KrishnaSanakaHawkenProjects2021

  This week, we completed the initial construction of our picnic table, a picture of which is attached in this blog post. On Friday, 5/28, we deconstructed the table and transported the parts to my house, where we will quickly reconstruct the table and begin to work on a second project that we are still researching and deciding on. While the fact that we need to come up with an additional carpentry project shows that we adapted very well and worked efficiently as a group, building the picnic table was no easy task. One aspect of table construction that we underestimated was balancing out two objects on opposite sides. For example, we needed to build seat supports for our picnic table on opposite sides of the legs. It took us multiple hours to balance out the two seat supports because we needed to make constant adjustments so that the supports were symmetrical both horizontally and vertically. Even if we seemed to align the two pieces perfectly according to our tape measures, ther...

  My group and I have started to work on our original build for a picnic table, which will be constructed at the carpentry facility. We will put to work the skills we have gained over the past few days, such as knowing how to use power tools and understanding construction diagrams (a picture of the diagram that we are using is attached to this blog post). Yesterday, we started constructing our first picnic table by making the proper cuts to the wood that was provided to us. A major difficulty of cutting the wood using a miter saw was that this tool’s blade takes up about an eighth of an inch, meaning that we had to make measurement adjustments when cutting. The process of cutting made my group’s teamwork show. While I cut, one of my groupmates measured and marked the lines where we would cut, which needed to constantly be adjusted. The other groupmates carried the wood over and tallied how many additional cuts we needed to make. Therefore, we functioned like a well-oiled machine,...

  The first few days of my project have been very productive. My classmates and I started off our first day in a classroom setting, learning about the different types of wood, wood deformities, and how to measure wood sizes. Afterwards, we began our first project in which each of us created our own toolboxes. In doing so, we also learned how to use several power tools, such as table saws, jigsaws, and miter saws. While one of the instructors at the facility, Mr. Knight, led us through using the tools initially, he eventually let us start working alone while intermittently checking in, which was definitely confidence-building. We were essentially working on the same projects as the older apprentices at the facility, but at a much slower and guided pace. I have definitely been surprised with how intensive carpentry is. Possibly due to the heat from the power tools and concentration required, I found myself breaking a sweat more than once. Sanding down a product after it has been pu...

  Hello, everyone! My name is Krishna Sanaka and I am currently a senior at Hawken School. For my Hawken Project, I will improve my carpentry skills along with three classmates. The first two weeks of the project will involve us going to the Northeast Ohio Carpenters facility in Richfield, where my classmates and I will sit in on classes and work on small projects in the woodshop to better understand how to use power tools and create products that function structurally and aesthetically. During the last week of the project, we will use the skills and knowledge we have gained to build a picnic table along with benches in my backyard. I chose this project because it is very far out of my comfort zone. During summers and breaks, much of my time has been dedicated towards better understanding my intended future profession as a medical doctor. I have spent time conducting research in the lab, shadowing doctors, and volunteering for medically-oriented organizations such as the Red Cros...