Chahek Bansal

  1. Urban Pavilion
  2. Aeris Windmill
  3. AR Glasses
  4. AR Remote
  5. Nest
  6. NASA x RISD
  7. Everyday Bag
  8. Dyson Remodel

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Nest

Tape Dispenser
Artisanal tape dispenser inspired by the shells and nesting ability of sea isopods. This biomimickry project was made from cherry wood, brass rivets, aluminium, and finished with wood wax.  

01 Process











Inspiration 


The design process began by drawing inspiration from nature, specifically the isopod. Its segmented body provided an interesting foundation for form exploration with organic and mechanical points to draw inspiration from. 










Form Exploration


Some initial exploratory drawings of the volume and planar surfaces of the isopod to gain insipration for the form of my tape dispenser. Volume #1 and #3 were mainly the forms that I chose to proceed with and finally settle on the nest mechanism. 


02 Prototyping and Fabrication




Veneer Preparation: Laminated three layers of 1/16” cherry veneer using wood glue. Prepared four such sheets for the nesting shells. Sheets were 5” x 10” each to produce three tape dispensers.

Jig Fabrication: Turned a 11” x 6” poplar log on the lathe to create a 6” dowel. Split the turned piece lengthwise into two halves for the jig.

Vacuum Forming: Laid each cherry veneer sheet onto the jig. Nested four layers at once and vacuum formed to achieve the form.

Shaping: Cut the jig into three equal sections using a bandsaw, each holding four shells, making three tape dispensers at once.Trimmed excess veneer and rounded the edges for a cleaner look.

Joinery and Assembly: Drilled registration holes through each nested shell with a drill press for the brass rivet. Installed brass rivet to mechanically join the components, allowing rotational movement.

03 Final Product