Manipulator for an "Object Gratifying to Handle"
Objective Summary
For my Foundations of Product Realization Class: machine a block of wood into a shape that is “gratifying to handle” using woodshop tools. Then, build a device in the woodshop that can “handle” the “object gratifying to handle”.
Further Background
As you might be able to tell, the project constraints were quite open-ended. This project did not necessarily have practical implications; I more so took advantage of this opportunity as a creative outlet.
Process
For the “object gratifying to handle,” I was given a small block of wood. I carved out grooves diagonally along the edges of the block using an oscillating sander and a Foredom/Dremel to make grooves for fingers to comfortably fit in. Each groove is exactly the width of a finger. I then meticulously hand-sanded everything down to 1200 grit to make the object feel as smooth as plastic.
I carved out an ergonomic handle on the oscillating sander, bored out a hole through the handle for a rod to be inserted through it, and carefully machined a wooden skewer out of dowel rods to be attached to the end. I fit a series of small bearings through the handle and skewer. A perfectly sized allen key fits inside the wooden handle through the bearings; I used a tool that usually assembles other devices (the allen key) to be integrated as a functioning part of my device. Twisting the end of the allen key causes the skewer head to rotate. The skewers are perfectly spaced to be able to grab my “object gratifying to handle”.
