The Designer

David John Huggett was born in Toronto, Ontario Canada in 1951.　 Even as a child he was a natural inventor making his own toys from cardboard, coathangers,　masking tape and anything else　available.

In 1960, nine year old David "helped" his dad build the (88) hot rod on the left where he is pushing his younger brother Randy in front of their home in Scarborough, ON.

In the mid 60's at　14,　　David　bent his bicycle's seat post back (with a torch) and mounted the seat over the rear wheel.　This made it easier to do "wheelies"   It wasn't until many years later that the "banana" seat became popular.

David attended Woburn Collegiate　in Scarborough ON in the late 1960's.　 Below are some of Woburn's football team.　 David, #78 is in reverse colours as none of the regular uniforms would fit.

David won Woburn's "1969 Public Speaking Contest", played clarinet in the school band and was the rehersal pianist for the following school productions.　 Below left he's playing Hasler in "The Pyjama Game"　then Sitting Bull in　"Annie Get Your Gun". 　All of　the props were real, including the knives and guns.

In the summers of his　high school years　he　built his first Dune Buggy　then　designed and built a Volkswagen Motorcycle.

In 1978 David designed and built "The World's Smallest" one man dry submarine which was entered in the Toronto Boat Show.　 It was 9 feet long, 2 feet wide and made of 1" thick fibreglass.

He designed and built this scissor lift using the differential, wheels and axles from a 1980 Chevette.　　With just a 3" ram and a 9 hp　motor idling it can lift David　up to work at 24' above the ground.

On the right he constructed this hydraulic four ton concrete patio, shown in the raised position.　 This is how he dumped　firewood from his tractor's bucket into the basement,　that he also built.

Necessity being the mother of invention, David built this power trowel in a few hours from a post hole digger, some scrap metal and an old lawn mower handle.　 He used it to finish the concrete floor in his new workshop.

David designed and built this shop (now completed) entirely by himself using some of his inventions as building aids, including the scissor lift, the "bat cutter" and extension arms for his tractor.

Architects may notice the　O.V.E.* construction - studs, rafters, cripples are all exactly 2' spacing, single sole plate and single header, etc..　 Each piece is necessary and required for structural strength, but adding　any more would be redundant.

The "bat cutter" was　cobbled from scrap wood to easily, quickly and accurately cut fibreglass insulation bats with the "built in" ruler.

How David heats his home for about $2.00 a year, using free firewood, of course. 　He built the water tank sitting on top of his airtight stove.　　After adding a circulating pump, pressure and temperature gauges and the hose fittings, he connected　it to several hot water radiators upstairs.

The hot water acts as a "heat sink" which heats the house more evenly and with less firewood.　 It continues to heat after the fire dies down.　 The $2.00 bill is for the electricity to run the circulating pump which　draws 60 watts and is only on for a few minutes　each hour.  A two story home may not need the pump at all.

Here is one of the upstairs rads.  Notice the inverted propane tank (with the base and handles cut off).  This acts as an air expansion chamber to allow for the different volumes of the heated and cooling water.

This is Dave's leather working desk where he makes his own belts, wallets, business card holders, etc...   - even the odd other job like rebuilding alternators etc..

*　O.V.E. is Optimum Value Engineering, Google for more info.

"After creating a working machine, I don't try to see what can be added, but what can be removed"   David Huggett