Ace Hardware

Today we worked on finding the wood on Ace hardware that Fletcher will go and get over the break.  So we scrapped the idea of a sliding desk top.  So we all brought in 10 dollars on monday and it covered the expenses of the wood, nails, and paint.  On the next friday we will finish the final product and begin on the presentation.  This year has gone by fast and I feel that landon and I could not finish today with out getting of topic and talking about the break.  THIS IS FRIDAY.   I can not wait for the break I have spent the last month waiting on this and I bet one million million million billion dollars that It will go by to fast.  I will also try to go to hame depot and see if I can not find find anything that is cheap and good for this project.

I got nothing man

Today we had so many problems with the design and and getting parts everything that was good was either online buy and long shipping or out of stock or both.  We were very very very very very silly at the end and I think the stress got to us but we did make some progress.  Fletch daddy found out that PVC pipe would help solve some problems that were caused by us constantly missing opportunities to get sliding track systems and a cheap sheet metal.  I personally think that home depot sells nothing that is on their web site because it had nothing that was on the website.  We have been messed up by the home of depot.   The stress got to fletcher and we considered change the project but there is not enough time.  I think the silliness is how we dealt with the stress.  Personally I do not care if we have to change every thing about the project as long as we get it done in the next week or so, so we can get moving on our speech and fix all the mistakes from last time. (the title refers to an awkward moment when you spell something so wrong that even auto correct is even like…(title).

Buckets Design

Today went by so slow I had no idea what to do.  We had most of the parts done Fletcher came up with the final picture Landon and I made sure the parts were still there after black Friday.  In fact the prices came  down.   I found a cheaper sheet metal that was some what bigger and Landon found out that we were searching for online products and we needed to searching store prices.  I also was able to find a slide system that fit our design.  Fletcher was very concerned that we would not finish in time and that if we were in this class named leadership for the full year that we would be able to finish but due to time constraints we will not.  I have the worst feeling that not many of the groups will finish.  It is almost the end of the year and as it comes to a close so will this class.  I have the impression that this would have been a great idea.

The Home of depot

Today we retook measurements and found out some prices and the total was around twenty-five dollars.  Yesterday we had our presentations and ours turned out well.  We had the closest time to five minutes and we moved smoothly from topic to topic.  The track systems range from twenty inches to sixteen and the prices ranged from fifteen dollars to twenty.  Fletcher found our steel platform for nine dollars and forty-eight cent.  I had a little bit of trouble getting my laptop to work and the day went to fast for any changes to be made in the design.  This design will most likely be the final along with the black steel and painted black track systems.  Our project moved along smoothly and I found somethings wrong with Lowe's and Fletcher suggested Sears.  Landon searched Sears while I checked Home depot.  We lost many of the original track systems we looked at and we decided that we need to move on with it and buy one.

Presenting in 3...2...1...0

Today was great time flew by as we practiced, and practiced, and practiced, and practiced, and practiced our presentation which will be in next week.  In the class Fletcher surprised us with a special foam board cut out design that was functional.  Our presentation lasted for 4 minutes and 25 second.  Landon did great with his presentation that seemed sketchy last week.  Fletcher worked on the foam model that is to scale.  We have several flaws that are not obvious but we found them to be a concern.  When we get time we will research the problems and see if there is any way to fix them.  It has been a short week and we will finish it with in the weeks after Thanksgiving break.  It has been a long time since we have made a major change to the design.  Our design is almost done and should be finished soon.

The presentation

Today Fletcher gave us a scare when he showed us what he had on the power point so far.  It was short and he told us to get to work on what we would say.  I worked on mine the whole time and we tried to recover the images that were taken over the past 10 weeks.  Fletcher keep most of them so we had to check his laptop.  Today I did a little research on sliding track systems because we are behind on that aspect.  We will have some more brain storming on Friday as I tried to this Friday.  We will also try to practice our presentation.  Fletcher has the opening I have the middle and Landon has finale.  Fletcher is putting together the three separate power points together and add the visuals that can change the presentation.   It was like going through and old photo album trying to find goo pictures from the project.

Presentation ready

Today Fletcher worked on the presentation powerpoint.  I researched cheap parts on Home Depot and Landon will tell you what he did on his blogger account.   Fletcher has moved forward and we are close to the final design that will be the iHelper a final picture was promised but a slight change so the final is not for sure.   If we can we will have a some prototypes.  The presentation Is coming along well.  Landon skipped out on us for half the class.  Next week the presentation will be done and ready to presented.  The track systems will go in opposite directions so that it will limit the total motion os the desk.  It also serves to protect the track systems from over stress.  Fletcher's blog has a diagram of the double track systems and my picture has the track system that I found on Home Depot and Landon has what every he did.

Standing the pressure

Surprisingly our foam board model in the back of the class with stood the weight of a mac book air.  Today Fletcher Freeman constructed the foam board model of the desk suspension system with the parts in the picture below me and landon compiled stats of how well the model held up.  It was able to hold up the full weight of the laptop with out falling.  There is a picture of the built model on Fletcher Freeman’s blog.  Landon Scott has a design review on his blog.  Next week we will bring together some supplies to start building the final desk.  My blog should have some pictures of the work next week along with the description in full detail.  Fletcher will have us bring in more foam board to construct other designs and have a better scientific description.  The laptop will be suspended off of the desk by 8 inches and can slide back and forth and side to side.  The desk should be made of wood and be able to hold up cables, the laptop, and a few pens or pencil.

Foam board

Today we played around with some foam board and made some models of the desk but due to time restraints we were not able to get many pictures.  The time ran short when I was researching the possible track systems.  I had lost the website as well and forgot the size of the track system.  So next week will most likely be a repeat with the missing information.  Fletcher had the idea that we have two platforms and the track systems connected to each.  There will be no leg room taken up from the design we settled on and we have final design for the actual desk in a while such.  If any flaws are found the desk will be modified into a better model and this new model will repeat the process.  I feel like Fletcher has really stepped forward and taken lead in the research and Landon has made more of finance advance.

Outside the Box

Today we had three breakthroughs, one about swivel hinges, one about track systems, and one about size.  Each of the members came up with one mine was the swivel, Fletcher’s was about a double track system and Landon came up with a size fixture that would be benefiting the customers writing space.  The new swivel system is like the one in a picture frame and it would hold the laptop to the desk.  The size reduction made the desk space increase by 5 inches.  With the new double track system there is more motion range and there is a video of it on Fletchers blog.  In today’s work we drew on a white board and had a brain dump session pouring out ideas about the desk extender.  After today we will begin the final picture of the project.  I had a good idea about a material list that included PVC pipe and particle board, but I forgot to research prices.  We were able to find prices on some items and they were all under 10 dollars.  The desk will be of the desk by 8 inches.  Next time we will work on the clamp system and a final picture.

The track system final

            This week I decided to find a way to make the track system more stable and keep it over the desk with out touching it.  This way we can make more room on the desk for paper the computer is closer, and it is not in the aisles and the room is takes up is limited.  The only problem with the design is that there needs to be more room in front of the desk and behind it.  The great thing about this design is it will make the desk more stable the room on top of the desk.  Today was a very productive day and we had to take measurement's.  We found a $7.99 track system and a few ways to limit cost.  We are going to vote on the final system later.  We will find a new way of suspending the table that holds the laptop and then we can decide how the desk will be able to slide around on the desk.

Design Fail

Today we continued to search for the final track system which was Landon Scott's job, and Fletcher Freeman's job was to design the stability system for the desk and my job was to find out if there was any other desk like the design we were thinking of and the closest thing to it was the picture below.  Our final idea was a clip on desk so that it would be there if you needed it but it can be taken off if it is not.  Our desk is going to be able to swivel around the desk and will suspend the laptop off the desk so that you have room to write.  Fletchers blog should have more on the design including a picture of what he did.  Landon's blog has a picture of the chosen track system.  The deliverables are going to be slightly behind due to many design fails and idea set backs.

The desk project

Today we brain stormed track ideas and a more stable track systems.  Along with the idea of a logo, we brain stormed the idea of having a magnetic system to move the desk after it has been clipped on to the desk.  We are far from finding the final product but we have removed a lot of bad ideas from the picture along with a fishing track system that Landon had found on google images.  The way we have decided to make a system for the stability of the desk and clamps for the laptop to sit safely on top of the desk extension.  Next friday we will make model track systems out of foam and our desk designs will begin with the clamps.  Our deadline is approaching fast and we need begin on having a closer to finish design.  Our group has downloaded a 123d design program and we have decide to experiment over the weekend.