Sawing a large amount of firewood is a laborious task. Anyone who has done this at least once knows for sure that doing it on the ground or in a semi-hanging position is not very convenient. To be frank, after a few bars, such an activity begins to terribly annoy. Nevertheless, there are goats for sawing firewood that can greatly simplify the task and make the work performed less laborious and faster.
Everything ingenious is simple
The goat itself is a fairly simple design, and even a person who has never done such things can do it. Moreover, there are currently several manufacturing options, each of which is suitable for certain cases. Goats can be made of wood or metal. In the first case, the design is very light, and its strength is limited. At the same time, nothing is needed to create it, except for boards, nails, self-tapping screws and a few more simple tools. A metal goat is much stronger and more durable, but it takes more effort and resources to make it. In any case, both the first and the second option take place.
Materials and tools
Before proceeding with the work, it is necessary to acquire materials and tools. First, let's look at how to create a wooden goat. To do this, you need a beam with a section of 100x100 and a length of 110 centimeters under the base. For the "horns" and "legs" they take a bar with a section of 50x50, 36 and 110 centimeters long, respectively. It is also desirable to take care of the amplifiers "legs", which will give stability. To do this, you need an inch board. It is advisable to take two, each - 130 cm.
As for the tool, it will need a little, and everyone can find it. To perform the work, you need a hammer, a chisel, and a hacksaw. You will have to buy 25-35 self-tapping screws, unless, of course, you have them. In addition to all this, it is advisable to have a construction corner with a pencil with you, which will allow you to complete the work more accurately. You can not do without a screwdriver, although a screwdriver is preferable.
General provisions
A wooden goat for firewood should be light, comfortable and durable. It is extremely important to understand here that the design must be adjusted to fit your height. But let's take a closer look at this issue and find out how to make goats for sawing firewood with your own hands. A drawing in this case, or at least a sketch, will be what will help you complete all the work more accurately and quickly.
The cutting height in most cases should not exceed 110 centimeters and be less than 90 cm. So a person does not need to squat or tilt the body too much. If you plan to use a two-handed saw, then you need to take care of the rest of your free hand. In this case, an additional cut timber is placed on the machine, which acts as a stop. But if you are going to work with a chainsaw, then the emphasis will be meaningless, due to the employment of both hands. When working with gasoline or power tools, it is much more important to take care of the maximum log outreach from the goat. So the workpiece will not be clamped, which is almost inevitable when sawing between the goat racks.
Do-it-yourself goats for sawing firewood
The assembly of the machine must be carried out from the legs. Although there are many options, this one is considered the most optimal and simple. In the bars of the cross, where the place of the future connection is located, grooves are made for a stronger fit. Further, the racks are superimposed on each other and fastened with self-tapping screws. The tie bar must also have several grooves, in the future it must be properly nailed to the structure. Cuts need to be knocked out with a chisel and a hammer. Do not forget also that the grooves should be a few millimeters narrower than the beam inserted into them. This will create an interference connection that will be strong enough and reliable.
On the inch bars, markings are made, in the places of which there will be amplifiers. They are needed to ensure the stability of the legs. In principle, do-it-yourself goats for sawing firewood are made quite quickly, but it is extremely important to make all connections of high quality, so do not spare self-tapping screws.
For sawing with a two-handed saw
It is worth noting that the design of such a machine will differ, albeit slightly, but all changes are simply necessary. For example, the use of narrow goats is unacceptable here, since a variable force during the execution of work will lead to overturning. It makes sense to make X-shaped racks from a thick and durable timber with a section of 100 mm. In addition, the screed is recommended to be made of metal. This approach will allow you to secure the goats as much as possible so that they do not loosen during work. The drawing of goats for sawing firewood with a two-handed saw implies a broadening of the lower part of the support. It should be 100-150 mm more than the distance from the surface to the top of the beam. If you used a wooden one, otherwise strengthen the structure additionally with a thin beam. Otherwise, the dimensions remain the same, and only the lower part of the support is subject to changes. If the last element is made in the standard version, then emphasis is placed on the free hand.
Goats for sawing firewood with a chainsaw
A chainsaw is a relatively inexpensive, but at the same time, an effective automatic tool for sawing wood. At first there were no goats made specifically for this kind of equipment, but today they are. The classic X-shaped design is bad because there is a high probability of chain jamming during the cut. It is for this reason that goats that allow free protrusion of the wood are very popular. Most often, metal structures are used that will improve. Modernization consists in the fact that a toothed clamp is installed on one of the ends, which allows you to tightly fix the workpiece. Currently, there are universal devices on sale that have a high-quality clamp, and also completely eliminate ricochet during work. True, the price of such machines starts at 8,000 rubles. That is why it makes sense to engage in the manufacture of such
Metal goat: features and benefits
The main advantages of metal goats are their resource. This is a more durable and strong product that will surely serve you well. In this case, you will need a metal profile with a section of 50x50 mm, as well as a grinder and bolts or a welding machine. In this case, it is desirable to have a pre-prepared drawing and a sketch with dimensions applied. The base beam is cut to size, the joints are marked and the steel elements of the machine are cut. In this case, you can choose any method of connection: both bolted and welded. The latter option is more durable, but you will have to work harder than in the first case. Currently, metal goats for sawing firewood are found in multiple versions. You can find machines of various heights, widths, strengths, etc.
Conclusion
So we figured out in general terms how to make various goats for sawing firewood. Sizes must be selected depending on your height. In any case, work should be comfortable. You can always ennoble the goats. This is usually achieved by using a metal profile instead of a wooden beam for the legs, using narrow boards instead of a log. That, in principle, is all on this topic. Making machine tools with your own hands is good because practically no financial investments are required. In any case, the costs will be incomparable with the market prices for finished goats. In addition, you will gain precious experience that you can use in the future. But remember that at all stages of creating a structure, you need to ensure its strength and reliability.
When cutting the board placed on this device, you do not have to hold the sawn part falling on the floor with your hand. Homemade carpentry goats are conveniently folded for storage, and in working condition they take a stable position, providing two points of support for the workpieces.
The design under consideration does not have complex carpentry joints, and the process of making a pair of such devices with your own hands takes several hours. Folding carpentry goats are handy to transport in a car, it is convenient to cut long boards or sheets of plywood on them.
Preparation of parts for carpentry goats
Inexpensive pine boards with a thickness of 20–40 mm are suitable for work. It is not necessary to select the perfect lumber, wood with minor defects is quite suitable. To fasten the parts of the carpentry goats, you will need screws, and four loops will come in handy to connect the sliding halves.
When determining the dimensions, pay attention to the height of the structure, starting from the convenience of work. For a master about 180 cm tall, a support of 80–85 cm high is suitable. To be sure, measure your table or workbench at which you saw. The width of the goats in one meter will ensure the stability of the device in the working position.
Mark and cut all the boards to length, accurately observing right angles when sawing. Sharpen the workpieces on all sides. Some parts will require additional preparation.
Sand the surfaces and round the corners of the edges of the top rails to reduce the chance of wood chipping during use.
For the same purpose, process the lower ends of the legs. First, chamfer with a planer.
Then sand the ends with sandpaper.
Assembling homemade goats with your own hands
Assemble separately each part of the carpentry goats. Prepare a countersink with a drill to make pilot holes for screws and recesses for caps.
Immediately mark on the legs the location of the lower crossbars, placed at a distance of 150 mm from the end of the workpiece.
Start assembly from any top corner. Align the ends of the workpieces at a right angle using the mounting square to connect the parts, drill holes and wrap the screws.
If the workshop did not find screws of suitable length, smaller hardware can be used. It is only necessary to strengthen the connection with wood glue, and tighten the screws on both sides.
Now lay out the parts on a flat surface, align with the marks and fasten the boards, checking the perpendicularity of the joints.
Place a spacer on the assembled frame and draw lines for sawing off the corners.
Cut off the excess pieces with a hacksaw and set the diagonal board in place.
In a similar way, assemble the other half of the carpentry goats.
Connect both parts with loops. The latter will be easy to install if gate-type products are used. Under the door hinges, you will have to select recesses in the crossbars with a manual milling cutter or chisel.
The size of the recess should allow the hinge knuckle to rotate freely and not touch the wood.
When installing hinged hinges, remember that the wings must be placed in a “discord” so that the pins look in different directions.
Screw the halves of the loops onto the long bars.
Pick up a thin rail according to the height of the fist.
Put the short part of the carpentry goats on top.
Drill pilot holes and tighten screws.
Ready-made goats can already be used for their intended purpose, paired with a workbench of the same height.
Make yourself a second folding goat and saw lumber up to six meters long on them. Folding structures can be stored on nails driven into the wall, but it is better to make simple shelves that will additionally be used for small things.
In any workshop there will always be chipboard trimmings suitable for this homemade product, and fastening such a suspension shelf is easy to make from the corners.
It is clear that in specialized stores you can choose saw goats for every taste, but the cost of high-quality models "bites". And the implementation of our project will require less than 20 meters of boards, taking into account the trimming of cracked ends. As a result, you will equip your workshop with a couple of useful helpers.
Carpentry goats are an indispensable tool in the arsenal of any craftsman or person who decides to build a house on their own. Sawing boards, laying down long material, setting up a miter saw, assembling a universal workbench or sawing table - the eight-legged can handle all these tasks.
assistant.
Of course, in specialized construction stores you can choose a model for every taste, only the price of such goats bites. It is not surprising that many users of our portal prefer their own developments to industrial products. Moreover, anyone can assemble carpentry goats.
1. Basic principles for the design of homemade carpentry goats
Dima009 Member of FORUMHOUSE
I haven't done carpentry for many years. Somehow I needed goats. At first I wanted to assemble them from what was at hand, but after wandering around the Internet, I saw a video of one American who came up with a convenient folding goat design, which I decided to repeat.
In this design, our user was attracted by the following:
- The folding design of the goat simplifies their transportation and storage.
- Versatility. Goats can be adapted to perform a wide variety of jobs.
The following photos clearly demonstrate the compactness and convenience of such goats.
Goats do not take up much space, they can be transported in the trunk of a car, and when work is completed, they can be hung on the wall of a garage or workshop.
Starting point for sizing a goat was the calculation of their height. This point should be given special attention, because. Everyone's height is different. It will be convenient for someone to work with goats 80 cm high, someone will need to make goats 90 cm high.
The universal height of a goat for a person with a height of 175-180 cm is considered to be 80-85 cm, but in order not to guess, you can go and measure the height of the workbench or table at which you usually saw or plan boards before starting work on making goats. There is only one criterion - it is convenient to work or not. This will give an approximate guide to the optimal - ergonomic height.
Dima009 chose a height of 85 cm.
Having determined the main dimensions, we calculate the lengths of all other parts of the goat. For clarity, here is a list Dimy009:
- Four legs, each 95 cm long.
- For the upper support bar, you need a board 90 cm long.
- It also requires 3 spacers with a length of 85, 77 and 70 cm.
I also needed wood screws and bolts and nuts to connect the folding legs.
Having knocked out the “total”, for the manufacture of 2 goats you will need:
For a purchase Dima009 went to the nearest hardware store, where it turned out that it was almost impossible to buy even boards. Having gone through more than 100 pieces, the user hardly selected 5 pieces. boards of the size you need. The total purchase price, including fasteners, amounted to a little more than 1200 rubles.
According to Dima009, this is much more profitable than buying ready-made goats at a price of several thousand rubles.
Looking ahead, let's say that the topic caused a wide response among our users, and they were actively involved in the discussion of the design features of homemade goats. In particular, concerns were raised that the trestle could collapse under heavy load. To dispel all doubts Dima009 at the end of the work, he promised to conduct a crash test of the goat, loading them with a weight of under three centners. What came of this, we will tell a little later, but for now we will describe the key stages of the construction of the goat.
2 . Stages of making homemade carpentry goats
Accurate planning of all stages of work and competent calculation is the key to success in any business. Homemade goats are assembled according to the principle of the designer. First, we make all the necessary parts.
Based on the 3D model, I calculated a list of all the parts with dimensions, and only after that I started making the goat.
The process is divided into a number of successive steps:
1. We take a board 2 meters long (these will be legs) and use a carpentry protractor to make markings.
3. Turn the board over on the end and continue the line, leading it at an angle of 80 °.
4. We make cuts.
5. Using a tape measure, measure 95 cm on the board and make the same markings as on the first cut. As a result, both cuts should be parallel to each other.
Having made one leg, we, using it as a template, mark the rest of the blanks on it.
This simplifies and speeds up the whole job. After checking the correctness of the applied lines, we cut off everything superfluous and get 4 finished legs.
Now let's start making the top support. To do this, cut the end exactly at 90 degrees, measure 90 cm on the board and cut off the second end at a right angle.
We do the spacer in a similar way, only at an angle of 80 °. We mark the line, cut it off, then measure 85 cm, take a protractor and draw a line at 100 degrees (this is the same angle as 80 °, but reversed).
By cutting the workpiece along the lines, we get a spacer in the form of a trapezoid.
If you put all the boards together, then the proportions of the goat are already looming.
It remains only to cut the cuts in the legs under the upper support. To do this, we fold the two legs on a flat surface at the angle at which they converge in the finished product.
Taking a square, a ruler and a pencil, we mark up. It should turn out like this.
Now turn the leg over and repeat the markup on the other side.
By connecting the markings on both sides of the board, we get a closed line.
It remains only to cut out the seat under the upper support.
Now let's start assembling the goat. We need to connect two legs like scissors with one bolt. To do this, you need to find the axis of rotation. Dima009 decided to go experimental. To do this, he put the inner leg on the stool.
Then I took the top support, inserted it into the seat and added the second leg. Aligning all the details so that they fit snugly together, Dima009 pulled them off with a clamp.
Next, I took a square, marked the intersection of the legs from one edge. I made a similar markup on the other side and connected the lines with a ruler, and with the help of a square I marked the longitudinal axis. The point of intersection of the lines is the axis of rotation of the legs relative to each other. Now it remains only to drill a hole.
I took the construction of the goats out of my head, simply estimating the height at which the roof of the future shed would be and how I could drag a 6-meter 100x100 mm beam there alone. It turned out that for comfortable work, given my height, the working platform of the construction goats should be at a level of about 2 meters.
In addition to the dimensions, I really wanted to make them as light as possible, since I had to move them alone, so to work as a material, I took a 50x50 mm bar and an inch board for the work site.
Detailed photography during the construction of this uncomplicated structure was not carried out, but I think that the photos below will be quite enough for understanding. As a result, we should get something like these goats.
So, everything is in order.
To begin with, the photo below shows the main dimensions of the goat structure. The drawing turned out not very good, but the main thing is that everything is visible.
I made these building goats not according to the drawing, but in place, therefore the main dimensions are given for reference (approximate), of course they can be changed to your own.
Assembly of the goat structure
First, I decided to make two pairs of "legs" - supports. To do this, I sawed four bars to size (2 meters each) and to make it easier to cut the grooves (not to be confused with the angles of the cuts) for the steps, I nailed the supports of the future goats to the floor logs of the barn. Of course, I nailed it, I said it strongly, you just need to fix them with carnations hammered not to the very top, so that later, these nails can be easily pulled out.
I nailed the bars, observing the size between them: at the top (0.7 meters) and the size at the bottom (it turned out 1.02 meters), after which I marked and made cuts under the steps. I tried to make the size between the steps as large as possible (to reduce the number of steps and weight, respectively), but in order not to pull the knee to the chin when climbing there, I got a step of 30 cm.
The cuts were made shallow, about 1 cm. No need to greatly weaken the structure!
I chose the extra tree with a chisel. Of course, cuts can not be done, but I like it when everything looks aesthetically pleasing.
Try to make the size of the cut a couple of millimeters narrower than the width of the bar of steps so that they enter the grooves tightly, do not hang out.
Necessarily, the sharp corner of the bar, where the foot will be placed, round off with a planer. You can see it in the photo below.
After all the steps are screwed, we remove this “pair of legs” from the retaining nails and, for reliability, we put a fixing cross-bracing from the inside of this ladder. I just measured it in place, sawed off and screwed it with screws.
With the second pair of supports, everything is much simpler - I put two transverse steps and secured them with the same fixing slope as the first pair of legs, only in the opposite direction.
From the outer sides of the “legs” at the top, where the platform will be attached, we make cuts under the side bars of the platform.
Making a work site
To do this, we need two bars (1.65 m) and inch boards sawn to the width of the site (70 cm each). We assemble the shield of the platform by fixing the boards to the bars with self-tapping screws.
Important! Leave a small gap of 5-10 mm between the boards of the shield so that there is a place for rainwater to drain.
Putting together construction goats
Now it remains to put the three parts together. These works will be more convenient to carry out "on the side".
We insert the upper ends of the “ladder legs” into the cuts of the platform bars and fix them for the time being with one self-tapping screw on each side so that they can, as it were, “hang out” by changing the angle.
We carry out the same operation with the second pair of "legs".
Well, now you can put the still unfinished goats into working position. By spreading or reducing the support bars, we change the degree of their inclination and achieve a stable position of the goats on the ground.
To consolidate the result, you should immediately install a spacer-limiter between the support with the steps and the second pair of "legs" so that they do not move apart.
Now you can tighten one more self-tapping screw in the places where the working platform is attached to the supports, and also install another side brace-lock. We saw off the extra protruding ends of the brace bar.
Now the construction goats should be put on their side and the ends of the bars that rest on the ground should be cut off at the right angle to the ground.
Also, you can attach small railings, this is optional. It’s somehow more comfortable for me to feel, albeit weak, but support!
Everything, the design is ready and at the end it needs to be treated with fire protection.
The trestles made in this way have been serving me for three years now. With their direct participation, I built not only a barn, but also a house made of timber, which I will write about as soon as I have free time. It can withstand the weight of two people who are even rummaging around there.
So they passed the test as “excellent”, although, of course, they turned out to be rather heavy - it’s not easy to move them alone, even though the wood dried up over time.
To move on loose earth or sand, you can put pieces of linoleum under the legs, as in the photo below.
Universal folding goats significantly expand the capabilities of the home master. The transforming device is convenient to store, quickly installed, and can be made within a few hours. It costs at least half the price of factory modifications, and has a high resource.
Construction and use cases
Unlike classic tragus, universal trestle is foldable, which facilitates storage and transportation. The design of the carpentry-building fixture looks like:
- legs with spacers, pivotally connected to each other
- removable support bar
- belt tie at the bottom
The device allows you to harvest firewood, cut long lumber and support scaffolding shields (you will need 2 pairs of trestles) by default. A wooden worktop can be fixed on the support bar to accommodate power tools (for example, a trimming, drilling, grinding machine).
If you assemble a light frame from boards or plywood, you can build a large-sized carpentry table-workbench for assembling furniture from two trestles.
Cutouts in the support bar allow you to work with tubular blanks, press the lamellas of the carpentry parts to be glued together. On one side of the trestles, you can attach a sheet of plywood, plasterboard, OSB for marking, straight or curly cut.
Do-it-yourself budget
For trestles with a height of 0.8 m, the following dimensions are valid:
- legs (4 pcs.) - 0.95 m
- upper crossbar - 0.9 m
- spacers (3 pcs.) - 0.85 m, 0.77 m and 0.7 m
Therefore, for the manufacture of two sets of fixtures, lumber and fasteners will be required in the amount of:
- board 95 x 45 mm - 5 pieces of 2 m
- board 90 x 20 mm - 1 piece 2 m
- board 90 x20 - 1 piece 3 m
- furniture bolt M10 x 100 with a nut - 4 pieces
- washers M10 - 12 pieces
- self-tapping screws 4 x 45 - 50 pieces (for wood)
- belt - 2 pieces
Attention: The main problem when buying boards is the choice of dry wood with a stable geometry. There is no rigid frame in the traguses, so “propellers”, boards with a difference in thickness, flash are not suitable.
An approximate estimate for the manufacture of folding universal goats is as follows:
- belt - 140 rubles. (2 pieces per pack)
- bolts included - 75 rubles.
- self-tapping screws - 30 rubles.
- board - 1000 rubles.
You can meet the amount of 1.25 thousand rubles, that is, at least four times cheaper than when buying ready-made traguses.
Manufacturing technology
The general principle of carpentry is the manufacture of parts and the final assembly of the resulting "constructor. All elements can be treated with antiseptics, flame retardants and paints and varnishes, reducing consumption, qualitatively processing mating, rubbing surfaces.
cut blanks
All details for one side of the legs are marked separately:
- from a 2 m board, two elements are obtained
- marking with a protractor starts from the very edge
- on the side 45 mm line at 65 degrees
- its continuation at the end (board "inch") line at 80 degrees
- the cut is carried out with a hacksaw with a fine tooth, since the cut occurs simultaneously in two planes
The second cut is parallel to the previous one and is made at a distance of 0.95 m from it. The second leg is easier to mark, saw off according to the template, which becomes the first part.
The cutting line of the upper support is straight (90 degrees), there are no problems here. All spacers are cut from both sides at an angle of 80 degrees with a narrow upwards. The length of the blanks is different - 0.85 m, 0.77 m and 0.7 m. The cut is made in one plane, it is not necessary to mow it along the end. The result is a set of parts for one tragus.
The most difficult cutting operation is the manufacture of cuts into which the removable upper support bar will fit. Seats are marked in the following way:
- the legs are located on a flat area in the form unfolded for operation (the lower supporting surfaces are on the same line, can be supported with a long board)
- the cut is marked with a square set 5 mm from the edge of the upper bevel of the leg, with a ruler located at a right angle to it at a distance of 8 cm
Attention: In this case, 8 cm is the depth at which the support bar sits in the groove, with the indicated dimensions it will be 15 cm above the legs, and not flush with them, which will avoid damage by accidental contact with the cutting tool.
The result should be the groove shown in the figure:
It is better to process parts before assembly, after drilling holes, it is enough to apply paintwork materials on newly created surfaces to ensure maximum fixture life. It is inconvenient to paint the legs after assembly, as access to individual sections of the boards that are in contact with each other is limited. In addition to paint and varnish, stains, wax, oil formulations can be used. Before that, all surfaces must be sanded.
Assembly of legs and fitting
The performance of the device depends on the quality of the marking of the hole for the bolt. Therefore, a preliminary fitting according to technology is necessary:
- the leg is placed on the table so that the cutout hangs over the table top (you can use a stool, chair)
- the support bar (upper) is installed vertically in the groove
- a second leg is added on top of the first (the bar should fit snugly into the cutouts in both parts)
- the structure is temporarily tightened with a clamp
Then the operations are performed:
- with a vertically placed square, the intersection of the legs is transferred to the side surface on both sides of the structure
- the resulting points are connected by a line that becomes the vertical axis of rotation
- a square marks the longitudinal axis of the leg
- at the intersection of these lines there will be a center for the hole of the M10 bolt, which is the hinge of the connection
Attention: The holes must be perpendicular to the plane of the boards, so a jig is needed. They can serve as a cut in a bar, pressed against the leg with a self-tapping screw or a clamp. If the hole is slanted, the legs will not be able to transform into the working position.
Leg assembly is carried out in stages:
- bolt goes through one part
- two washers are put on it, facilitating the rotation of wooden elements relative to each other
- the second leg is put on the threaded part
- the swivel joint is fixed with a nut
The result is a set of two legs, into the cuts of which the support bar is easily inserted from above.
Spacers fastening
The design does not have the necessary spatial rigidity, collapses from minor lateral loads. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the tragus with spacers:
- legs are folded lengthwise, stacked parallel to the floor
- 15 cm from the bottom are marked on the outer parts
- the longest spacer (95 cm) is applied
- holes for self-tapping screws are drilled to prevent splitting of wood when tightened
- fastening is made with one hardware on each side to provide some mobility
- the structure is turned over, marks are created at exactly the same height of 15 cm, only on the internal parts
- 77 cm spacer is attached similarly to the previous one with one self-tapping screw on each side
Then the last upper strut is attached:
- universal trestle unfolds into operational position
- a support bar is installed in the cuts
- distances of 20 cm are laid down from the grooves
- the spacer is installed above these marks
- baited with self-tapping screws similarly to the previous parts
If necessary, an adjustment is made, if all the parts are located without backlash relative to each other, the second self-tapping screws are screwed on all spacers.
Lower tension strap
The support bar does not allow the legs to fold inward. However, the home master can accidentally shift them outward, the design will “disperse”, lose rigidity. For this, a belt tie is used, fixing the opposite lower spacers. It is installed according to the technology:
- traguses unfold
- marked the middle of the lower strut
- a through hole is drilled with a 10 mm drill (under the M10 bolt)
- 40 cm from the carabiner of the belt, a hole is punched into which the bolt is inserted
After that, it is enough to fix the bolt with the belt in one spacer with a nut, tighten the belt around the opposite spacer, cut off the excess length. The support bar is attached to the legs with the same belt during transportation or storage when folded.
Thus, universal folding traguses are made on their own with a minimum set of tools within a couple of hours. All parts are ready-made templates, which facilitates the further assembly of the required number of these transformable devices.
