[MAKING] MATERIAL SUSTAINABILITY

Where has the material come from? How has it arrived here?
- locally sourced? other side of the world? by plane? ship?

Is the material the main purpose of sourcing? Is it a bi-product?
What are therefore its implications?
- finite resource running out? deforestation?

What is the process like? Is it harmful to its surrounding environment?
- contamination? pollution? humans' health and safety?

What is the source?
- plant? animal? animal welfare considered?

What can be done once its purpose is fulfilled?
- bin, burn, recycle, decompose? its implications?

[MAKING] CAD/CAM 3D OBJECTS

I went for a MUJI-esque business card holder. Some miscalculations led to a slightly messy finish, but it does do the job. It was proper rapid too, a very easy process I found.

 

And here's an acrylic piece of bling. Measuring 16.5cm across, it has holes either side for a leather string or metal chain to attach as a necklace, strap accessory or key holder. Haha.

[MAKING] TECHSOFT DRAWING

Applied to thin MDF, the above stitching pattern enables bending for corners. So this plan makes a box, slotting together to fit. Neat.

[MAKING] INTRODUCING CAD/CAM

CAD: Computer-aided design
CAM: Computer-aided manufacture

CAD/CAM allows for rapid prototyping more than anything else.
It quickly transforms virtual objects into real objects. And because the object starts off virtual, as a software, it can be altered easily and repeated consistently. It is an iterative process.

The software used (which costs an amazing £700!) is compatible on PCs only called TechSoft 2D Design. It draws in vector format like Adobe Illustrator. There are grids and guides like Creative Suite too, called the Lock feature, of which there is step lock and grid lock, with each parameter able to be determined for each document. It's rather straightforward and easy to create shapes.

The printing process involves a couple of settings to be decided. It all depends on printer type, material type, cut or engrave. Laser cutters cut vector files or engraves bitmaps. The properties are a balance between power and speed, ie the strength of the laser and how fast it moves along the material, therefore determining how deep the cut/engrave is. There are given guide figures for different materials of different thickness.

[MAKING] METAL WORK

I thought of making a tray (like a petri dish) or a coaster, using the notcher and box bender, but apparently that was too simple. So I decided to make a mini metal chair. It was all going pretty well, metal was cut according to the plan, with four legs, backrest and all. I planned to fold down the legs by hand. But then one snapped off. Since each were only 0.5cm or so wide, they were rather flimsy and certainly weaker than I anticipated. Another mistake, another lesson. But the problem was I no longer had a chair...

So I finish the session with no real outcome, but I did try some other machines such as the polisher. The first piece is an untouched, scratched surface. The second, after undergoing the polishing procedure, was much shinier, given an even mirror finish. Nice.

Note: the metal gets pretty hot. Gloves are necessary and touching should not be immediately after polishing.

[MAKING] METAL TOOLS

I thought all the woodwork was 'new' to me, but metalwork is something else! Never worked with it before, never heard of these tools before. And of course we had to make something with it this afternoon. Didn't quite turn out great...

[MAKING] TOY COPY

To put the tools to practice, we were each given a wooden object to replicate. Straight in the deep end. Use what you've got and make it.

1. Cut round block with band saw, being careful at corners.

 

2. Round the top and bottom into egg shape using various rasps.

3. Use drill to make slight dip in bottom half.

4. Cut in grooves using saw and clamp.

5. Use hand drill to pierce holes for elastic string to hold two halves together.

6. Prepare rod for handle.

7. Cut and stick facial features onto top half, holding with PVA and masking tape.

8. Fit rod into drilled hole, ready for snug fit.

Note: Don't attempt to fit with excessive force, such as with a mallet. Wood cannot cope with the force and cracks against grain. Woops.

Note: Rod was too thick in diameter so a smaller size was used with masking tape added for extra thickness.

9. Put pieces together with elastic string and PVA where necessary.

10. Percussion toy complete.

I'm genuinely quite impressed with what I made. The rasp worked very well to smooth down the block to an egg-like shape, which was probably the most worrying part. Sadly I forgot that wood was relatively weak and smashing in an oversized rod with a mallet was not a good idea. But with a bit of PVA improv it worked out ok. Best part is that it works. Happiness.

[MAKING] WOOD TOOLS 2

Chisel tests:

Saw tests: 

[MAKING] WOOD TOOLS 1

Chisel to chisel wood. Obviously.
- narrow or wide
- bevel up or down
- with mallet or by hand
- across or along wood
With the bevel facing down, it is easier to control by hand, allowing for clean fine shavings when run along the grain.



Rasp to smoothen edges/surfaces.
Similar to a file, but rasps are recommended for wood (files for metal).
Other types of rasp (surform, smoothing plane, block plane) allow for shaping of the wood, also depending on the shape of wood and space available around it.



Saw to cut.
- tenon (straight), coping (curves)
- use a bench hook and/or clamp
- drag backwards to make groove, resting blade on thumb
- coping saw's blade can rotate by loosening teeth

[MAKING] ABOUT WOODWORK

Four types of making:
1. Construction
2. Wasting
3. Forming
4. Casting

Two types of wood:
Soft wood: needle-bearing (evergreen. pine, cedar, fir, spruce.)
Hard wood: dense (deciduous. mahogany, oak, birch)

Trees have rings (one for each year of age).
Grain has direction. Working along the grain is natural and easier than working across it.

More: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood

[MAKING] HEALTH & SAFETY

Much of what we need to make sure of is logical and simple. A lot of it is just common sense, really.

All machines should be turned off after use.
A face shield should be worn for pretty much every machine.
Flesh should be kept away from machines as far as possible, using push sticks whenever possible etc.
Debris and unwanted material should be cleared off the machines and worktop.
All injuries, no matter how minor, should be notified. (I already cut my finger with a file. Idiot.)

Other things include no food, no drink, no music, no running and all that.

Gotta stay safe.

[MAKING] WORKSHOP INDUCTION

We had our workshop induction on Friday, getting to know the tools and machines. It seems everyone on this programme has good D&T experience in one way or another, having come here on the back of relative A-Levels or internships or something. Don't think I've been a workshop since Year 9. Nevertheless, I enjoyed Design & Technology as a school kid. I was the winner of our school's Technology Prize when I was like 8 years old. Let's see how much I remember!

Not much apparently..

We covered four of the six main machines - the whats, the how-tos, the what-not-to-dos. Knowing these and signing the "contract" allows me free usage of the workshop so that's good. The machines we looked at today were the Pillar Drill, Cordless Drill, Band Saw, Belt & Disc Sander. (Scroll Saw and Bobbin Sander another time.) They are mainly used for wood, though not exclusively.

Pillar Drill
- This drills a hole into my flat piece of material.
- Its size can be adjusted according to drill bit used.
- Its depth can be adjusted too.

1. Choose and fit drill bit securely, tightening with fitted key.

2. Set table at preferred height and lock into position.
3. Set depth stop.
(Use sacrificial board when drilling all the way through material.)
4. Clamp material to bed on the table securely.
5. Switch on, turn wheel to drill in, turn to drill out, switch off.

Cordless Drill
- This drills a hole into material from multiple angles.
- As it is cordless, it is free from the mains and operated simply by hand.
- Convenient for curved material or awkward approaches.
- Requires attention to keep steady and straight.

1. Choose and fit drill securely, tightening by turning the chuck.
2. Clamp material (and sacrificial board).
3. Adjust torque and speed.
4. Squeeze trigger to drill in, reverse rotation to drill out.
* Leave drill on worktop on its side, not to stand on battery pack.


Band Saw
- This cuts a straight line into the flat material with the aid of the fence.
- It can cut limited curves too when the material is fed free-hand.
- Fit only for relatively large pieces of material to keep flesh away from saw.

1. Adjust guard to reveal/cover the saw depending on material height.
2. Set fence and lock into position.
3. Press material against fence whilst pushing through the saw.
*Use a cross slide or push stick to push material through.
4. Switch on, make cut, switch off, take material out.

Belt & Disc Sander
- This sands material to predominantly smooth its edges.
- Power turns on both sanders simultaneously - use only one at a time.
- One runs vertically, the other horizontally.

1. Choose one sander, fit for material.
2. Hold edge down onto Belt / push edge into Disc.
(Use the cross slide to keep material straight.)
3. Switch on, hold material firmly to sand, switch off.