Project Outline Liam Sturgess GCSE Resistant Materials 2010 Contemporary furniture. Coffee table

Project Outline

Liam SturgessGCSE ResistantMaterials 2010

Contemporary furniture.

Coffee table

How would my tablebe used ?

How am I going paint/varnish my table ?

When would my tablecome into use ?

When will I be able to work

on my table ?

Why would someonewant to use my table ?Why would I use wood

rather than metal ?

Where would someoneput my table ?

Where am I going to get

my materials from ?

What would my tablebe used for/as ?

What type of finish would

be most preferred ?

Design Brief/Task analysis


Who would mostcommonly use my table

?Who would be interested inmy table ?

I am going to make aContemporary piece ofFurniture. My chosen

piece offurniture will be a

contemporary themedcoffee table.

Plan of Work


Research target marketResearch existing productsResearch product specificationResearch suitable materialsResearch equipment neededRough designDevelop designFinal designMake productEvaluate and test product

Research


Target Market

The target market for my product are young adults looking at a contemporary theme.

Product Purpose

The purpose of my product is to support coffee cups, glasses and any other objects placed on a coffee table.

Research


I have done some research both on the internet and at home and have found where I believe my table will fit adequately.

This is a picture I have taken using my phone. Using a 5mp camera I have captured a place where I believe my table will fit comfortably.

This is a picture I have taken using my 5mp camera on my phone, it is a perfect example of a typical living room where I believe my table will fit in adequately.

This is a picture I found whilst conducting my research using the internet. It is a modern contemporary living space where I believe my table will be perfectly suited.

Research


These are some pictures of existing products of a similar specification to my Idea. My research shows products with a wide range of materials and finishes used, from wood, to glass to metals, paints and varnishes.

Research


http://www.srbworld.com/Item/f1-racer-desk.aspx

http://www.chaplins.co.uk/contemporary-furniture/chaplins-furniture/contemporary-coffee-tables.html

http://www.macandmacinteriors.co.uk/contemporary-coffee-tables-c-23_31.html

http://weburbanist.com/2009/04/29/15-creative-coffee-tables-and-offbeat-coffee-table-designs/

These are a few of the websites I have used and analysed for inspiration towards the design of my table. They are also a good source of existing products that are similar to my specification.

http://www.srbworld.com/Item/f1-racer-desk.aspx

http://www.chaplins.co.uk/contemporary-furniture/chaplins-furniture/contemporary-coffee-tables.html





Research


Original Product Specification

- The Table must be able to fit into a contemporary scene.- It must be able to hold the weight of a number of everyday household items such as: Coffee mugs Water jugs Magazines Books Plates flowers photographs etc.- It must not be too heavy to move.- It must be suitable to use on all surfaces, for example on a carpet.- It must not have sharp edges that may harm inhabitants.- It must be stable and durable, to take a knock without sustaining damage- It must have a suitable finish for an inside environment. e.g. Paint, Varnish.

Research


Suitable Materials

I have chosen to construct my product mainly out of wood although it may have certain metal reinforced or manufactured components.

Woods I would consider using would be:- MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard) - Dense, flat, stiff, has no knots and is easily machined. Can be obtained in natural colour in various thickness's or self coloured.- Pine - Soft, easily carved and cut, accepts paint and stain, can have artistic knots, cheap comparatively, light naturally, readily available.- Ash - Highly grained pale creamy wood. Ash is a naturally tough and flexible wood. Shock resistant and durable.- Oak - Machines well, good for nailing and screwing. Stains and polishes well. Heavy and hard, medium bending and crushing strength properties.- Birch - Creamy white/golden brown. Machines well, nice to look at. Holds nails and screws relatively well.

Research


Suitable Finishes

Finishes that I believe would be suitable for my table would be:

- Paint - Is available in thousands of colours and can be applied to all woods. certain paints can be wiped over to clean leaving a nice neat finish.- Varnish - This will give the wood a glass/shiny effect. It needs to be applied properly for it to look good. If it is put on wrong the wood may look shabby and the desired effect will not be reached.- Veneer - Coating consisting of a thin layer of superior wood glued to a base of inferior wood. For example, an oak veneer coating on an MDF board. This provides an expensive look on a cheap wood.- Stain - Stains are often used to enhance or bring the grain out on a wood they are available in almost every colour but are more effective if you use a darker stain than the wood colour.- Oil - Teak and timbers are naturally oily. This can be used to improve the quality of the grain and prepare it for out door use. Vegetable oil can be applied to timbers that are going to come into contact with food e.g. salad servers.

Research


Equipment Needed

During the construction of my table I will use many tools and equipment.The tools and equipment I will most probably use will be:

- Band saw, Tenon saw.- Wood plane- Wood chisels- Tape measure- Steel rule- Pencil- Screw driver- Screws- Wood glue- Vice- Circular saw- Paint brush, paint and varnish

Research


Manufacturing Methods

These are the methods and materials I would use to construct my table and join all its components. How to fix it together ?PVA GlueNails and pinsScrewsGlue

JointsCarcase jointLap jointDove tail jointFinger jointHalving jointBridle jointCross halving joint

Research


Survey

I am conducting this survey as I am making a coffee table and am looking for your opinion . . . .

- Would you like something that has a contemporary look ? For example, incorporating glass and simplistic styles.- Would you like it to be colourful ?- Would you like it to incorporate glass ? If so would would you prefer it with a wood or metal frame ?- Would you like the frame to be made of wood ?- Would you like the frame to be made of metal ?- Would you like it to be easily moveable, light enough to lift ?- Would you like it to be able to take heavy weight, for example someone sitting on it ?- What would you like to be able to put on it for example, cups, glasses, plates etc. ?

Ergonomics


Ergonomics is where things are made to be comfortable for people to use and to be comfortable to fit a specified human body.

Will it be comfortable to sit on ?Will it be the right size for the specified age range ?Will it be to heavy to pick up ?

These are all questions I have to take into consideration whilst designing and constructing my table. It must be at the right height for people to put things onto without straining to lean to far down or up. When being used as a chair it must be at the perfect height to sit on, so that people do not have to sit too low or too high.

Anthropometrics is the study of human dimensions. This information is critically important, as I am designing a product which needs to fit a person sitting on it and be at the right height for them to place things on and pick things up form it.

Aesthetics means the way something looks:ShapeColourSizeFeel

Ergonomics


I have looked at existing coffee tables to get a further perspective of how I will design my table, and of what heights I will need to make it so that it will be ergonomically suitable for a young adult to use. I noted the sizes and materials used on a number of tables I evaluated.

Research Analysis


Summary of Results from Completed Surveys

These are the summarised results from the survey I conducted earlier. By ensuring I had a wide range of answers I gave my survey to ten different people.

Of the ten people I asked 8 said they would like a contemporary, simplistic table.Six people said they would like a colourful table whereas the other four said they would prefer it to not be too colourful but still have maybe a few neutral colours.

Only three people said they would like it to incorporate glass although seven people said they would prefer it not to have glass.The three people that said they wanted to incorporate glass all said they would rather the frame of the table be made of wood.

All ten people I gave my survey to said they would have the majority of the table made of wood.

Four of the ten people said they would like it to be easily moveable although the other 6 people I gave my survey said they would sacrifice the weight of it for a good finish.

Research Analysis


Summary of Results from Completed Surveys

Nine people said they would like it to be able to take a heavy weight, most people said they would like to be able to sit on it.

I used these results to help develop my design and decide on my consturction methods.

Research Analysis


From my research I have learnt that:

- The target market for my table will be young adults who like a contemporary theme.- Coffee tables come in a range of materials; wood, metal, plastic. They come in a range of sizes, styles and shapes.- Wood is a favourable material to use for coffee tables and would be an easier material to machine and work with. It may also provide a nicer finish.- Most people would like a table with a wooden frame and for it to be easy to lift and move.- 8 out of 10 people would like a table that had a contemporary look.- Most people would like the table to be colourful and tidy, presenting a modern look.- That the table must be designed to be at a certain height off the ground to be ergonomically comfortable.- That there are many different ways of joining woods together by using special joints like a dove tail joint and a carcase joint and by using wood screws and glue to create a very sturdy and durable joint.

Development


I have developed my coffee table idea to create a coffee table / chair.I have been inspired to create this idea by researching creative tables using the internet.My idea has been heavily influenced from a table design created by Akemi Tanaka inc. however I have tried to adapt the design to make it more unique to myself by adding things such as extra compartments in the arms which may be useful for keeping things such as CD's and DVD's. I have also designed the legs with drawers in them which as well as making my design more intricate and unique it also makes it more practical and useful to my target audience of young adults who may wish to keep things such as books and magazines in the drawers.

I have tried to further adapt my idea to make it more unique by creating my own solution to the hinge system of the table top piece. I have attempted to look further into creating my own solutions for key aspects of the table although have found little more I can do to further distinguish it from the original design.

Development


Developed Product Specification

After developing my coffee table idea to incorporate a new design which features a contemporary coffee table look whilst also hosting an inbuilt chair feature.The new table/chair idea must:

- The Table/chair must be able to fit into a contemporary scene as eight people from my survey said they would like it to be modern and simplistic.- When acting as a table it must be able to hold the weight of a number of everyday household items. For example, cups, mugs, plates and magazines. These were the most common items people on my survey said they would like it to be able to hold.- Most people from my survey said they would use it to sit on so I therefore decided when acting as a chair it must be able to hold the weight of over two fully grown people. This is equivalent to around 160kg.- My survey showed that four of the ten people would like to be able to lift my table/chair so therefore it must be light enough for an average grown person to lift and move. The average weight a person can lift may be around 15-20kg.- It must be suitable to use on all surfaces, for example on a carpet.

Development


Developed Product Specification (Cont.)

- It must not have sharp edges that may harm inhabitants. Such as children who may walk into it if they are running about.- It must be stable and durable enough to take a knock without sustaining damage.- It must have a finish that would attract the target audience. For example smooth varnish, bright or subtle colours. I have chosen to use these types of finishes because my survey showed that 6 people would like bright colours whereas only four would like it to incorporate neutral colours.- Whilst acting as a table it must be around 55cm off the ground. This is an ideal hight for people to reach over, lift and put things down.- When acting as a chair the sitting hight must be around 45-50cm off the ground as this will ensure optimum ergonomic comfort.- The table must be around a meter long/100cm/1000mm. This is because if it were any longer I believe it would be too big for an average living room.

Evaluation


Developed Product Specification Compared to Finished Product

*Red writing are comments I have made subject to my table/chair compared to my specification.

- The Table/chair must be able to fit into a contemporary scene as eight people from my survey said they would like it to be modern and simplistic. I believe my table/chair will fit very nicely into a contemporary themed house due to its deign, finished colours and materials used.- When acting as a table it must be able to hold the weight of a number of everyday household items. For example, cups, mugs, plates and magazines. These were the most common items people on my survey said they would like it to be able to hold. Yes I believe it will carry out these standards very easily.- Most people from my survey said they would use it to sit on so I therefore decided when acting as a chair it must be able to hold the weight of over two fully grown people. This is equivalent to around 160kg. Yes it can easily take the weight of two grown people. I have proven this by getting two grown people to sit on my table/chair.

Evaluation


Developed Product Specification Compared to Finished Product (Cont.)

- My survey showed that four of the ten people would like to be able to lift my table/chair so therefore it must be light enough for an average grown person to lift and move. The average weight a person can lift may be around 15-20kg. I do not believe I have met this criteria in the construction of my table as it usually takes two average people to move it around and lift it without causing themselves pain or causing damage to the table.- It must be suitable to use on all surfaces, for example on a carpet. Yes I believe I have met this specification as it has been proven to be suitable to use on all surfaces although flat, wooden or flat carpets proved to be the most comfortable and suitable.- It must not have sharp edges that may harm inhabitants. Such as children who may walk into it if they are running about. Although I believe the edges of my table/chair are not sharp there are still 90 degree angled edges.

Evaluation



- It must be stable and durable enough to take a knock without sustaining damage. My table is very sturdy and extremely durable, yes I believe my table is capable of taking a knock and not sustaining damage.- It must have a finish that would attract the target audience. For example smooth varnish, bright or subtle colours. I have chosen to use these types of finishes because my survey showed that 6 people would like bright colours whereas only four would like it to incorporate neutral colours. I believe my table is very appealing to my target audience as I have used a mixture of varnished oak, and bright cherry painted MDF.- Whilst acting as a table it must be between 40-45cm off the ground. This is an ideal hight for people to reach over, lift and put things down. I have not met this criteria directly however my table stands at 54cm of the ground which I believe is not too far from my original specification.

Evaluation



- When acting as a chair the sitting hight must be around 37-42cm off the ground as this will ensure optimum ergonomic comfort. Again I have not directly met this specification as my table when acting as a chair has a sitting height of 47cm off the ground.- The table must be around a meter long/100cm/1000mm. This is because if it were any longer I believe it would be too big for an average living room. I have met this criteria perfectly as my table is exactly 1 meter long. I think this will ensure it fits into an average contemporary room comfortably.

Evaluation


Evaluation of Table

To check that my table meets the specification I have tested it by allowing people to sit on it and provide feedback.I have provided evidence of my table being tested by photographing two fellow students sitting on my table/chair.

Chester said:'The comfort of the chair was

great with one person aswell as two. Although their wasn'tas much room, the seat easily fitstwo people. It is good for couples

and has been made to a greatstandard.'

Tom said:'Good design, very heavy to lift, even withtwo people. The comfort of the seat wasvery good, with both one and two people

Sitting, although a tight squeeze. NiceHeight for sitting and placing cups of teaon it. Lots of room on top to fit teacups,

Plates and so on.'

Batch Production


Many modern day manufactured items whether it be furniture, toys or utilities are nearly all mass produced. This means they are being produced in large quantities. Or sometimes smaller quantities although still more than one is being made at a time.

If I were going to batch produce my table I would have to cut each section, for example the legs of my table; I would cut all the side leg pieces at once, for example 10 side pieces. Then I would go on to make the middle leg pieces. By doing the same part all in one go I am saving time as I do not have to reset the band saw, or drill if I am drilling pilot or clearance holes.

Once I have successfully produced a selection of the same piece, for example 10 side leg pieces, 10 middle leg pieces and 10 back leg pieces, I would then go on to sub-assemble these parts to fully construct 5 legs.

I would then do the same steps for each section of the table until I have enough of each part to then assemble them to create a number of completed tables. To save time applying the finishing coat of paint I might resort to spraying the paint on as this will save time and will be effective for doing more than one table. As for the oak hardwood tabletop pieces I would use oak veneer stuck over an MDF board piece as done over a batch production it would save time to work with and money.

Documents

Project Outline Liam Sturgess GCSE Resistant Materials 2010 Contemporary furniture. Coffee table