I made a thing

"Jim Spanfeller" (awesomeaustinv) 08/18/2020 at 10:17 • Filed to: Woodworking

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I was recently asked to design a front-engine dragster puzzle, and I think it came out pretty good. It was a fun challenge :)

vondon302 > Jim Spanfeller 08/18/2020 at 10:23

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That’s came out nice! 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Jim Spanfeller 08/18/2020 at 10:26

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What did you use to make that? It’s pretty impressive.

I’m also confused about specifying front engined. 

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 08/18/2020 at 10:39

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Front engined, like a Corvette

Speed > Jim Spanfeller 08/18/2020 at 10:40

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Man that’s cool! If you can replicate it I think I know someone who would buy it.

sony1492 > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 08/18/2020 at 10:41

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As opposed to more modern designs

cluelessk > Jim Spanfeller 08/18/2020 at 10:43

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That’ s really cool. Would be a $30 toy in a store.

My Dad hand carved some animals and people for my Foster Brother and they’re probably one of his favourite toys.

OmerCarrothers333 > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 08/18/2020 at 11:40

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The front-engine design for dragsters, or “slingshot” as it was called, was used until the early 1970s, that design had horrible aerodynamics and was unsafe as hell. Don Garlits perfected the r ear-engine dragster design after one of his cars blew up in his face and he lost part of his foot.

Jim Spanfeller > Speed 08/18/2020 at 12:44

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Sure, I can make more of them.

Jim Spanfeller > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 08/18/2020 at 12:50

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I cut it by hand with a scroll saw! This is basically what I’ve been doing to make money for the past ~5 years. It’s how I saved up the money to buy Phoebe! Also, front engine dragsters are a more classic type of dragster, and have been replaced in modern drag racing with mid-engine dragsters. But a lot of people have nostalgia for the old ones, and they are pretty cool. There are lots of nostalgia drag racing classes where people still build and  race them as well.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Jim Spanfeller 08/18/2020 at 12:54

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So you do custom puzzle making? That’s interesting. How did you get into that?

Jim Spanfeller > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 08/18/2020 at 17:00

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My grandpa has always worked with wood and one day he showed me how to use his scroll saw. I was a natural at it, and found some puzzle patterns to cut with the scroll saw. Then I figured out I could make money selling those at the farmer’s market, and as I got better and better I branched out into designing the puzzles myself! Since designing the puzzle is a puzzle in and of itself, that’s my favorite part :)

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Jim Spanfeller 08/18/2020 at 18:02

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That's fascinating. You've got the market cornered on novelty handmade wooden interlocking puzzles. 

Jim Spanfeller > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 08/18/2020 at 19:06

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Oh these are very much a thing, I’m far from the only one doing this. But it is fun to design my own puzzles so I have something to offer that no one else does ;)