Monday, October 19, 2009

Upcycling: The Tool Box



From the very start of this project a number of ideas zoomed in one ear and out the other. Some seemed impossible and some seemed to easy but they all shared a common idea. This idea was to design something along the same lines of context of the trash it was made out of.

During my research I thought of alot of things that just wouldnt work because of time and labour constraints, such as welding nuts and bolts into a hammer. I played with the idea of repititon, and a series of smaller objects becoming a bigger object. - 'The whole is greater than the sum of its parts'

I began to start experimenting with old pens i had at home. I disassembled the parts and started to play around with what i can make. I drew up some sketches and made the base out containing walls of my unrefined accessories box.
As I ventured on, I started developing self impressive ways on how to twist and change different parts of pens to my advantage.
I thought to myself that it was rather simple and therefore further refined my accessories box by adding an interior second shelf that presents itself as the case is opened.

This pro took me quite a while as to how to make all the components work without fail or breaking.
I pursued with the idea of making the entire model out of nothing but pens, and this included no hinges or joints or locks.
I made the hinges out of sliced pen shell casings and ink tubing. I also twisted the ink tubing into a lassoo to act as a lock and keep the box shut.

I see much potential in the mass manufacturing of this as there are so many old and used pens that are just thrown into the garbage. The disposability of a pen has become an advantage to me in the assignment. Overall I am quite pleased with my final outcome because I never thought the components would actually work at the end. :)

6 comments:

  1. Really cool idea taking pens and transforming them into something useful, I like shelves inside the actual box.
    My only critism is that it could look more polished and orderly.
    really good idea though

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  2. I can see the complexity within your design and its very interesting as even the hinges made up part of the construction.

    One problem. And you know what it is. The paint. The enamel black cheapens the look why didn’t you use matt acrylic paint Jason? You could have had an outstanding little device if it was simply refined better your posters were graphically simple and well made just the way they should be. Good work

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  3. I was amazed at this use of material. Pens go to such a great amount of waste, and the way they have been joined, and function, is amazing. My only criticism is the paint job, but apart from that, nice posters and excellent idea and use of material.

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  4. .. i wouldnt have even known they were pens until i looked closer its really well made and i like that u have used pens even to form the joints really nice job!

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  5. i have to say well done for your tool box, i personality really like it! very smart think and nice layout! i think the clear tool box looks better than the black one that you have shown, because i think its more interesting that you can blurry see whats in the tool box.

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  6. When i first looked at it at the presentation room and my friend asked me if they were really pens i was like nah... then had a 2nd look and it really was. Well done with that!

    I'm just thinking about the extra paint you had to use. Is that really necessary?

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