Scanned'n'Bagged
From Mod Mania
Scanned'n'Bagged will be project one for mod mania this semester. I will attempt to create a handy, easy to use brief case type bag out of a recycled scanner.
My first mod project will be a recycling mod. I want to create a useful everyday object out of an out of date, broken object. The perfect form was found, a scanner. I want to research the way that people use bags and brief case type holders in everyday life and look at the different styles that are manufactured so that I can successfully mod my scanner to perform the task of a briefcase or a hard case bag.
Step 1- The first stage for this mod, even before research was to dismantle and strip back the scanner to a bare case. I started by peeling of the side strips as shown in the photograph.
When these strips are taken off, the glass scan face can be slid out and released. I will keep the strips for further use and may put them back on further into the construction.
Once the glass was taken out of the scanner it really began to take shape. Next I had to extract the scanning mechanism from the back.
The last few metal pieces of the scanner were either cut or just pulled out to finally leave a plastic shell in the shape of a scanner.
This shell is now ready to mod into a bag that can be used for documents, books, lecture pads, pens and pencils. I will now have to research different brands and designs of bags and the way that they are used in everyday life as I explained above.
Step 2- I have spent some time observing people`s movements in and around RMIT. Obviously focusing on student`s bags, I found that many people, both male and female carried a similar range of bags. Although each bag was different there were similarities and groups of designs of bags. I found that the black design folio was common with a simple handle located n the outer edge of the hard case. Also low slung, material bags were common with a strap located over the shoulder of the wearer connecting to a square bag. Most of these bags were RMIT freebies but seemed to work very effective for the user. Simplicity was the key feature of the common bags. Many of the material bags seemed to create strain on the user when they were placed on tables or benches. The bags were tricky to keep up and slid around in many cases. I think that from this simple research exercise I have found that because the scanner is a hard case (just like the plastic design folios); a handle located on the long side of the shell will work and look closer to the original design case. This case is common and is socially accepted. If I can emulate this accepted design using a scanner I think that my mod will be successful. I will further research bags and cases to complete an effective research mass.
Step 3- Construction. The first step in construction was to give the shell a paint job. I began by peeling off the badges which I will use later on to give hints and highlights of the original scanner. Although the mod project doesn’t require a perfect outcome I want to finish this project with a piece that I can use in the future.
Once all the badges had been removed I was able to paint the shell over with a grey. I chose grey due to my research telling me that mainly white or black were the colours of commonality. I want my case to be different to the norm yet still socially accepted.
Now that the case is painted i want to create a design and some highlights to set my case off. I decided to keep all of the badges from the original scanner so these will be perfect to paint a bright chrome colour to add highlights.
Now that the scanner shell is painted as well as the logos I am able to create a more stylish version of the case. I created a paper template of the same swirl on the Canon logo which I was able to use to spray the design onto the case with a different colour. Chrome was the colour of my choice. I painted the case and reattached the logos and stickers.
Now that the scanner is painted an ready to be modded into a bag i now have to use my research to help me decide on a handle or strap that works best for the bag. Due to the A4 size of my bag i think that a handle or strap on the long side will be te most effective way to position it. I found that many of the free RMIT bags that are similar in shape and size to that of my scanner had huge, droopy straps that seemed out of proportion. I think that i will make a handle that is made of a strap like fabric yet still embodies the idea of a briefcase handle on the long side of the bag.
I sourced an old bag strap from home that was the correct width for the scanner and went about cutting two slits in the side of the scanner at either end. i found that tying a not in the ends of the fabric at either end held it securely in place. As shown in the image below the strap looks in proportion to the case and doesnt look out of the ordinary. I may add a plastic handle to the strap at a later stage if it is required.
Next I had to go about creating the inside of the bag/case mod. Due to the stripped out components leaving plenty of room under the sides I decided to fill them in to create the perfect A4 size slot for sheets to fit.
Once that I had glued thin foamcore strips to the sides the bag was ready for a new insert rather than the bumpy plastic. I sourced some black plastic that i cut to size and glued into the bottom of the case. The inner case was now complete.
I think that this case would suit a student with simple loose leaf sheets and a couple of pens. Due to this i am now going to create a fabric strap along the middle of the case to not only hold the paper in place but also have loops that could house different pens.
Now the case/bag can hold paper and pens while it is sitting on the desk i encountered a problem when i picked up the case. the paper slid out from underneath the fabric strip and fell on the floor. A simple clipboard design would fix this problem. I found an old clipboard that had a matching chrome clip and began to dismantle it. This clip was then glued onto the plastic in the inner base.
The case at this stage looked to be complete but there was an ugly bare space on the lid when it was opened up. i decided to cover it with something. many ideas went through my head like foamcore, card, plastic or just painting a design on it but then i figured why not make the space useful and add another feature to the bag. I looked at the space and decided to buy a cheap white board that was the same size as the lid and glued the white section on. It not only improved the look but now notes and reminders can be written at any time and rubbed out at any time.
The final problem faced was the loose lid. I found that as you carried the bag on its side, the lid would flip open to reveal all the work to the outside conditions. I needed to create a latch or connection from the lid to the bag. I decided on a small, light, yet effective velcro connection. I place two velcro dots at either end of the scanner which was more than enough to keep the bag shut at all times yet easily opened.
As I talked about above I think that if the fabric hadle/strap had a grip on it it may be more user freindly. I decided to create a simple handle out of an off cut of the inner plastic. i wrapped this plastic around the fabric handle and glued with the hot glue. As shown below.
This leaves me with the final product. A handy, easy to use case. It is weather proof and can hold mountains of loose leaf or lecture notes. The pen holder was successful as was the white board lid. The case is finished at this stage but furhter modding might be done down the track to improve the look or just to make a change.
As i said above further modding might take place, and yes it did. I wanted to link both the scanner mod and the typewriter mod together in some way. I decided to do this by giving both peices the same paint job. To create a unique paint job I decided on an abstract, camo like, yet individual design.
To do this I wrapped the scanner entirely in string which I then spray painted over, it left a great design of random lines.
