Carlos, the Corrugated Cardboard Surfboard:

The project assigned to students was entitled the "Flat Pack Costume Design". The students had to create, design, and build a line of marine-themed costumes made out of cardboard, and put together by slotted construction for easy assembly by adults for middle school aged children.Slotted construction is a form of construction in which slots are cut into each piece of the item, so the item can be assembled using no adhesives.The students were only allowed to use cardboard in the designing and creating of their costumes, because the cardboard could be recycled, and easily stored using the flat pack method. The project was completed in groups, and so each student created a costume that related to their groups' chosen theme.
      My group's theme was "Marine Objects that can be Red". I designed, created, and built a cardboard surfboard as my costume for middle school aged children to wear as a costume in a play production. The costume was assembled in five parts, using slotted construciton, and the flat pack method .For designing the costume,all the group members had to include a step-by-step set of instructions and illustrations on how to make the costume. Throughout the creation of the parts of the costume, and the assembly of the costume, members of the group were required to take pictures of each step of the process. The process of creating and assembling the costume would then be published on the internet in the form of a new instructable.

Design Brief:
Based on the “Being Green” notion, my project was to develop a marine themed costume made from recycled cardboard using slotted construction for easy assembly. The sought after costume was to be easy to assemble-so that middle school aged children could construct them with very little help from adults-small for easy storage, and durable indoors and outdoors when supervision is minimal.

Specs:
• The Instructables website has to be understood
• Cardboard must be used
• Parametrics, ergonomics, and anthropometrics must be researched, and understood.
• Has to be marine-themed
• Flat pack design must be used
• A mood board must be created

Limits:
• Only cardboard can be used
• Flat pack design must be used
• Slotted construction must be used
• the availability of the size of the cardboard

Step 1: Gathering Materials:

Supply List:
(S1) Cardboard- approximately the size of a refrigerator box

Tools and Equipment:
(T1) Cutting Mat
(T2) Utility Knife/ X-Acto Knife
(T3) Ruler
(T4) Pencil
(T5) Tape Measure

Step 2: Producing the Body of the Surfboard:

1. Measure out (S1) cardboard with a (T3) ruler to 4 ½ feet long, and 1ft 8 ½ in wide.

2. Cut (S1) cardboard edges to make sure they are straight using a (T2) Utility knife/ x-acto knife. Use a (T3) straightedge ruler to ensure the edges are straight. Make sure a (T1) Cutting Mat is underneath when cutting.

3. Using (T3) ruler, measure half the width, and draw a line, marking it with a (T4) pencil.

4. Using orthographic measurements, measure with a (T5) tape measure to mark out the basic shape of the costume with a (T4) pencil.

5. Connect the lines using a (T4) pencil).

6. Cut out (S1) cardboard costume with a (T2) utility knife. Make sure a (T1) Cutting Mat is underneath.

7. Cut in the slots for the (S1) cardboard strap in the (S1) cardboard costume, using a (T2) utility knife. Make sure a (T1) Cutting Mat is underneath.

8. Put aside to work on next part.

Step 3: Producing the Strap:

1. Measure out (S1) cardboard with a (T3) ruler to 4 ½ feet long and 6 ½ inches wide.

2. (S1) cardboard edges to make sure they are straight. Use a (T3) straightedge ruler to ensure the edges are straight. Make sure a (T1) Cutting Mat is underneath.

3. Cut out (S1) cardboard strap with a (T2) utility knife. Make sure a (T1) Cutting Mat is underneath.

4. Set alongside the body of the surfboard to work on next part.

Step 4: Producing the Skegs:

1. Take scrap cardboard, and carve two more ‘fins’, using a (T1) Cutting Mat, and a (T2) utility knife.

2. Cut slots for the (S1) cardboard strap, using a (T1) Cutting Mat, and a (T2) utility knife into the back of the top ‘fin’. Then cut two more slots for the ‘fins’. Space them out at the blunt edge of the surfboard.

Step 5: Parts:

Part List:
(P1)- Quantity: 1 - Surfboard
(P2)- Quantity: 1 - Strap
(P3)- Quantity: 3 - Skegs

Step 6: Assembling the Costume:

1. Fold (P1) surfboard in half on the middle line. Unfold.

2. Insert (P2) strap into (P1) surfboard slots, using slotted construction.

3. Insert (P3) into the remaining slots.


4. Paint if desired. *Remember: If costume is painted, both sides must be painted unless the it is desired to have a curving/curling surfboard.*

5. Naming the surfboard Carlos is not necessary. Naming the surfboard is not necessary at all.