Zaca-tortilla Press (on pause)

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Description

Zaca-tortilla Press is a tortilla press named after my motherland of Zacatecas, Mexico. I created a pattern, sand-casted, and machined the metal. The final product would have had the Mexican state of Zacatecas lofting out of the top plate as decoration. It also would have had a spanish saying from my grandmother on the outer perimeter of the top plate. I milled the outer perimeter for a shiny finish and laser cut letters to be used as stencils such that when I sandblasted the outer edge and removed the stickers, the words still be there due to the contrast in finish.

What is left to do:

  • I must plane the two plates so that they close and can create perfectly flat tortillas.

  • I must machine hinges and attach the two plates together.

  • And lastly, I want to create a wooden pressing handle to contrast with the metal.

About

This project was part of ME 103 - Methods of Product Realization at Stanford, which I took my junior year winter quarter right before the COVID-19 Pandemic outbreak. Due to the students being forced to evacuate campus and the machine shop being shut down, I was unable to finish my project, but I hope to finish it this year before I graduate.