The new way to attach the frame
Frames are like boxesYou've probably noticed that most of the pipe frames are in the form of a box. There have been a few exceptions but mostly there is a box. So, in order to mount it onto the wheelchair, it's necessary to "open" the box. This year, we have created the box so that one entire side opens up. Then the side with all the longer pipe sections is "plugged into" the chair. We then put the side on.
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Unassembled frameWe screw in all the joints on the plug side so that the pipes can't come unattached. We also screw in all the joints on the side that attaches. We use a tiny screw and just drop it through the PVC connector and into the pipe connected there.
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The magic pinWe were worried that while the child was trick-or-treating over rough sidewalks, the side that attached might work it's way off the plug side. So we invented a "pin." Essentially, we put the two parts together (plug side and attached side) and then drill a hole in the connector and the pipe inside it. Then, we took short nails, glued a piece of cardboard on the head (because they are tiny and we don't want to lose them), and inserted them in the hole. This "pin" holds the pipes together. We felt really smart figuring this out!
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Other building examples
This wheelchair was difficult to create a box because we wanted to keep the front open. PVC connectors mostly come in 90 degree angles so when we needed to extend the frame so we could mount the costume (Elsa's Frozen sled), we needed one more place to balance the poles. So, we added that front section and then returned the poles to the arm rests. The poles will be strapped on using velcro bands. We also use these bands to secure the pipe frame to the wheelchair if the frame is too wiggly.
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We had one motorized chair this year. The kid wanted to be a football player. Making the box was tricky because we had to avoid his driving mechanism. So, while there is a "box," you can see that we had to add the wheelchair arm poles like in Elsa's sled (to the left). In this chair, the poles come from behind the arm rests.
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