Quarter 4
Journal 1What did I do?
This week, I completed preparing the fabric for the sewing. This included bringing the fabrics to school, with me bringing a large base color and several patterned prints for the client to choose from. Afterwards, the patters from the design were transferred onto the fabric in a mix of using tailor chalk and using the impressions from folds to make straight lines. The fabric was then cut out, then collected together. Is there any struggle? With the base color, the piece of fabric was long instead of wide, so I had to figure out a way to maintain its length but make it wider. An improvisation was made to achieve this, with cutting two piece of fabric with the same length so that they would align with each other and make a wider piece of fabric when attached on their long side with each other. What is my next step? Sewing the fabrics Did I modify my plan or design. Why? I modified the sewing-design of the pencil case to accommodate the size of the fabric. To achieve a cheaper price, the fabric used good-quality unused fabric that was left-over from other sewing endeavors, which meant that it came as it was, without the opportunity to request specific sizes. Hence, the way I planned to sew had to be modified, for the same result with different methods. The focus on the fabric preparation was making the most of the situation, so that the pencil case would appear high-quality but cost low. Journal 3What did I do?
This week, I completed my pencil case entirely; first, I attached the zipper to the flaps, then I attached the flaps to the bag. Afterwards, I attached the pattern unto the mouth of the zipper and closed all the openings on the pencil case. Then, I attached the straps in their respective places. All of this was done with a sewing machine. Then, I manually sown a button unto the body and mouth of the straps, so that it could open and close. To finish, I cut off the loose strings in all areas of the bag. Overall, the process was difficult because the design was quite complicated, and sewing it through practical application helped ease the process. Is there any struggle? Because of the complexity in the design, it was difficult to sew. There were some occasions where the fabric became extremely thick, and others when the way to stitch was complicated. However, all of this could be completed with the practicality of pinning the fabric in the places they're supposed to be sown, so that I could sew it from the inside without having to worry about the shape not being achieved. Although this took longer time, it made the process more effective, and rarely did I have to open stitching to restitch because of mistakes. When attaching the zipper, it was difficult because it followed the shape of a cube instead of a straight line. This was resolved by having multiple stitches, to add and enforce the shape. What is my next step? None. Did I modify my plan or design. Why? Yes, I modified my plan, according to the practicality. When creating the product, I discovered that there were some things that would be better accomplished if completed first, or last, depending on the availability of the materials and tools. For example, I sewed the button last, because it was more practical to complete work on the sewing machine before manual attachments. To accommodate for fabric sizes, I also improvised on how to attach the zippers and the flaps, so that it would meet the design whilst making most use of the available resources. Mostly, the changes were made to the plan rather than the design, all of which were to be more effective. |
Journal 2What did I do?
This week, I completed created the 8 different straps and attempted to attach the zipper to the body of the pencil case. For both, instead of using pins, I sewed the fabric immediately after I folded it. For the straps, this was successful because they're small, so holding them in place was easy. For attaching the zipper, however, I didn't complete it, because I needed to fasten the zipper onto the fabric with pins for the lines to be straight. Is there any struggle? Next time, when attaching the fabric, I should use pins to fasten them in place instead of using my hands to hold them in place. When making the smaller straps, the difficulty was placing them onto the stage in such a way that the feed dog would have access to move the fabric while the sewing remains centered. This required multiple tries, but eventually, I got the gist of it, and could do it successfully. What is my next step? Continue to sew the fabrics Did I modify my plan or design. Why? I modified my plan by changing the order of manufacturing. Instead of sewing the body first, I sewed the straps first, to accommodate for my lack of tools and materials. Also, it took me a long time to adjust the machine so that it would be comfortable for me to use, so that consumed time. However, because the straps and the body are created separately and only combine at the end, the modification doesn't hinder the creation process. |
Journal
When creating the product, the biggest struggle was creating a design that catered to the purpose of the pencil case. Because my aim was to incorporate a pencil case with a storage compartment specified towards the needs of females, the biggest concern was making the pencil case compact enough that is would be practical and portable, but making it large enough that it would store the different objects that a female personally finds important. Because of that, I struggled in the initial design of the product. The problem with the first design was that it wasn’t practical: it was what I wanted from my product, but it was not realistically possible. The product was over complicated, because there were a lot of things that I wanted to add into it to make it have more and more purposes. Also, the purpose of the product drifted away from something that the client would use into something I would personally use, which defeats the purpose of having a client for the product. Because of that, the design was impractical and overly complicated. However, from the initial creation of the product, I learned how to use different colors to identify different layers of fabric and different types of stitching. Also, in the design, I added 2cm bleeds to the sides of each part of the fabric, which is a waste of material, as 1cm bleeds would’ve been enough to allow the fabric to be secured and closed. Decreasing the amount of bleeds make the use of fabric more practical, and it allows the cost of producing to decrease, if slightly. This meant that although the design of the product was not successful, the way the design was drawn was clear and easy to understand. From this experience, I learned:
Overall, the prototype of the pencil case can be used as a basic visual representation of the final product, but modifications need to be made for it to fully achieve its function and fulfill the specifications. Currently, the prototype can be used as a base to make further adjustments according to the purpose and the preference of the client. It is so that the client knows what the product will roughly look like, although there is still huge margin for change. The final product will most likely not look anything like the prototype, but there will be an essence of the prototype in the final product. Before creating the final product, the design of the prototype must be properly drawn out so that redundant mistakes are not made and the process if more efficient. The materials used should also be considered, as they contribute to the aesthetic of the product and the overall quality. The pencil case should be simple but organized, practical and portable, and according to the client’s requirements. Overall, the creating process should be more organized and less sporadic, so that it can go smoothly and fulfill all the specifications. All the things learned in the creating process were used to revise the plan, so that it functions more effectively.
When creating the product, the biggest struggle was creating a design that catered to the purpose of the pencil case. Because my aim was to incorporate a pencil case with a storage compartment specified towards the needs of females, the biggest concern was making the pencil case compact enough that is would be practical and portable, but making it large enough that it would store the different objects that a female personally finds important. Because of that, I struggled in the initial design of the product. The problem with the first design was that it wasn’t practical: it was what I wanted from my product, but it was not realistically possible. The product was over complicated, because there were a lot of things that I wanted to add into it to make it have more and more purposes. Also, the purpose of the product drifted away from something that the client would use into something I would personally use, which defeats the purpose of having a client for the product. Because of that, the design was impractical and overly complicated. However, from the initial creation of the product, I learned how to use different colors to identify different layers of fabric and different types of stitching. Also, in the design, I added 2cm bleeds to the sides of each part of the fabric, which is a waste of material, as 1cm bleeds would’ve been enough to allow the fabric to be secured and closed. Decreasing the amount of bleeds make the use of fabric more practical, and it allows the cost of producing to decrease, if slightly. This meant that although the design of the product was not successful, the way the design was drawn was clear and easy to understand. From this experience, I learned:
- Create a product for the client, not for selfish reasons
- Color-code the design so that it’s easy to understand
- Focus on practicality and purpose of the product
- Do not over-complexify a product for arbitrary reasons
- Bleeds should be 1cm, not 2cm.
- Transfer the design with tailor’s chalk
- Transfer the design with a ruler
- Label the fabrics so that it becomes easy to sort through them
- Practice using the sewing machine so and find the right adjustments to the setting
- Prepare the sewing machine before sewing it: do not compromise. When the machine is set-up well, the rest of the sewing process will run well and smoothly.
- Having a fixed design is important to efficiently create a product
- Aesthetic is important to the customer’s preference for the product
- The design cannot be impulsive and must seriously consider the purpose of the product
- The pencil case must be more practical
- Material is can determine whether the product looks of high quality or not, and must be considered
- The design should be clean and elegant for the customer’s experience of the product. Less zippers.
Overall, the prototype of the pencil case can be used as a basic visual representation of the final product, but modifications need to be made for it to fully achieve its function and fulfill the specifications. Currently, the prototype can be used as a base to make further adjustments according to the purpose and the preference of the client. It is so that the client knows what the product will roughly look like, although there is still huge margin for change. The final product will most likely not look anything like the prototype, but there will be an essence of the prototype in the final product. Before creating the final product, the design of the prototype must be properly drawn out so that redundant mistakes are not made and the process if more efficient. The materials used should also be considered, as they contribute to the aesthetic of the product and the overall quality. The pencil case should be simple but organized, practical and portable, and according to the client’s requirements. Overall, the creating process should be more organized and less sporadic, so that it can go smoothly and fulfill all the specifications. All the things learned in the creating process were used to revise the plan, so that it functions more effectively.
Quarter 3
Journal 3
What did I do?
This week, I finished the entire project. The first thing I did was coat the pipes with white, acrylic paint, because there were some areas that were dirty and scratched as well as the brand's label on the pipe. However, white acrylic paint is thin and quite translucent, so I coated the pipes four times to attempt to cover the markings. This consumed quite some time, but was hastened by the fact that acrylic is quick to dry, therefore allowing me to continue working while I waited for the coated pipes to dry in an endless loop. Afterwards, I used pre-made stencils to apply color and shapes to the pipes. Because there are 45 pipes, there are 3 variations of stencils with 15 pipes each. Three of each set are part of the base. Giraffes stencils were applied with yellow pain, elephant stencils blue paint, and rooster stencils red paint. That way, the colors are primary, as specified in my design specifications. Applying the stencils took time depending on the animal shape. The initial application of each type of stencil was difficult because the shape and position of the stencil differs, so finding out how to hold the stencil and paint it properly took some practice. After some time, though, the process became faster as I was more used to the shape of the stencil. After that, I glued the open-mouthed pipes to the plywood boards to create the three bases. Each base had one of the three types of pipes. Afterwards, I noticed that the yellow stencil of the giraffe wasn't as bright as I wanted it to be. This is because yellow is a light color, and so is white, so it was difficult for the color to stand out, unlike the colors red and blue. Because of that, with a black permanent brush pen, I traced the outsides of the stencils to make them appear more vivid against the black background. After finishing with the main toy, I worked on the bag. I set-up the sewing machine I had at home, fastening the shoe, inserting the needle, inserting the bobbins and threading the strings, fishing the strings, before practicing a few times on a scrap piece of fabric. Afterwards, I sewed the fabric, beginning by sewing a loop at the top to thread string that would allow the fabric to open and close, before sewing the sides of the bag from the inside, making sure to fold the frayed fabrics twice before sewing. Before sewing, I set up pins in the fabric to make sure that the position of the fabric wouldn't change as I sewed. When that was done, I threaded a thicker piece of string through the head of the bag.
Is there any struggle?
The painting was the most difficult part of this process, because it required patience. The painting of a white base coat took the most patience because there are 45 pipes, and each pipe had to be coated 4 times, which meant that I coated 180 pipes in total. This took well over an hour, and by the end of it, I was tired because the task was so repetitive. Even then, you can see faint traces of the brand mark on the pipes. However, because I know that acrylic paint is opaque, I was content with what I had done and how much I had covered the logo, so the faint traces didn't bother me too much. The stenciling was difficult because they followed animal shapes, which means that there were smaller parts and larger parts and varied shapes. Because of that, until I understood how to paint each specific animal to retain detail, I had to turn around the stencils several time until I got the position that would help color each part, so I often turned the stencils around while painting. When stenciling, I also encountered difficulty because the pipes are round, so I had to hold down the stencils against the shape. For the giraffe and chicken, I could use tape to do this, but for the elephant, I had to hold down the paper and figure out a method of doing so effectively. Besides the painting, gluing also took some time, because I used industrial glue that promised strength but was a tough texture. The glue also had two parts that had to be mixed on a platform before working effectively. I applied the glue using wooden chopsticks, hence, the glue was messy against the plywood boards, so after the gluing, I cleaned the pipes with the back of a toothpick. Also, the glue would dry in thirty minutes after being mixed, so I was working with a time limit. Setting up the sewing machine was also quite difficult, as I did some things like attached the horseshoe, which I'd never done before. Additionally, I've never used the specific model before, so I had to figure out some mechanisms for that, like adjusting the string tension so it would've snap but would still be tight. I did, however, find the manual, which greatly helped in figuring out how the machine worked.
What is my next step?
Next, I should test the toy against my design specification and towards the target audience.
Did I modify my plan or design. Why?
Because the pipes are 0.2 mm thinner than I thought they'd be, there are gaps between where they sit on the plywood board, which is a modified from the original so that the pipes would stand at narrow equidistances between each other. I also decided to change the design of the bag to make it more practical to use in toys and less complicated. Instead of having two separate bags, for the pipes + boards and marbles, I combined them into one bag because it would be more practical. Also, it would be easier to open and clean up, which is a modification for the target audience. For aesthetic quality, I outlined the stencils, which is changed from the original intention of using pure stencils. This change allowed the stencils to pop out more and appear of better quality than pure stencils.
This week, I finished the entire project. The first thing I did was coat the pipes with white, acrylic paint, because there were some areas that were dirty and scratched as well as the brand's label on the pipe. However, white acrylic paint is thin and quite translucent, so I coated the pipes four times to attempt to cover the markings. This consumed quite some time, but was hastened by the fact that acrylic is quick to dry, therefore allowing me to continue working while I waited for the coated pipes to dry in an endless loop. Afterwards, I used pre-made stencils to apply color and shapes to the pipes. Because there are 45 pipes, there are 3 variations of stencils with 15 pipes each. Three of each set are part of the base. Giraffes stencils were applied with yellow pain, elephant stencils blue paint, and rooster stencils red paint. That way, the colors are primary, as specified in my design specifications. Applying the stencils took time depending on the animal shape. The initial application of each type of stencil was difficult because the shape and position of the stencil differs, so finding out how to hold the stencil and paint it properly took some practice. After some time, though, the process became faster as I was more used to the shape of the stencil. After that, I glued the open-mouthed pipes to the plywood boards to create the three bases. Each base had one of the three types of pipes. Afterwards, I noticed that the yellow stencil of the giraffe wasn't as bright as I wanted it to be. This is because yellow is a light color, and so is white, so it was difficult for the color to stand out, unlike the colors red and blue. Because of that, with a black permanent brush pen, I traced the outsides of the stencils to make them appear more vivid against the black background. After finishing with the main toy, I worked on the bag. I set-up the sewing machine I had at home, fastening the shoe, inserting the needle, inserting the bobbins and threading the strings, fishing the strings, before practicing a few times on a scrap piece of fabric. Afterwards, I sewed the fabric, beginning by sewing a loop at the top to thread string that would allow the fabric to open and close, before sewing the sides of the bag from the inside, making sure to fold the frayed fabrics twice before sewing. Before sewing, I set up pins in the fabric to make sure that the position of the fabric wouldn't change as I sewed. When that was done, I threaded a thicker piece of string through the head of the bag.
Is there any struggle?
The painting was the most difficult part of this process, because it required patience. The painting of a white base coat took the most patience because there are 45 pipes, and each pipe had to be coated 4 times, which meant that I coated 180 pipes in total. This took well over an hour, and by the end of it, I was tired because the task was so repetitive. Even then, you can see faint traces of the brand mark on the pipes. However, because I know that acrylic paint is opaque, I was content with what I had done and how much I had covered the logo, so the faint traces didn't bother me too much. The stenciling was difficult because they followed animal shapes, which means that there were smaller parts and larger parts and varied shapes. Because of that, until I understood how to paint each specific animal to retain detail, I had to turn around the stencils several time until I got the position that would help color each part, so I often turned the stencils around while painting. When stenciling, I also encountered difficulty because the pipes are round, so I had to hold down the stencils against the shape. For the giraffe and chicken, I could use tape to do this, but for the elephant, I had to hold down the paper and figure out a method of doing so effectively. Besides the painting, gluing also took some time, because I used industrial glue that promised strength but was a tough texture. The glue also had two parts that had to be mixed on a platform before working effectively. I applied the glue using wooden chopsticks, hence, the glue was messy against the plywood boards, so after the gluing, I cleaned the pipes with the back of a toothpick. Also, the glue would dry in thirty minutes after being mixed, so I was working with a time limit. Setting up the sewing machine was also quite difficult, as I did some things like attached the horseshoe, which I'd never done before. Additionally, I've never used the specific model before, so I had to figure out some mechanisms for that, like adjusting the string tension so it would've snap but would still be tight. I did, however, find the manual, which greatly helped in figuring out how the machine worked.
What is my next step?
Next, I should test the toy against my design specification and towards the target audience.
Did I modify my plan or design. Why?
Because the pipes are 0.2 mm thinner than I thought they'd be, there are gaps between where they sit on the plywood board, which is a modified from the original so that the pipes would stand at narrow equidistances between each other. I also decided to change the design of the bag to make it more practical to use in toys and less complicated. Instead of having two separate bags, for the pipes + boards and marbles, I combined them into one bag because it would be more practical. Also, it would be easier to open and clean up, which is a modification for the target audience. For aesthetic quality, I outlined the stencils, which is changed from the original intention of using pure stencils. This change allowed the stencils to pop out more and appear of better quality than pure stencils.
Journal 1 What did I do?
This week, I focused on finishing the bases for the three boards, which meant that I sketched the pieces according to the sizes, sawed the plywood using an electric saw, and sanded the wood with sandpaper. Because the plywood was of good quality, it was very good too work with, and was tough even though it was thin. The plywood is also very smooth, so it didn't require as much sanding as I had expected, making the process for efficient. However, I had to focus on sanding the sides of the plywood board because the wood was also soft so it frayed easily. Generally, in this week, I applied my sketching, carpentry, and sanding skills. The size of the plywood board, 5x15cm each, is suitable for preschoolers, more so because the plywood is thin, making it light and easy to handle. I also cut the board appropriately to the sketched lines, so the shape is accurate. The softness and toughness of the wood is also to that advantage, because its smooth so it will not harm the preschoolers, but also hard so that it does not break easily. Is there any struggle? Because of misjudgement and misunderstanding, I coated one surface of one of the boards with wood filler even though I did not have to. Thankfully, I only did a thin layer, so I did not have to wait long for the wood to dry. However, the process of sanding one surface again to remove the abruptness of the wood filler took some time, because I had to be careful that the bare wood didn't get exposed to the tinged sandpaper that was used to sand the applied side, because then the bare wood would also be slightly tinged. However, because I had already allocated time for mistakes, it did not stop me from following my schedule. Also, the slightly tinged side of the applied wood has surprisingly aesthetic appeal. What is my next step? Next week, I should follow up my sketching and carpentry skills by making the tubs of my design according to the plan, and be careful not to misjudge or misunderstand things again, as it would take away from my working time. I will also be using wood glue to stick three tubs onto each board respectively, which will be the first time I will be doing that. I will also need to design stencils and used them on the tubs. Did I modify my plan or design. Why? The modification of my design came from my mistake of applying wood filler to one side of one board of wood, which was purely accidental but added a little to the aesthetic appeal of one board. Besides that, I have followed my plan well and plan to continue following my plan, because the design has taken into account the different factors that affect the product and the time used in making it. If I follow my plan well, I will also be able to finish on time. |
Journal 2 What did I do?
This week, I was unproductive, because my health was declined and I couldn't commit to a lot of physical labour. Hence, I used a special saw to help cut the pipes. The cutting of the pipe, however, is quite smooth, which is satisfactory to fit the target audience. The pipes also have thin walls, so it's light and easy to transport. However, the pipes, instead of being 5cm in diameter, are 4.8cm in diameter, so the nine that are to be attached to the board might not fit perfectly. While considering the stencil, I decided that I would use a stencil set I personally owned as a child, because those are professionally researched and designed for children. That way, I can guarantee that the children will enjoy the images, and it decreases the creating time, which is essential if I want to finish on time. Is there any struggle? Because of my declined health, I couldn't accomplish as much as I wanted to this week, and it was quite difficult to accept that. Some of the cuts of the pipes are also slightly skewed, though without obvious affects. I should also work harder to catch up with my plan, because the due date of the project is closing in and there is a limited timeframe to complete it. What is my next step? I should cut arc-shaped cave-like doors in nine of the pipes, to succeed the function of the toy. Although this will be difficult, if I face it with determination, it is an accomplishable goal. I must also apply stencils in the colours red, blue, and yellow, so that it will attract the target audience. I should also glue the nine pipes to their respective boards, so that the bases of the product is completed. Afterwords, I should sew two bags, one to contain the entity of the product, and another to contain the shells that are essential in the product. Did I modify my plan or design. Why? I modified my design because of available resources, time, and my personal health. This week, I have followed my plan poorly, and I should work harder to follow it well. In the future, I should do a more detailed research on sizes of materials I'm unfamiliar with, so that there won't be a shift in measurement. I should also manage my time more wisely, so that I can complete my product. And to improve my personal health, I should rest more and consume vitamins or doctor-prescribed-medicine, so that my healing can be finished quickly and whole-fully. |
Quarter Two
This quarter in DT, we focused on developing a plan for the toy we had to design for preschoolers to teach them good values. This included interacting with the preschoolers to identify problems within their community as groups, and individual research regarding a traditional game that we had to modify to teach positive values. Most of the work in the quarter was research and planning instead of practical work. My best work this quarter was a Design Brief that identified several things. The first was the problem that my group members and I identified from the preschoolers, and why the problem must be solved. It also analyzes the consequence of not eliminating the non-fitted perspective. It is followed by a contextual analysis, where the problem is hypothetically solved through values upheld in SPHISC. It is then followed by an explanation of why the positive value is an improvement, along with justification behind the reason. The work was my best work because my design brief was able to wrap up the entire research in a way that makes it easier to understand, and shows that I'm able to read trends then take conclusions from those trends. I did this work well because I was thorough in my research and analysis, and the design brief truly reflected my learnings instead of using prior knowledge as a basis. In the future, however, I should be more concise while maintaining the same amount of quality, because the design brief isn't exactly brief. The assignment helped me further understand the key concept development, because the assignment is revolved around developing a design brief based on research. It taught me that when taking the proper steps, developing something is much easier, because the steps and facts are laid out, and all that needs to be done is articulate those into quantitative levels of achievement.
For this assignment I received an 8/8 |
Quarter One
This quarter in DT the main focus was reviewing past skills, while being introduced to carpentry. Specifically in sewing, I learned how to use the new model of sewing machines brought in. It was more complex than the previous model, which made it more challenging to understand, but I succeeded in doing so at the end. My best work this quarter was the journal that evaluated the pencil case I made, because it showed my understanding on the evaluation process and discusses the different skills and improvements I've come to throughout the process. What I did well in the process journal was in the thoroughness, because instead of just outlining the different things i also explained and described them and how those things fall into the categories they did. However, in the future, I should improve the effectiveness of my language, so that the journal will not be too lengthy. Also, I should be more critical in assessing the different factors, so that my report would be of more quality. The key concept that this project involves community, because this assignment reflects my knowledge of the past learnings and history of the sewing community. In the transition between an old machine an a new machine, I've experienced the sewing community's transition and development between the past and today. I've also come to appreciated the sewing community more, because sewing is not an easy feat for those who aren't professionally inclined or highly experienced to accomplish. Because of this assignment, I've grown a respect for those in the sewing community - evaluating my product against their standards - and therefore learned to appreciate the community, making the learning of the key concept.
For this assignment I received an 8/8 |
Journal
1. What has been the success?
The most successful thing I did throughout the process of creating a laptopper is handling unforeseen situations. Throughout the process of creating the laptopper, numerous unpredictable things happened, which could have been avoided if I had been more careful. However, the way I handled those situations is something I considered a success. Instead of break-down and give up on the project, I tried my hardest to reverse those mistakes and do the best I could in any given situation, even if it meant I had to dedicate more time into the project than my classmates. I was a lot more patient in fixing my mistakes than when committing them, and that patience enabled the quality of the laptopper to improve. For example, even though I had to sand the wood for several hours when others did not because of the mistakes I made, instead of excessively complaining, I accepted the mistake and instead worked hard to fix it. Another thing I consider a success is the furnishing of the wood with a clear coat, because the color of the wood was enriched and the coat was smooth and even. In the end, the laptopper I produced was done on time, which is a success considering how many times I had to repeat the different processes. Additionally, I did well with the decorating, because the style is simple and clean but still aesthetically pleasing.
2. What has been the struggle?
Throughout the entire process, there were a lot of struggles. The first was having to sand much more than necessary, because the coat of white paint that I applied to my first wooden board was too thick that it would be impossible to fully sand in the designated amount of time to finish the project. Because of that, I was given another wooden board, and the problem with the second board was that I had to repeat the rigorous sanding process so that the wooden slate would be even on all sides. Throughout that process I also discovered that the surface of the board itself wasn't flat, which is why the colors differ on my board. The next (and most burdensome) problem was having to remove an accidentally-applied layer of wax from the board, because it was impossible to accomplish effectively through sanding as the heat of the friction from the process caused the wax to melt back into place. In the end, I had to scrape the board, which is a step that would otherwise have been avoided. Another struggle was applying the stencil design, because the stencil I made had slots that were too thin. Because of that, instead of stencil-ing, I drew the design with a brush based on the concept of the the stencil I had designed. The final struggle was how tender the wood was, which meant that it dented easily. Because of that, I had to make sure I didn't apply too much pressure on the wooden slate while working on it, so that the surface would remain flat.
3. What Can I do differently or better?
The best thing I can do for product the next time is being more careful. Being careful would've avoided most of the obstacles I faced throughout the creating process. If I was careful, the layer I applied to my first board wouldn't have been too thick. The draining process of scraping wax off the surface of the wood also would've been avoided if I had been more careful to check the label of the paint before applying. Another thing I must to better is plan ahead. Planning ahead and being realistic about the situation would have stopped me from making a stencil that was too thin, so the stencil-ling process would've run smoothly. Another advantage to planning ahead is that I would've been more aware of what I was doing with a specific direction, which would mean that the product would've been completed more effectively and the creation would've been executed better. Overall, those two areas are the things that I must do differently and better, because with just those two things, the creating process and final product would be of a much higher quality.
4. What did you learn? (Knowledge, Skills)
I learned the basics of woodworking. The first step (sawing the wood) taught me the process of sawing manually, because the sawing will only be effective if it's done in a specific angle. Besides that, I learned how to function the electric saw, which is an extremely helpful carpentry innovation. The second thing I learn is how to drill holes, and that when drilling holes on wooden surfaces, it's best to let the wooden surface elevate above the ground, so that the drilling won't puncture the surface beneath. The most educational process for me was sanding, because other than learning technical skill, I learned also about how different types and states of sand paper are useful for different things. For example, initial sanding should be done with rough and new sand-paper, to hasten the process. But when sanding the final touches where refined smoothness is the aim, it's best to use sand paper that still had grains of sand but had been made tender from previous use, because the sanding becomes very smooth. But most of all, what I learned from this project is to grow my patience, because it's essential in all areas of carpentry. I also learned that I must be more careful, because carpentry is a difficult and challenging occupation. I must also be more appreciative of carpenters and woodworkers, because now I understand how much dedication and time goes into their work, and how much it's essential for them to be both careful and patient, while still keeping in mind the most effective way to accomplish things.
The most successful thing I did throughout the process of creating a laptopper is handling unforeseen situations. Throughout the process of creating the laptopper, numerous unpredictable things happened, which could have been avoided if I had been more careful. However, the way I handled those situations is something I considered a success. Instead of break-down and give up on the project, I tried my hardest to reverse those mistakes and do the best I could in any given situation, even if it meant I had to dedicate more time into the project than my classmates. I was a lot more patient in fixing my mistakes than when committing them, and that patience enabled the quality of the laptopper to improve. For example, even though I had to sand the wood for several hours when others did not because of the mistakes I made, instead of excessively complaining, I accepted the mistake and instead worked hard to fix it. Another thing I consider a success is the furnishing of the wood with a clear coat, because the color of the wood was enriched and the coat was smooth and even. In the end, the laptopper I produced was done on time, which is a success considering how many times I had to repeat the different processes. Additionally, I did well with the decorating, because the style is simple and clean but still aesthetically pleasing.
2. What has been the struggle?
Throughout the entire process, there were a lot of struggles. The first was having to sand much more than necessary, because the coat of white paint that I applied to my first wooden board was too thick that it would be impossible to fully sand in the designated amount of time to finish the project. Because of that, I was given another wooden board, and the problem with the second board was that I had to repeat the rigorous sanding process so that the wooden slate would be even on all sides. Throughout that process I also discovered that the surface of the board itself wasn't flat, which is why the colors differ on my board. The next (and most burdensome) problem was having to remove an accidentally-applied layer of wax from the board, because it was impossible to accomplish effectively through sanding as the heat of the friction from the process caused the wax to melt back into place. In the end, I had to scrape the board, which is a step that would otherwise have been avoided. Another struggle was applying the stencil design, because the stencil I made had slots that were too thin. Because of that, instead of stencil-ing, I drew the design with a brush based on the concept of the the stencil I had designed. The final struggle was how tender the wood was, which meant that it dented easily. Because of that, I had to make sure I didn't apply too much pressure on the wooden slate while working on it, so that the surface would remain flat.
3. What Can I do differently or better?
The best thing I can do for product the next time is being more careful. Being careful would've avoided most of the obstacles I faced throughout the creating process. If I was careful, the layer I applied to my first board wouldn't have been too thick. The draining process of scraping wax off the surface of the wood also would've been avoided if I had been more careful to check the label of the paint before applying. Another thing I must to better is plan ahead. Planning ahead and being realistic about the situation would have stopped me from making a stencil that was too thin, so the stencil-ling process would've run smoothly. Another advantage to planning ahead is that I would've been more aware of what I was doing with a specific direction, which would mean that the product would've been completed more effectively and the creation would've been executed better. Overall, those two areas are the things that I must do differently and better, because with just those two things, the creating process and final product would be of a much higher quality.
4. What did you learn? (Knowledge, Skills)
I learned the basics of woodworking. The first step (sawing the wood) taught me the process of sawing manually, because the sawing will only be effective if it's done in a specific angle. Besides that, I learned how to function the electric saw, which is an extremely helpful carpentry innovation. The second thing I learn is how to drill holes, and that when drilling holes on wooden surfaces, it's best to let the wooden surface elevate above the ground, so that the drilling won't puncture the surface beneath. The most educational process for me was sanding, because other than learning technical skill, I learned also about how different types and states of sand paper are useful for different things. For example, initial sanding should be done with rough and new sand-paper, to hasten the process. But when sanding the final touches where refined smoothness is the aim, it's best to use sand paper that still had grains of sand but had been made tender from previous use, because the sanding becomes very smooth. But most of all, what I learned from this project is to grow my patience, because it's essential in all areas of carpentry. I also learned that I must be more careful, because carpentry is a difficult and challenging occupation. I must also be more appreciative of carpenters and woodworkers, because now I understand how much dedication and time goes into their work, and how much it's essential for them to be both careful and patient, while still keeping in mind the most effective way to accomplish things.
This year in Design Technology I would like to successfully learn carpentry, as well as improve my skills in writing and researching the DT Criterions, as it'll be helpful for my DP.