My Final Container

My final structure cannot contain my sketchbooks, as I did not take wood thickness dimensions into account during the design process. It does, however, fit in my learning journals and maquettes, and I feel that it is successful as a small scale container based on negative space.

The final container in the negative space. Although 
the structure did not fit perfectly, I added a small 
piece of wood  between the base and the soap 
dispenser as the added lock unbalanced the 
inner panel.

My final container shown open and
holding all of my maquettes for the
project. From this photo you can see
the untidiness of the glue inside the
 front panels, but the glue could not be
sanded off of the ply without removing
 a layer of the wood.

A photograph showing the final
container when it is closed.

The final container when both
 doors are open.

A close up of the front panels and top area.

Details of the top section without
maquettes being held.

This photograph shows the top opening and how it balances
in a curved shape as a result of the small spaces between
each  piece of wood, held together by the fabric strips.

I created a removable shelf for the top area
so that maquettes in this section would
be separate from the bottom section.

Detail showing the locks. The keys were created by
 inserting dowel into a drilled piece of thicker dowel
and sanding into a rounded edge.

Making my Container

Photos showing the making process for my container.

After the main sides were cut out I glued 

and pinned the fixed edges together

 before clamping and leaving to dry.

I added semicircles which were the woods
width smaller than the outer cirlce inside
for the top opening to sit on.

The container was smoothed and sanded
 throughout the making process.

Three equal rectangles of wood were cut
for the front opening, and multiple equal
rectangles for the top opening. These
were attached with fabric hinges.

The fabric hinges were created by cutting the
fabric into 2 strips which were the width of
the inside, and gluing to the wood. The
fabric was then cut into strips for the
wooden panels and strips to be glued to. 

The fabric was added inside for aesthetic purposes,
so that there would be no obvious join between the
fabric for the hinge and the inside of the container.
 A rectangle of wood with a hole in was also added
inside so that a hole in the top panel of the front
opening could align with the hole in this wood
to create a lock (by inserting dowel). 

For the top opening, the wooden strips were spaced
evenly apart and glued to the fabric strips. Cling film
was added so that the strips would not become
attached to the smaller circles inside but the curve
could keep its shape by drying on top of them.

The bottom strips were glued to the back
of the front panels. Small spaces were left 
between all of them to allow movement.

Locks and Hinges

The final container must be lockable. Here I have experimented and 

recorded suitable ways to lock my container.

The first lock is very simple: a gap in a material
 extension which matches up to a loop on the joining
piece of wood where a key (likely to be dowel with a
small block of wood attached so it does not fall
through)can slide in and lock the 2 faces together.

A lock which requires an extra block of wood 
with a hole in attached to the edge of one of 
the edges; as well as an extension on an edge of 
existing wood which corresponds to this (with a matching 
hole). A key is created by attaching dowel to another 
small chunk of wood. This dowel feeds through
 both holes to secure the different edges.

It must also contain a hinge which is not ready made. I designed andexperimented with different hinge types.

The first looks at a hinge which could close and open completely (depending on how thick the material surrounding the hinge was). It is created by sticking fabric to both parts which need a connecting hinge. Although it would be quick and easy, a glue which could stick to both the material and the wood must be looked into. 

 

The second hinge I looked into uses 2 thin pieces 

of wood attached to the inside of both panels and a small 

block of wood extending and off of both of these. One 

is placed higher on the wood and one placed below this, 

and they are connected with dowel which runs through holes 

in the middle of the 2 blocks of wood. This hinge would not be 

suitable for my project as it opens from 90 degrees to 180 degrees, 

however the edges of the 2 pieces of wood cannot join so 

would look messy which is why I do not plan to use it.

Final Maquette

The final prototype builds on my paper model with the opening front and top.  The top will be created out of  strips of wood attached to fabric, creating a floppy hinge. This wood will sit on wooden inserts to stop it from falling in (semicircles slightly smaller than the main radius. The bottom panels will be attached similarly but will have an actual hinge on the outstanding side of the panel to allow it to fold outwards. A lock will be planed on both the top curve and the inner corner. This model was created to scale, 2:5

Axonometric Drawings

A simple drawing looking at ways to change a cube

The same drawing, coloured using a ProMarker
and outlined with a blue fine liner

Outlined with a black fine liner and
shaded with pencil

Openings

Maquettes made to explore different ways/ places to put the hinged
opening for my storage piece.

A model which combines both the curved edge
 opening and the side hinge folding front opening
so that items from both sections can be retrieved.

Side hinge opening attached to
one of three panels which fold
 down onto each other. 

A plastic model looking at an opening
 on the curved top of the 3D model -
problems would occur with this as
objects at the bottom would be
difficult to retrieve.

A maquette which opens via a hinged back, with
sides attached to both front and back faces.
Items could be stored separately in the bottom
as well as the curved top (which acts as a shelf).

Wooden Maquettes

MDF model - created by
gluing 4 identical shapes 
together with wood adhesive

Another wooden version of my chosen shape; this time
exploring the internal spaces by using thin wood and a gluegun.

The finished maquette

Plaster Casting

A plastic mould created to make a plaster maquette.

The plastic shapes were attached with masking tape -
this was placed on the outside to avoid marks and
patterns on the plaster cast

All gaps except a space for pouring plaster were
covered to avoid leaks

The mould was then supported with
clay and filled with plaster

The finished maquette