WOOD TOY CAR
We were tasked to create a wooden model of a car which was either of your own design or your take on an existing car. The design of your car had to include rotating wheels, decal stickers to compliment your design as well as be within the size constraints of 200mm long x 120mm wide x 120mm high. Through using only hardwood, we must complete our car design that compliments the wood and it must be finished by fine sanding.
Research
Ideation
Before drawing each ideation concepts, I found it hard to decide whether I wanted to recreate a famous car or design my own original design. In addition to that, I couldn't decide whether I wanted to do a simplified or a details rendition of the design. I found that I also needed to decide whether I wanted to make a solid car made from layers stuck together, carved from a singe block of wood, a car made through panels stuck to a central block.
Eventually I decided that I wanted to make a car that represented a famous vintage car. From my first 3 ideas of the Porsche 911, the MGB and the Beetle, I chose the Porsche 911. This decision reflected on the choice of the building process, where I was going to use a layered design.
This design is my final idea of my wooden toy car. It is a simplified version of a Porsche 911 from the 1970's which can be advertised as a children's toy for children of vintage car fanatics. It includes contrast in wood type through the use of meranti wood to depict a racing stripe as well as decals that will portray a racing number and other racing elements.
Development
I found inspiration from looking at Porsche 911 1970 blueprints. These blueprints helped to get the overall scale of the car in proportion to each detail and they help me to simplified the more complex detail so that they would be easier to execute.
As I made a developmental prototype before my final prototype, it gave me an idea on how I was going to complete my execution plan and how big my final prototype may be. This allowed me to make changes in how wide my Porsche was going to be. As I employed a layering technique to my developmental prototype i found that it put into perspective my execution plan for the final wooden prototype. I found that my model needed to be wider than the cardboard model as well as a bit more simplified as it was hard to get small details in the cardboard therefore it wouldn't be practical in the wooden design. I learnt that it would be hard to get the curves of the car but not impossible, I just needed to believe that I was capable to complete my wooden toy to my satisfaction.
Manufacture
Through the process of making this prototype, I learnt that going to look at the different sizes in precut wood was beneficial as I could edit my design around what was available to me. This allowed me to find a size of wood that worked for me, which was 10mm thick. Therefore, I could buy one long piece and cut it into smaller pieces to create a seven layer product, which was cut, glued, drilled and sanded into the final shape I wanted. Verbalizing my plan also helped to get advise from other so that I could get the best outcome. This project was the first project that I did in a proper workshop and it helped me to become more comfortable with using big machinery which in turn allowed me to become me confident in my own ability.
Decal Design
For my decal designs, I found that many Porsches from the 1970's had either a Porsche name stripe on the bottom of the doors, a number plate and/or a racing strip. As I wanted to portray a racing styled Porsche 911. I felt that creating a decal design that focused on racing numbers and stripes as well as advertising and a South African flag best represented that this car model is a racing car.
Outcome
Throughout the process of making this prototype, I found that I preferred this medium of prototyping. I found that because I planned out my creation process, it was easier to translate the design of the Porsche into reality. I struggled with getting the angular body shape to the original curved body shape, therefore I had to make a compromise in the overall design, so the design is more angular than the original. Additionally, I found it hard to get the ridges made by the finger sander out, the back bumper into a uniform shape, as well as getting the wheels smooth. Overall I genuinely enjoyed this project and I am very proud of my final prototype.
