JUNIOR SCHOOL

Because I wanted to learn new skills and gain a better insight into how clothes were made, I chose to undertake this project. I’m also interested in fashion. The jacket can be used by anyone and can be used anywhere at anytime, as the jacket, through its replaceable sleeves and durable body , can withstand and be adaptable to many situations and occupations. The biggest challenge I had to face was learning how to sew from scratch. My skills were obviously underdeveloped and not up to industry standard, so it was difficult to create prototypes and even a finished product by myself. Another challenge was to secure a clothing manufacturer that could create the finished product as directed by myself. Firstly, trying to secure one was difficult since obviously funding an ambitious high school student may have risks for the business. Secondly, due to COVID-19, many clothing manufacturers prices increased or they couldn’t produce clothing due to restrictions at the workplace. I learnt the basics of how to sew, how to use a sewing machine and the best materials to use for future projects and DIYs. I also gained insight into how difficult it actually is to make clothes!

Jayden Alvarez - Volleyball Machine

I chose this project because I am very interested in the game of Volleyball and access to such machines are virtually impossible unless you’re in a professional team. The machine will be used by me, for my training routine. I learnt many things during this process, but the main one would be; making projects like this isn’t as easy as it seems, as there is lots of trial and error. It’s not a straight path to success.

Thomas Smith - Outdoor Kitchen

I made this project to hold all the appliances my father has, and to have access to them all in one spot. I came across a few obstacles during this project, one being engraving the fish in the panels,

I cut it too deep.

To overcome this setback, I had to buy a thick piece of American Walnut and make my own veneer.

Brodie Roth - Outdoor Dining Set

I chose this project because I felt like making an outdoor dining set for my major project which will be used by my parents at home. I encountered a few challenges, but the one that really stuck with me was routing the edges of the seats. I overcame this challenge by researching and finding the solution to completing this effectively. I also learnt that woodworking requires years of skill to perfect the job!

Connor Hamblion - Forge and Tools

My project was chosen due to my interest in this area of work, and my love of tool making and metalworking. This project will be used by myself and in my shed at home to forge and make tools.

I had minimal challenges, other than learning to forge, and how to use the tools needed to do so. This was done through work experience and other classes. I overcame these challenges, by using my prior knowledge and skills to build new ones.

I used classes and teachers within this industry, to learn to use and make tools and items better. I also learnt that I was able to develop new skills fairly quickly and apply them to other aspects of my metalworking.

Nic Lopresti - Guitar and Stand

I choose this project as I play the guitar. The stand was built to showcase the guitar, and to provide extra storage. The guitar will be played, and the stand is for storage and display. There were too many challenges to count when building the guitar and stand. Some include breaking the side timber of the guitar when bending it to shape, and the stand design being fundamentally flawed. As a result, I had to redesign a support system for the stand, which resulted in me restarting the project.

The motivation behind this project stems from a need to house my woodworking hand tools in an organised tool chest. Prior to the creation of my major project, my tools were stored tightly in a toolbox where it became very time consuming to find and use a certain tool. The project is for and will be mostly used by myself. I plan on utilising this tool chest to store my tools in the future. The process of creating my major project presented many challenges, in my planning and managing skills, and my ability to design and alter those designs. More specifically it challenged my woodworking skills by incorporating advanced fine woodworking skills such as; an inlaid dovetail, Japanese dovetail (sunrise joint) and various types of mortice and tenons.

Challenges with my project were constant, I felt advice from teachers was the most helpful. I researched woodworking magazines and searched online to problem solve as well. I learnt that the process of creating something you truly believe in is worth it, even if the challenges may seem daunting. In the future I will continue with woodwork as a hobby, I find pleasure in it.

I chose the Hall Table project as it is a perfect size that can display items but is not too heavy to transport. The Hall Table will be sitting in the hallway of my house.

Alex Engeler - Hall Table & Chess Board

I am also a Design & Technology student and decided to design and produce a Chess Board to solve an issue for people with tremors. The project is designed for people who suffer from tremors but would like to play Chess. I had a few challenges with both of my projects, but the main one was that there were so many different curves and angles that were extremely difficult to cut or shape. I overcame these challenges by completing a fair bit of research, prototyping and experimentation. The skills I gained during the builds will be extremely useful to expand my current business and display my work in the carpentry projects completed for clients. Something funny that happened was midway through the Hall Table project when I assembled the frame of the table and it was knocked off the workbench and broke. I wanted to build this project as it would prove to be a difficult task that would test the skills I have developed over the course. I chose a project that would get used in my household and not sit collecting dust. I enjoy a good smoked meat, so why buy the smoked meat when I can make my own. The project is mainly for me, but my family will enjoy using it too and will certainly like the food that comes from it.

I had much support during the project, but my grandad was a massive help during the construction of the smoker, as he provided me with tools and equipment to complete the project at his yard while the COVID pandemic was at its peak. He also connected me to a sandblaster for free to rid the tank of rust and he also sourced the tank for free.

Many skills were learnt during the production, and these skills will be great for future projects, as they taught me fundamental skills like welding techniques, which will prove handy for future endeavours.

Bayley Suters - Entertainment Unit

I chose to undertake this project as my brother had an outdated entertainment unit in his house and a new unit was needed. This piece allowed me to display a wide range of different skills and techniques and also, design the style of the job to match the styles in the home.

I faced a few obstacles completing this project; the first obstacle I faced was the ‘Leigh Jig’ did not suit the size of my timber, resulting in me being unable to cut my dovetails quickly and effectively using the router. I had to cut each dovetail by hand, taking a ridiculous amount of time, which put me behind schedule in a major way. Then, COVID had a profound impact on the construction of my job, as we were stuck at home and I was unable to finish my job by the due date. We were asked what we learnt about ourselves during the project and I learnt that I am a perfectionist and a procrastinator, which made me very slow. I couldn’t afford to lose time during the process because it slowly all added up to a big chunk of time. Funny moment: When Sir accidentally dropped my chevron drawer front and it smashed into pieces. It was quite a frustrating moment, but we still got a laugh out of it.