Evaluation

During this project i have learnt how to develop my work and the way go about producing products to a higher standard, working with companies outside the parameters of university has taught me how to work to a professional level. My work has developed through my last project into a clean cut modern chandelier. I have changed aspects of the light dramatically by integrating the lighting within the skulls but still within the context of the work. 

 

If i were to reproduce this piece i would have liked to have spent more time developing the end caps and spacers to reach the same level as the other components. The end caps were made from a thinner acrylic so i did not have the same white as my tubes so i needed to line them to create the right tone, I also ordered tubes that did not have a blocked end which i had to apply, because of this when the light passes through them you can see the foam and white lining so does not have as clean of a finish as i would have liked. I would have also liked to produce spacer that could be fixed in place and each set would be bespoke to the skull that they were holding so could be more supportive. The last thing i would rework is on the largest skull i would have left more connecting material to give the piece more standing support. 

I am very pleased with my final outcome, i wanted to keep a clean medical theme throughout every aspect of the design. I achieved this with careful choice of materials and reducing the amount of different materials to keep the design simple which means the analytical contexts are more apparent.

I feel that i understand how to work through problems that occur when designing a piece of bespoke work to a professional standard. 

Completion of my chandelier

I needed to clean all the components of my chandelier as they had a received a layer of dust and some finger marks during putting together. i used simple wet wipes and gloves to clean my work and then applied anti-static spay to prevent more dust collection. 

I then checked to make sure the alignment was right before double checking that everything worked and was safe.

Levelling my chandelier

When i erected my chandelier i had not anticipated my lack of accuracy when building my trestles and the exact positioning of my piece, this meant that when i attached my cables evenly they in fact were off considerably.

To resolve this problem; with assistance by technicians my tubes were levelled by hand and then where the cables join to the celling the wires were retightened with a U-clamp to get the correct balance.

End Caps

My end caps had to be put together on site as they fixed around the cable.

Issues

When putting my piece together, there was one section that i was worried about. The centre slice was very fragile due to large sections being cut out. when taking these sections out the skull became floppy so i had to attach one of the segments back to regain its rigidity.

Red section was put back.

Installation

For my instillation i needed to determine the exact height of my work, i also needed to create a trestle that i could set up my work to test how it sits in the water hall.

Height 1.6m

i added a cradle formation for each of my tubes to sit in whilst adding all my skull slices.

Cable to Cable attachment and proposal

I am using my copper ferrules to create an eyelet which is crimped through the water halls existing cabling.

Water Hall Proposal

Health and Safety

I needed to make some changes to how i was attaching my cabling to my tubing by making it difficult to remove the suspension cables with an end cap. 

original method            

Test end cap with cables coming out

 Revised method so only a single wire is seen

Wire formation inside the end cap.

Spacers

I designed a variety of spacer options to test but quickly worked out just having a ring of sheet acrylic that had a very tight fitting inner diameter would support my skulls slices.

I produced a variety of rings decreasing in dimeter until i had some that had a tight fit. I then tested the rings with every single slice to see if they would support the skulls.

further testing

I needed to check and work out the logistics of how my chandelier is put together and to complete checking to see if there are any issues that need resolving. 

Firstly i tested that the tubes were sufficiently strong enough by stretching my work between two tables before suspending my work with the cabling. 

Once i new that this work i proceeded to test out my cabling and suspending method of my work. 

From testing this i now needed to work out the spacers and how to keep my skull slices standing upright and to stop them moving so freely. Also it was brought to my attention that just creating an eyelet that is rubberised tightly to my tubing wasn't a permanent enough solution and i needed to incorporate an end cap that would secure my cabling. 

Testing

While testing my chandelier as a whole i encountered a problem with one skull section; the tube holes were not aligned and due to this, pressure was put on an end skull and it resulted in the piece fracturing.

 

I then took apart my light and laid all my slices in order to work out which piece did not fit so could be re-cut with the fractured component.

Receiving and order check

Upon receiving my LED's and al the corresponding components with the lighting set up, i connected together my wiring and tested that everything worked correctly and i conducted a light test with a model of my acrylic chandelier.

I also received my suspension cables and measured the lengths of each piece as well as checking for any defaults. When my skull slices arrived i checked each slice for defects and to checked that all the designs were accurate.

When my Cast acrylic tubes arrived i checked that they fit inside the holes cut in the skulls, as with casting acrylic the tollerences are much harder to guage, and i was informed to allow 1-3mm difference. 

Order check

I checked my designs all lined before sending them off for being cut, I did this in both a digital format as well as a 3D model. 

chosen companies

S3i group
http://www.s3i.co.uk/
wire cable

laser cut works
http://www.lasercutworks.com/
laser cutting
acrylic sheeting

sb plastics
http://www.sbplasticsuk.co.uk/
opal tubing

LED lights
https://www.led-lighthouse.co.uk/
5050 LED light strips

Wire Cabling

I have chosen looked into and the simplest format of cable configuration based on a cleaner finnish and the properties of the cable.
I will use a nicopress to complete i holes in the wire for attaching to my piece.

I have worked out the best positioning for the wire, i have also allowed for extra wire positions to be added. The blue and orange rings represent the wire configuration that i will use.

Lighting

I will use a flexible LED strip light, i want the light its self to be a cool white which will work with the clinical feel. I will also need the availability to cut the the LED strips to size to fit my tubes.

Company research

Cut laser cut . Com
2400mm x 1200mm cutting bed.
+44 (0) 203 490 9886

laser cutting.co.uk
4m x 2m cutting bed
01142420101

Norwestengineering.co.uk
4300mm x 2050mm cutting bed
01228560408

Torte laser.com
Materials?

Project plastics.co.uk
3m x 2m cutting bed
01206 868696

Lucite solutions.com
Acrylic suppliers

K2a.co.uk
3050mm x 2030mm ?
01279 508305

Acrylic design .co.uk
3000mm x 2000mm bed size
01923 241122

Luxld.com
E-mail for possible advice


Form fabrications
In Birmingham

Acrylicsheetsdirect.co.uk
1000x1000

Laser cutworks.com
0203 441  3374
Daniel@lasercutworks.com
Info@lasercutworks.com

Alternative plastics
The plastics shop.co.uk
This is a short list of some of the companies i looked into.

Sbplasticsuk.co.uk

Castplexusa.com

E plastics.com

The clear plastic shop.co.uk

Perspex distributions ltd
Perspex.co.uk

Crazy LEDS.co.uk

LED light depot.co.uk

Bars

The Piccadilly institute
Info@piccadillyinstitute.com

Graphic bar
Info@graphicbar.com

hotels

Zero degrees
Blackheath@zerodegrees.co.uk

Art cam.
In Birmingham

Acrylic tubing

I wanted to keep the clinical theme with the tubing so threw looking at possible finishes clear,frosted and opal, sizing and availability i have chosen to go for a opal white acrylic tubing.

I will have to determine the inside diameter to fit lighting inside it and the out side dimeter will be determined by calculating how much weight the acrylic can hold.

Exact scaling

My scaling will be 1:42.5531915

width of largest skull in miniature = 28.2mm

height of largest skull in miniature = 27.5mm

actual sizing for Width = 1200mm

actual sizing for Height = 1170.21mm

Resize 8 15mm
Slice 1
H 15.78mm
W 11.92mm
Slice 2
H 17.07mm
W 13.57mm
Slice 3
H 18.65mm
W 16mm
Slice 4
H 20.26mm
W 17.34mm
Slice 5
H 21.75mm
W 20.2mm
Slice 6
H 23.33mm
W 21.38mm
Slice 7
H 25.25mm
W 25.86mm
Slice 8
H 27.5mm    1170.21mm
W 28.2mm    1200mm
Slice 9
H 25.06mm
W 26.34mm
Slice 10
H 23.37mm
W 23.6mm
Slice 11
H 21.7mm
W 19.3mm
Slice 12
H 20.26mm
W 17.17mm
Slice 13
H 18.76mm
W 16.76mm
Slice 14
H 17.34mm
W 16.23mm
Slice 15
H 15.86mm
W 14mm

Holes
Slice 1
3.84mm
Slice 2
4.385mm
Slice 3
5.075mm
Slice 4
5.78mm
Slice 5
6.425mm
Slice 6
7.115mm
Slice 7
7.975mm
Slice 8
9mm
Slice 9
7.88mm
Slice 10
7.135mm
Slice 11
6.34mm
Slice 12
5.78mm
Slice 13
5.13mm
Slice 14
4.52mm
Slice 15
3.88mm

Hanging light box

For my presentation i needed to show my design actually lit. During the crit it was brought to my attention that i needed to integrate the light into the design far more.

 I looked at my design and how i could bring the light element into what i had, i decided to change the poles threw the middle of the skulls into light defusing tubes and have lights within them.
For the crit i also displayed a full size drawing of the largest skull slice to get perspective on the size and so i could gauge how powerful the lights might have to be.