Don't miss Joystiq's up-to-the-minute live coverage of E3!

Make your own stilts

child learning to walk on stilts
If there is one circus skill I'd love to master, it's walking on stilts. Being hopelessly clumsy and a bit of a coward, I'm not sure it's in the cards for me, but if you're looking for a fun construction project and a new skill, try out these DIY stilts.

The wooden stilts are adjustable, increasing your height by one to three feet. Here's what you need to construct them:
  • Wooden 2×4, 15.5" long
  • 4 3/8" wing nuts
  • 4 3/8" ID flat washers
  • 4 3/8" x 4" carriage bolts
  • 2 Wooden poles, 8′x1.5"x1.5"
  • Table saw
  • Drill
The instructions don't seem too complicated, but considering that you'll trust the final product to support you in the air, you'll want to follow them carefully, paying particular attention to the safety tips. I'm guessing that the moderate danger rating has more to do with the difficulty you'll have learning to walk safely on stilts than it does with the actual safety of the stilts.

Even if you're not looking for a new career as a busker, you'll love showing off your new skills and your homemade stilts.

Tags: busking, carriage-bolts, circus, construction, DIY, drill, entertainment, performance, safets, safety, stilts, street-performance, table-saw, wing-nuts, wood, wooden

  • Read
  • 0 Comments

Related Headlines

Add your comments

Please keep your comments relevant to this blog entry. Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments.

When you enter your name and email address, you'll be sent a link to confirm your comment, and a password. To leave another comment, just use that password.

To create a live link, simply type the URL (including http://) or email address and we will make it a live link for you. You can put up to 3 URLs in your comments. Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.

New Users

Current Users

About DIY Life

Do Life! DIY Life highlights the best in "do-it-yourself" projects.

Here you'll find all types of projects, from hobbies and crafts to home improvement and tech.

Featured Projects


Powered by Blogsmith

DIY Life Exclusives

avant-yard construction chronicles remodeling

Sponsored Links

Featured Galleries

An easy way to insulate and skirt an elevated structure
USB analog gauge overview
USB analog gauge circuit
Fabric scraps projects
TieCake
Wedding bouquet ideas
Making and using a facial mask
Children's Day in Japan
Fingerprint stationery
Hot Sprinklers
Homemade lava lamp for kids
Create a Celtic pendant for St. Patrick's Day
Easy no-sew jeans messenger bag
Bathroom tile makeover - fish
Hinamatsuri doll examples
Poisonous Plants 101
Playground 4x4s
Upholstered nightstand makeover
iPod+Nike DIY duct tape pocket
cootie catcher
10 ways (OK, maybe a couple more) to increase your vehicle's fuel economy

 

Most Commented On (7 days)

  1. Construction Chronicles: Trade your wall tile for beadboard, Part I (5)
  2. Keep rabbits away from your plants (3)
  3. Make microwave s'mores (3)
  4. Open a sealed envelope, the sneaky way (2)
  5. Attract bees to your garden (2)
  6. Solar ovens for green cooking (1)
  7. Don't It Yourself: Pipe bombs (1)
  8. Make bookends from old vinyl records (1)
  9. Fabric-covered headboards (1)
  10. Sleeping in an airport (1)

CPSC Recall Announcements

Weblogs, Inc. Network