Dominique Honeman

In Australia, there are approximately 2.5 million cars on the road every-day.
Few issues are surrounding the recycling of automobiles; one including the recycling of obsolete materials and the wastage of spare metal in landfills, and the production of roughly 500,000 ELV’s every year (end-of-life-vehicle). 

These issues must be considered when it comes to the recycling stage of an automobile, as the larger part of newly modelled cars are bundled with materials that cannot be easily broken down over time ​​​​​​​(i.e., plastics, synthetics, computers, etc). The Auto Parts Recyclers Association of Australia (APRAA) roughly calculates that 100,000 tonnes of waste from ELVs is generated per annum. 

This statistic must also be considered as a wide variety of very harmful byproducts secreted from ELV’s such as petrol, brake fluids, coolant, hexavalent, mercury and oil can be dispensed into nearby water bodies and contribute to environmental damage and the huge loss of resources for the auto-recycling industry.

The recycling process of automobiles is rigorous, as many steps must be taken before the full process can be completed properly. Firstly, the engine fluids and other fluids throughout the automobile must be removed entirely, then the useable parts must be removed to sell them off to be reused once again. 

After this stage, the vehicle frame must be shredded that simply ‘isolates metal sections into ferrous and non-ferrous metals”. Then, the remaining metals must be mixed to reinforce the piece metal and set up to be contoured into another automobile body. 

After this long, gruelling process, the remaining piece metal it must be sent to the manufacturers to be processed for vehicle outlines. South Korea has one of the world’s leading ELV recycling plants.

Legislation in 2008 was introduced in the Act for Resource Recycling of Electrical/ Electronic Equipment and Vehicles. David Nolan, the executive director of APRAA mentioned that the shredding and recycling process of automobiles can be converted into a viable energy source.

The depollution of vehicles is currently being tested in a variety of countries, such as Ontario, Canada, which could conclude to the use of shredder residue energy globally shortly. This could contribute to combating global warming and other critical environmental impacts, which would be incredibly good for current society as energy is always in high demand. 

Reason for Choosing this Project
I chose to pursue this project as I am interested in the art of crafting hand-made guitars, the environment and engineering. I found that there are excessive amounts of car wastage [parts-wise] that are sitting in scrap-yards unused. By using these ‘waste’ parts, I can build a guitar that is environmentally friendly and aesthetic. Obtaining the recycled car parts is easy as I live near an industrial area.

Fender Stratocaster Properties
Step up from Telecaster
Boasting 3 pickups + switching and controls greater tonal versatility
Contoured body and innovative bridge
Slim neck
Another cut-out on the upper horn 
Better access for the upper notes
Dedicated tone knobs 
Middle + bridge pickups
Strat bridge 
Two-point tremolo system

Fender Telecaster Properties
Single cutaway
No body contours
Comfortable to play
One tone control
Two single-coil pickups
Bridge pickup  wider + longer + mounted on the metal bridge plate 
Powerful tone 
Bridge pickup
Both guitars have been around since the 1950s
Both are still widely played today 
Both guitars have not been modified for more than 60 years, still maintaining their original shape and build 
Bodies are constructed from alder. Alder = lightweight, closed-pore wood + resonant, balanced tone, excellent sustain and sharp attack. 
Ash, mahogany and other tonewoods have been used for the bodies too. Both body silhouettes are instantly recognisable. Both have a master volume control .

What will be best for the MDP?
According to the research I have found and studied, the Stratocaster has a better range of technological hardware which allows a larger scale of notes to be played, rather than the Telecaster, which is limited in its playing; however, it has a much more comfortable build, which is something to take into considerate when designing the new guitar.

I will be fusing both of the guitar’s best parts into one guitar, creating a single guitar that is comfortable to play, has a larger range of detailed and high-quality hardware, and a body that is contoured perfectly to ensure that the guitar itself is supportive enough. The tone of the guitar will be changed constantly throughout production, and will eventually be able to be played through an amplifier.

I chose these specific aspects of each guitar because they both have incredible properties; however, I am only able to make one guitar. By fusing specific aspects of both guitars, I can build a guitar that has a great tone, structure and body.

Function
1. Should display its potential to the audience & digital media [social media, i.e., Tik Tok, Instagram, Twitter].
2. Should meet the requirements for a standard guitar.

Aesthetics 
1. Must be comfortable to play standing up and sitting down. 
2. Should have an easy colour palette, one that is easier on the eyes… 

Important Qualities to Least Important Qualities
I. Meets the requirements for a standard guitar. 
II. Integration of personal design ideas
III. Display of design potential 
IV. Comfortability of the design
V. Simple colour palette 

Durability and Obsolescence
The project has been made to last for a few years. It will be able to withstand most conditions because it will be created out of durable metals. The design will change as guitar trends change. It will be weighty because of the metal body. The correct materials will be used to maximum sturdiness. The metal must be sanded down or filed down so that it does not cause any injuries. 

It will have sharp edges during the first stages of production but will be fixed as it slowly progresses into its final stage. The guitar will be comfortable to play standing up and sitting down. The body of the guitar will be the heaviest part of the overall product, the neck will be the lightest. It will have the correct finishing details so that it is aesthetic for the user to play. It will have a very industrial feel to the final product. 

It will have specific details, such as my signature on the back of the guitar to differentiate it from other guitars. It will be fully functional. It will cost roughly $150. It will also suit my liking as I am the designer of the product. Constant evaluation of the design. Continuous surveying [Google Surveys] Constant feedback from peers, teachers, professionals, family members.

The guitar must have unique aspects to it. It cannot be a replica of both the Stratocaster or Telecaster guitars. It must be entirely functional. The frets must be placed correctly, the strings must be easy to replace and the pickups must be secured in place to ensure that they don’t fall off. Time management is crucial in this MDP, there are constraints that I must be aware of and must learn to workaround. 

Materials to be used
Motorcycle engine
Exhaust pipes 
Recycled plywood 
Recycled plastic 

November/ December 2020 [Christmas Holidays]
Expected
Continue design developments and improvements by using inspiration from other guitar brands and designs.
Create a rough prototype of the guitar itself
Sketch, draw and create multiple designs to ensure I am looking into all variations of the final product and to determine which one will best suit it
Weigh out the pros and cons of every design to come to the final decision
Come to a final decision for the final design of the guitar
Evaluation of Work

Evaluation 
I have successfully chosen a project to begin working on throughout the Christmas holidays. I drew inspiration from already existing guitar designs and brainstormed about how I could work with cars and my passion for music.

January/ February 2021 [Summer Holidays]
Expected
Throughout the remainder of the holidays, continue producing prototypes and asking for feedback on them consistently.
Design templates for the small accent features on the guitar.
Ask for professional input on the design of the guitar.