Life in the neck rest factory.  Okay, I admit it.  I cover the Catrike factory.  Actually I covet insulation and indoor heating.  And the thought of tropical weather makes me giddy.  My shop's a roomy metal building.  Unfortunately it's uninsulated and unheated, and the floor's concrete.  Today the temperature peaked at 30 and went downhill from there.  But now that Noah, Jana and Maya have gone it's time to get back to work and fill orders.

So dressed like the Michelin man in camo, out I went.

It turned out to be a really productive day. I got 15 pairs of brackets made and about 20 bases. Each bracket and base are fabricated by hand, one at a time. Each new batch of brackets has been slightly different from the ones before as I try to make them simpler and quicker to manufacture without sacrificing strength. Next I'll bend the two tabs, paint the brackets, mount them on the bases, cut and glue the latex to the bases and then off to the sewer and embroiderer. I’ll have a few extra neck rests after all orders are filled so if anyone’s thinking about one this is a good time to order.

In addition to the regular neck rests I’ve been working on one for someone with arthritis who needs support side-to-side as well as a rear rest for his neck. It’s made from 8” diameter PVC, mounts on the existing Catrike tower, and is the same height as the current regular neck rests. Next steps are to paint and mount the brackets, cut and glue the 2" latex liner to the full inside diameter of the base. And finally it’ll be off to have a cover made. I sure hope it does the job.

Making this special rest has gotten me interested in trying a similar curve for a regular neck rest. It will be the same height as the current neck rests and about 6” wide, and I'll line it with 2" latex. I’m excited to see how compares to the current rests. I think it'll look neat, and might make a great mount for mini-speakers.