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📍STANFORD 🌍PALO ALTO, CA, USA 🕔2022
ABSTRACT: ME203- Design & Manufacturing is a graduate level course that introduces students to manufacturing process at Stanford's Product Realization Course. Over the course of 8 weeks students design & manufacture a custom piece that must incorporate at least 3 manufacturing methods.
Ellen's Garden Table was my final submission for the course.
prompt & specs.
prompt & specs.
COURSE: ME 203 - Design & Manufacturing
PROMPT:
inspiration
inspiration
Like most Zimbabwean families, my immediate family is scattered across the world. It's challenging growing up apart but the December holidays offer us an annual opportunity to gather together. My sisters and I have a tradition of sharing a bottle of wine in the garden whenever we are reunited. In the wet, hot summers of Southern Africa, it's often difficult to enjoy the sun and our libations on uneven ground. For my first make of my graduate career, I wanted to make something I could share with my sisters. An ode to the beauty of our unity and strength across the distance.
design.
design.
INITIAL IDEATION WITH CHARCUTERIE CONCEPT
DETAILED SKETCHES WITH FIXTURE DETAILS
RAPID PROTOTYPE FROM PAPER & CHOPSTICKS
FUSION 360 CAD ASSEMBLY
Design objectives
Design objectives
Stable surface on uneven ground.
Can be taken apart for winter storage in a smaller form factor.
Height adjustable.
Rain proof.
fabrication.
fabrication.
HANDLE FABRICATION (trash2treasure)
HANDLE FABRICATION (trash2treasure)
I found a pile of waste brass bars in the lab and had the idea to create intricate handles out of them. After cutting each brass piece to size, I manually heatformed the brass with an acetylene torch to create twists in the ascending bars. For the lower parts of the handle, I used a mill to create filletted and a countersink hole for the mounting screw. Once all the pieces were ready, I brazed with silver to join the handle pieces together.
Despite originating in the trash, these turned out to be my favorite feature of the wine table.
HANDLE MAKING PROCESS FROM TRASH PIECES, HEATFORMING BY HAND, MILLING FILLETS AND BRAZING TO JOIN
COMPLETED HANDLE WITH TWIST DETAIL & COUNTERSUNK SCREW MOUNTS ON CHERRY WOOD
BODY FABRICATION
BODY FABRICATION
To create the main body, I made a scallop template 2D file, used a Cricut to print out a white sticker to guide cutting of the rectangular piece of metal. Once the scallops were cut and sanded to smoothness, I bent the metal sheet to create the requisite shape.
SANDING INDIVIDUAL SCALLOP DETAILS
BENDING TABLE SIDES ON FINGERBREAK
For aesthetics and waterproofing, I used a white powdercoat, ensuring longevity.
POWDERCOATING IN ACTION
POWDERCOAT BASE CURING IN OVEN
I used steel rods to create the legs. Each rod was individually tapered and threaded on the lathe.
FINAL TAPERED EDGES
HAND THREADING THE OTHER END OF THE STEEL ROD. NOT PICTURED: TONNES OF ELBOW GREASE!
To finish, I welded steel mounts for the legs onto the main body and used leatherwork tools to create a 'ribbon' to hold together the legs during storage.
WELDING THREADED LEG MOUNTS
MARKING HOLES FOR LEATHER STRAP
final product.
final product.
TABLE IN STORAGE MODE
TABLE ASSEMBLED AND IN USE
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