[HEIRLOOM TECHNOLOGY
CSAHROTP CPHINAGIR ]
By Tim Anderson
TURN A SHOPPING CART INTO A
COMFORTABLE AND STYLISH WHEELCHAIR.
Visitors to the United States are astounded by our
shopping carts, which are the largest in the world.
Also amazing is their abundance miles from the stores
from which they came. No homeless person will ever want
for a shopping cart. The best selection of shopping carts can
be found near a “redemption center” where homeless people
get paid for recycled soft drink containers.
To turn a shopping cart into a chair, look for a cart
that really wants to be a chair. That way you won’t
have to cut or bend much to release the inner chair.
Let’s get started. Pound, twist, and pull out the
retaining rods and remove the front bumpers. Save
them. You can use one later to cover the front edge
of the seat. Now, follow along using the photos on
the next page.
1. Plan the cuts you will make in the wire basket.
Blue tape marks where the cuts will be made.
Iron origami magic will make nice arms from
those weird projections. This particular cart had
very high sides, so I thought I’d try a new style
of arm bending. I’ve been making these things
for a couple of decades, but there is always
something new to try.
I used a Sawzall reciprocatiing saw to cut
along the lines, but a hacksaw, bolt cutter, or
angle grinder will also work well. Hand tools have
a lot of advantages over power tools. They’re
quiet, so you can have a conversation while using
them. They’re light and easy to carry. They’re
