Bike powered tool sharpener ---latest project for Sustainable Engineered Solutions (SES)

By COE Press Release
Fall 2012

Patrick Breslend, an electrical engineering student and President of SES, pictured here with the Bike Powered Tool Sharpener
Jeremy Phillips and Dana Edmonds from the COE machine shop assist Patrick Breslend with project.

SES is an FSU student group at the College of Engineering with a mission to find sustainable energy solutions for the community. Students from all disciplines campus wide have the opportunity to design, model, build and promote projects that will revolutionize the way people think about energy.

Recently, the group partnered with TSG (the Tallahassee Sustainability Group) to produce a bike powered tool sharpener for the TSG/Salvation Army Community Garden Project. The group had a desperate need for a tool sharpener and wanted to look for a sustainable solution for their need. They contacted the student group SES (Sustainable Engineered Solutions) for a viable engineering solution.

Eager to figure out a way to make the motor sustainable, SES created a bike powered tool sharpener. The Electrical and Computing Engineering Department at COE donated funds to complete the project and the COE machine shop donated their time and energy in helping to get the project completed.

According to Brett Reeve, "SES is an ideal model of outsourcing global problems for students within the college of engineering, to create sustainable solutions. In short, we get a project and students apply the knowledge from classes for hands on experience in their field."

Brett Reese is the International Sustainability Youth Leader. For more information about SES, contact: SES.FSU@gmail.com.