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Mortar & PESTel, bio-inspired object crafted to prevail through generations.


Tools:
Duration:
Figured maple, Woodshop (lathe, bandsaw, belt, disc, spindle sander), surface treatement (propane torch)
4 weeks

   

The Inspiration




The Ten Lined June Beetle is a bug native the the Pacific NorthWest. People of all ages recall summers of chasing these beetles, watermelon beetles as they’re affectionately nicknamed. While not endangered, these beetles represent fleeting memories of childhood and times of the past.

Taking inspiration from the behavior rather than the prominent physical characteristics of the beetle, I originally chose to make a pepper mill. When threatened, this beetle raises its back and pushes air through its wings to make a hissing sound. This sound reminded me of the noises from salt and pepper grinders, futher referenceing dinners and family from my childhood. However, I can’t gaurentee the functionality of pepper mill grinders so the predecessor, mortar and pestle was a better object in this scenario.






Considerations:

Objects which escape the cruel sentencing to the landfill are meaningful and often part of an important ritual. Something that’s meaning expands beyond its physical form. How can I design an object which can reference the past as well as gaurentee a spot in the future for itself?


Constraints:

Besides material, four 7” turning blanks and a cutoff stick of maple, there were not that many externally imposed constraints. The factors associated with this project had more to do with the emotional durability I was attempting to foster.



    Thoughts & Process










The Importance of Three
One to keep, one to give to someone else, one to sell.

Many of the objects which we interact with are identical twins, triplets, millionets, they are mass produced in multiples.Our current thinking is that objects come into our lives. However, when they have been made by another human, they have lived a life already and have experiences which we do not know about. They have a past and as such are already an existing force, and perhaps we are coming into the life of it rather than the other way around.

Three objects, brought into the world with imperfect hands. One lives with its creator who knows how it came to be, one goes to live with someone who can be told, but will not have experienced it. And one goes outinto the world, story untold except through its physicality.


foam prototyping



   Fabrication Pictures









! look at this cool doorknob i saw that could totally reference the june beetle !

Key Takeaways:


  • Go into the final production stage with as much of the process and design details flushed out.
  • Hard maple is in fact very hard
       - very hard to turn, very hard to san
  • Leave room for fun and experimentation
       - I was fairly set on texturing and staining my wood but three days before finishing decided  that I wanted to experiment with flame treating the wood
  • Careful with pressure from the tailstock on the lathe
       - tried to add a pestle back onto the lathe to do a bit more fine sanding but ended up cracking it
  • Taking pictures helps when trying to show process
       - man it feels good to have pictures for what I’m trying to say. that’s it