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Wood is the only naturally renewable building material, according to Joe Harmon, a graduate student in industrial design. Since the 1940s, he said, wood has fallen out of style as a "high-performance material."
But Harmon is using wood as the main material in his senior project: a 700 horsepower supercar dubbed "the Splinter."
The name, which Harmon said was a suggestion by Industrial Design's Department Chair, Bryan Laffitte, tied in the wood elements of the car while playing on the fact that many people have told its creator the car will break into pieces.
According to Harmon, his reason for using wood was that it is a versatile but under-utilized material.
"You can make more than just a chair out of it. Wood actually has great potential as a high-performance material," he said.
By choosing to build a supercar, he said he is hoping to show the world that "if a supercar can be built out of wood, then anything can."
According to Harmon, a supercar is the "top of the food chain for sports cars."
"It's all about style and performance," Harmon said. "Cost and practicality don't matter."
The venture is not an easy task either, Harmon said.
"We utilize every woodworking technique you've ever heard of," Harmon said. "And even some that you haven't."
Though Harmon said he has been working on the car with every spare second he has, completing it on time is always on his mind.
His advisor, associate professor Bong Il Jin, said he has more confidence in his student's abilities.
Jin said he has no worries about Harmon finishing in time for the car's premier at the International Woodworking Fair in Atlanta in August.
"[Harmon] is a very hard worker," he said. "He works all the time, day and night."
He said believes Harmon has a bright future ahead of him, and the car could be marketable.
Brendon Mrzlak, a freshman in industrial design, said the supercar is an impressive idea.
"It is really exciting. When I first saw the car online, I couldn't even believe it," Mrzlak said. "Then I read into it more and found out it was going to be made out of wood - it completely blew my mind."
According to Mrzlak, the project shows the potential of the design programs available.
"After seeing the project, I felt very enthusiastic about the possibilities a major in industrial design is preparing me for," Brendon said. "Seeing projects like this maintain and accelerate my enthusiasm for industrial design."
Harmon has updated his Web site, www.joeharmondesign.com, with pictures, videos and blogs about "the Splinter" and it's creation.
Harmon said his favorite part about the project is the knowledge he's gained.
"Being forced to figure stuff out for yourself and having to rely only on your own abilities gives you a great chance to learn what you are capable of," Joe said. "There is no book 'Building a wooden supercar for dummies.' If there had been, I would have read it."
