SendCutSend

So Liz and I are piloting a new laser cutting service.  As you may recall I was using another company based out of Barcelona! I loved them but the shipping takes a bit. So lately we have been using SendCutSent So far they have been great and I have been very happy with their parts. My only complaint is that the polished stainless is so polished the final product is hard to photograph as it picks up all the fingerprints.  

  As you can see below I have been making these production earrings for a while now.  I am starting to get organized in the new studio and I have the fusion welder setup (I finally organized all of earring findings) .  This will make short work of welding on the earring backs! I am about to update some inventory on the site www.arthurhash.com so check back soon.  Also a portion of all sales will go to a charity of my choosing (probably to help the world heal in one way or another! We need it right now!)

I would highly recommend SendCutSend for any laser cutting project.  I actually need some new house numbers and some panels for the soldering station so I will be placing another order soon!

I am adding new updated images of the studio at the end of the post! Also Liz bought me a canoe as an early birthday prezzy!  Stoked to take it out on the water! 

 

O-rings and flowers

Since our last day of camping got rained out we decided to go out on an adventure.  Again, in our attempt to source our veggies locally we found a farm that has a "pick your own" policy and flowers were in season!  You basically get a mason jar and for one price you fit as many as you can in the jar. Much like our lavender picking adventure it was fun to be outside "harvesting" our own. It provided some inspiration for Liz's work (lots of flowers if you haven't seen it!) We also went for a short hike on a birdwatching trail. 

More workshops and camping!

Soon. I will be offering more Rhino workshops through the Bench here in good Old Rhody Rhode Island!  We are finally getting around to doing a Nerd hangout session (more news on that later).  This last week Liz and I took a couple days off of work to go glamping (I guess camping at a camp site is not real camping, according to Liz) 

The last time we went camping was about ten years ago.  We just packed all of our camping gear that we dutifully organized from our last trip not realizing that we were missing come crucial components like something the make coffee with, a frying pan or a tent big enough for two grown ass adults. Liz said: " the best thing about camping is the problem solving!"  I think I agree with her.  

I have included some highlights from the trip:

• Me being impatient with the coffee apparatus Liz cobbled together
• Cooking everything on a sheet-pan because we forgot our frying pan
• Suffering through the kid size tent we brought
• Our double dog bun situation
• The surprisingly empty Narraganset beach! (whoop whoop private beach party!)
• Whale bones
• Beers at the Whalers brewery (again no one was there! whoop whoop)
• And our fancy campsite (with RVs in the background)

While were there we went to the local museum which was mind blowing. It looked to have a fully functioning type setting studio including a type casting machine?  Also you could eat off the machines.  As far as I could tell they didn't have AC or heat so I am not exactly sure how they kept all these machines from rusting into the ground so I concluded they actually use all this stuff! I desperately wanted to see it all going.  With Covid the place was empty and all the windows and doors were open and the tours were self guided. They also had a blacksmithing shop but it was obviously staged and not in use. Unlike a letter press studio I can recognize when a metal studio is not in use.  

 

More progress in the studio

Things are buzzing in the studio.  We are getting geared up for our second big house project which is a large platform deck and shed.  I am secretly hoping to make a cozy outdoor hangout spot.  I think it is tough because we need to get permits and city hall has been hit and miss with permitting.  Also I hired a carpenter to help and he is BUSY.  Totally excited though.  

In the studio we hooked up the torch and realized that almost all of the o-rings on the tips were shot.  I found out the hard way and we almost didn't have a studio anymore.  Wha wha whaaa. Smelly burnt arm hair. 

When I went to replace them they basically all crumbled or snapped off.  I have to be honestly getting the o-rings has been difficult.  I went to four welding supply stores in town and none of them had them.  I am trying to shop locally as much as possible.  We have been trying to get our veggies and meats from local farms as well as shopping at the mom and pop hardware stores (recently one of said stores saved our bacon while camping, more on that later)

I have also been installing some LED shop lights and shelves. I also bought a fire cabinet which houses all of our chemicals. I have been wanting/needing one for years.  Having random cans of solvent and IPA floating around always made me nervous.  So now, all safe.  I am also going to install a fire extinguisher near the hood. 

I am getting excited to get back to using the space.  Right now I feel like I am using the space to fix the space.  Honestly We need to now start organizing things.  

Recently Liz and I went camping.....glamping..... 

We haven't been camping in over ten years. Let's just say that we need to plan a little more before we go camping again. I think we were a a lot smaller back then and we, for sure need a bigger tent.  Also we forgot our coffee pot.  That all being said we had a BLAST!

It has been amazing to spend more time with Liz.  I feel like I lost the last ten years of my life to my job so I have a lot of time to make up for!  I think we are going to schedule another camping trip for the fall!!