Test Your Fate: Base Construction

After talking to Simon in woodwork to finalise the approach to construction and identify the final measurements we started to construct the base of the pinball machine (56x105x60cm). This involved Simon (woodwork technician) cutting down large pieces of mdf and cutting the 45 degree angle in which allowed each side to slot together (see figures 1-5). Once the initial pieces had been cut the slops where added and aligned for the top section of the base. This meant the base could be glued together with wood glue and clamps, with the bottom being added at the end so it could be fit to the size of the base (see figures 6-9). This was necessary as the base will be smaller due to the way the box is constructed meaning 15mm has been taken away from each side of the box due to the thickness of the material that is overlapped when constructed. In order to construct the box masking tape was used to align the pieces and hold them in place whilst wood glue was added to the sides (see figures 8-9). The hinge created by the masking tape allowed the pieces of wood to stay aligns whilst allowing the pieces to be pushed together once the glue had been applied. Clamps were used to hold the wood in place firmly so no slack was created which would result in the sides not sticking effectively (see figures 10-11). Weights were added to the top in order to hold the bottom in place so no gaps within the wood appeared during the drying process (see figures 12-14). 

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