Ginko Rake

This is my proposed product, a leaf rake, stamped from one piece of stainless steel. (for limiting the carbon footprint.)

I am testing what is the appropriate scale for this rake should be with a sketch model.

Here is my first attempt on the water jet with my design, I did it on a thin steel sheet and is relatively easy to bend by hand afterward. There are still a lot tweeking to be done.

Detechnologizing a product...

In the beginning I was thinking about the industrial toilet paper dispenser. From the user standpoint, it is cumbersome, not user friendly and not sexy. But it would be hard to detechnologize it since it does not contain a lot of technology.

Then today I went to the Science museum with my son and on the way back on

the street, I saw 3 landscaper with 3 leaf blower blowing a small pile of leaves on a driveway and I thought there it is. The leaf blower. It is over technologize for its task. It creates air pollution, sound pollution and uses our valuable petroleum.

I don't know what is preventing landscaper from using traditional leaf rake more, maybe it is laziness or maybe because the leaf blower looks more "professional"?( you need your tools to be motorized to be a professional. )

I think people would use traditional rake more if it is more stylish to use. Maybe it is like Japanese tea ceramony, where process is as important as the end goal.

Here is a my Ginko Rake, made of one piece stamped metal, (to be sure it is made in one place.) electroplated gold. (or any color)

Source map for my watercolor kit.

I am curious about where my watercolor kit comes from. It was given to me as a gift in Israel, and I took it from there to California then Boston. The watercolor kit is made by Talens based in Apeldoorn, Netherlands. However their website did not mention whether the product is made in Netherlands or not. I am assuming it is not for reason that 1)it is reasonably priced. 2) they did not explicitly say that it is manufactured in the Netherlands.

Curiously, the city Apeldoorn has a signed agreement for economic cooperation with the city of Yichang in China. Yichang has long been a major transit port and distribution center of goods. Therefore I have a strong suspicion that product is actually made in China, delivered from Yichang at least.

The watercolor pigments are made by mixing gum arabic and powdered pigments. I have gotten the chemical ingredients from the company of most the color used in the kit, from what I know, are synthetic and are non-toxic.