
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.
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0.1
Profoundly sketchy yet suprisingly helpful. Top is too slippery and the stove keeps sliding off.
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1.0
Experiment with a frame on a cargo rack to integrate a cooler, stove, and storage under a big worktop.
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1.1
Painted it red and declared victory. So far I have left off body panels, hope I don't come to regret it.
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1.2
I hugely regret it. Storm over Wolf Creek Pass absolutely trounced the little guy. Gotta rethink this.
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2.0
I swapped out the wood elements for metal and HDPE in an attempt to make it passibly waterproof.
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2.1
Cargo rack base is clearly sub-optimal. Looks like I'm gonna have to learn how to weld.
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2.2
With a custom fabricated hitch I can now use T-slot aluminum for the frame, which allows for body panels!
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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.
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3.1
Weekend in Steamboat, CO reveals cooler drawer is going to be a problem. Track gets dirty and then the wheels grind.
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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.
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3.3
A new idea struck me in the middle of the night. What if the tops flipped out to reveal the countertops beneath?
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4.1
A breakthrough! We rushed off to Canyonlands National Park to try it out!
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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.
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4.3
Et voila! Now the stove sits securely and the propane can remain hooked up! Also easy to clean which is awesome.
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4.4
Experimenting with new bamboo countertop material to save weight and for more durable cutting surface.
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4.5
Testing shows the bamboo tops are prime, but I need to optimize for overall weight. Light is king.
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4.6
Reimaginging the tops as stainless steel pans with a substrate web. It's stronger, lighter, and more durable.
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4.7
If I used aircraft aluminum panels, it would be super light, but where the hell could I find those?
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4.8
Ladies and gentlemen, we got em.
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5.0
Just completed version 5.0 and feeling pretty stoked. It's 35 lbs. lighter and, frankly, pretty sexy.
Design Emails
Follow the story as we continue to iterate and test!