Conclusion

Completing a big project like this takes ambition, planning, and organization. When I first found Derek Hugger and his work, all I could do was watch his videos over and over again. The way in which his kinetic sculptures moved was just stunning. My first thought was "I wouldn't be able to do that. I don't have enough experience". I knew that if I did one of his sculptures, it would take a significant commitment. However, I felt passionate about carrying it out because once I put my mind to something and see the possibility, I have to see it done. The most important thing that I think the kinetic sculptures demonstrate is the synthesis of art and engineering. Most times I see things in only black and white, so this gave me the opportunity to work artistically. Having said that, some aspects require perfectionism and a detail-oriented execution, which are characteristics that I do possess.

With this project, I had to plan, plan, and plan some more. Because I've never done anything on this big of scale, I had to keep checking myself to see if I was still on the right track. To do this, I labelled the pieces, grouped subassemblies together, and modeled the final product using cardboard. I learned to have patience and complete one step at a time. When I made all of the toolpaths in vcarve, I had to make sure the bit did not exceed the diameter of the hole, the depth of the hole was correct, and the name corresponding to the piece matched. If I didn't pay attention here, I knew it would create more work for me in the future. Although I didn't get to use the CNC machine during this first half of the project, I expanded my knowledge in vcarve design and mechanics.

Going into this project, we knew it was at least a year long (two semester) project. So, in the future I will finish it and mount it on a empty wall in my bedroom. Once I finish, if there's time, I would possibly add LEDs into the rings which would make for an awesome effect. However, I would need to make sure I doesn't throw off the balance. Even when there were setbacks, it didn't stop me because I am determined to be able to mount it on my wall, wind it up, and let it rip.

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