• Identify the type of product you will create.

• Identify the design movement your clock will represent.

• Identify the target audience for your product.

• Explain why this product is worth making.

• Justify your design project using a genuine real-life example of the design need.

A: People or customers who can't manage their own time, and aren't punctual with the time.

2. What is the nature of the problem?

   A: We are solving the problem of the punctuality of people, who cannot manage or check their time. Audiences ( Consumers ) need this because they cannot manage and check the time, and to do that, they need a clock that works well and could help them.

   4. Why should this problem be solved?

      A: I think this problem should be solved because people could get into problems or consequences, or bad impressions by not getting to a place in a certain time. And to solve this, you will need a clock!

   5. How will you solve this problem?

      A: I will solve this problem by making a clock, which will help people look at the time easily and fast.

   
   

   
   

   
   

I had some trouble with the dowel holes not being perfectly straight, which made it hard to align the pieces properly. This caused gaps between them and made everything feel a bit wobbly. To fix this, I clamped the two pieces of wood at a 90-degree angle to keep them steady. This helped me drill the holes in a straight line, so the drill bit wouldn’t slip and cause the holes to go off at an angle. With this fix, everything lined up much better and felt more stable.

Solution:  

- Clamp the pieces securely at a 90-degree angle.  

- Drill slowly to keep the holes straight.

Cutting with the Scroll Saw:

When using the scroll saw, I accidentally cut too fast and ended up splitting my piece in two, meaning I had to start over. That was a real wake-up call to slow down and pay attention to how fast the saw was going. By guiding the saw more carefully, I was able to control it better and make more precise cuts. This made the edges cleaner and more accurate.

Solution:  

- Slow down and pay attention to the speed of the saw.  

- Guide the saw gently to make smoother cuts.

Cutting with the Handsaw:

Cutting straight with a handsaw was a real struggle for me. To avoid uneven cuts, I drew a second line about 50mm away from the original cut line. That way, even if the saw strayed a little, it wouldn’t mess up the final piece. I also learned that using proper sawing techniques, like taking full-length strokes and focusing on my grip, made the cuts smoother and more accurate. Each time I tried, the cuts looked cleaner and more polished.

Solution:  

- Draw a second line to help guide the saw.  

- Use proper technique and take longer strokes for smoother cuts.

- I forgot to add an extra 2-3 centimeters to the sides and top of the wooden pieces. In the actual design, the pieces couldn’t overlap, so I had to join them side-by-side or stack them on top of each other to maintain the structure.  

- Instead of painting the wood, I decided to use colored acrylic. This gave the design a more refined and vibrant finish, much better than plain paint would have done.  

- I also adjusted the edges of the wood to ensure everything fit together smoothly, which made the overall structure stronger and more polished.  

Changes Made in the Plan  

- I didn’t end up using the file as much as I thought I would, so I revised the plan to reflect that. It wasn’t necessary in the way I originally planned.  

- Initially, I thought that gluing the wood together would be enough, but I realized that using dowels made the structure much more secure and stable. I added this step to the plan.  

- I changed the sequence of steps. The original plan had me design and color the pieces first, but I found that assembling the structure first worked better. This allowed me to ensure everything was properly aligned before starting the design and adding the acrylic.  

- Attaching the acrylic was trickier than I expected, so I had to spend extra time making sure it was cut to the right size and adhered properly after the assembly.  

What I Learned  

- Accurate measurements are crucial, as even small errors can affect how everything fits together.  

- Using materials like acrylic can really improve the final look, but it requires extra preparation to get it right.  

- Flexibility in the process is key. By adjusting my approach as I went along, I was able to achieve a better final result.

3 Key Improvements:

(1) Acrylic and Wood combined. I should've only used Acrylic it made it thick so the clock stick couldn't go fully through.

(2) Make the corners/edges more smooth with belt sander or file.

(3) I didn't know I couldn't draw on Acrylic so next time, I would plan it differently or have another way of designing my clock.

More detailed version of paragraphs: ⬇️

In the process of working on my clock project, I faced a few challenges that involved the materials I was using, mainly the acrylic and wood. I had initially intended to incorporate these two materials together in such a way that the clock would have a solid, natural look with the warmth of the wood and also the modern sleekness of acrylic. But I soon ran into a major problem with this when I realized the thickness of both materials put together was too great for the clock mechanism to properly fit through. The central part of the mechanism, the spindle attaching to the clock hands, couldn't pass through the combined thickness of the wood and acrylic. This was because the acrylic was too thick for the mechanism to fit without modification, creating a major problem.

If I were to go back and do the project over, I would reconsider how I fastened the materials. I would attach the acrylic directly to the front, instead of gluing the wood to the back of the acrylic as I had initially planned, and keep the acrylic as thin as possible. This would allow the clock mechanism to fit through without needing any adjustments or modifications. This design change would save time and effort, especially when it came to chiseling down the wood, which turned out to be an extremely time-consuming and frustrating process. Not only was chiseling the wood physically exhausting, but it was also a delicate task that required precision to ensure the mechanism fit properly. This was entirely an avoidable problem had I planned the materials and thicknesses more carefully from the start.

Another aspect of the project that could have been done better was the treatment of the corners and edges of the clock. Initially, I left the edges of both the acrylic and wood quite sharp. While this may have looked fine initially, it created a couple of problems. Sharp edges can be cumbersome to work with in that one is liable to injury either handling or assembling parts. Furthermore, they don't make the clock look polished-professional. Upon completion of this project, I was aware of using a belt sander or even a hand file for the most part and could smooth out these edges a lot. This would have made the clock not only safer to handle, but it would have enhanced the aesthetic of a more finished and refined product. The rounder edges would join together to create a more cohesive overall look without the harsh feeling; in addition, the clock would feel so much better when carried or touched.

The most unexpected setbacks I encountered in the course of the project involved misunderstandings on the use of paint on acrylic: I had thought that one could simply draw or paint on the surface of the acrylic, but I was informed by Mr. Roberts that this was not allowed for reasons which were not quite clear to me at the time. This was frustrating to realize because I had started sketching and painting on the acrylic. The mistake meant that I would have to urgently adjust my design, recalculate, and think of another way of fitting in my aesthetic vision without compromising the material's integrity. This change entailed more time and was forcing me to act swiftly under pressure. Now, at this point in retrospect, I realize that initially I should have taken more time upfront to research the rules and material limitations, ensuring that I had a full understanding before commencing the actual making process. In my future projects, I will make it a point to always consult with instructors or research restrictions regarding materials and techniques; this way, I will not be able to waste my time and effort on mistakes.

Despite these challenges, I did, however, learn a great deal from this experience. This process really taught me about the planning that should be done carefully, material selection, and following of guidelines. For future projects, I am going to be more keen, making sure to consider every aspect of the design-from mechanism functionality to aesthetics of the piece to the limitations in materials I use. I also learned the value of preparation and forethought—understanding all the constraints before starting will save time, energy, and frustration down the road. With these lessons in mind, I’m confident that I’ll be able to refine my skills and approach in future projects, leading to better designs and smoother workflows.

3. Q: To what extent did your work ethic/ self-management impact the overall success of the product?

   A: My work had a positive impact on the overall success of the project because it includes all the basic features of a functional clock, and I achieved my goal. The clock tells the time, which was my main objective, and most of the design elements went as planned. I also received a lot of positive feedback from my classmates, which was encouraging and gave me additional motivation.
   
   The most important element of success regarding this project was being able to manage time appropriately throughout the design and building stages. I realized that would be an essential factor, so I divided it into small parts. This allowed me to divide the entire project into steps, thus allocating to each of them portions of time, like minutes or class periods, and work properly without hustle.
   
   In the end, my clock worked because of planning, proper time management, and with the help of my classmates. I am proud of what I did, and the positive feedback confirmed that I met my objectives and delivered a well-received final product.