Fall2006Assignments

1-12-07

SecondTermProjects

1. Time to finish up
2. your documentation is due at the time of the exam
3. Check this link about documentation - http://duxtech.pbwiki.com/DocumentationofProjects

 

Exam

1. Mendo - How does it work, why does it work
2. Designing with the computer
3. Measuring and cutting
4. Second term projects

 

1-10-07

SecondTermProjects

1. We will have two more days to work on this project, today and Friday
2. Your documentation is due at the time of the exam
3. Check this link about documentation - http://duxtech.pbwiki.com/DocumentationofProjects
4. Make sure you have a product that functions properly by the end of class on Friday
5. All tools and supplies need to be properly stored and put away by the end of class on Friday.
6. You will be interviewed by Mr. Connors about your project
7. Speak with Mr. Connors about when the interview will occur.

 

 

1-9-07

• SecondTermProjects

1. Three classes this week
2. Gather your information and get it done
3. You can ask for help, but make sure you try to solve the problem first
4. You will need to have some documentation of your project
5. You will be interviewed by Mr. Connors about your project
6. The last class of the week will be a clean up period

 

• Questions for the documentation and interview. Use text, photos and physical objects to demontstrate your project.

1. What did you set out to do?
2. Where did you find good information?
3. How did you do the project?
4. How does it work?
5. What did you learn?
6. What would you do differently?

 

1-4-07

• WeeklyUpdate

1. Due tomorrow

 

• SecondTermProjects

1. make sure you communicate your needs
2. Projects are set as of the class before vacation
3. Move forward on your project
4. If you are doing a redo, make this work
5. If you need supplies, make it clear what you need.
6. Make sure supplies and tools are put away at the end of each class.

 

1-3-07

• SecondTermProjects

1. Work towards your goal
2. Do you need more information?
3. Do you need parts or supplies?
4. Make use of each class period
5. How will you display your work?
6. We will have 6 classes before the end of the semester

 

12-22-06

• SecondTermProjects Before the end of this period you need a written goal on your wiki

1. it should include:
2. what you are trying to do
3. Who you will be working with
4. What parts you will need
5. What information you will need
6. How you will publicly display your work
7. hand this in before the end of the period
8. Get this done before you start work on the project

 

 

12-21-06

• MendoPresentation debrief - Put these questions on your wiki and hand them in with your weekly update tomorrow

1. How did it go?
2. What could you have done better?
3. What would you do again

 

• After vacation plans

1. SecondTermProjects
2. This project can be either a continuation of current projects or a different project
3. You should not be leaving projects half done
4. Check with Mr. Connors about what your path will be
5. You will need to break down the tasks of the project in written form
6. Make a page on your wiki called SecondTermProjects for parking information and documentation

 

12-18-06

• MendoPresentation

1. Tomorrow last block
2. Come after school today if you need more access to this room
3. Do you need supplies, information, advice?

 

• What do you need for the presentation?

1. You will need a functioning device that you can explain
2. Make sure it works properly
3. Make sure all two or three group members can contribute to the presentation
4. Pack up all the physical items you need for your presentation
5. put your stuff in a paper box if you need
6. You will have just a few minutes in the room to grab your stuff
7. We will need to walk quickly to Alden School

 

• Grading Points

1. Physical objects are prepared
2. Information is prepared
3. Behavior and cooperation during presentation

 

 

12-15-06

• MendoPresentation

1. Tuesday Last Block
2. Gather information over the weekend
3. Come after school Monday to work on anything that needs doing
4. Make sure you are prepared to show a functioning device on tuesday
5. email me at duxtech@gmail.com if you need help

 

• Goals for the presentation Put on Wiki and hand in at start of class

1. What are three things that people watching your presentation should understand
2. What do you need to do to make sure people 'get it'
3. Do you need any parts supplies or information?

 

• MendoPresentation

1. What do you need?
2. What should people understand after seeing your presentation?
3. Is your device working?
4. Focus on function first,
5. Appearance does matter
6. Make sure each group member has a task each class
7. what do you need to do outside of class to get this done?
8. What are the individual tasks that need to be done?

 

 

12-13-06

 

• Goals for the presentation Put on Wiki and hand in at start of class

1. What are three things that people watching your presentation should understand
2. What do you need to do to make sure people 'get it'
3. Do you need any parts supplies or information?

 

• MendoPresentation

1. What do you need?
2. What should people understand after seeing your presentation?
3. Is your device working?
4. Focus on function first,
5. Appearance does matter
6. Make sure each group member has a task each class
7. what do you need to do outside of class to get this done?
8. What are the individual tasks that need to be done?

 

12-12-06

• MendoPresentation

1. We will have three classes this week
2. You will need to create some documentation of the work you are doing
3. You will need to make sure your group has a explanation on your wiki of how your project works
4. Either Monday or Tuesday of next week will be the presentation
5. Presentations will be videotaped
6. Your presentation should be taped at least twice
7. You will not be making the video, the students of the video class will.

 

• Goals for the presentation Put on Wiki and hand in by tomorrow at start of class

1. What are three things that people watching your presentation should understand
2. What do you need to do to make sure people 'get it'
3. Do you need any parts supplies or information?

 

12-08-06

• Weekly Update

1. Hand it in
2. Late updates will be taken after class ends

 

• MendoPresentation

1. Check your design to make sure it is going to work
2. Make any revisions to the implementation
3. The presentation date is somewhat up in the air
4. We are in negotiation about the date of the presentation
5. It could be tuesday or wednesday of next week, but it can't be friday
6. Hopefully the project will not be pushed into the week following
7. If you have extra time, how will you use it?
8. We may have a video unit from the video class cover our presentation for archiving purposes.

 

12-7-06

• WeeklyUpdade

1. due tomorrow at the start of the period
2. Hand it in when you arrive to class
3. late hand ins will be accepted after class has ended.

 

• MendoPresentation

1. Check the project description
2. There should be a set of CAD drawings for your device
3. There will likely be a newspaper reporter at the presentation
4. You are now testing the information you found on the internet
5. if the information doesn't work, you will need to get more info
6. you need to have something that works
7. you need to be able to explain why it works

 

12-6-06

South Shore Women's Center

1. Bring in money for the project by friday,
2. we will be able to help out our family with the money collected
3. Sami has agreed to do the shopping
4. Should we include something else?

 

• MendoPresentation

1. Check the project description
2. There should be a set of CAD drawings for your device

 

 

12-4-06

South Shore Women's Center

1. Sami Should have gone shopping over the weekend
2. We need to divide her expenses by the participants
3. We need to make sure she gets paid off

 

• MendoPresentation

1. Create a page on your wiki called MendoPresentation
2. Choose a question like one of the ones on the MendoPresentation page
3. Answer the question through doing some research
4. Build some device that helps show magnetism and electromagnetism

 

12-1-06

 

• South Shore Women's Center

1. There is a project to gather christmas type gifts for the sswc
2. We raise the money, then either go shopping or get gift cards
3. The project needs to be complete next week.

 

• Assembly

1. Assemble the motor, make it run
2. When you have your motor running, have it evaluated,
3. When you have a running motor, your role is to help your classmates
4. You should help for at least one period
5. You should help, but you should not do the work
6. If your motor is not working, look at MendoTroubleshooting
7. We will be complete with the in class time of the motor by Friday

 

• MendoPresentation

1. Create a page on your wiki called MendoPresentation
2. Choose a question like one of the ones below
3. Answer the question through doing some research
4. How does the mendocino motor work?
5. How does a magnet work?
6. how does an electromagnet work?
7. How do solar cells work?
8. Who is Larry Spring and what has he done
9. What did we do to make the mendo?
10. How did we design the mendo in CAD?
11. Choose a motor left over from a previous year and make it work

 

 

11-29-06

• Assembly

1. Assemble the motor, make it run
2. When you have your motor running, have it evaluated,
3. When you have a running motor, your role is to help your classmates
4. You should help for at least one period
5. You should help, but you should not do the work
6. If your motor is not working, look at MendoTroubleshooting
7. We will be complete with the in class time of the motor by Friday

 

• Mendo presentation

1. How does the mendocino motor work?
2. How does a magnet work?
3. how does an electromagnet work?
4. How do solar cells work?
5. What did we do to make the mendo?
6. How did we design the mendo in CAD?

 

11-28-06

• Assembly

1. Assemble the motor, make it run
2. When you have your motor running, have it evaluated,
3. When you have a running motor, your role is to help your classmates
4. You should help for at least one period
5. You should help, but you should not do the work
6. If your motor is not working, look at MendoTroubleshooting
7. We will be complete with the in class time of the motor by Friday

 

• Remainder of term two - Magnetism presentation

1. We have been asked to do a presentation on magnetism
2. The audience is two or three classes of third graders at alden
3. The presentation date will be the first class of next week.

 

• Surplus mendo motors

1. Make some older mendos work
2. There is a box of older mendos
3. Lets take a look at them and pick out the ones that look like they could be made to run
4. When they are running, we set them aside as gifts to the third grade classrooms

 

• South Shore Women's Center

1. There is a project to gather christmas type gifts for the sswc
2. do we want to particpate?

 

11-27-06

• Assembly

1. Assemble the motor, make it run
2. When you have your motor running, have it evaluated,
3. When you have a running motor, your role is to help your classmates
4. You should help for at least one period
5. You should help, but you should not do the work
6. If your motor is not working, look at MendoTroubleshooting
7. We will be complete with the in class time of the motor by Friday

 

• Remainder of term two - Magnetism presentation

1. We have been asked to do a presentation on magnetism
2. The audience is two or three classes of third graders at alden
3. The presentation date will be the first class of next week.

 

• Remainder of term two - Projects

1. CNC computer Numeric Controlled devices
2. Lathe
3. Computer Aided Design
4. Suggestions?

 

11-21-06

• Assembly

1. Glue mirror onto base
2. Put magnets into grooves
3. All magnets should be south facing in
4. Use paper to shim the magnets
5. Position magnets on rotor
6. Rotor magnets are also south in
7. use a little tape to keep the magnets from wobbling

 

• Testing the motor

1. Make the motor balance well before putting it in the light
2. you should be able to make it turn by rotating it 1/2 turn and letting go
3. Do not spin it real hard, that doesn't really tell you anything
4. When you get it to balance smoothly, put it in the light
5. if it is balanced, you should be able to get it to start in the light without turning it yourself

 

 

• MendoTroubleshooting

1. if it does not work, you need to figure out what the problem is and solve it.
2. Below are some common problems:

 

• Balance is a common problem.

1. Turn it 1/2 turn and let go
2. If it falls, you can add weight to the highest part of the circle
3. Add solder, made of lead
4. don't add steel like nails, because they are made with iron, attractive to magnets

 

• Magnets out of position is a common problem

1. The magnets have to be firmly and accurately placed
2. If they can wobble out of place, they will
3. When they go out of position, it is never the way that you want
4. Add paper to the base magnets
5. make sure the base magnets are straight up and down
6. make sure the magnets are all south facing in
7. add a little tape to the rotor dowel to keep the magnets from flopping around
8. the front dowel magnet should be over the frontmost base magnets
9. the rear dowel magnet should be over the rear pair of base magnets

 

• Solar cells not wired correctly is an occasional problem

1. Make sure you have continuity between each of the pairs of cells
2. make sure you do not have continuity between adjacent cells
3. if your continuity is off, you may have to either rewire the wrap wire connections
4. If your cells are connected to the adjacent cells, you will have to reconnect them to the oppposite cells.
5. If a tab falls off your cell, you will need to have it soldered back on. Ask for help.

 

• If it still won't run

1. If everything above is correct, and it just wobbles back and forth try this technique
2. neatly cut one pair of wires from a pair of cells.
3. Resand the ends
4. Solder the ends onto the opposite tab they were on before
5. Ask for help if this doesn't make sense.

 

11-20-06

• Rotor

1. Solder cells together
2. Solder each wrap wire to a pair of cells
3. Drill hole in end of post
4. Put small brass nail in hole

 

• Assembly

1. Glue mirror onto base
2. Put magnets into grooves
3. All magnets should be south facing in
4. Use paper to shim the magnets
5. Position magnets on rotor
6. Rotor magnets are also south in
7. use a little tape to keep the magnets from wobbling

 

11-15-06

• Mendo Base

1. Check it over to see if it is done
2. store it carefully until you need it later

 

• Rotor

1. Glue on the solar cells
2. Use continuity tester to confirm wire labelling
3. Electrically Connect opposite cells
4. Connect wrap wire to pairs of cells
5. drill hole in the end of the dowel for the pin
6. put pin in the end of the dowel

 

• WeeklyUpdate

1. this week will include last week as well.
2. it is due at the start of the last class of the week (thursday)

 

11-14-06

• Mendo Base

1. the base should be pretty much done.
2. Check with Mr. Connors to see how much it needs
3. There is a tool case that needs a coat of poly, let Mr. Connors know if you want to do it.

 

• Rotor

1. Wrap the wire
2. Carefully remove the ends of the wires
3. label the wires, 1 start, 1 finish, 2 start, 2 finish
4. sand a half inch or so of the insulation from the ends

 

• WeeklyUpdate

1. this week will include last week as well.
2. it is due at the start of the last class of the week (thursday?)

 

11-8-06

• Mendo Base

1. Add another coat
2. Next will be to touch up the bases.

 

• Mendo Rotor

1. Cut post from 3/8 dowel stock to 8 inches
2. measure two 50 foot lengths of magnet wire
3. cut balance holes in the wings of the block
4. use the mini drill press
5. Add the holes before wrapping the wire on the block

 

11-7-06

• Mendo Base

1. Lightly sand the base away from the poly area
2. Poly the base
3. Store it in the locker so it can dry

 

• Mendo Rotor

1. Make grooves in block material
2. Cut to 2" in length
3. Find center of block
4. Drill hole in block
5. Drill balance holes in block

 

11-3-06

• Mendo Base

1. Poly the base
2. You should have the upright attached by now
3. You should have at least the first coat on the base completed by today

 

• EndoftermUpdate

1. Answer these questions on your wiki,
2. Hand it in instead of your WeeklyUpdate
3. Hand it in on the last day of class this week

 

• Mendo Rotor

1. Make grooves in block material
2. Cut to 2" in length
3. Find center of block
4. Drill hole in block
5. Drill balance holes in block

 

11-2-06

• Mendo Base

1. Attach upright to base
2. Secure the two with as little gap as possible
3. The upright should be at a 90 degree angle to the base
4. Sand the tool marks out of the wood
5. Sand with the grain, not across it
6. Check to see if you are ready for polyurethane
7. Do the poly in a dust free area

 

• EndoftermUpdate

1. Answer these questions on your wiki,
2. Hand it in instead of your WeeklyUpdate
3. Hand it in on the last day of class this week

 

10-31-06

• Mendo Base

1. Clean up miter cuts with the chopsaw
2. Attach upright to base with grooves using the technique covered last class.
3. You may need to make a new upright to clean it up
4. Lightly sand the base
5. You may want to round the corners of the base
6. Once the bases are sanded, polyurethane can begin.

 

• EndoftermUpdate

1. Answer these questions on your wiki,
2. Hand it in instead of your WeeklyUpdate
3. Hand it in on the last day of class this week

 

10-30-06

• Cut grooves in Mendo Base

1. use the router table and jig
2. Hold the workpiece firmly, press the jig towards the miter groove
3. The workpiece should only move right to left
4. Stop the router before removing the workpiece

 

• Attach Upright to Base

1. Use the jig
2. Make sure the pieces are square and perpendicular
3. glue the upright before clamping it
4. The ends with your name should be facing out, should not be in the glued joint
5. The holes should be 3/8" from the end, 1" from the sides
6. Use a counter sink drill bit
7. Screw with a screwdriver
8. Sand the base with sandpaper, do this over a trash can
9. Write your name neatly between the screws

 

10-27-06

• WeeklyUpdate

1. Due at the start of class Friday

 

• cut mendo base

1. upright needs to be square (3 7/8")
2. cut bottom on miter saw

 

• SketchupDocumentation

1. text and photos
2. show what you have done
3. show that you have created something unique
4. Due today
5. if you don't get it in today, it can still be handed in late.

 

10-25-06

• cut with a handsaw

1. practice cuts
2. cut 6"
3. measure for a 5 1/2" cut
4. label piece with name and measurement of cut that is marked (above)

 

• cut mendo base

1. upright needs to be square (3 7/8")
2. cut bottom on miter saw

 

• SketchupDocumentation

1. text and photos
2. show what you have done
3. show that you have created something unique
4. Due at end of week

 

• WeeklyUpdate

1. Due at the start of class Friday

 

10-24-06

• Mendocino Motor

1. overview of the motor
2. end of term
3. completed motor process

 

• SketchupDocumentation

1. text and photos
2. show what you have done
3. show that you have created something unique
4. Due at end of week

 

• Cut with a Handsaw

1. audio - http://feeds.feedburner.com/FussingWithStuffPodcast?m=3
2. Measure for a cut
3. practice cuts
4. cut for an 8 inch cut
5. measure for a 7 1/2 inch cut
6. cut the base (if enough time)
7. cut the upright (if enough time)

 

10-23-06

• Mendocino Motor

1. overview of the motor
2. end of term
3. completed motor process
4. measuring
5. cutting with a hand saw

 

• sketchup documentation

1. text and photos
2. show what you have done
3. show that you have created something unique