The Dorkpod Is or Was a DIY Open-Source Project for Lovers of Weird Mobility

What we’re talking about here is known as the Dorkpod, and it’s not some crazy expensive design or even the next best thing to hit our streets, but it is a vehicle that is meant to give you and your friends one hoot of a time. And the best thing is that you can just grab the schematics online and build it in your garage. Or, if you’re even more lazy than this thing will make you seem, you can dish out $350 bucks and get a frame kit delivered to your door.

But why would anyone want something like this? Well, let’s find out. First off, the design is created by Tinkersmiths, a company out of Virgina, USA. If you don’t know anything about the company, they’re known for making some very neat flat-pack design furniture, other custom vehicles, and even guitars.

The idea behind it all is to bring accessible urban mobility to all who can handle the looks you’ll get driving around in this thing. Even Brian Wiliford, operator of Tinkersmiths, says “They’re silly, that's why we call it the Dorkpod.”

Now, as crazy as all of this may seem, before the team launched this project openly, you were able to get the design plans to build your own at home for just $25. But it’s supposed to be open source. Well, it is, just not how you may think. The project, if you try to search for online for free, can’t be found. That’s because the open-source bit refers to the fact that you can “pimp out,” as Wiliford puts it, your own Dorkpod as you wish.

Even so, at $25 it’s supposed to be an easy to do weekend project that will only need some plywood cutouts, preferably CNC milled, a couple of clamps, screwdriver, screws, and a measuring tape. And once you’re done putting all of that together you’re supposed to get what you see in the gallery and video below.

The design ends up looking like a vertical teleportation device from some old Star Trek episode or something like that. Three long and vertical supports act as the frame for the pod. Pont those three struts, for horizontal rings that create a sort of cage, which only gives the visual aspect of a body, but also holds the vertical struts from falling apart. All of that is then set upon another plywood base.

Here’s where it gets maybe a bit tricky. The entire pod is then to be set upon an electric wheelchair base which includes minor modifications to support the structure. From there, all you have to do is to install a directional joystick using a bit of electrical knowledge, and off you go.

Personally, I'd go for this in a jiffy. But I did have a hard time finding the $25 schematics sheet, as it really does look like a fun and wonderful project for the weekend. I don’t think anyone would dish out the full $350 to get the frame kit delivered to their door.