Technology Studies, TS51, Design Folio I, 2006, Term I, Semester I

TECHNOLOGY STUDIES

TS51

DESIGN FOLIO

I

TERM I, SEMESTER I

EDWARD RHOADES

Contents

Introduction

Edward Rhoades- 1 -

Technology Studies, TS51, Design Folio I, 2006, Term I, Semester I

Situation / Brief3

Edward Rhoades- 1 -

Technology Studies, TS51, Design Folio I, Term I, Semester I

Function / Limitations3

Essential / Desirable Features4

Preliminary Investigation

Shape and Form5-6

Considerations6-7

Possible Materials8

Possible Jointing Methods9-10

Possible Surface Finishes11

Ergonomic Considerations12

Design Process and Justification

Materials Justification13

Material List13

Costing14

Construction Procedure15

Surface Finish16

Tools and Machinery (Including relative safety)16

Safety

Project Safety21

Evacuation 21

General21

Hazard control22

P.P.E22-23

Introduction

Situation: Over the next few years I intend to move out of home and into an environment with other people as house mates. Currently I have no personal storage area that can be safely secured to prevent theft or invasion of privacy. The article will be constructed entirely at the college for my senior technology studies class.

Brief:I intend on designing, constructing and appraising a storage unit that fulfils the problem of theft or privacy invasion. Because of this the unit will need to incorporate a locking mechanism and the unit itself will have to be sturdy enough to prevent it from being easily broken into or easily removed. I am after a contemporary design that will not only be stylish now but will fit into a more traditional surrounding if need be.

Function:

  • To prevent theft of items stored within the storage unit.
  • Sturdy and heavy enough so that the unit is not easily removed or breached.
  • Have a contemporary design that is stylish but at the same time no to outlandish that it will be an eyesore in traditional setting or become quickly outdated.
  • Show my highest possible standard for my senior technology class using in-depth research and incorporation of different materials.
  • The article should be safe and ergonomically sound. The article should be safe enough for a person to interface with the article without receiving injury from the article. The article must also be ergonomically sound for example the article should not be extremely heavy that it will cause injury to someone while they move the article unless designed that two people must be used to carry the article.

Limitations:

  • Size, the article is to be stored in a limited storage space within the workshop.
  • Budget, the budget is $70 supplied by the school anything over $70 has to be supplied by the student.
  • Transport, when complete the article will need to be transported from school to home.
  • Craftsmanship, my skill will be a major limitation while constructing this article. Primarily because this will be my first proper woodworking project. I will be using methods in this article that I haven’t undertaken before. Because of this limitation my article cannot be too complex or over simple.
  • Time, the time constraints of the construction part of the assessment is around 12 weeks, although this is a fairly long time if the time is not used in a constructive manner then the article is likely to end up not finished or finished in a poor manner.
  • Safety, safety is a major limitation not only for the finished project but also in the construction of the article. Such is that the article should have no unfinished edges, all timber should be sanded and finished to prevent splinters and generally stable enough that it will not fall apart harming someone or damaging property.

Essential Features:

  • The article must be sturdy and solid to prevent people gaining access to items stored within by breaking the article.
  • The article must have a locking feature of a high quality to prevent entry to stored item.
  • To be constructed with safety in mind including all surfaces finished to a safe standard and all edges should be evenly smoothed.
  • Ergonomics are an essential feature. In this particular case the article has to heavy enough so that one person cannot lift the article but two or more people should be able to move it. This is a feature to prevent someone walking out with the locked article and then cutting it to gain entry.
  • The article must be designed so that it is contemporary but subtle enough that if need be it will fit into a traditional environment.
  • To be able to sit at the end of a bed without protruding either height or length wise.

Desirable Features:

  • To have a veneered geometric pattern to increase the visual pleasure of the article.
  • To come under a budget of $70 although if it exceeds the budget personal funding will be used.
  • The storage area of the article could be divided into compartments to help organize the space within the article.
  • To have a highly polished finish to add to the style of the article
  • To have brass or similar attachments for the handles, hinges and locks for better aesthetics.

Preliminary Investigation

Shape and Form: As stated in the brief I am after a storage unit that is solid in its construction and is able to be locked with a high quality lock. This unit will primarily be used to store more personal items such as drawings, jewelry, expensive electronics, documents and other sentimental or expensive items. Because each of these items are of a different size I am going to construct a storage chest. The chest can store all of the stated items above with ease and required security.

My intended design is a chest that is long wide and deep without being disproportional to the room the chest will occupy. By making the chest this way it maximizes its storage capacities. If a contemporary design was used for the chest with the inclusion of curves and other exquisite designs the storage capacities of the chest would be reduced. The reduction in storage would be due to curves and other parts of the design impeding on the storage area of the chest. Traditionally a chest has one massive storage space, although this is effective for storing items that are used infrequently.However it is unsuitable for items of frequent use such as I intend. This is because to get to the items at the bottom of a traditional chest you have to remove all the items above the required item.

My design will differ from a traditional chest primarily in how the storage space will be used. The bottom section of the chest will be utilized by the inclusion of a map drawer so that drawings, books and documents can be stored in the drawer. The remaining space in the chest will be sectioned off using removable dividers and a number of storage boxes that stack on top of each other.

Both shape and form have been taken into consideration. The chest will be of a certain weight to prevent theft but still safe enough to be lifted by two people without sustaining injury.

The map drawer will need to at least A3 size and be able to hold up to about 250 sheets around 150-20mm. Other elements of the drawer include how far out the drawer will slide. This is dependent on the drawer runner size and this need to be considered when further planning.

Some of the intended items to be stored include.

  • Laptop, 450x300x30
  • Drawings/ plans, A3
  • Notebooks, A4
  • Blankets and clothing
  • Miscellaneous storage

The chest is designed so that it is just less than 500mm high with the traditional position for a chest is at the base of a bed. Most beds are over 500mm meaning when this chest is placed at the end of a bed it will not be higher than the bed itself. My bed is 650mm high by 1500mm wide therefore the chest will fit perfectly. . The chest is less than 1000mm long, meaning it will even fit at the end of a single bed without sticking out and potentially causeinjury to people’s toes, as a tripping hazard.

Considerations:

The main items to be stored in the chest will be drawings, clothes, electronics, jewelry, CD’s, DVD’s, magazines and other miscellaneous storage.

The considerations for each of these objects are

ITEM / CONSIDERATION / SOLUTION
Drawings / The sizes of these drawings are A3 or A4. A3 drawings are 297 x 420mm. The drawings need to be stored flat without being folded and away from direct sunlight and moisture. / A map drawer will be included into the design. The drawer will be large enough for A3 drawings. The drawer will be located at the base of the chest keeping all the drawings out of direct sunlight and away from moisture. The drawer is around 400x600 therefore there is ample room for both drawings and room for finders so that the drawings are easily accessible.
Clothes / T-shirts and jeans when folded are usually folded no larger than 400x250 with clothes stacked on top of each other. Clothes should be stored out of direct sunlight. / Clothes would be stored in the bottom of the main cavity. This area is out of direct sunlight. And offers the largest unrestricted storage area.
Electronics / Sizes of electronics vary greatly but DVD players etc. are usually 300x400x no more than 300. Electronics should be stored out of direct sunlight and away from dust and other fine particles. / Electronics would also be stored at the bottom of the chest with clothes being stored above items such as DVD players. Any smaller electronics will be stored in a tray that will sit in the top half of the chest.
Jewelry / Jewelry is usually quite expensive with the pieces being quite small. Jewelry should be stored in the most secure part of the chest. / Jewelry would be stored in a lockable box inside the chest that can also be locked. The other reason for storing jewelry in a box is due to the small size of most jewelry. By storing it in a box it helps prevent the jewelry getting lost.
CD’s DVD’s / CD’s and DVD’s are 120mm in size but are usually stored in CD or DVD cases. CD cases are 140x120 and DVD cases are 190x135. CD’s and DVD’s need to be stored out of direct sunlight. /
Using this CD/DVD case I am are able to store up to 120 CD’s/DVD’s and then store the case anywhere inside the chest.

Apart from considerations about what will be stored inside the chest other considerations also have to be taken into account. The chest itself is not designed to bear weight because nothing will actually be stored on top of the chest. Although it is not designed to bear weight because the chest is around 400mm high it is ergonomically correct for a seat, therefore the chest must be able to support a weight of up to 120 kg without showing signs of stress. Although no more than 120 kg theoretically should be on top of the chest if someone jumped on top of the chest the force could exceed 300kg.

The chest will utilize a geometric check pattern consisting of a light and a dark check. Because of this the chest will easily fit into any surrounding primarily consisting of timber furniture.

Silky oak Hoop pine

Possible Materials:

Material / Colour / Weight / Durability
1-Best
4-worst / Machining / Ease To Finish / Hardness
1 – Hard
6 - Soft / Comments
Silky Oak / Biscuit Brown/ Pale Pink / 560kg/m3 / Class 3 / Machines smooth / Open grain accepts stains and paint well. / Soft (5/6)
Jarrah / Dark Red / 835kg/m3 / Class 2 / Machines smooth with sharp tools / Accepts Stain Well / Hard (2/6) / Sharp tools will perform best but will go blunt easily
Kwila / Yellow-Brown. Turns dark red over time. / 830-855kg/m3 / Class 2 / Machined cuts are smooth with sharp tools / Stains well but gum bleed though or oil stains may affect stain / Hard (2/6) / Glues well except with casein glues.
Meranti / Varies Pale depending on variety. / 560-705kg/m3 / Class 4 / Machines to a reasonably smooth surface / Because of open grain surface should be filled before finishing / Firm-Soft (4-5/6) / Lower density species may give a wooly cut of sharp tools are not used.
Brush Box / Pink-brown to red-brown / 880kg/m3 / Class 3 / Can be abrasive to cutting tools due to silica present in timber / Accepts paint, polish and stains readily / Hard (2/6)
Hoop Pine / White-Yellow / 560kg/m3 / - / Machines smooth / Accepts finished well / Unknown
Estimated Soft –v.Soft
(2-1/6) / Half the price of more exotic timbers.
Hoop Pine ply / “ “ / 600kg/m3 / - / Machines smooth but if sharp tools not used chipping on edges occur / “ “ / Cheaper again
MDF / 750 kg/m3 / - / Machines v.Well / Paint is the best option / Susceptible to moisture

Possible Jointing Techniques:

Dowel and Biscuit Joints: dowel and biscuit joints are a stronger version of a butt joint. Dowel and biscuit joints use pegs or biscuits to add structural integrity. These joints are good for creating a slab of solid timber from thinner lengths. Because the slots are made with a jig both sides of the timber will line up exactly helping crate a smooth top surface while strengthening the slab. Biscuit joints will be used in my design to hold the length of timber together to create a solid slab for the sides, lid, etc.

Mitre Joints: A mitre joint isformed by cutting two pieces of wood at 45o and glued at right angles to form a corner. Mitre joints are not strong and are usually used for decorative applications such as architraves and picture frames. A dowel joint can be incorporated into a mitre joint if the joint need added strength. Mitre joints will be used in my chest so that the kwila trim looks even from both the front and side.

Dovetail Joint: Dovetail joints areanart dating back many centuries. Because of the shape of a dovetail joint it is impossible to pull them apart in one direction and because of the large surface area of contact the dove tail joint is virtually indestructible.Dovetail joints are constructed using a jig. Dovetail joints are usually used in draws and cabinet making. Dovetail joints will probably not be used in my design but if they are they will be used for the carcass of the chest because of the un-paralleled strength they offer.

Butt Joints: Butt joints are the weakest joints because of the lack of surface contact. Butt joints are usually used when other joining methods would take to long in relation to the overall time of the project. Butt joints are usually used to join backings and bottoms to cabinets. Where strength and aesthetics are not required or seen. Butt joints will be used in my job to join the bottom of the drawer to the sides of the drawer.

Finger Joints: Finger joints are much the same as a dovetail joint. Except with a finger joint the pieces fit together like your fingers with both pieces being cut in the same manner. A finger joint doesn’t offer the same strength as a dovetail joint but it offers great strength in a vertical plane. Finger joints will be used in my article for the chest carcass because they are fast and effective joints that offer the required strength.

Possible Surface Finishes:

I have decided to only include clear finishes because I feel a clear finish will best compliment my veneered pattern.

Waxes: Wax offers a beautiful finish. The drawback to using wax alone is that it offers little or no protection form heat or moisture. Wax also gives a dull matt finish. If wax is used over lacquer or oil base greater effect will result. Furniture wax can be mixed with beeswax or turpentine or other ingredients to improve its performance.

Lacquer: Lacquer and varnish are the same thing. Lacquer is the name given to a clear finish. The two types of lacquer are solvent based and water based, Solvent bases lacquer is more traditional and it performs slightly better whereas water based lacquers are easier to work with and are generally safer.

Lacquer / Protection / Durability / Ease of use / Reparability
Solvent based
Pre-catalyzed cellulose / 3 / 3 / 5 / 5
Acid-Catalyzed melamine / 4 / 4 / 3 / 1
Polyurethane / 5 / 5 / 5 / 4
Water based
Acrylic / 4 / 4 / 4 / 1
Polyurethane / 4 / 4 / 4 / 1

*5 = Best, 1 = Worst.

French polish: This is a traditional finish that offers a highly polished finish. French polishing is laborious and a skilled technique that has evolved into a specialized trade.

A table finished using French polish.

Oils: oils are a quick and easy option they offer moderate protection from the elements and oil finished are easy to repair and re-finish. The amount of protection depends on the amount of coats applied, with at least six coats before maximum moisture resistance is reached. Oil tends to attract dirt. Oil need to needs to be re-applied usually once a year.

Ergonomic considerations:

er·go·nom·ics (ûr'gə-nŏm'ĭks)
n.

  1. (used with a sing. verb) The applied science of equipment design, as for the workplace, intended to maximize productivity by reducing operator fatigue and discomfort. Also called biotechnology, human engineering; Also called human factors engineering.
  2. (used with a pl. verb) Design factors, as for the workplace, intended to maximize productivity by minimizing operator fatigue and discomfort:

(Ergonomics. (n.d.). The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Retrieved March 05, 2006, from Answers.com Web site: )

Using the above definition for ergonomics you can see that ergonomics put plainly means how and object interacts with the end user.