Well a little while back I posted my first post in just over a year. As I said I've been quite busy.
I've been working on a couple of toys, fun, challenging (First time I've worked on toys) tight budgets, shot deadlines. Always good to learn about new things.
I gave a work related learning workshop at Richard Lander School for the year 10 pupils studying Design Technology, resistant materials and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed that. Those young folk really got to grips with some model making, they also had really great ideas, but perhaps most encouraging of all, they really understood how design has created many problems for our society but how design also will deliver some answers to some serious commercial, social and environmental issues.
I've been working on a couple of toys, fun, challenging (First time I've worked on toys) tight budgets, shot deadlines. Always good to learn about new things.
I gave a work related learning workshop at Richard Lander School for the year 10 pupils studying Design Technology, resistant materials and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed that. Those young folk really got to grips with some model making, they also had really great ideas, but perhaps most encouraging of all, they really understood how design has created many problems for our society but how design also will deliver some answers to some serious commercial, social and environmental issues.
I've been working on a long standing consumer product design project, helping James Williams of Keebunga get ever closer to bringing his waterproof car key case to market. With budgets getting tighter and funding being ever more difficult to acquire, it's been a long haul but the end is finally in sight. Just about to receive final pre-production samples and the toolmaker ran into some difficulties. Thankfully they've spotted the error, which was too high a barrel pressure on the injection moulding machine, so a couple of mould tweaks and another run this Saturday means James is on the cards for receiving samples on Tuesday 17th August. After some pressure testing with help from the very nice chaps at AP Valve in Helston, its off to do some field trials (shouldn't that be sea trials?). Some product photography from the very lovely Anj at Andrea Michele Photography, in Truro. (OK I'm biased, she's my missus), a bit of coding to the website by Jump Media, a bit of graphic design for the website layout and then let the sales begin (much nervously finger crossing).
I've been doing some SEO work on my own website and experimenting with graphic layouts, though still not happy with it, (I doubt Ill every be happy with it to be truly honest). I had most of the test re-written for me by the very excellent copymonkey company in Bude, owned by Martin Dorey, who has himself written a cracking book called 'The Campervan Cookbook' where Martin shares his insight and skill in the art of two burner hob culinary creations.
On and off I've been working on a EV (Electric Vehicular) concept with some help from the very tallentd concept artist, Phil Pendlebury of Sursurus Art. More on this at some point in the hopefully not too distant future.
Is there anything else?
Oh yes. I'm happy to report that the delivery of the first 10,000 Frontier stoves have been delivered to Shelterbox, to help those affected by some of the most terrible natural disasters in Haiti, Pakistan, Chile and others. More stoves are on the way.
On a personal note, I was particularly pleas at how well the project went. Straight from Drawings to production standard. No changes where necessary. We worked hard to produce a specification on the Frontier stove that would ensure repeatable and economical manufacture. I would like to say and give a big thank you to Matt, Jeanette and Dan of Gait International who did so much to help communicate with the manufacturer and ensure product arrived on time and to budget.
I've been doing some SEO work on my own website and experimenting with graphic layouts, though still not happy with it, (I doubt Ill every be happy with it to be truly honest). I had most of the test re-written for me by the very excellent copymonkey company in Bude, owned by Martin Dorey, who has himself written a cracking book called 'The Campervan Cookbook' where Martin shares his insight and skill in the art of two burner hob culinary creations.
On and off I've been working on a EV (Electric Vehicular) concept with some help from the very tallentd concept artist, Phil Pendlebury of Sursurus Art. More on this at some point in the hopefully not too distant future.
Is there anything else?
Oh yes. I'm happy to report that the delivery of the first 10,000 Frontier stoves have been delivered to Shelterbox, to help those affected by some of the most terrible natural disasters in Haiti, Pakistan, Chile and others. More stoves are on the way.
On a personal note, I was particularly pleas at how well the project went. Straight from Drawings to production standard. No changes where necessary. We worked hard to produce a specification on the Frontier stove that would ensure repeatable and economical manufacture. I would like to say and give a big thank you to Matt, Jeanette and Dan of Gait International who did so much to help communicate with the manufacturer and ensure product arrived on time and to budget.
