For this assignment, each student was given a category and instructed to build 5 models pertaining to that category, all constructed from low-fidelity materials. I was assigned “axes” for this homework. Below is a picture describing my brainstorming process. At the time of writing this, I have not yet gone to the OEDK to build my models, but as of right now, they are constructed out of materials such as paper clips, toothpicks, popsicle sticks, foam blocks/spheres, and K’nex pieces.

After going to the OEDK and making various modifications after beginning to make the models, I have completed the assignment using popsicle sticks, hot glue, plastic paper clips, play dough, ping pong balls, K’nex pieces, tooth picks, and foam blocks.

 

 

 

 

 

Model 1 was constructed from popsicle sticks and pieces of a plastic paper clip. To create the axes, I cut slits into two of the popsicle sticks and stuck them inside one another. I then reinforced all three axes by connecting them together using pieces of a plastic paper clip and hot glue. I changed my brainstorming idea from using toothpicks to using a plastic paper clip because, upon trying the first idea, I realized that the toothpicks did not provide enough reinforcement to the structure.

 

 

 

 

Model 2 was constructed using three toothpicks and three rolls of play dough. Originally, my idea was to use paper clip pieces to reinforce the inside of the play dough axes but quickly realized that it was easier to hot glue axes made out of toothpicks rather than paperclips, so I went with the latter. Also, I planned to use a heat gun to make the play dough harden more quickly, but then I realized that in the process of doing so, I was melting the hot glue which kept the axes together, so I left the play dough out to harden on its own.

 

 

 

 

Model 3 was constructed using three foam blocks and multiple toothpicks. The toothpicks had the function of holding the blocks together. Although I had originally planned to hold the blocks together using hot glue and popsicle sticks, the idea of using toothpicks to hold the axes together spontaneously popped into my head during prototyping and it seemed like a quicker and more fun solution.

 

 

 

Model 4 was constructed using a ping pong ball and multiple K’nex sticks. While my brainstorming idea was to use popsicle sticks as the axes, during construction I had the idea to drill 6 holes through the ping pong ball and then use hot glue to keep 6 K’nex sticks in each hole, creating the new axes. I would say that drilling holes through the ball had to be my favorite part of building this model.

 

 

 

Model 5 was created using various K’nex pieces as well as plastic paper clip pieces. After creating model 4, I thought that my last two models would be too similar, so instead of stabbing the K’nex pieces through a foam block like I had originally planned, I used K’nex pieces to create the axes, and then I hot glued 8 plastic paper clip pieces to the z axis and the “origin” to keep the middle white piece from sliding up and down.