DESIGN OBJECTIVE:
+Fabricate a new "drop through" long board to replace an aging model.
+Explore the process of bent wood construction using molds and veneer.
+Incorporate the visual identity of an era of American history.
MATERIALS:
+1/8 inch maple veneer
+One sheet pre-patterned veneer
+Titebond 3
+Laquer
INSPIRATION:
+PanAm
- Company legacy. Years of service, thousands of stories. Company collapse intensifies allure of a bygone age.
+Luxury air travel
+The Jet age
- The wonder of a new medium for travel available to the public. Shining machines bounding across the globe.
+Classic branding
- The strength of PanAm's classic style and bold visual identity.
PRODUCT
PROCESS
1) Cutting material to dimension
2) Simple mold construction for a concave shape along the length of the board
3) Gluing and layup of veneer sheets
3a) Panels of veneer with grain positioned perpedicular to adjacent sheets. This affords strength along the width of the board.
4) Veneer layup complete. Placed in mold then pressed. 24 hour dry time.
5) Decorative veneer was not pressed with the rest of the board. The simplicity of the mold prevented this thin sheet from adhering evenly. System of scrap ribs and clamps used to distribute force as evenly as possible across veneer.
6) Template was plotted to avoid hand drafting board shape onto a now curved surface.
7) Profile was cut out on band saw
8) Cutting revealed pockets where the decorative veneer had not fully adhered to the board. Compensatory gluing was needed.
9) The curvature of the board would have complicated clamping on a manual mill. Instead, 4 holes were bored with a forstner bit and a jig saw was used to create the slots for the trucks to pass through.
10) Stencils were created using a Trotec Laser Cutter.
11) Grip tape was applied to the top of the board them trimmed down with an Xacto and finished with a file.
Thank you
