Assignment 3 - Original Tutorial and Disciplinary Reflection

Tutorial of the Aluminum Bowl

Things you need

1. Aluminum sheet
2. Metal file
3. Metal cutter
4. Marker
5. Compasses
6. Ruler

7. Mushroom dolly
8. Wooden template
9. Planishing hammer
10. Sandbag
11. Ear protection
12. Nylon hammer

Metal polish liquid and cloth



English wheel

Process of metal shaping

Step 1:

  

Draw a circle on the aluminum sheet and cut it off with the metal cutter.

Use the metal file to flatten the edge of the circle.

Step 2

Use compasses and marker to draw the reference mark for striking.

The circle is divided into 8 even sectors and two concentric circles that has 1/3 and 2/3 radius are marked.

Step 3

 

Place the aluminum sheet on the wooden template and use the sharp end of the nylon hammer beating the point of intersection on bigger reference circle. So that the outer edge gets bent.

Do the strike in clockwise or counterclockwise sequence, thus the edge would bent relatively evenly.

After the first beating, the edge get bent and winkle.

Step 4

 

Use the bigger end of the hammer to smash the place between bigger circle and the exterior edge to flatten the wrinkle.

After flatten the edge.

Step 5

 

Use the sharp end of the nylon hammer beating the point of intersection on inner reference circle. So that the middle part get bent as well and the bowl has some depth.

Step 6

 

Use the bigger end of the hammer to smash the place between outer reference circle and inner reference circle on the sandbag. The bowl become more smooth and deep.

Step 7

  

To increase the depth of the bowl, repeat step 3 to Step 6.

After some times the bowl gets much deeper.

When using the bigger end of hammer flatten the surface, make the sheet as perpendicular to the table as possible. So that bent trend of the edge can be remained and it is shaped more like a sphere.

Step 8

  

After you are satisfied with the depth of your bowl, use the bigger end of the hammer beating the center point of the bowl on sandbag. Thus the bottom of the bowl becomes the spherical surface.

Step 9

Adjust the shape

Look for the concave of the semi-sphere.

Slightly beating that part with bigger end of hammer and the sandbag.

After adjusting the concave surface, our bowl looks much better.

Step 10

 

There is still some little wrinkle at the edge of the bowl which is hard to adjust by the hammer. While it can be easily removed by the planishing hammer and mushroom dolly.

At this stage, you will get a bowl with nice spherical shape but unsatisfying finish.

Step 11

  

Use the English wheel to polish the whole bowl and remove the trail of nylon hammer and planishing hammer.

Step 12



If the edge of your bowl is rough and uneven, you can cut the outer edge with metal cutter. To ensure the edge of bowl a standard circle, place the bowl on a flat surface and put a pen on the table drawing a line around the bowl. That line would be parallel to the horizontal line. Cut the edge along this line with the metal cutter. Remember to sand the edge with the metal file.

Step 13

 

Finally, use the metal polish liquid and the cloth to polish and you will get a bowl with perfect shining finish.

The finished product

 

REFLECTION

Spectrum of bowl shape being employed into architecture from dome convex form to sphere concave shape.