Re-Designing a Chalk Line
September - December 2022
Final Re-Design
Brief
To digitally re-design an object based on the findings of several object autopsies.
After investigating several objects, I was troubled with the mechanism of the chalk line which wasn't as seamless as I would have desired.
A chalk-line is an object which marks a straight line on a surface by unwinding a string covered in blue chalk, which is hooked onto the surface, pulled tight and 'pinged' down to create the desired mark.
This was my first time learning and using Fusion 360.
Research
The bulk of the initial research was practical through disassembling objects, and analysing the strengths and weaknesses in their designs.
The chalk-line was one of these objects, and through use, I was frustrated about the clunky feeling of the rotating handle which made for unpleasant extraction and retraction of the string.
Through the object autopsies of a retractable key ring and a dog lead, I was able to understand how a retractable mechanism works, and consider applying this to the chalk line.
In addition, the current hook of the chalk line wasn't catching on objects successfully, leading to my exploration of alternative hook designs.
Re-Design and Brainstorming
The re-design ultimately solves the extraction and retraction issue I was facing by introducing a retractable mechanism. This in turn added different challenges and potential issues to the design - such as rapid automatic retraction resulting in a big chalk mess - which I responded to.
My iterations of different attachment points explored the use of an anchor-shaped attachment point as well as a suction cup, allowing for attachment to a larger range of objects.
Attachment Point Iterations
Final Mechanism Re-Design
Extracted
Retracted