Finally, finally, finally the first component of the Hoopty equipment is complete. First let me clarify that the Hokie Hoopty is not just a means of transporting people from point A to point B. Rather, it is a complete tailgating system. As strange as it may seem, the Hoopty is meant to simplify our tailgating experience. I'm sure you are wondering how a fat yellow bus and all its accessories are actually a simplification. Let me explain.
Our tailgating events have been getting more complicated and more laborious - pick up all folding chairs, folding tables, grill, cooler, ez-up, etc and squeeze them along with some people, into a vehicle to hump it over to Lot 8. Unload. Set up. Drink. Laugh. Eat. Pack back up. Watch football. Unpack. Drink. Laugh. Eat. Pack. Hump it back to our storage facilty (Chip and Janet's garage) and unpack/unload. Whew. That's a lot. Sure wish we could leave all of our gear in one place without all the packing and loading. Let's see....maybe a trailer....no, wait.....how about a bus? And hence the simplification.
There is a delicate balance that must be maintained to keep Chip happy. The tailgate can't be too complicated. We can't spend more time setting up than the time we spend sharing our hopes, dreams, and deep emotions with one another prior to the game. It must be efficient. Over the top, luxurious, and fast at the same time. Impossible? Au contraire (french for fuggedaboudit). I'm an engineer. I'm a woodworker. I'm an idea guy. I can make the impossible, possible.
So here it is. The first step into formal overkill. The Hokie Hoopty chair cart. What does it do? Hold our twelve matching Hokie chairs, hold miscellaneous supplies associated with the primary food table, and serve as the table itself, that's all.
Here it is in traveling and storage mode.
This is the offical "front" defined by one drawer and one door. (The dark mark in the middle of the door is intentional. It's the type of wood I used, called ambrosia maple. The mark is a stain left from where an ambrosia beetle bore into the tree. A fungus on the beetle reacts with the wood and leaves the bluish-black stain, and that concludes todays unnecessary woodworking lesson and general showing-off).
The drawer will likely hold things that will be used on the table as the primary food location. Things like a table cloth, utensils, napkins, and pretty southern living sorta doo-dads to make the ladies happy .
The main reason for the cart is to hold chairs. The door on the front of the cart supplies the chair storage access. All twelve chairs will fit (yes, I know, only ten chairs are in there - two are currently MIA).
The back of the cart only has a drawer, identical to the front drawer. Just a way to maximize all available storage space.
Now the transformer aspect of the cart. The two wings fold up to create a pretty large table.
The legs lock in the open position as well as the closed position.
Heavy duty hinges allow the legs to neatly and easily fold and lock (which is different than lock and load, and definitely different than pop and lock - we miss you nsync) for storage.
Yeah, that's damn cool. I like it (mostly because I built it). I did make one design error. The table top doesn't overhang the front and back enough. The drawer and door pulls stick out farther than the top so when a table cloth is put on, it won't hang neatly down. Minor issue, but I should've caught it. So sue me. The only other issue is that, as expected, this thing has a little weight to it. Definitely a two person job rolling it up the ramp (which isn't built yet and I have no real idea of where it will store, but I'll get to it at some point - promise) and into the back of the Hoopty.
So there it is. A successful first step towards the development of our tailgating system. I think the bench seats are next and then some sort of grilling apparatus. These seats may take a while so be patient, an update will arrive.....eventually....I promise.
Our tailgating events have been getting more complicated and more laborious - pick up all folding chairs, folding tables, grill, cooler, ez-up, etc and squeeze them along with some people, into a vehicle to hump it over to Lot 8. Unload. Set up. Drink. Laugh. Eat. Pack back up. Watch football. Unpack. Drink. Laugh. Eat. Pack. Hump it back to our storage facilty (Chip and Janet's garage) and unpack/unload. Whew. That's a lot. Sure wish we could leave all of our gear in one place without all the packing and loading. Let's see....maybe a trailer....no, wait.....how about a bus? And hence the simplification.
There is a delicate balance that must be maintained to keep Chip happy. The tailgate can't be too complicated. We can't spend more time setting up than the time we spend sharing our hopes, dreams, and deep emotions with one another prior to the game. It must be efficient. Over the top, luxurious, and fast at the same time. Impossible? Au contraire (french for fuggedaboudit). I'm an engineer. I'm a woodworker. I'm an idea guy. I can make the impossible, possible.
So here it is. The first step into formal overkill. The Hokie Hoopty chair cart. What does it do? Hold our twelve matching Hokie chairs, hold miscellaneous supplies associated with the primary food table, and serve as the table itself, that's all.
Here it is in traveling and storage mode.
This is the offical "front" defined by one drawer and one door. (The dark mark in the middle of the door is intentional. It's the type of wood I used, called ambrosia maple. The mark is a stain left from where an ambrosia beetle bore into the tree. A fungus on the beetle reacts with the wood and leaves the bluish-black stain, and that concludes todays unnecessary woodworking lesson and general showing-off). 
The drawer will likely hold things that will be used on the table as the primary food location. Things like a table cloth, utensils, napkins, and pretty southern living sorta doo-dads to make the ladies happy .
The main reason for the cart is to hold chairs. The door on the front of the cart supplies the chair storage access. All twelve chairs will fit (yes, I know, only ten chairs are in there - two are currently MIA).
The back of the cart only has a drawer, identical to the front drawer. Just a way to maximize all available storage space.
Now the transformer aspect of the cart. The two wings fold up to create a pretty large table.
The legs lock in the open position as well as the closed position.
Heavy duty hinges allow the legs to neatly and easily fold and lock (which is different than lock and load, and definitely different than pop and lock - we miss you nsync) for storage.
Yeah, that's damn cool. I like it (mostly because I built it). I did make one design error. The table top doesn't overhang the front and back enough. The drawer and door pulls stick out farther than the top so when a table cloth is put on, it won't hang neatly down. Minor issue, but I should've caught it. So sue me. The only other issue is that, as expected, this thing has a little weight to it. Definitely a two person job rolling it up the ramp (which isn't built yet and I have no real idea of where it will store, but I'll get to it at some point - promise) and into the back of the Hoopty.
So there it is. A successful first step towards the development of our tailgating system. I think the bench seats are next and then some sort of grilling apparatus. These seats may take a while so be patient, an update will arrive.....eventually....I promise.
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