HA

MTA

BLE

KAREN DITKOSPRING 2010

HamTable provides a place to store hams during the curing process. The average consumer will generally purchase one ham at a time, so HamTable is designed for curing a single ham. During the curing process the ham should hang in a well-ventilated place for several weeks. Most people do not have a space that they can dedicate solely to ham curing, HamTable is an outdoor endtable that features a hook to hang the ham and a basin at the bottom to catch the ham drippings on the inside. Slats on the sides protect the ham from the environment and still allow adequate ventilation. The top surface of HamTable is removable, and also serves as a preparation surface for the ham.

1

TABLE O

F CON

TENTS

IDEATION

FINAl CONCEpT

SHOp DRAwINgS

pRODuCTION

FINAl pRODuCT

3

11

10

14

22

2

IDEA

TIO

NORIgINAl pROJECT IDEAS

Apple basket refashioned into a seat

Shipping container for four hams that can be stacked to form storage shelves

Wine container that can serve as a single seat or be stacked end-to-end to form a bench

3

IDEATIO

NIDEA EVOluTION

The multiple ham container becomes the one chosen to refine. Original configuration would result in sideways triangular storage compartments, which is an inconvenient shape for a storage space. The triangular shape became squares for increased ease of use.

Most ham consumers only purchase one or two hams at a time, so a container to purchase four hams at once would be excessive. A similar concept for a vessel for purchasing a single ham was then examined.

Finding a way to have a ham container also serve as a piece of furniture proved to be difficult. Ways of using the container as an aid in the preparation of the ham, such as the container also acting as a serving dish, proved to be the best way of filling its dual function.

4

IDEA

TIO

NIDEA REFINEMENT

Upon doing research on ways to store hams, the need to for a container to store hams during the curing process became apparent. The individual ham container would also serve as a location to store the ham during the dry curing process.

Once the dual purpose of the ham container was determined, the physical size and shape had to be determined. Several configurations were examined, and a simple box shape seemed to be the best option.

During the research process, it was learned that this container would need to spend time outside. To accomodate this, feet were added and a shape that would protect it from the elements were added.

5

IDEATIO

NCARDBOARD MODEl

Smithfield Hams was contacted to acquire average ham dimensions in order to have proper dimensions for the container. The dimensions given were “about the size of an overinflated basketball”. A cardboard model of the ham container idea was built around these vague dimensions. The final product ended up being much larger than anticipated, so a new ideas began to formulate around this newfound larger size.

During the presentations of the cardboard models, the idea to turn the ham container into a table was born. HamTable features a removeable lid, a bar from which to hang the ham, and a removeable basin to catch the drippings that fall during the curing process.

6

IDEA

TIO

NIDEA REFINEMENT

The simple square shape of HamTable needed refinement. A shape reflecting the round-ness of the ham was explored, but ultimately rejected because it would be difficult to construct.

A square table with tapered sides would provide a more refined shape than the original idea, but would also be feasible to build. This was determined to be the final basic shape for the table.

7

IDEATIO

NIDEA REFINEMENT

Kunzler Meats in Lancaster, Pennsylvania was contacted to acquire more accurate average ham dimensions than what were given by Smithfield Hams. An average whole ham is 13 inches long, 11 inches wide, and 7 inches tall. The measurements for HamTable were adjusted accordingly.

Once the dimensions were set, a preliminary SolidWorks model of HamTable was rendered. Red oak was chosen as the main material for HamTable.

8

IDEA

TIO

NIDEA REFINEMENT

The top did not fit the design program for the rest of the table. It was redesigned to fit with the body of the table by adding angles to the sides and spaces in the middle of each side that also function as handholds for removing the top.

HamTable’s main material is changed to hard maple from red oak. Minor adjustments were made to the dimensions, namely changing the width of the interior wood pieces and the space between the slats on the sides.

9

FINA

L CON

CEPT

Some adjustments made in dimensions to accomodate the sizes of maple that could be easily acquired in the area. All shop drawings are made based on this model.

10

SHO

P D

RAW

ING

S

25.000

1.250

1.250

1.250

1.000

3.000

6.02124.000

92.73°

85.35°87.27°

85.35°

9.073

.500

.750

.750

.250

.7501.000

18.000

4.625

4.625

4.625

4.625

85.35°

TABlE BODY AND lIDMade of hard maple, cut on the chop and table saws and fastened together with glue and screws

11

SHO

P DRAW

ING

S22.17521.21920.26419.308

19.51118.556

20.46721.423

94.65° 85.35°

94.65°

85.35°

85.35°94.65°

94.65° 85.35°

16.17515.21914.26413.308

12.55613.51114.46715.423

94.65° 85.35°

94.65° 85.35°

85.35°94.65°

94.65°85.35°

SIDE SlATSMade of hard maple, cut using printed out templates for accuracy

12

SHO

P D

RAW

ING

S

17.823

11.823 85.33°

6.000

.125

.250

17.213

3.750 94.65° 85.35°

3.750

94.65°

85.35°

2.000

2.000

.125

R.500

.125.125

1.125

14.086

13.923

1.000

METAl COMpONENTSAll are made of cold-rolled steel. Basin parts cut on plasma cutter then welded, brackets cut to size then CNC milled, hook bent and welded into a hole cut in the center of the bar.

13

PROD

UCTIO

N

Jigs made out of scrap wood and double sided tape to easily cut the same angles on all the leg pieces

14

All the slat pieces cut and ready to be attached to the legs

Slat pieces being fitted to leg piecesPRO

DU

CTIO

N

15

PROD

UCTIO

NLegs and slats assembled and being glued together

Glue dried, waiting for the lid to be assembled and stained

16

Table surface pices being joined with glue and clamps

Lid side components being assembled

PRO

DU

CTIO

N

17

PROD

UCTIO

N

Cutting the bracket pieces from a piece of steel bar

Bracket pieces after CNC milling

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Hook bent into shape and welded into a hole drilled in the center of a 1” thick steel bar

Basin pieces welded together after being plasma cut from a 3’x3’ piece of 1/8” thick steelPR

OD

UCT

ION

19

PROD

UCTIO

N

First coat of butcher block oil applied

Second coat of butcher block oil applied, then sanded

20

Installing the brackets

Basin and bar placed inside

PRO

DU

CTIO

N

21

FINA

L PROD

UCT

22

FIN

AL

PRO

DU

CT

23