Research & Concept
This is an everyday kitchen sink stopper or plug. It is inserted in the drain to prevent water from going down and to help fill the sink. It is an object that I interact with on a daily basis, and I think it could use a little pizzazz.
My design features a hand as the plug’s topper. Since the plug is used to stop up the drain and fill the sink with water, I thought it would be humorous to add a hand at the top that looks as though it is drowning and reaching for help above the water. The design functions similarly to the original, expect when pulling the plug, you are reaching for the “hand” to help pull it out.
Iterations
I used Scandy to take a 3D scan of my friend’s hand for this project. There were some difficulties getting a full scan, but after multiple attempts I got one that worked for me. I put the scan in Tinkercad and added a base to the “plug”. I made sure to take measurements of my current sink plug so that it would fit properly and still serve it’s function. I didn’t find many problems with this print other than the size. However, when I got my hands on this print, another idea came into mind:
A key chain holder.
In my second iteration I flatted the base and added two hole at the top and bottom for screws. I also increased the size of the hand so that it could support the weight of a keychain. Below is my updated Tinkercad file and my final attempt at the print.
Increasing the size of the print (mainly the scan of the hand) allowed for better detail quality and overall finish. I liked the idea of the sink plug, but after hold it in my hands, this idea made more sense to me. The hand reaches out of the wall and acts as the hooks or bowl to support the keychains. Overall I’m very satisfied with my final project and am glad I took it in a different direction.
Conclusion
My second trial ended up being my final print. Considering the finish, I think I couldn’t have asked for a better turnout. There are some rough edges that can be filed down, and one slight crack in the hand. Above you can see what it would look like in use (I did not want to actually screw it into my wall because I live in an apartment complex). The only change I would make would be in the hand size, perhaps make it scale to a life-sized hand. However, I personally enjoy it more at it’s current size and shape.