Oct '11 - May '13
Cranbrook is about building—not the noun, but the verb; not the object, but the action. Even if you're into Arduino, Processing, Kinect, and openFrameworks, you still need to build upon your ideas. It is believed to be the path to reality. Whose reality? Mostly yours, of course.
In the case of mine, I started to meet difficulties by executing my plan today. It turned out that butt-joining balusters into 4' x 8' frame really depends on the connection materials. The cheapest standard metal connectors available in Home Depot don't do their homework that well, they bent under torque. I decided to improvise by making sandwich (kebab is more like it, actually) joints out of two of these connectors, just to stabilize the frame. It works, but consequently it means doubling the price for fixtures, a price I'm avoiding to pay. I'll visit Home Depot some time this week and try to work other construction alternative for the other frame I haven't assembled just yet.
On the other hand, my idea to join the floor panel with the frame works out just fine (despite the fact that I had to borrow some screws from Doug “The Savior” Skidmore). I hope it will also work for the roof panel.
Anyone has any input/opinion/advice on these issues? I'll be glad to hear some, just jot it down in the comment section. Thanks.
A school blog on Arch Dept, Cranbrook Academy of Art. By farid rakun, admitted Fall 2011.
2 Comments
Custom metal brackets, man! You have a metal shop!
Butt joint isn't the best. Box joint, lap joint, or mortise and tenon, or mitered with an interior bracket, and/or a biscuit within any metal corner.
Also, use gravity: your horizontal members should be resting on top of your vertical members. Currently they are hanging.
I love your first paragraph.
Donna,
Thanks for the comments.
I've considered what you said, my dilemma though is what I like to call as the notion of laziness.
It is my intention for my system to be buildable by (as close as possible to) anyone in the world. I'm stripping every manufacturing step possible, just so the manufacturing part of the system could be as simple, or as lazy, as possible.
Metal shop, yes, but not everyone has a metal shop, so it will be a very difficult path for me to take. As the matter of joints, I'll look into the possibilities further, putting your advice into high consideration. Butt-joint was chosen just because it's so off-the-shelf, it's irresistible for the bigger picture.
Thanks again to put your two cents into the struggle I'm in. Really appreciate it.
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.