Makerspace Showcase: Creating the Solution

Makerspace Showcase: Creating the Solution

Demonstrate excellent technical skills when making the solution

 (I forgot to take a picture of my chair with the cloth on top and a fixed "head and neck rest".

Construct a logical plan, which outlines the efficient use of time and resources, sufficient for peers to be able to follow to create the solution

I had a set of measurements and a drawing on how long each stixx will be and how far they would be from each other. My design was to have two identical sides and a row of sticks connecting the sides and supporting the actual person.

1. I was going to roll a lot of newspaper stixx. I was going to make about 100.
2. I was going to cut every stick with a saw for both sides and mark them. Most of the measurements were paired up with another, so that I turn one stick into two, and roll less stixx.
3. Then, I was going to make the two sides first by precisely tying them together with zip ties.
4. And then, I was going to use the sticks that were not cut (which are mostly the same length) to connect the two sides together and make the top and bottom. That was also going to be done using zip ties.
5. Afterwards, I was going put a surface on top which was very likely to be cardboard. It was so that people will not be lying on thin hard stixx with gaps between each of them, and to spread the pressure a little.

Follow the plan to create the solution, which functions as intended and is presented appropriately
and
-explain changes made to the chosen design and the plan when making the solution.

1. I rolled about 70 newspaper stixx.
2. I started to cut them according to my measurements. I looked at the measurements, measured the correct length and cut it. Afterwards, I gave them a number according the their position in my list. (I turned most of the stixx into two). I only finished cutting the stixx for one side for this part. This is because I didn't have enough stixx, and it was time to start assembling the pieces.
3. I assembled the first side, and this part is basically just using zip ties to tie all the pieces / stixx together. I started with the part for the head because I marked the stixx from the front to the back. (The first few stixx I had someone hold them when I tied the zip ties diagonally for each interception, ending up with little crosses). I only had the back part (part for the legs) left before the main stick snapped. That stick connected the sections together. Since I was missing that part, I couldn't continue the leg part.
4. Then, I remembered that I collect two metal rods from an old laundry hanger that was going to be thrown away. So I brought them to school and replaced the original "main stick" with one of them. And then I finished that side. I thought it was great because the thickness of the rod is close to the newspaper stixx and it is really strong and hard to break.
5. Since I found out it took a lot of time referring to the measurements, cutting the stixx, and marking them, then sorting them out. I decided I would start with the metal rod and build the new side on top of the completed side (the completed side was strong and also rolled fine when I tried by hand). And I cut each stick and zip tie them immediately. Even if it sounds inefficient, it was actually a quicker process than cutting all the stixx and trying to find the right one. It was also easier and more convenient. For this side, I also used a plier to tighten the zip ties which was much easier and less painful than doing by hand. This part went much smoother and there wasn't much challenging about making this side since I had some experience with tying and cutting the newspaper stixx already.
6. In the middle of step 5, I actually had to roll more newspaper stixx because the ones left were poorly rolled and were not strong enough.
7. Afterwards, I picked the strongest newspaper stixx left and made the top of the "chair", which also connected the two sides and allowed it to balance on its own. For this part, I had to use long zip ties because there were three sticks for one intersection point. Most of the stixx were of the same length and I kept that approximate length. So I did not cut any stixx for this step. The stixx left were not the strongest ones, so I had to use more of them and put them closer than I expected for the bottom and back part. I didn't connect the bottom of the sides because I was out of stixx and running out of time. This made an unfixed distance on the base and made the chair tilt easily when people sat on it. Therefore, I added a cross brace for both the front and the back and at the bottom.
8. This part was when I added the cardboard on the top. The cardboard makes the chair more comfortable to lie on, spreads the pressure from the weight of a person, and also acts as stixx since it goes beyond the sides. I found a big cardboard box in the class and cut it out so it's not too wide and I left the end extended so not the feet can also be placed, not just the legs. Then, I poked holes with scissors so I could tie a zip tie around a small section of the cardboard and tie it to the stick available below. I did a couple of these throughout the cardboard so it is fixed and secured.
9. Then I added a piece of thin white cloth on top of the cardboard. That way it looks a better, and will perhaps feel better than just a piece of cardboard.