This week, Benchmark’s resident Fixpert, Maya Alvarado tests out a new handle for Sean Sutcliffe’s portable samples case, collects scrap material and charity shop finds, and leads the second workshop for local homeless charity Two Saints.
06:00: I wake up in Hungerford and get ready for work. I pack some paper and fun tape for the workshop I will run at the Two Saints hostel this afternoon.
07:00: When I arrive at Benchmark, I head up to the office. Sean has asked me to take a look at his portable samples case. The handle is not quite right and it is causing discomfort in use. I test it out – walking up and down. The handle’s thickness is actually too thin for the weight of the case. This is causing the handle to bend and to not perform properly.
07:15: I take some measurements to help me figure out a better alternative. The handle is also a bit too short, so the case comes into contact with the carrier’s legs whilst carrying. It is positioned very close to the top of the case, meaning that the lower body is not levered far enough from the ground.
07:30: I sketch some new dimensions to test out and a wider handle to give more stability.
07:45: I carry the case down to the metal shop to discuss connection possibilities with Craig. I want to know which materials Benchmark has that could be welded, or riveted to make a much stronger handle. The frame of the case is aluminium. Ideally I would make the handle out of steel, so welding is not possible here. We discuss different shapes and Craig finds me a piece of steel bar to make a prototype with.
08:00: I mark up the points that I would like to bend with a marker pen on masking tape. I want these to be really visible for lining up with the metal bender.
08:15: I set up the metal bender and use a large nut and bolt to secure the lever.
08:20: I set the gap to the right distance for the bar, tightening it in place for the first bend. As the bender is not secured to the ground, I need the help of Craig and Nemo to hold it down, so I will return at a free time to work with them on bending this.
08:30: On the floor I find this slither of metal. It is very pliable and holds it shape – so perfect for model making.
08:35: Outside the metal shop there are sacks of scrap metal for recycling. I have a look through to find a thin sheet of zinc to cut into wire lengths. I will use them for modelling at the Two Saints workshop.
08:45: I bring in a large flat sheet to cut on the guillotine. I cut a large batch of 2mm thin strips.
09:30: They are not sharp at all, and I think this is because the zinc is so soft and cuts easily, but I will still supply gloves for handling the wire for the workshop just to be on the safe side.
10:00: Teatime – I grab a cup of tea and borrow a site bag to carry tools and materials for the workshop. I pack the wire, pliers, scissors, string, rope, paper and pens.
11:00: I arrive at Newbury station and walk to the charity shop to pick up a few items for the afternoon. I set myself a challenge to find three interesting objects to discuss the everyday problems we are solving and the design process to get to them. I find a donut shaped hole punch for making crisp holes in paper – an improvement on the hole made by poking with a sharp pencil that results in small shreds of paper remaining. The next object I select is a lemon squeezer. I do not have one myself, so I often use my hand, or a spoon to prize out the juice. This hand held press perfectly lines the rind of half a lemon – forcing the liquid out.
11:30: The third object is a 65cm zip. This row of tiny interlocking hooks is a method of bringing two sides of a product together – perhaps a coat or a purse – and sealing up the gap between them.
11:35: I buy some second hand shirts, I want to replicate the simulated disabilities workshop developed by Lea, the Fixperts Education Coordinator. A simple way of limiting hand dexterity is taping the fingers together. Whilst restricted, everyday tasks, such as doing up the buttons of a shirt, become virtually impossible and require rethinking. This is a perfect scenario for problem solving, and I will invite the participants to come up with a device to aid this task.
12:30: I arrive at Two Saints to set up for the workshop. I get out the items for the discussion about design. Having completed one woodworking workshop, I thought it would be fun to touch on some ideas on problem solving and ideas generating. These are great skills to have to embark on a Fixperts project – something that I have invited Two Saints residents to do. I lay out the three objects on the workbench and take out the paper, pens and model making materials.
13:30: As participants start to arrive, I ask them to choose one of the three objects. I ask them about the problem each product is solving, and if the result is successful. It is a quick starter and gets everyone thinking about the origins of the objects around us.
14:00: I get out the shirts and explain the simulated disabilities workshop. We use masking tape to restrict the use of their hands.
14:15: I tape different fingers and thumbs together on different people, forming a fist in one occasion. This is to give each person a varied experience and see the differences in the results. I invite them to try on the shirts and try to button them up.
14:30: Everyone agrees that it is very hard to do. Removing the tape to draw, we sketch ideas and the actions that we have been trying to do: entering the buttonhole, hooking the button and pulling the button through the hole to fasten. There is an array of materials on the table to use and we start modelling.
15:00: The zinc wire is the most useful tool, as a hook can be created to slide through. People vary the shapes of the hooks, whether they are opened or closed, and the handle of the device.
15:30: After different tests, there are some great successes and lots of empathy for the frustration this would cause on a daily basis.
15:45: We close the afternoon by discussing problems that need solving in the hostel and design ideas. The three items in discussion are a garden gazebo, a brick barbecue and a bike shed. There are security issues involved in these and it is great to get a debate going on the pros and cons of each idea. Now the residents will go away and propose ideas at their next group meeting and the making will feature in a future summer workshop.
16:00: I pack up the materials and head back to Benchmark to unpack.
17:00: I leave Benchmark and cycle back to Hungerford for the evening. I think about the possibilities for the next workshop. Pete has shown interest in getting involved in furniture making sessions and Sean has donated some chestnut logs and offcuts.
Further reading for the especially geeky:
- A day in the life of the Benchmark Fixperts Resident – Week 27
- A day in the life of the Benchmark Fixperts Resident – Week 26
- A day in the life of the Benchmark Fixperts Resident – Week 25
- A day in the life of the Benchmark Fixperts Resident – Week 24
