ASSIGNMENT #7 Wood Necklace & Mechanical Connectors
For this assignment we were asked to make a necklace using wood pieces and mechanical connectors.
I originally planned to create a necklace using more organic shapes. However, once I began working in the woodshop I realized this would be quite difficult to complete. I decided to alter my design to focus on more geometric shapes so that the cuts and lines would be cleaner.
First, using the Japanese Hand Saws I cut out 3 pieces of wood in varying shapes. Then I drilled small holes in each piece of the wood to use to attach them. After this, I filed all the pieces to clean up the edges of the wood where I had sawed. I then created wire hoops using 19 gauge wire which I used to attach the wooden pieces together. Finally, to create the necklace “chain” I used wool yarn that was knotted around the wood piece and can be tied around the neck at various lengths. This created an extra, varying material element and also allows the design to be slightly altered in length when it is worn.
Progress photo of wooden pieces before they are attached
Product Shot of completed necklace
Overall, this project was quite enjoyable. I enjoyed the process of designing the necklace and creating the tangible product. It was also helpful to be able to combine multiple materials to see how they are able to best interact. However, in the future I would wish for more time to complete this assignment to be able to create a more intricate design (similar to ones I had initially planned). Especially since I was just beginning to learn how to use the wood shop tools and equipment.
