can remain hooked up! Also easy to clean which is awesome.
-
4.4
Experimenting with new bamboo countertop material to save weight and for more durable cutting surface.
-
4.5
Testing shows the bamboo tops are prime, but I need to optimize for overall weight. Light is king.
-
4.6
Reimaginging the tops as stainless steel pans with a substrate web. It's stronger, lighter, and more durable.
-
4.7
If I used aircraft aluminum panels, it would be super light, but where the hell could I find those?
-
4.8
Ladies and gentlemen, we got em.
-
5.0
Just completed version 5.0 and feeling pretty stoked. It's 35 lbs. lighter and, frankly, pretty sexy.
Get our recipes
Fast and fresh trip recipes tailored for your adventure. Delivered to your inbox.