Engineering and Design Projects

Making a new base to add wheels to a desk

This base for my Autonomous sit-stand desk lets me use casters while preserving the same original height range of the desk with the fixed feet it came with. I did the CAD in SolidWorks and had the pieces laser cut and then I TIG welded it together. All of the laser-cut pieces have indexing features which makes fixturing for welding simple. The bent pieces on top has offset slots which make it compliant meaning I didn’t need to try to do any tricky roll bending. Tack welds in each slot lock it in place and turn the compliant top into a structural element. The casters are a purchased part and bolt right on with hidden hardware and the entire assembly attaches to the telescoping desk legs using the original screw locations.

Washing Machine Lift

A mechanism that allows a small washing machine to be used in a bathtub and quickly be moved out of the way for showers. The idea was to be able to do laundry while living in a small apartment and it worked! The tub is the best place to run these machines because they only have a gravity drain and I just connected the shower hose into the machine for the wash and rinse bins.

Sprinter Cargo Van Conversion

Converted a 2005 Dodge Sprinter cargo van into a camper van. This project took about a year and I got plenty of help with the cabinetry from my dad. A solar panel array on the roof charges a 4kWhr battery bank which powers the lights, fridge, water heater, etc.

End-grain Cutting Boards

After making one cutting board in a woodshop safety orientation I decided to make several more. I got a lot of inspiration and instructional help from the Russian youtube channel mtmwood. Wood species shown are Maple, Walnut, Cherry, and White Oak.

Apple Box

This is a piece of gear used in photography and filmmaking. It’s a stool which can be used in any orientation and gives the user three different heights to sit or stand on. Made from from 9mm (3/8 inch) thick birch plywood, 26 x 16 x 10 inch. Designed and made this as part of weekend furniture design class at RISD