Playapus and Playapus II

The Playapus was first constructed around a garden tractor. The new version is based on a heavy duty electric cart.

The Playapus II is a complete mutation of its former self from the ground up. Steel, plywood, canvass, rip stop nylon, plastic, rubber and EL come together to form a large, glowing, octopus with comfortable seating for 8. Rip stop nylon legs and head cover a frame of steel and PVC firmly attached to an 8’ x 8’ platform propelled by an enclosed lawn tractor.

The rip stop nylon head glows brilliantly using internal neon cold cathode tubes. Sound activated drivers can also pulse the glowing head to the beat. EL wire outlines the body, 8 legs and sultry eyes of the Playapus. Visualize a big, glowing, pulsing, purple octopus.

The Playapus transports 8 burners and up to 4 bikes to all stops on the playa. Giving careful thought to maximizing passenger’s mobile experience the U shaped seating provides an inviting space where burners can share their burn experience and get to know each other, while the partially open sides allow visibility and interaction with the playa’s wonders passing by. Shade cloth sides provide respite from the sun’s rays while internal misters provide a refreshing spritz to revitalize passengers drained by the mid-day heat.

In the spirit of this year’s theme this octopus has evolved to roam the playa once a year however the construction project itself is a story of evolution. The vehicle base started its service mowing the football field for a local Santa Rosa high school before being outfitted with a brand new engine and moving to private service. When the previous owner no longer required its service, she came to me and evolved into her current manifestation, a princess of the playa. Many of her base components come from recycled materials. The seats, canopy, lawn tractor and much of the steel are recycled.

Build Notes:

In the photos, you can see the Playapus getting the first splash of color, thanks to my friend Grace.

The platform is now attached to the tractor. I was able to take it for a brief drive down the block, to the surprise and bewilderment of many of my mother's neighbors. I still need to fully secure the two together and fine tune the steering.

As you can see the cross cables have been installed and are giving the desired support.

I've attached a double seat to the tractor. This required several hours to fabricate a custom frame. The seat is working well, very comfy.

Saturday the 15th of August, my friend Grace and I finished the canopy. I am so grateful for her help and passion to this project. I could not have finished this without her help. The Playapus finally looks like it was meant to. It took til midnight on Saturday to hang the EL but it was pure pleasure to see it glowing. Well worth the effort.