Tuesdays, week 2: design, plan, go!

After spending last week getting to know a new space, new tools and new friends, we dove into project design headfirst today.  The tinkerers arrived apprehensive about learning what the project was, and everyone had their own ideas of what it would be.  During opening circle, after re-going over what our Tinkering School goals are, the project was finally revealed.

CYBORGS!!!!  The tinkerers were charged to think about how mechanical add-ons could help them preform everyday tasks.  After a few minutes to get all of their ideas down on paper, Jules describes his vision of a many-armed robot suit.

After pooling ideas and looking at similarities between visions, we decided that we wanted to begin by making two mechanical arms that could do two different things around the shop: drill and vacuum.  We split up into two teams and began to design in more detail.

Raj explains the design trajectory for the drill arm team--a hinged sleeve that the drill can fit on the end of. 

After thinking about the "what?" and then designing the "how?" the Tinkerers dove into building.

The Vacuum team decided early on that PVC pipe would be the best material to realize their vision, but they had no PVC this week, so had to improvise.  they used wood pieced to prototype flexible ways that a vacuum could extend 8 feet beyond the user's body.

Noe, Munir, Sophie, and Jules experiment with swiveling mechanisms in an effort to prototype and flexible extendo-arm for the vacuum.

  The drill team quickly started work on their hinged sleeve, beginning by slicing plywood into specifically measured pieces on the bandsaw.

Nolan, Raj and Jaro learn how to use the bandsaw and work together to cut out the pieces for their sleeve.

After cutting the pieces out, Drill team had to put their box together, which turned out to be a delicate operation, as the plywood was thin and splintered easily.

Success!! 

For closing circle we all came back together and both teams discussed what they had done.  Everyone was very impressed by the work the tinkerers had gotten done in such a short amount of time!

We can't wait until next week!