Tech Evaluation

Tech Evaluation

Over the past two weeks we have participated in tech. There were two options, they were Robotics, this group programs and prepares Edison Robots for a competition. The other one was hard materials, this group uses metal and other hard materials to create things like pendants, brooches, etc. I was in the hard materials group with Miss Laing* our tech teacher.

Most of the time we were creating things on our own, and planning everything before we actually did it. The first thing we designed was a bag or a shoe using some details Mrs Laing gave us, such as a cow, giraffe, a boat and a castle. This design work was just to free our minds there was another game to free our minds, all we had to do was go around the school looking for anything such as leaves, sticks, flowers, pieces of plastic, etc. Then we had to make 3 pieces of jewelery out of it without using tape or glue. Also before making the pendant we had to make a design that’s not to hard so we could use the saw to cut out the design.

There was a lot of problem solving involved especially because Miss Laing did not have the proper tools she uses when she makes her jewelry, so we had to make do with what we had. When we used the saw we also had to problem solve (for the pendant) because if you made a mistake then you would have to change your design a little. The problem I had with the saw that I had to solve was when I was cutting out the design (the design was a Mickey Mouse) I accidentally made the ears quite pointy so it ended up being a cat/bear looking thing.

The last three days (out of six) were my favourite because on the second and third to last day we did enameling. Enameling is when glass is a powdered form and you paint/dab it onto the copper and you put it a kiln** at 1000 degrees. The piece of copper comes out red hot and after that it has to cool down to be able to handle it. The last day was when we finished enameling and made key ring sort of thing out of fimo, fimo is a modelling clay which you have to soften with your hands and then you can shape it into anything, then you have to cook it in the oven to harden it.

Every day I tried to get as much stuff done as I could so I could move on to the next thing. Time management was a big thing in the hard materials because Miss Laing wanted us to finish the first thing such as the key ring so we could get the pendant started with some time left over to do something else.

The first thing we made (the key ring) is the one I’m most proud of, we had to sand; file and make a texture, (using a hammer with two sides, one round and one flat. I used the round end of the hammer to get a scaly look.) I learned the if you hammer the aluminium key ring using the round end of the hammer on an anvil you would get a different texture to when you hammer on a wooden board. Then what we had to use a punch to make your design on the key ring. Then we had to polish them will a type of car polish.

Overall all I had a awesome time learning and having fun by making jewellery out of metal and enamel. If I ever did it again what I would do is choose simpler designs for the jewelery. Next term we have to try something different so I will end up doing Robotics which sounds quite exciting.

*Miss Laing is a well known jeweler

**a kiln is a jeweler's oven