Wood Toy Car
My task was to produce a stylised wooden toy car that meets specific guidelines, the main one being the size constraints of 200mm x 120mm x 120mm. The toy car needed to incorporate rotating wheels and explore the relationship between wood textures, grains, and colours to compliment the aesthetic properties of the toy.
Research
Ideation
My idea for the toy took two turns, it was first inspired by the Porsche 963 and then I became inspired by vehicles and starships inspired by Star Wars. My concept development shows my thought process as I went from ordinary vehicles to the extraordinary idea I used for my final prototype.
Development
My developmental model had no formal planning. I had an idea in mind and very roughly sketched it onto carboard to begin building it. The first thing I noticed was that the model was too big and that I would need to scale down the design for the final prototype.
CAD Development
I decided to CAD model my final design so that I had a definitive direction to follow when building my final prototype in order to minimize mistakes and maximize my time.
Manufacture
The process of crafting the toy car was incredibly fun, especially when it came to cutting and sanding each piece. Working with wood presents some challenges but the most difficult part of crafting the toy was engraving the two wings and maintaining symmetry. That step consumed a lot of time and required extensive thinking on my part. The wheels were a challenge to sand due to having little room to work with while holding those tiny parts, but building the toy overall was very fun. It was amazing to see it come together.
Decal Design
The main inspiration for my design was Star Wars and I therefore found it would be fitting to include symbols and fonts from the Star Wars universe in my decal design. I also designed a windshield decal for the front of the toy.
Outcome
My final prototype came out very cleanly. The wings of the toy are able to fold up in order to minimize the amount of space it takes up and the wheels of the model are hidden beneath these wings. Everything is sanded to a high finish and the rocket boosters add a subtle but much needed boost to the model's detail. The toy is perfectly sized and contrasts different woods to effectively show off and define all of its detailing and geometry.
