A nutcracker that sits on the family dinner table for a fun, novelty experience.
Its pointed pin created a clean split along the walnut’s seam.
Its pointed pin created a clean split along the walnut’s seam.
Walnut cracker and cracked walnut
Walnut cracker top mechanism
The basket can sit on any jar with a similar circumference to a Mason-style jar, or it can be used without one (it might just get a little messy).
Components of the walnut cracker
The Process
Sketches explored various methods the nutcracker could operate.
First set of sketches showing a screw mechanism.
Second set of sketches showing a back-and-forth slicing mechanism.
Third set of sketches showing a slam/spring release mechanism.
Three prototypes explored various methods of testing concepts from the early ideation stage. The orange plasticine prototype tested the efficiency of the second set of sketches above, where the two jar prototypes tested a variation on the third set of sketches above. This is what would eventually lead to the final design.
For the final model, the wooden disc was planned, sawed, sanded and stained.
The steel “basket” was trimmed, grinded and welded together for added strength.
