I came across this cool outdoor relaxation area on design boom. It's a structure that is just layers of plywood to create a private areas with a hammock and seating.

pd486

So I got the majority of the foam profiles for the bench done today but I still have a ton of work to do. I need to finish the foam profiles and get them glued together, then I need to cut the negative spaces for the pump and ceramic filter. then i need to fiberglass the foam (which i know is time consuming). After the fiberglass is finished I need to spot fill with bondo and sand and paint. I doubt all this is going to be done by the mid crit, but it's vital that I'm getting this tough work done now so I can make adjustments and be ready for the final crit.

pd486

Farmers Market Adventure. Logan and I went to a farmers market recently so that we'd be able to test the differences between the taste of organic, farmers market produce and store bought produce. I bought some tomatoes, and Logan bought some kale. I don't really have a very discerning palette so I'm not really sure if I actually noticed a difference in the taste. Also, realistically it would probably have been a better idea to do a blind test so I didn't know which tomato came from where so my opinion wouldn't be skewed.

pd486

Bought some boards of styrofoam building insulation today. I am going to use it for a prototype for the bench. The foam is easy to work with and lightweight. Then I'll fiber glass that I think. I am unsure of weather I will build a full scale model. I know that rotomolding would be an easy way to manufacture this bench but Im going to have to rotomold it myself so I may just do it half scale. I''ll kick it around for a few more days though, it really would be best to have a FULL scale working model of course.

PD486

Today I did a bit of research on the kind of materials in bench will be made of. I think I am going to settle with an easily recyclable plastic with an antimicrobial coating to ensure that water stays fresh. I had originally wanted to make it so the water would be visible in the bench, but I just read that algae will be able to grow if sunlight is present. If the clean, filtered water is contaminated by algae people won't be able to drink it, which is something I want users to be able to do. If it's hot out, drink from the hose.

pd486

Still haven't been able to work on the filter yet. I have been having trouble finding any terra cotta pots that aren't glazed and dont have a how in the bottom of the pot for drainage. The ceramic pot is porous which makes it possible for water to pass through the material. As the water moves through the ceramic many of the pollutants are removed. It's pretty cool stuff. The water will then get to the sand. After about 2 weeks of water trickling through the sand the top 5 inches or so of sand will create a biofilm consisting of bacteria, protozoa, and small little creatures that work together to clean the water. It sounds kinda strange that our water is cleaned this way but it's true. I may also include an activated carbon filter just like those used in brita water filters, but I haven't decided yet.

pd486

Ok, so I have been working on the form of the bench today. I just did some prototyping with cardboard to get a better idea of the dimensions and logistics of this deal. I have all the measurements ready and I am going to begin work with where and how the filter will be incorporated in the bench. I also got an idea while working today about making these bench attachable, so you can connect several bench together. Tomorrow I am going to begin the prototype for the filter. I am curious as to just how clean this water will be. I will have to do some tests to see if it really is effective or if I will need to find another solution.