Human Powered Vehicle

This is an intractable made by Geoff, Jeff, Travis, Dave, and Josh. This is an alternative vehicle made of mostly cardboard, with various smaller items being the exception.

• Wood Glue (3 128oz Jugs)
• Cardboard (As much as possible)
• Carboard Knives
• Drills
• Bearings
• --Axel--
• Brushes
• Elmers Glue (5 gallon bottles)
• PVC pipes
• Duct Tape

The first step to build our HPV is to gather the needed supplies from the list above. Most of these materials can be found at various hardware stores such as The Home Depot, Lowes, and Ace Hardware. Cardboard can be sources from many places, such as recycling bins, grocery stores, and even at the store if the need arises. Ensure that enough carboard is collected, as it is better to have more than enough than it is to not nearly have enough. Once all materials are gathered, you can move to the next step.

The first place to start when building the HPV is from the ground, so the wheels is the perfect place to start. In our plans, we made the wheels with a 24" diameter and with a width of about 14-16 layers of cardboard. The easiest way to go about doing this is to first create a circle out of cardboard with the dimensions mentioned above, then to use that as a stencil to create the other wheel layers. Use the stencil to trace an outline on enough carboard pieces to create 16 carboard circles. Repeat this step two more times (enough to make 3 wheels in total). The next step is to simply glue all the layers together. Start with one piece of cardboard, pour wood glue liberally, and spread across the surface of the wheel, enough to ensure the wheel is completely covered. Repeat this step for each layer, as well as for each wheel. When finished, place a weighted object on top of all three wheels and let cure for at least one day.

For the frame, there are 8 pieces to assemble, five for support throughout the middle and 3 for the structure. For the side pieces the length should be 66"x10" and the back 22"x10" and the front 13"x10". The same building technique used for the wheels can be applied to the frame, create a stencil, repeat the shape, cut, stack the layers, glue together, and then assemble. We used Each panel should be around 6 layers of cardboard. Refer to the diagram above on how to orient your build.

The final step of the HPV build is to put the wheels to the main frame. All three wheels were drilled through the middle to create a space for the PVC pipe as well as the axle. Corresponding holes were drilled through the frame to allow for the PVC and the axel. The axel rests in the PVC pipe to allow for less friction, as well as to prevent damage to the frame. Carboard pieces were added on top of the frame to add stability as well as a seat for the driver. Duct tape was used throughout the frame to add any needed adhesion of various pieces.