With election year in full swing, you’re seeing them pop up everywhere: campaign signs! And there are only more to come. But what do you do with these plastic squares once the ballots are counted? Don’t toss them in the trash — recycle those political adverts into a campaign sign camper! For about $150, you can make a statement on wheels that is anything but political.
Today’s campaign signs are made from a corrugated plastic. Tough and weather resistant, they make a sturdy and lightweight building material. Because they are layered, you can punch holes in them with very little effort using an awl or ice pick, and you can tie them together easily with zip ties. You can even paint them! They are generally of a uniform size, making construction planning simple.
Paul Elkins, an inventor and DIY aficionado, has taken recycling old campaign signs to a whole new level. What started out as a simple shelter he built for camping at Burning Man has grown into a full blown caravan on wheels — bicycle wheels, that is. Elkins designed and built a pedal-powered camper inspired by the classic Airstream trailer.
Using 1 x 2-inch lumber to build a frame, adding some salvaged bicycle wheels, and incorporating plenty of zip ties and duct tape, Elkins put together this aerodynamic structure that provides sleeping quarters and even a place to cook a simple meal. It might not be the most luxurious space, but it is economical as well as eco-friendly. All together, the Nomad bicycle trailer weighs about 45 pounds.
For the do-it-yourselfer on the go, Elkins sells the design plans for the Nomad on his website for $20, and also offers plans for plenty of other things you can build out of old campaign signs: doghouses, kayaks, or even a tipi.
You can see all the designs he’s created on his website. If you’d like to see this campaign sign camper take shape, check out this video to see this awesome idea brought to life.
Featured Image from Eugene Quek/Unsplash
