For my capstone project, I studied the science of hot air balloons and created one myself. I’ve always had an interest in air travel, particularly airplanes and hot air balloons. The guiding question for this project was, “How can I use the science of thermodynamics and other engineering principles to create a miniature hot air balloon?”

My capstone project was split into several phases. During the research phase, I learned about the basic principles of a hot air balloon, as well as all the parts that make it work. I also learned about the Montgolfier brothers and their first ever hot air balloon. During the prototyping phase, I created three lighter than air vehicles, or “LTAVs” for short. LTAV-03 became my final product for my capstone.

Creating a hot air balloon from scratch was a lot more difficult than I thought it would be at first. Air temperature, and by extension air density, play a huge role in getting the balloon off the ground. I also had to worry about heat sources, since open flame was a little too risky due to the small size of the prototypes. Also, figuring out the lifting power of the balloon was a bit tricky since the outside air temperature kept changing, and some of the test flights were done indoors. Despite these challenges, I successfully got the final product to lift off and I’m proud to say I created a working hot air balloon for my capstone.

Link to my capstone presentation: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1OT0i4QkbxNRrJXsYbYxAnKUwDW_L7g9D4UKFqm3Ecqo/edit?usp=sharing

Annotated Bibliography:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XTB4efIXDvLuyVVlCjLoiPXvnJ8ev-HWp7_xIqOk5Zc/edit?usp=sharing

For my capstone I started an official boys volleyball team at SLA. This project required a lot of research into the differences between boys and girls volleyball, including the fact that boys volleyball is very attack-based and places a larger emphasis on blocking. I also had to learn how to integrate into the boys team dynamic and collaborate effectively with the players who had other sports commitments. Despite facing challenges such as not having a fully functional net, the boys in the team were very supportive and understanding, and even managed to compete and win despite this obstacle. The other schools’ athletic directors were also accommodating and supportive throughout the process. Looking forward, there is now a full team ready to compete next year, and I believe that this is a team that will continue to be a part of the school’s athletic program for years to come.

Abstract

My capstone project is called The Dustless Chop Saw Table, which is almost exactly what it sounds like. If you don’t know what a chop saw is, it is a vertical cutting stationary saw used to cut individual sections of lumber and other commodities to length. In my opinion it is one of the most important tools in the shop, probably second to the drill press. Many of our projects require sections of wood, or foam which many times Kamal has us use the chop saw to cut our material. The table is around 10 feet long and 4 feet deep, very large, so I designed it in a way to have it slide in between a pillar and an air exchanger. It has 3 main parts, the left and right cutoffs and the dust hood. The dust hood is essential to keeping the dustless part in the name because it keeps all saw dust, foam particles and anything else from getting into the air exchangers and around the shop. The reason I am doing this is because Kamal needed a new setup for the chop saw, the stand for the saw was not helpful, it was loose and weird shaped. Kamal wanted something new, so I stepped forward. The process was extremely long, with many times I found myself not wanting to continue because it was so tedious or time consuming, but I powered through. With tons of material cut, and tons of hours it was complete.

Annotated Bibliography

https://docs.google.com/document/d/13yAAWzVDY_JidpvqJZOUH8EgwVvjlkZV_5cSpwOffkI/edit?usp=sharing

Throughout my four years in SLA, I had many defining interests that led me to be the person I am today. However, while racking my brain for answers I landed on three main topics engineering, sustainability, and the arts. These three subjects were pivotal, so I decided to bridge all three. So I went to find to seek items that aren’t seen necessarily as art and use the skills I honed and developed in engineering to give them recognition. This all came together in the form of a bench. This bench was made in response to the culture of fast furniture and the constant cycle of chairs that can’t be recycled being thrown away and bought to replace them with the use of harmful chemicals, with the finishes, adhesives, and treatments used on furniture emitting gasses even after leaving the production. So with this project, I hope I can show others that we can add to spaces without creating waste all the while using the materials all around us.

Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/11iHJLTqgkbGGfpy7YGrgXy9Ol3pTmEgC1rI8l91cRcM/edit?usp=sharing