For my capstone project, I decided to combine engineering with my passion for the gym by making a lifting bench for working out. I started my capstone by researching workout benches that were both machine-made and man-made. I first looked at some that were professionally built like you would find at a gym. I then looked at some workout benches other people had made themselves at home. While looking at both types I took notes on the details I wanted to include in my bench and the aspects I wanted to avoid. After compiling a list I used Fusion 360 to create my first design. After planning everything out I acquired the metal needed to construct the frame. I sought out the help of a family friend who has a lot of equipment in his garage. He was first able to help me cut the metal to the correct size and angles to join them together. Afterward, he taught me how to use the welding equipment he had and assisted me in welding parts of the frame together. I then drilled some holes to connect the remaining moving parts before painting it black. To make the seats I cut out some plywood, covered it with a cloth, and filled it with foam padding. It was a lot of fun learning to work with a new material and I’m glad I tried something new.

Link to slideshow: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Wc1TI1aXQ-hWred0ZA1TSrOtqsbnF5WCB6INXvzcCug/edit?usp=sharing

Link to bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eaTYutKaiN1ovwJNy0lNcCqrBGLP50dMFL5PLNbsTFg/edit?usp=sharing

The thought of putting my own creativity that I use on projects outside of school was intriguing. The idea I committed to for my capstone project was a ‘Memories Chest’. The basic design was a chest that would be used to store memorable things, and it was a gift for my mom. It revolved around the engineering shop, and the tool my project was made possible by was the laser printer, which I was also really excited to use. At first, I thought about hand making the chest, but with research, I had to keep in consideration time and how difficult it would be. After laser cutting, making the chest was like a puzzle. It was interesting and fun to be handy and figure out the best way to put it together. I did accomplish getting the design I wanted at the end of the process, and it was like a clean canvas to work on further.

Annotated Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Xgz-K1R79SHOlu12_50bmr4iHrlYH8-NCpvQuMNkGH0/edit?usp=sharing

Since September I have been researching radios and how they work. I have managed to learn enough to build a fully functional radio with parts I got from the CTE Engineering room or older radios I had in my house. I mainly researched the components found in a radio, specifically their purpose. I also had to look at the different types of radios I could make because many schematics had drastic changes such as the number of transistors or whether or not it had a variable capacitor. I found out how hard this project was whenever I would get stuck in situations where I had no clue what went wrong. With my little to no experience, this happened a lot and I would be stuck just hearing static for days, but with the help of my mentors, I overcame those situations and completed my capstone.

I had a reason to make this more than a capstone and that was to make a gift for my grandpa who has worked with radios his entire life. Through the experience of learning about radios, I know what it was like for him to work on such complex circuits. At the end of this long journey, I am proud of all the work I have put into making something that is useful but also something that means a lot to my grandpa, and seeing him know I got into something he is into making this project worth every minute.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gACJ2SLRx-vZEdevmMRvqYPS75JHLMG9_9KtrFyolIE/edit?usp=sharing

For my capstone, I wanted to learn about the industry behind environmental science, while also giving back something to the place that helped me. This resulted in me creating a birdhouse for The Discovery Center at the Audubon of Philadelphia to create a home for the birds that migrate through their premises. While working at the Audubon I got to do several things, some of which included working the front desk, making the trail safe to travel, and shadowing an interview process for someone looking to work at the Audubon. This process taught me a lot about not only the environmental science business but also time management skills and working past/around the several roadblocks in my way. I also learned more building and engineering skills, especially skills that would be useful for doing things in my future.

The first link provided is my presentation which shows my work, and the second link is to my annotated bibliography which shows some sources I used/intended to use throughout my capstone process.