Ramona Flowers Lamp.

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Hello fellow makers. I am a Design Technology teacher and this Instructable has been submitted on behalf of one of the students from my school. A very talented designer and maker by the name of Izzy. She was 14 years old when she started the lighting project as part of her studies. Everything contained here is in her own words, her images and her own making skills. (ok, a little help from her teachers from time to time)
In our curriculum, we follow a design cycle to complete design and make projects. I have included the planing and creating elements of her design folio only. 
I think instructables is a great forum for young designers, builders, hackers and student makers of all kinds to showcase their achievements!
Please do keep in mind the audience when commenting.
Thanks,
MrP

" I guess that's my problem - I'm always trying to beat the clock, outrun the universe... Like nothing can change me, as long as I change first"
— Ramona

FYI:
Ramona Flowers is a character from the Scott Pilgrim series of graphic novels, animations and a movie created by the very talented Canadian cartoonist Bryan Lee O'Malley. I do hope Mr O'Malley sees this little project for what it is, an homage by a teenage fan, and that he appreciates the effort. 

Step 1: Design

Step 2: Cardboard Model + Molding Test

In this lesson we built to scale cardboard models of our lamps, to help figure to pieces and steps needed to create the final product. In the image above, it can be seen that the two 'head' pieces are attached together by the base, which is going to be filled with scrap pieces of wood to weigh the lamp down. Holes and a special cut will be made in the wood to make a pathway for the lamp cord. Above that, a shelf will be attached between the two 'head' pieces where the light bulb and light bulb holder will be fastened. The shelf is placed in that spot mainly so that it will raise the light bulb to the middle of the lamp.

With the help of Mr XXXX, I also tested to see if it was in fact possible to heat a piece of acrylic in the oven, and then bend and mold it into shape as the top of the lamp. The acrylic piece that was tested just fit into the oven, meaning that the final acrylic piece will have to be halved into two to fit. Once the acrylic was heated, it was able to bend and mold over the cardboard model, and had to be held into place until cool.

Step 3: Plan for Lamp

NOTE: Attached are screen grabs for the student's web page (as this was a school project)  to show the planning of this project. The text is here reflection on this planning.

SWOT Analysis
Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats

I personally think that one of the plan's leading strength is that the steps are quite straightforward and pretty easy to understand. The Gantt chart is one of the main contributers to this, since the simple layout is very clear, as opposed to previous DT plans I have made in the past. The format of having all the dates lined up right next to each other really gives a clear sense of the time constrictions, and what needs to be done each lesson so that I don't fall behind track. The cutting list is also very helpful since it states the exact number of pieces needed, and the measurements as well. The plan is very comprehensible.
The main weakness that the plan contains is the fact that sometimes the steps take much longer than they are estimated to, meaning that each task is simply pushed further and further back until the actual lamp making process is very far behind schedule. I couldn't move on in the plan until each task was finished, so that each step was very time consuming and meant that there were very few, if any at all, opportunities. For example, I had to concentrate on creating the CorelDraw design for the entire time that I was designing, and couldn't halfway through start working on another step until that one was finished. Because the first half of my plan was like this, progress was slow and with little opportunities.
However, as the plan progressed and the lamp pieces began to be cut out, more opportunities arose. For example, while assembling the acrylic pieces and waiting for the glue to dry, I could start with the next task, saving time.
The principal threats in the plan is related to the use of potentially hazardous apparatus and machinery, i.e. the heating oven and the saw/scroll saw. The threat of using these machinery incorrectly is quite high, yet if used appropriately and with correct safety gear then no harm could be done. I just need to make sure that the proper gear is used, safety goggles, heating gloves, etc, and everything should go smoothly.

Step 4: Creating the Lamp: Corel Draw

NOTE: Again, screen grabs of the student's web page have been added along with original photographs. I have included the "process" element in this text box to help explain the making process.

Take photo of Ramona drawing from the comic book Scott Pilgrim
- Upload photo onto CorelDraw
- Use 'trace' option to create lineart of Ramona
- Use 'beizer' tool when needed to trace over lineart for smoother lines.


- Send lineart file to the PC hooked up to the laser printer
- Set up page size and printer settings
- Place cardboard piece inside laser cutter
- Send file to 'Print'
- When finished, take out cardboard with cut out pieces

Step 5: Creating the Lamp: Cardboard Prototype

NOTE: Again, screen grabs of the student's web page have been added along with original photographs. I have included the "process" element in this text box to help explain the making process.

- Use the original photo as a guide to assemble the cut out pieces
- Fasten pieces together using PVA glue and masking tape to make a cardboard model

- Open lineart file
- Re-seize measurements
- Using the same tools as before create/trace eyebrows and eyelashes to the design

(Same as previous step)
- Send lineart file to the PC hooked up to the laser printer
- Set up page size and printer settings
- Place cardboard piece inside laser cutter
- Send file to 'Print'
- When finished, take out cardboard with cut out pieces

Same as previous step)
- Use the original photo as a guide to assemble the cut out pieces
- Fasten pieces together using PVA glue and masking tape to make a cardboard model

Step 6: Creating the Lamp: Laser Cut Acrylic

NOTE: Again, screen grabs of the student's web page have been added along with original photographs. I have included the "process" element in this text box to help explain the making process.


- Send lineart file to the PC hooked up to the laser printer
- Set up page size and printer settings
- Place acrylic piece inside laser cutter
- Send file to 'Print'
- When finished, remove acrylic pieces

- Use the laser cutter to print out the 'basic' shapes and outlines for the walls in clear acrylic
- Line the acrylic pieces up and quickly paint acrylic solvent cement between the gaps with a paintbrush
- Re-apply solvent cement as needed

Step 7: Creating the Lamp: Top and Base

- Tape scrap pieces of wood onto the lamp around the edges to act as a guide when molding the cover
- Turn the heating oven on
- Using safety gloves, place the pink acrylic strip in
- Once heated until floppy, take the acrylic out and quickly mold it around the top of the lamp
- Use masking tape to secure it around the curves of the lamp
- When cool, remove

- Insert 7mm drill bit into the drill machine
- Secure the acrylic piece with a clamp
- Turn the machine on and slowly drill into the acrylic
- Turn off once done
- Use a file to even the hole out to fit the lamp cord perfectly
- Sand down with sandpaper

Step 8: Final Assembly and Test

- Attach the black acrylic piece onto the main lamp body using acrylic solvent
- Insert lamp cord and screw in light bulb onto shelf
- Slide lamp cover on
- Plug in cord and turn the lamp on

NOTE: Please see the screen grabs to read the students reflections.