Gardner Nichols
14 posts

Carbon Fiber Short Board Report

Gardner Nichols
2016, Student Work
4 Comments
The goal of this project was to explore the uses of carbon fiber while practicing my fabrication skills. This project turned out to be a great experiment and learning process, while still producing a nicely finished product. I decided to make a carbon fiber skateboard (or short board) using similar construction methods to surfboards and…

Carbon Fiber Longboard 4/6 Update

Gardner Nichols
2016, Student Work
1 Comment
To see previous updates go here After waiting a week to get some more hardener and epoxy resin, it finally came today. Last weekend, I bought a set of trucks, bearings and wheels so I only had to finish the deck for a working skateboard. I already had one side of the deck laid in carbon…

Pre Spring Break Progress

Gardner Nichols
2016, Student Work
7 Comments
At this point I have all of my material purchased and sitting at my house. After taking a look at the amount of carbon fiber that I ordered, I realized I would need quite a lot more to create a decent carbon fiber coffee table. I personally wasn’t very invested in the coffee table idea…

Gardner Nichols Constraints

Gardner Nichols
2016, Student Work
1 Comment
My top 5 constraints with building a carbon fiber expanding table are as follows: 1.) Money: Carbon fiber is expensive and I would love to build a full dining table, but for now with my limited budget, a small coffee table will have to do. 2.) Skill: I have experience laying out carbon fiber, but…

Carbon Fiber Expanding Table Design Review

Gardner Nichols
2016, Student Work
5 Comments
For my final project, I’m going to build an expanding table. As much as I’d like to build an expanding table with an intricate system, I’m going to keep it simple and completely manual. Again, I’m going to play on the aesthetic of mixing organic and inorganic materials and shapes that I explored a little…

Gardner’s Inspiration

Gardner Nichols
2016, Student Work
2 Comments
For my final project, I’d like to create an expanding table. Nothing quite like some of the intricate examples we saw in class, but a simple clean design. The aesthetic for this table will draw on a contemporary mix between organic materials and functional but attractive shapes, very much like my side table. I saw…

Gardner’s Aspirations

Gardner Nichols
2016, Student Work
2 Comments
I have a strong passion for cars and motorsports, so I am currently looking for jobs in that industry. My dream job would either be a development engineer/ driver for a car company. These engineers essentially develop the handling performance and character of a car through test driving. I hope to find my first job…

Gardner’s gardening skills and more

Gardner Nichols
2016, Student Work
1 Comment
I am currently a senior in mechanical engineering, so I have the same background as my team mates. I am quite good at Solidworks and making drawings. I have ITLL access to 3D printers, although I might need a refresher. I am a decent wood worker and a skilled welder. I have a massive Ford…

Contemporary Side Table

Gardner Nichols
2016, Student Work
37 Comments
For my first Aesthetics of Design project, the challenge was to upcycle in some way. I’m a fan of upcycling, but I wanted to build something that I wouldn’t just throw away after graduation. I wanted to build something that I could foresee in my house someday. Because of this, my table might not look…

Gardner’s Contemporary Side Table

Gardner Nichols
2016, Student Work
3 Comments
I’ve decided to make a small side table. My goal was to use my aesthetic exploration of contemporary design. I wanted to blend a natural material and texture with something very inorganic. With this in mind, I started sketching furniture that had a cascade of hard white or grey material, with a drawer or shelf…

Modern Design

Gardner Nichols
2016, Student Work
3 Comments
I am a big fan of modern design when it comes to furniture and houses. I especially like the aesthetic that focuses more on mixing nature and organic shapes with highly contrasting forms and materials. Modern interior design also tends to have high contrast in color schemes. Although a lot of modern interior design also…

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