Making It: Programmes 16–26
Programme 24: Mzwandile and Friends Build a Tin Car

Aims

After watching the programme and participating in the activities, pupils should be able to:

generate ideas for products using information from ICT-based sources
communicate design ideas in different ways, bearing in mind aesthetic qualities and the use and purpose for which the product is intended
measure, mark out, cut and shape materials
assemble, join and combine components and materials accurately
follow safe procedures
apply appropriate finishing techniques
design and make assignments using stiff and flexible sheet materials

Mzwandile lives in South Africa. In his village, toys are hard to find. One day, Mzwandile and his mates see a new people-carrier come down the bumpy road. They decide to make a model of it. They look closely at the people-carrier and discuss exactly how they should make their design.

First, they persuade a local metal worker to give them a sheet of tin. Metal workers use thin sheets of this silver-grey bendy metal to make and mend all kinds of things, like cooking pots. Once Mzwandile has got a sheet of tin, he and his friends set to work.

They use a marker pen to draw an outline of the people-carrier onto the tin. It's like the plan for a big box, with all the sides of the car joined to the roof. Next, the metal worker helps them cut along their outlines using big scissors called tin shears. Then, the kids use pliers to bend the metal sides into shape. They twist wire to make details like the car radiator and they use tins for the wheels. They paint the metal yellow and green and add finishing touches such as lights, using bottle tops and bits of clear and coloured plastic.

Soon, they have their very own people-carrier to trundle along the bumpy roads.

Curriculum Relevance

Science – materials and their properties
Maths – measurement and symmetry; nets for 3D shapes

Background

Many of the poorest South Africans live in shanty towns – villages made up of huts that have been put together from corrugated iron, plastic sheeting and packing cases. Life is so hard that there aren't many toys for the kids. So, in the shanty towns of South Africa, kids started making their own toys. They used old tin cans, wire and other bits of scrap and recycled it all into amazing models. The kids were so good at what they did that adults began to take notice. They realised that these models could be very popular with the tourists who visit South Africa.

The organisation Streetwires was set up by the South African government to help homeless people get into wire modelling. These days, wire models are sold on street corners all over South Africa and are sent overseas to be sold in craft shops. Find out more about wire art and the Streetwires project by following up the links from this site.

Activities

Make a Cardboard Car

You don't need a sheet of metal to turn a 2D piece of material into a 3D shape.

You will need: sketchbook; sheet of thin card; two long drinking straws; scissors; ruler and pencil; PVA glue, paints.

Begin by sketching lots of different cars. Look carefully at the shapes that make up the whole design.
Next draw out a plan on the sheet of cardboard. Use the one shown here as a guide. The dotted lines are where you will make folds. Notice the six little grey tabs. They are where you'll put the glue to fix the shape together.
Cut carefully around your plan. Make sure you don't cut off the glue tabs!
Fold along the dotted lines, then put a little glue on each tab. Tuck the tabs under the places where the cardboard shapes join. Leave the model until the glue is dry.
Use straws to make two axles to hold some cardboard wheels. Measure and cut holes through the side panels of your model, then thread the straws through the holes.
Cut four wheels from the left-over card and glue them to the straws.
Paint your model.

Make a Wire Car

Before you start, have a look at some of the amazing models that can be made just by cutting, bending and twisting wire. Follow up the links from this site to get some ideas for a model of your own. Think about how to use the equipment safely. Check with your teacher if you are not sure.

You will need: paper and pencil; reel of thin garden wire; ruler; pliers; two bottle tops.

Sketch a car that you would like to model. You will be using wire to make a 'skeleton' model of this car. Imagine that all the outlines of your sketch are actually wires. This will help you picture the finished model in your mind.
Make the base (or 'chassis') of your car. Use pliers to cut a piece of wire about 60cm long from the reel. Twist the ends of the wire together to form a large circle. Now bend the circle into an oblong shape.
Make more oblongs, squares, circles and triangles of different sizes to be the different parts of your car.
Use the wire to build up your car's 'outlines'. Join them to the chassis by twisting the wires together.
Make wheels from circles of wire. Add small wires to the wheels to make spokes.
Make some wire axles to join to your wheels. Fix the axles to the car chassis using little wire loops. Can you fix them so the axles can move and the wheels can spin?
Use bottle tops as the headlights of your car. Fix them to the front of your model with wire.
Make sure there are no sharp ends of wire poking out. Twist any sharp ends over to make loops, so people won't get scratches when they handle your model.

Make an Embossed Tin Car Decoration

Embossing is a way of adding a pattern to plain metal. Think about how to use the equipment safely. Check with your teacher if you are not sure.

You will need: a tin lid (or the metal top from a jam jar); sandpaper; small hammer; small nail; newspaper; marker pen.

Rub any paint off the tin lid with sandpaper. You will be left with a silver-grey sheet of metal.
On the back of the piece of tin, draw the outline of a car with marker pen.
Put the tin lid on a table, with a folded newspaper underneath it. (This will protect the table and also keep the noise down.)
Put the point of the nail onto your marker pen outline. TAP the nail GENTLY with a SMALL hammer. (The capital letters are important. You are not trying to make a hole in the tin, just make a dent in it. You'll find this much easier to do with a little hammer. It also means you won't hurt your fingers if you miss the nail.)
Move the nail a tiny way along the outline and tap again. When you turn the lid over, you should see two tiny dents in the shiny surface, marking out a small piece of your outline.
Carry on tapping out your outlines on the back of the lid. When you have finished, turn the lid over to see the complete embossed design.
You could experiment with making different patterns, or even go on to decorate a whole tin with embossed designs.

Links

This web page contains links to other websites that are neither controlled nor maintained by Channel 4 Television. Channel 4 Television is not responsible for the content of these sites and does not necessarily endorse the material on them.

Find out about the Streetwires project from South Africa:
www.streetwires.co.za/

Instructions for making a wire insect:
www.leisureideas.com/w1models.htm

Visit this shopping site to see some of the wire models made in Africa:
www.aism.co.za/aismnew/appcontext/

More wire art for sale:
www.theoutsidersart.com/giftshop/wireart/

Moss and other plants can be grown over wire to make garden sculptures:
www.greenpiecewireart.com

Making It: Programmes 16–26 Programme 24: Mzwandile and Friends Build a Tin Car