The Shed 118, December/January 2025

Full tilt with Dynamite Dave
Dynamite Dave has always lived his life at full tilt – but this time he’s heading for 300mph.
Dynamite Dave Alexander is a self-taught doer, with an eye for detail, unquestionable discipline, and a passion for motorsports. He’s been making things since he was a nipper, and has never stopped. He was raised on a remote Hawke’s Bay farm, where the shed was his university. 
Dave says he “grew up doing it”, working alongside his father Neil, learning how to keep the property and equipment maintained and running. His first job was welding all the farm gates. His next was putting in a box-section chassis for a 1942 Willys Jeep, which served as the farm’s workhorse.
At 18, Dave commenced his first customisation of his Mk ll Zephyr, installing a V8, dual headlights, and Vauxhall tail lights. Since then, he has restored, driven, and raced an impressive list of classic muscle cars, scratch-built stocks, rods, and record-breaking Bonneville salt cars.
Now – at 70-something – this multitasking, project-a-holic is closing in on his latest quest: to break 262mph (422kph) at Bonneville in his shed-built, RB-powered Lakester – a project that has been close to a decade in development.
Whanganui Men’s Shed SOS
A big move needs big funds
Whanganui Community Men’s Shed Trust Inc. has just two and half years to raise at least $800,000.
A busy weekend in Canterbury
Two popular events lure a multitude of punters
Smokin’ – making a double-barrel smoker
Morphing two oil drums into a cold smoker
Setting up a workshop – Part 2
A fresh look at the plans provides the opportunity to make changes and improvements.
Metallic art
While most people use sheet-metal tools for fabrication, Mike Mason takes things to a whole new level by using a bead roller to create custom works of art.
Introduction to electronic music – part 2
The fundamental element of music: the waveforms and how we can manipulate them.
1952 AJS motorbike restoration
Out of the shed and into the sun – part 1. After storing his bike for 50 years, Paul has begun to restore it.
The MOTAT Chronicles 2 – The rail volunteers
Meet Rick Schreuder – firefighter, surf lifesaver, railway restorer.
The Shed shrink – The three wise men
The time of year when there’s magic in the air.
Arduino Basics 102 – Arduino 102: input
Inputs – what they are and what you need to understand about them.
Building imitation cannons – A brace of cannon
Neville Watkinson’s project – to build a replica cannon and gun carriage out of wood
Off the grid – Looking forward and looking back with the gunship Amakoura
A taste of the past – facilitated by two timely and fortuitous recollections
My shed – A Morrie haven
It’s not whether you actually own your shed that’s important; it’s the treasures it contains.
Back o’ The Shed – Intimations of Im-mortality
The miracle drug that isn’t – but it’s not all bad news.
To see a fully illustrated content rundown of this issue, head to our website