Monday, August 30, 2010

we got CNC'd




So over the weekend myself along with a few of the SUNY Fine Arts Faculty were trained to use our new ShopBot alpha. A couple of years ago I taught a class that used one of these things for VCU's sculpture department. During the training, I could tell that ALL of the professors/technician brains were working overtime thinking about what they could make with this thing.

Officailly this was the first time I had helped setup a ShopBot from the ground up. VCU's machine was setup by a shop technician prior to my class. I have to say, besides a few hurdles with the electrician and building/safety code this thing is a dream to assemble. Of course I can't say enough about our assembly guy/trainer, Brady Watson. He was great! and an all around ShopBot/CNC genius. We still have a lot of work to do before this thing is operational. We have to put together our hold down system (which is %90 of using this thing) and our dust collections but..... We cut blue foam all day and let me tell you, it goes.

This model is a newer version of the one I am used to. The control box and spindle speed selection box are mounted on the machine. Both of these in the previous model were mounted on the wall. There is also a safety addition, the collet wrench is attached to a key that is needed to start the spindle. Its almost like taking the cinderblock to the gas station bathroom. Here are a couple of shots of our setup and training. I think that our orientation of our machine is kind of weird it is very disorienting. Left on the keyboard is right on the machine etc etc. This machine orientation was what they wanted. Being the low man on the totem I just went with it.


CNC setup
CNC setup
CNC setup
CNC setup
CNC setup
CNC setup

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

more brooches

Bring the pain...School is starting which I am kind of excited about. We have a new crop of great BFAs and MFAs. there a million things going on with me. I have a solo show on the horizon (two months eek!) a lecture for the Seattle Metals Guild and of course setting up and running the 3D and CNC here at SUNY New Paltz. Somewhere in all of that I have had the chance to get to work on a few of the laser etched pieces so I am putting them up as I make them and them of course putting them in a box for the show. Let me know what you think -Arthur


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More chain more parts

Saturday, August 14, 2010

links

Just experimenting with stuff. Got to get stuff going. Working on a million things at once. Spending too much time inside on the computer or in the studio. Outside is beautiful.

links
links
links
links