A bit like zipping up a coat, this “zipper truck” assembles tunnels and arches by fitting together concrete blocks from both sides, eliminating the need for mortar while also cutting down construction time by up to 90 percent.

The truck component is backed by a system of rollers around a metal core. The locking blocks slide into place as the truck rolls slowly forward, like closing an interlocking zipper. No special joinery is needed, plenty of strength and seismic resistance are achieved and, maybe best of all, the blocks can always be uncoupled later and reused elsewhere.

Used for everything from tunnels and shelters to archways and overpasses, the system is exceedingly fast: 24 hours for a quarter mile of tunnel. Most of the heavy lifting is done by the machine, with workers simply feeding blocks into the system and moving the truck forward.

The post ‘Zipper Truck’ Turns ‘Lego’ Blocks into Tunnel in 24 Hours first appeared on Gajitz.

This Italian-designed beauty takes a piece of conventional agricultural machinery and turns it into an envy-worthy work of automotive design. You may not see it on the race track anytime soon, but something about its appearance makes you want to take this wonder for a spin even at slow speeds.

“It is a tractor with brand new styling that expresses the strength and durability of Zetor machines in a way that also communicates emotion and passion,” said Pininfarina’s design chief Fabio Filippini. Pininfarina launched this tractor with a sloped front end and other aesthetic features but also a durable body and easily-removeable side panels for protection but also regular maintenance access. Cooling vents add to the look but also keep the heavy machine from overheating. Dark components are more functional while red highlights areas of design.

“Pininfarina’s new design shifts Zetor to a more intense, emotional experience that is highly sensual, dynamic and modern,” said Zetor in a statement. “The idea behind the Zetor by Pininfarina concept is the embodiment of a perfect combination of power, dynamics and emotion while preserving the use and practicality of field machinery, which tractors certainly are.”

The post Ferrari for Farmers: Sleek Sports Car-Style Tractor Design first appeared on Gajitz.

Developed by engineers at Hiroshima University in Japan, this mobile folding ‘scissor bridge’ platform can carry people, cars and supplies across gaps in emergencies, like earthquakes, for instances, for which its country of origin is all too well known.

Designed for portability and inspired by origami, the steel structure can be deployed to help deal with landslides and floods that wipe out area bridges, or new voids that form when the ground shifts. The entire system fits on the back of a typical flatbed truck, able to make its way along conventional roads with typical size and span limitations. Its creators claim it is  “the world’s fastest, largest, strongest, and lightest expanding temporary bridge.”

Dr. Ichiro Ario and his team created the Mobile Bridge Version 4.0 as a prototype, but even this draft version is fully functional and able to unfold and refold in less than 5 minutes (though setting it up still takes a full half hour). While it could be a boon in emergency situations, the same system could be used to temporarily replace or work around bridges that are being repaired or rebuilt as well. As compact and efficient as the current design already is, no doubt additional iterations will also help improve it on all fronts.

The post Origami Crossing: Portable Flat-Pack Accordion Bridge first appeared on Gajitz.

A win for drivers and DIY mechanics alike, this stainless steel oil filter lets you drive twice as far without an oil change, improves your vehicle’s fuel efficiency by a few percent and, best of all, will not need to be swapped out ever again.

The Hubb Lifetime Oil Filter from Whipsaw eliminates a key piece of toxic waste: used oil filters, of which hundreds of millions are thrown out in the United States alone each year.

Oil filters were not an original feature of cars, but came along to help reduce bad buildups in engines early in modern automotive history – but these have changed too little since being introduced, including inefficient bypass filters and messy paper pulp.

This new version is made of stainless steel wire mesh, helping reduce impurities and clogs as well as the engine power required to push oil through the filter in the first place. It also looks rather awesome, but its designers concede that is simply a byproduct of being built to function well. At under $100, it is considerably more expensive than a standard filter, but, then again, it will last forever, so consider it an investment in your car’s future.

“HUBB is an oil filter for use on any car or truck. This all stainless steel filter captures five times more contaminants and drastically reduces oil flow back pressure, which increases fuel efficiency and reduces carbon emissions. Conventional oil filters use paper pulp filters that clog quickly, becoming useless and putting a drag on the engine. he filters are a unique micro-woven 316L surgical stainless steel mesh. The mesh porosity is sized perfectly to capture debris in the oil but allow for easy flow, unlike paper pulp which has uncontrolled porosity.”

The post Endless Oil Filter: Double Capacity, Never Needs Replacing first appeared on Gajitz.

Flipping your car over usually translates to a very bad day, but this upside-down truck is actually a kind-of-enviable mode of transport.

The truck was built by mechanic Rick Sullivan over the course of six months. He says the build only cost him $6,000, which seems like a bargain.

The crazy spectacle started out as a Ford Ranger and a Ford F-150. The Ranger became the “guts” of the truck and the body of the F-150 was placed on top, upside-down.

When the truck is moving, its top tires spin as though they’re helping to propel the vehicle along. Although Sullivan gets plenty of attention while riding around in his wacky truck, he says he’ll never sell it.

The post Crazy Upside-Down Pickup Truck is Flipping Street Legal first appeared on Gajitz.