Table of Contents
1. Investigation 2
1.1. Why Steampunk? 2
1.2. Examples and Annotations 4
1.2.1. Example 1 4
1.2.2. Example 2 5
1.2.3. Example 3 6
1.2.4. Example 4 7
1.2.5. Example 5 8
1.3. Gear Assembly Designs 9
1. Investigation
1.1. Why Steampunk?
For my laser cut clock, I would like to construct a mechanism with a steampunk theme. Figure 1 shows the colours most commonly associated with steampunk. I would like to use this theme because it is the theme for this year’s FIRST Robotics Challenge (FRC) which I participate in with my team 4537 as shown in Figure 2. I believe that a steampunk themed clock will be appropriate for my living room as the curtains in my home are very like the gold/bronze colours depicted below. Figure 1. Steampunk colour theme. Figure 2. Logo for this year’s FIRST Robotics Challenge: FIRST Steamworks. I believe that this clock should represent the basic elements of steampunk (Fig 3): • Gears/Cogs • A “fuel” element • Multiple contraptions • Copper colour and wood materials • Airship or plane • Classic steampunk goggles • Round glasses/Moustache • Smoking pipe and a top hat This will be my criteria. Figure 3. Visual representation of classic elements of steampunk. 1.2. Examples and Annotations 1.2.1. Example 1 Figure 4. Example 1 This example was appealing to me because I liked the idea of having the clock not just as a round circle, but a toothed gear. …show more content…
The inside of the clock shows multiple, differently styled gears connected. I believe this certainly adds to the gears/cogs and contraptions sections of my criteria. However, the example lacks a strong copper and rustic colour which does not help with its aesthetics. To improve, an airship could be added to the second or minute hand and a top hat cut out could be added to the top of the device to further explore the steampunk theme. This is a rather simple but effective design. One concerning factor about this example is that it appears to be quite thin. I would prefer a chunkier clock with multiple layers. The example is clearly made predominantly using laser cutting equipment. Material: Wood. Shape: Circular with a toothed edge. Form: 3 dimensional. Quite thin and fragile. Contrast: One colour. Negative space on the design emphasises the gears in the centre. Pattern: Perfectly spaced teeth and random assembly of gears. Scale: Can easily be constrained to given dimensions (400mm x 400mm). 1.2.2. Example 2 Figure 5. Example 2 This example was appealing to me because I liked the design and the variation in components. The clock’s design incorporates a matrix of a variation of gears and mechanisms. All designs are contained within the inside of the clock. I believe this design would be appropriate for my home as it is aesthetically pleasing and fits with my home’s colour set. The sides of the gears have a slightly burnt edge which adds to its steampunk theme. However, this design lacks most the steampunk criteria created earlier excluding the contraptions and gears. This example also does not have a strong copper and rustic colour which does not add to the theme. This design could be improved only by adding more criteria onto the design such as adding an airship/plane to the end of the second hand or etching images of steampunk goggles onto the wood. This example is made predominantly using laser cutting equipment. Material: Wood. Shape: Circular with a smooth edge. Form: 3 dimensional. Quite thin and appears reasonably fragile. Contrast: One colour. Negative space on the design emphasises the gears and mechanisms …show more content…
This addition of layers improves the structural integrity of the clock, making it seem less fragile when comparing it to the previous designs. This clock has the gears/cogs, copper colour, contraptions, and fuel element criterion. The assembly of gears, either visible or partly hidden, make the clock aesthetically pleasing. The arrangement of the gears and cogs can be interpreted as a solar system as they are positioned in a way that remind me of orbiting planets. Additionally, the gears are a range of colours, adding to the contrast within the design. This design could be improved by adding an airship (or space shuttle) to the end of the second or minute hand as well as colouring the plastic used copper or gold. A top hat cut out could be added to the top of the clock frame. This example has some parts manufactured using laser cutting
1. Investigation 2
1.1. Why Steampunk? 2
1.2. Examples and Annotations 4
1.2.1. Example 1 4
1.2.2. Example 2 5
1.2.3. Example 3 6
1.2.4. Example 4 7
1.2.5. Example 5 8
1.3. Gear Assembly Designs 9
1. Investigation
1.1. Why Steampunk?
For my laser cut clock, I would like to construct a mechanism with a steampunk theme. Figure 1 shows the colours most commonly associated with steampunk. I would like to use this theme because it is the theme for this year’s FIRST Robotics Challenge (FRC) which I participate in with my team 4537 as shown in Figure 2. I believe that a steampunk themed clock will be appropriate for my living room as the curtains in my home are very like the gold/bronze colours depicted below. Figure 1. Steampunk colour theme. Figure 2. Logo for this year’s FIRST Robotics Challenge: FIRST Steamworks. I believe that this clock should represent the basic elements of steampunk (Fig 3): • Gears/Cogs • A “fuel” element • Multiple contraptions • Copper colour and wood materials • Airship or plane • Classic steampunk goggles • Round glasses/Moustache • Smoking pipe and a top hat This will be my criteria. Figure 3. Visual representation of classic elements of steampunk. 1.2. Examples and Annotations 1.2.1. Example 1 Figure 4. Example 1 This example was appealing to me because I liked the idea of having the clock not just as a round circle, but a toothed gear. …show more content…
The inside of the clock shows multiple, differently styled gears connected. I believe this certainly adds to the gears/cogs and contraptions sections of my criteria. However, the example lacks a strong copper and rustic colour which does not help with its aesthetics. To improve, an airship could be added to the second or minute hand and a top hat cut out could be added to the top of the device to further explore the steampunk theme. This is a rather simple but effective design. One concerning factor about this example is that it appears to be quite thin. I would prefer a chunkier clock with multiple layers. The example is clearly made predominantly using laser cutting equipment. Material: Wood. Shape: Circular with a toothed edge. Form: 3 dimensional. Quite thin and fragile. Contrast: One colour. Negative space on the design emphasises the gears in the centre. Pattern: Perfectly spaced teeth and random assembly of gears. Scale: Can easily be constrained to given dimensions (400mm x 400mm). 1.2.2. Example 2 Figure 5. Example 2 This example was appealing to me because I liked the design and the variation in components. The clock’s design incorporates a matrix of a variation of gears and mechanisms. All designs are contained within the inside of the clock. I believe this design would be appropriate for my home as it is aesthetically pleasing and fits with my home’s colour set. The sides of the gears have a slightly burnt edge which adds to its steampunk theme. However, this design lacks most the steampunk criteria created earlier excluding the contraptions and gears. This example also does not have a strong copper and rustic colour which does not add to the theme. This design could be improved only by adding more criteria onto the design such as adding an airship/plane to the end of the second hand or etching images of steampunk goggles onto the wood. This example is made predominantly using laser cutting equipment. Material: Wood. Shape: Circular with a smooth edge. Form: 3 dimensional. Quite thin and appears reasonably fragile. Contrast: One colour. Negative space on the design emphasises the gears and mechanisms …show more content…
This addition of layers improves the structural integrity of the clock, making it seem less fragile when comparing it to the previous designs. This clock has the gears/cogs, copper colour, contraptions, and fuel element criterion. The assembly of gears, either visible or partly hidden, make the clock aesthetically pleasing. The arrangement of the gears and cogs can be interpreted as a solar system as they are positioned in a way that remind me of orbiting planets. Additionally, the gears are a range of colours, adding to the contrast within the design. This design could be improved by adding an airship (or space shuttle) to the end of the second or minute hand as well as colouring the plastic used copper or gold. A top hat cut out could be added to the top of the clock frame. This example has some parts manufactured using laser cutting