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The Process
My original design for my salt and pepper shakers can be seen as the first picture on the left. As you can see, there is two parts to each, a top, and a base. I started by obtaining four pieces of 2x4. I then cut two smaller right circular cylinders, then two larger right circular cylinders. The smaller ones were the base, so I just sanded them to be smooth. I had to sand the larger ones, though, to have a round top. I then drilled the main compartments for the salt and pepper, then the smaller holes to shake the salt and pepper through. After this, I painted on the eyes, and the circles. To the left, you can also see pictures of the hole saw used, the sander, and different views of the shakers from different steps in the process. |
The Reflection
I really like this project since it is a great introduction to engineering. It is a fairly easy project that introduces everyone with the different machines in the shop, their safety hazards, and proper maintenance of the tools. The only problems that presented difficulty throughout my process was when I had to wait for adult supervision to work on a tool. This would take time since there were only two teachers (occasionally just one), and twenty-five kids. My greatest success in this project was when I finally finished my salt and pepper shakers. I wasn't sure how they were going to look, but overall, I think they look pretty realistic, and are pretty cool. What made this project work for me was how it was structured I believe. It helped me out how we had to learn about every tool before, along with the corresponding safety requirements. This helped me know what I could use for building my shakers, and gave me the opportunity to plan ahead. The only thing that would help me succeed better in this project is probably not having to wait to use each tool, since I needed adult supervision. The main lesson I took from this project, that I will apply to future projects is to get work done early. Getting work done early, while less people are in the lab, leads to more productive lab time, and consequentially, higher quality results. |