Project Two

For project two, my group and I decided to all create campaigns related to the over-arching theme, Captain Planet. Each person will choose an issue related to either earth, wind, water, fire, or heart.

My category is water and the issue I have chosen is dams. I will research their overall effectiveness, their advantages and disadvantages. On a related side note, I will advocate for beavers, a generally overlooked species that does an incredible amount of good in our environment. Their population has decreased greatly since the early days in America when they were being hunted for their pelts. In this segment of my campaign, I will highlight their many advantages in a humorous manner. These images are some of my first drafts, which will eventually take shape as vinyl stickers. I'd love to hear which ones you like, or how they could be improved. (Particularly the second to last one, wherein I attempted to trace a beaver slapping its tail assertively on the surface of the water, creating a giant splash. If only I knew how to draw a splash in one-tone, as it will appear on vinyl.)

Finishing up project one

The plans that I presented in class on Thursday changed a little bit over the weekend. I was unable to use the laser cutter to cut and engrave the leaves because the wood I need to use is too thick. Instead, I used my digital plans to make a template and cut the leaves with a jig saw. I used a hole saw to cut a 1.5" hole in the base of each leaf. Unfortunately, the diameter of this hole is larger than what I was going for (1.38") but hole saws don't come in such precise sizes. (What you will notice is that the leaves are not as sturdy nor as straight as they would have been if they were a tight fit around the pole. Oh well.) After this, I sanded the edges smooth, then primed, and painted the leaves.

I brought the outer PVC pipe to Home Depot and a very friendly employee cut it into multiple pieces to act as my spacers. I spray painted them "espresso" brown. Here's an example of the color after I applied it to the base:


















Next, I spent about three hours sanding the base of the inner pole so that it would fit tightly into the base of the Christmas tree stand. Once that was completed, I painted the stand and assembled the shelves. They function exactly as I had hoped for this prototype. It is decently sturdy and supports some weight. There are a few things I would alter in order to make this product stronger and more functional, but the bulk of the original design would remain. It seems to work!



















Here's a view of the underside.




















Here's a closer look at how the cap on top compresses all of the pieces together




















And here's the whole thing!

Weekend Work

This weekend I went home to celebrate my dad's b-day, and also got a chance to hear his engineering opinion about my project. He had lots of thoughts/suggestions, which all culminated in a lengthy trip to Home Depot to purchase supplies. In a moment I will include updated illustrations that show the proportions of the materials we bought today.

Here's what we got: (It will make a lot more sense when you see how they will all fit together in the drawing. Don't worry.)

• Schedule 40 1" PVC pipe
• Schedule 40 1.25" PVC pipe
• 1" PVC cap (to secure the top of the structure)
• A christmas tree stand

Still to be purchased:

• A bunch of 1/8th" birch plywood
• Paint
  

I know what you must be thinking. These materials are not flat, and isn't PVC sort of toxic? Well...yeah. Here are my thoughts: The initial draft of this project is a prototype. If I had the time and resources to mass produce these shelves, I would use natural materials and design the base to be flat-packed. At this time, however, these materials will allow me to assemble a very functional and similar version of the final product, and for the most part still meet my three main goals:

1. Organic form
2. Easy to assemble, disassemble, & reassemble. No tools.
3. Flat

With the prototype, I will still fully satisfy criteria #1 & 2, and mostly satisfy criteria #3.

Proposals

A DIY Sunday

Last Sunday the cooking group and I worked together to cook a meal on open flame for a group of about 12 people. It was a great success. I made a "quick and spicy tomato soup" courtesy of Giada de Laurentiis (I just realized that I forgot to add red pepper flakes to make it spicy) and a caprese salad. I've included the recipes for both dishes below:

Quick and spicy tomato soup:

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 (26-ounce) jar marinara sauce (recommended: San Marzano brand)
• 2 (14-ounce) cans chicken broth
• 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup pastina pasta (or any small pasta)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Warm the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, and garlic and saute until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the jar of marinara sauce, chicken broth, cannellini beans, red pepper flakes, pasta, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes. Ladle into bowls and serve.

Caprese Salad:

Several ripe tomatoes

Fresh mozzeralla

Fresh basil

2 cloves of garlic

3 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil

3 tbsp Balsamic vinegar

Salt and Pepper to taste

Slice the tomatoes, mince the garlic, and chiffonade the basil and combine. Grind fresh salt and pepper on the mixture. Add the mozzerella and add the olive oil. Just before serving, add the vinegar.

The Problem...

The group "restructuring personal space" has helped me think about my surroundings in a new way. I recently moved into a new place and have had trouble condensing the furniture that used to furnish a whole apartment into the space of one bedroom. I've watched design shows on HGTV and made some trips to The Container Store. It is surprising to me how profitable the industry of organization has become. I consider it a problem that in order to organize my things, I must go out and purchase many more things. When I take stock off all my possessions (as I recently did during the move) I notice that about 40% are organizational in nature. When it comes down to it, despite their utility, those items take just as much energy to move as they items that they store. There must be a way to modify the items I already have to work as organizational tools. If I need to create new organizational devices, why not design them myself so that they are inexpensive, flat-packed, and therefore easy to assemble, breakdown, and re-package?

Mind Map

Click here to see a larger version of the image.

Reworking Personal Space

This is my goal. Much more to follow.