Paint Tool
A local Austin artist contacted me with a request to design a tool specifically for pouring paint, after being inspired by the work of Simon Bull. He uses old CD racks from IKEA for his paintings, which are difficult to find and have some flaws when used as a paint tray. Based on my initial sketches, I aimed to improve on two design flaws from the CD rack: the lack of handles and the difficulty of loading paint onto the tool on flat surfaces.
Initial Sketches
SolidWorks
Assembly and Use
All components were easily press fit together and a thin bead of silicone was applied to all gaps to prevent paint from escaping the cavities. After the tray was assembled, it was time to test it for the first time which can be seen below along with an example of what this tray is capable of producing.
Tool V2
After the successful testing of the prototype, we opted to create a second one. However, the larger size of this tool necessitated some redesigning. Owing to the limitations in the availability of materials and manufacturing, I made some minor modifications to the tool. I added a separate handle to improve structural stability and utilized Weld-On 4 Acrylic Solvent for a more permanent bond. Additionally, I increased the divider spacing and adjusted the depth to accommodate more paint.
