Natalie Montgomery

New Designers, London.

2010-07-03T13:49:00.000-07:00

Charming Reminder will be exhibited at New Designers in London. If you fancy coming to have a proper look at my work, it will be on display at the Business Design Centre 7-11 July.

http://www.newdesigners.com/

I will look forward to seeing you there.

The Video

2010-05-11T23:59:00.000-07:00

You can check out my video of may project in context on vimeo
http://www.vimeo.com/11660890

or on youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNIcGzfOMbY

Get Talking

2010-05-11T12:26:00.000-07:00

The Cabinet Completed

2010-05-11T11:53:00.000-07:00

The cabinet is to display the charms whilst they are not being used. The charms are able to hang just like they would if they were on the chain. The door almost mimics that of a front door and the cabinet has connotations of a key cupboard. The window in the door allows for each charm to be displayed individually.

Making the Cabinet

2010-05-10T12:10:00.000-07:00

Over the past few weeks I have been making a cabinet to display the charms whilst they are not in use. I spoke about it earlier in the blog but referred to it as more of a press box.

Having spoken to Malcolm in the work shop for advice he told me to look at the work of a Russian Cabinet maker, James Krenov. This book helped me design the joints, style and wood for the cabinet.

From the designs we decided to use reclaimed birch pine from an old school bench. It has a light and dark grain that is a reddish brown, we felt it would compliment the silvery colour of the charms.

Quote from BooVake

2010-05-10T11:50:00.000-07:00

http://www.boovake.co.uk/

'As someone who can't seem to get out the door in the morning without leaving something behind (usually my lunch still sitting on the kitchen table) I find the idea of the 'Charming Reminder' very appealing. Natalie has come up with a clever way of utilising an often overlooked piece of door kit . A stylish alternative to the post-it note stuck to the door.'

Arlene, BooVake

Great Images

2010-05-04T07:24:00.000-07:00

Info

2010-05-02T06:13:00.001-07:00

More images will be posted in due course both here and on my flickr site
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nat_montgomery/

charmingreminder.co.uk should also be up and running soon.

Some images from before polishing and silver plating

2010-05-02T05:45:00.000-07:00

Press Release

2010-05-02T05:24:00.000-07:00

¬¬PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A CHARMING IDEA FOR A DUNDEE STUDENT HONOURS PROJECT
-CHARMING REMINDER

Charming reminder is a beautiful, original way of organising your day by accessorising a door chain with silver-plated charms which can be used to remind you or the people you live with of special events or just everyday tasks. There is a core set of nine charms: umbrella, newspaper, telephone, key, letter, plug, sports shoe, present and a shopping basket.

Natalie Montgomery’s (Product Design, Dundee University) inspiration came when using Jane Fulton Suri’s method of Thoughtless Acts in her design research. She took hundreds of photographs around homes and compiled a book of 100 ideas: thoughtful objects from thoughtless acts.

She found that people often accessorise their doors by hanging coats, bags, scarves etc on hooks and handles. After research into charm bracelets and learning of how they promote sentiment and memory, the idea for Charming Reminder developed.

“I liked the idea of having a contrast between jewellery and security. It is kind of ironic or as Bill Gaver said about the idea, ‘a little bit of random delight for functional objects.”

Each individual charm starts out as a hand drawn illustration that gets etched on to 3 mm Perspex and cut out using a laser-cutter. These are then used as models to make the silicone moulds that the pewter charms get cast from. When the charms are not in use, they will on display in an expertly crafted reclaimed birch pine cabinet. Each of the charms would retail at £10.

-ENDS-

Notes to editor:
Natalie is product designer that has a passion for hand made and bespoke objects for the home. Her work often focuses on enhancing household objects to add value and create new functions and uses for then.

Press Enquiries:
Natalie Montgomery
n.r.montgomery@dundee.ac.uk

Press Images

2010-05-02T05:10:00.000-07:00

Rationale

2010-04-12T02:48:00.000-07:00

I think that I have eventually got my Rationale sorted.

'Inspiration came when I was using Jane Fulton Suri’s method of Thoughtless Acts in I research stage. I took hundreds of photographs around numerous homes and from these compiled a book of one hundred ideas: thoughtful objects from thoughtless acts. I found in this research that people often accessorise their doors by hanging coats, bags, scarves etc on hooks and handles. One of my one hundred ideas was for door jewellery. After research into charm bracelets and learning of how the charms promote sentimentality and memory, the idea for Charming Reminder started to developed.'

Packaging

2010-03-25T09:04:00.001-07:00

I am starting to look into how I would package my product if i was to try and sell it. I want the packaging to be simple but should get across to the customer that it is a precious object inside. I have been looking into a couple of examples:

I do not think any of these give the correct impression as they are but they have given me some inspiration. I am going to look into how jewellery is packaged and see if there is a way to get the simplicity I want but also elegance.

perspex charms

2010-03-24T09:39:00.000-07:00

THE Process+ added how I made the double sided charms

2010-03-24T08:45:00.000-07:00

Start with a hand drawn sketch and scan it into illustrator. Trace/draw/simplify the image in illustrator.

The illustrator file is then uploaded to the laser cutter.

Cut the model from plastic. The quickest way to do this seems to be to etch/print the detail first and then separately go round the outline of the image with the 0.01mm line to cut it out.

Using the cut out plastic models you can make your silicone mould. You will need to measure the size of your model and make a wooden mould to hold the silicone. Place buttons in the corners, these will work as reference points.

You need to make a channel for the pewter to flow into the mould. You can do this by shaping some plasticine/blue tack.

Cover the base and the buttons in graphite to make it easier to remove the silicone later. Do not put graphite on the plastic model as it will affect the surface finish.

Attach the side of the wooden mould with duct tape.

Make sure there are no gaps you do not want the silicone leaking out.

Once the mould is ready you can start to mix the silicone.
I have worked out that I require 200ml of silicone to fill the first half of the three moulds.

The pot of silicone may need a bit of mixing before pouring into a measuring jug as the contents may have separated slightly. Measure out 200ml of silicone. If there is a number of bubbles on the surface of the silicone it is a good idea to remove these. To do this you would usually put it in a vacuum to extract the trapped air. As I do not have vacuum apparatus available I am using an old broken saw to vibrate the bubbles out.

Once the bubbles have been effectively removed you can add the hardening agent. A label on the pot of silicone will give you the correct volume to drops ratio, eg 200ml approx 36 drops.

Mix the hardening agent in well but taking care not to get air trapped that could cause bubbles. This will need vibrated/shaken up to get any air out.

Once you feel that the solution is as bubble free as possible you can start to pour it on to the moulds. Start in one of the corners and take your time, move around the outside of the plastic piece. The silicone will gradually move itself to take up the space available. Fill all three moulds making sure everything is covered and all the silicone is used up.

During pour air will have gotten trapped in the mould and it is very important to make sure these are removed or the mould will not work. So take time to vibrate/shake each of the moulds.

Once you are satisfied that the bubbles have been removed leave the moulds to set. The suggested time for setting is 5 1/2 hours. Personally I would leave it over night, giving it 8+ hours to set. That way you won't be tempted to open your mould up too soon and ruin it after putting all the preparation and time into it (silicone is not cheap either, I estimate it is costing me £5-10 per mould).

The mould should be completely set when the material is hard but has spring in it. It should not be tacky. You can now remove the silicone from the wooden mould. You may need to tidy up parts of the mould with a craft knife. To do the make part of the mould you need to cover it with graphite.

You can now start to re-build the wooden mould, but this time place the plastic model side upwards.

Mix the next batch of silicone. This time you can use a bit less, just enough to make a even layer on top of the first half. I will be using roughly 150ml is total. Once again check the pot for the details on volumes etc. Use the same process as before- making sure there are no bubbles when you move on to each stage and make sure you leave enough time for the mould to set.

You will now have to two halves of your mould and you are almost ready to start casting.
Switch on the hob/heating element and place a metal container with a small amount of pewter in side to heat up.

You may need to tidy up your mould, put in a channel for the air to escape and cover it all in graphite.

Put the two halves together and place a piece of mdf on either side to support the mould for when you put the clamps on.

Check the pewter to see if it has all melted. You can use a thermometer to check the temperature (max temp 310 degrees). Basically if all the metal is melted and the viscosity looks good for pouring, try it. Remember it is extremely hot so gloves and a mask are advised, and lift the container with pliers.

Don't worry if it over flows, it is better to pour to much than too little. Also whilst pouring it is good to tap the container to help the metal flow through the mould and to encourage the air out. The pewter will only take a few seconds to solidify but it will still be hot to the touch, so it is a good idea to leave the moulds so the pewter can cool for a couple of minutes.

There is a certain amount of trial and error in the first few casts. You may need to widen the pouring or the air channel or even add extra areas for the air to be pushed out to.

This image shows that the cast is incomplete and shows the extra holes for the air. This piece of pewter can be melted down and reused.

jhjhhkjhjh

Since I last update this I developed my moulds so that the charms were all double sided. I did this simply by inverting the original illustrator sketch and cutting it out into perspex. The rest of the process does not change, except for when you make the second half of the silicone mould. Instead of replacing the original model in with the flat side facing up, you put the inverted model in, so that the rigs (cut outs) face upward and can be cast the silicone.

Wall Plates

2010-03-12T07:19:00.000-08:00

Wall Hooks

Press Boxes

2010-03-09T02:16:00.000-08:00

I have started looking into how I am going to house my charms whilst they are not in use. I have been looking into old press boxes, key holders and jewellery boxes. I know that I want something wall mounted that will display the charms.

Defined

2010-03-08T01:03:00.000-08:00

Once again the final form and styling has changed but this time it is set and will not be changing much. The last post I made was talking about using white porcelain to make some of my charms.

I have since thought about making it either a mixture of white porcelain and silver however I decided that with time running out porcelain is not the right material for me to be using. As much as I feel it would bring the correct look and an interesting dimension to the product I do not feel I could manufacture it the the standard I would want it to be at.

So this is where I am at: The 2 door plates are going to be manufactured by engineering from brass (it is ready to go but needs signed off by jon). The chain I am either sourcing from cookson gold or getting a brass chain from B+Q. The charms are still being designed gradually. They have taken on a rather illustrative style. I have currently got two almost completed silicone moulds so by the end of today I should have my first set of casts made. I then want to bring these to jewellery to test it for silver plating.

My final product is to be fully silver plated and jewellery is able to do this.

My plan for this week:
Get casts made from my silicone moulds and get then silver plated.
Get brass chain.
Get solidworks to Engineering (Today/Tomorrow)
Design the wooden housing and charms
Get them drawn out in illustrator

Clay and Porcelain Charms

2010-02-08T00:32:00.000-08:00

Using the laser cut plaster as a mould for the clay shapes is working reasonably well. Some particles from the plaster do come off on to the clay which is not that noticeable on the white clay or the porcelain but is on the red clay. I might look into putting a coating of wood glue or varnish over the cavity so it will keep its shape longer but not compromise the surface finish.

I am thinking of using porcelain for the charms that are not the most attractive eg: mobile phones, switches. I think it will make a good contrast between this very fragile decorative material against modern mass produced products. On the porcelain I am going to put ceramics transfers of delft patterns.

The Competition

2010-02-03T09:23:00.000-08:00

Charm Research

2010-02-03T09:01:00.000-08:00

The chain is most likely to be on over night or when some is in their home by themselves.
I need to do some more research into the types of charms I am going to make. I will need to speak to numerous people about the things that they need reminded of in the mornings when they leave the house. I found an illustration in a book about charm bracelets that shows what a woman carries in her hand bag and comparing to a woman's journey through life.

Laser Cutting Plaster

2010-02-03T08:38:00.000-08:00

The image above shows a block of plaster that I laser cut to make a cavity that could be used to make my clay charms. The plaster cut reasonably well and has been left with a rough porous surface. Since the pewter is likely the best material for making smooth surface casts, this texture could be good on the clay charms.

Most of the work on the charms I have done is for flat 2D objects so I could possibly use the porcelain for making more 3D objects.

Materials

2010-02-03T08:26:00.000-08:00

CARD, PEWTER,
PLYWOOD, NYLON, PERSPEX, MDF,
ACRYLIC, SANDPAPER, CERAMIC TILES.

I have started playing with different materials on the laser cutter to see which would make beautiful charms and which ones will make good initial models of making moulds.

From this investigation I have decided that the materials for the charms should be pewter as you can get great surface detail, red clay for the colour and porcelain for its delicacy and possible transfer patterns.

Depending on the detail and surface finish required I will make the initial models from MDF or acrylic. MDF will be used for pressing in to cuttle fish to make a pewter model for silicone. When the shape is more important I will used acrylic and make a silicone mould directly.

Finishing the Pewter

2010-02-03T08:07:00.000-08:00

The pewter may come out of the mould with slight imperfections but these should be easily tidied up with filing, sanding and polishing. These models should then be ready to use to make the silicone mould. The advantage of the silicone mould is that it is more durable and can be used to make hundreds of casts before a new one is needed. You could potentially put numerous cavities in a row and even doubled up in the same mould so that you can make batches of casts at a time.

Pewter Casting

2010-02-03T06:43:00.000-08:00

This post is going to take you through the bits and pieces I have been doing in play.

The first thing I started with was making moulds from cuttle fish. At first this was done by pressing objects into the cuttle fish and then I moved on to making shapes on the laser cutter. The cuttle fish works well for making moulds because it is relatively soft so making impressions is easy and it gives the mould a very good surface finish.

These shapes have been cut using the laser cutter. I have made a range of sizes to see which would make the best impression in the cuttle fish and to have a physical model to see the best size for the charms. From this I have decided that I want/need larger charms so that the detail is more obvious they stand out when hanging from a door but also because they make a better impression in the cuttle fish.

CUTTLE FISH IMPRESSION

This image shows the two halves of a cuttle fish mould. The mould is prepared by sanding the soft side until it is flat and sits flush with it's pair. You may need to trim the edges on the band-saw so that they are the same size.

You can now make the impression. Press your shape in with your fingers, starting with the edge and work into the middle on of the model until you get it to the depth you require. Depending on the size of you cuttle fish and your model you might be able to make two impressions on the same piece. However to make sure the molten metal does not get stuck near the top of one cavity and not make it into the second you should add extra channels as shown in the picture. These can be removed easily later. Last thing to be done is to make a funnel shaped opening at the top of the mould for filtering the molten pewter in the the cavities and clamp the two pieces together.

THE ENCLOSED CUTTLE FISH MOULD

The cuttle fish is very brittle. The image above shows the remains of cuttle fish that broke whilst pressing a model in.

Once the mould is ready and clamped together you can start to melt the pewter. It has a relatively low melting point so it can be done in a metal pot on a camping hob. It will take about 10mins to melt the pewter, and once it has you can pour it directly into the mould. It will need about 5mins to cool but it will set within a minute.

This image shows the a close up of the impression Unfortunately when removing the cast some of the mould broke off. If it had been removed cleanly the mould could have been used again by simply pressing the model in to redefine the shape of the cavity. This cuttle fish can however be used again but it will need sanded back and the impression made again.

Materials

2010-01-29T07:40:00.000-08:00

Over the past couple of weeks I have been looking into the process of casting. I have been focusing on how to produce batches of charms from a rather craft based process. So at the moment the process I am using to produce pewter charms consist of:

Laser cut shape from wood.
Press into cuttle fish to make an impression.
Melt pewter and pour into and cuttle fish mould.
Remove cast when hard.
File rough edges, sand and polish.
Make silicone mould from cast.
Reuse to produce numerous replicas.

Each mould could have a number of casting cavities so that batches can be made.

This process can change slightly depending on the surface detail that is required. If there is a lot of detail, it is best to start with the cuttle fish. If the shape of the model is the focus then the model could be cut from acrylic and skip directly to the silicone mould.

From looking into the form of the charms I have realised that for some casting may not be the best process, so from this I have started to look at other materials such as ceramics. Therefore matching the form to a material.

Rationale

2010-01-29T07:38:00.001-08:00

Appropriation and enhancement of household objects to add value and /or create new functions and uses for them.

BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED EVERYDAY PRODUCTS

PLAY time

2009-11-27T08:00:00.000-08:00

It is the beginning of the play stage. This stage involves experimenting with materials, form and technology. For the degree show I am going to have a number of pieces displayed to demonstrate my ideas and skills.

I am going to start my play stage with my security chain. I need to speak to engineeing, jewellery and the workshop technicians to get help with this. I want to experiment with metals, plastics and possibly ceramics. I need to do a quick cultural probe to see what kind of things people would do with their chain, so I have made a quick mock up from paper and have given them to a number of people. In the probe I asked them to draw/write/attach; something they always forget, something they love or is sentimental, something that would make them smile, some kind of decoartion and anything else they want to put on it.
Below is one I have already received back:

The person has put hand santitiser, sweets, money, a conker and a picture of her mobile phone.

Fourth Year Design Project

2009-11-16T07:05:00.000-08:00

It is now two months into my final year project and I am currently focusing on everyday objects that are taken for granted and hoping to give them new life.

To get started I have used Jane Fulton Suri's method of looking at people doing 'Thoughtless Acts.' I went around homes and public spaces taking pictures of interesting situtations and used these images to compile a book of 100 ideas from thoughtless acts.

Last week we had an 'Ideas Day' that involved numerous members from the design industry. These included Daljit Singh, Andrew Shoben, Bill Gaver, Richard Banks, Tim Regan and Charlie Rohan. They were helping us to decide upon which ideas to focus on and develope for the degree show. They helped me narrow my ideas down to 5 or 6 from the 100. They suggested that the ideas needed to be put in context, but they liked how I was trying to create contrasts.

The next stage is PLAY. So I will start to experiment with the technology and materials.