Weekly Response #3/4 Stephen Dutton

The design I chose was not the first to be tested.  Not the second or the third, but the fourth.  After trying many different shapes, and sizes, the stool I chose was something simple, clean and efficient.  I used three quarters of the allowable square footage of a sheet of cardboard for the final stool.  In the beginning many attempts were made at achieving the final stool.  In doing so, I tested different amounts of cardboard.  Starting with the most, then dwindling it down to make the design as efficient as it could be with still holding one hundred and fifty plus pounds. 

            The design as seen in the picture (Alexandra has my stool and I only had one previous picture), is of cylindrical shape with a circular seat.  The structure is made up of two sheets, 12’X36” with a 7 3/4 “ diameter seat.  The strength comes from the multiple wraps of the cardboard, as well the inner most circle bisects the circle, in order to add a cross brace.  The cardboard is jointed together using a tab and slot system, in which the slot is a minute amount shorter then the tab that helps hold the system together.  The goal was a clean, strong, and efficient stool, which was done in my opinion by making precise cuts, and using small tab/slot bonding system.

            The forces are distributed from the seat along the bisecting cross brace, and then along the multiple circular wraps of cardboard, proceeding outward.  There was an attempt to show minimal details around the stool.  The attempt was to show the least features of the stool, which eventually helped adding to the structural strength.  By hiding inside construction, using tab and slot, and by adding a seat cover came out of multiple attempts but in the end I was successful in holding my weight.  The idea behind the project was very interesting and although very challenging it was enjoyable.