- What’s Happening Now – October 2021
- I’ve been working with RhinoCAD again, which is like visiting an old friend (or enemy really) since it’s the first CAD software I used extensively for design. It’s nice because it leads you to more organic designs instead of square blocky designs. I’ve been exploring Grasshopper as well, which allows you to create parametric and mathematically driven designs which can be cut out on the CNC Router. It’s been an interesting diversion…
- Solidworks has an interesting deal for Makers. I might check that out.
- I redid the “Doorbell” sign which points people to the humongous doorbell button outside our studio. The original was done in cheap baltic birch plywood, which was not weatherproof at all. The new one is done in cedar, which will hopefully last a bit longer. It’s funny that delivery drivers can’t find our doorbell.
The new doorbell sign outside our door - I got a Prusa MK3S+ 3D printer, which I’m using to prototype some designs and ideas. It works well. 3D printing has improved a lot.
- More work on some methods for creating patterns using computer algorithms. In addition to using Rhino/Grasshopper I’ve been using the Processing computer language, which is designed for artists and creatives. There’s a web-based version of Processing called P5, which works in javascript on a web page.
Panels created using Rhino/Grasshopper and Processing. - I had big concrete pad installed at our back door. Our forklift got stuck in the loose, crumbling asphalt a few months ago when trying to enter the garage door back there. The concrete will provide a stable surface to move equipment and machines around.
Concrete pad at the back door of the studio - I refined the random circle algorithm for generating panels. Now it generates fewer circles at first, and grows them, then adds another batch of circles are grows them all. Doing it all at once meant that there were no larger circles. There’s a greater variety now. It deletes small circles that can’t be cut with the cutter in the CNC Router.
Generated algorithmically using processing (P5 variant) in a browser. Not the full image… - I added a page to the site with a gallery of projects that we’ve worked on.
- What’s Happening Now – Sept 2021
- Back from some travels out west. Built a cool lamp using the outline of my brother’s face.
Lamp fashioned from 16 profile images of my brother’s face. - @theGrantAlexander needed a Tesla logo for a project of his. I cut it for him on the CNC – the whole thing was just over 48″ tall. It came out great – I think it would look cool backlit.
- I ordered a Prusa 3D printer (MK3S+). It is really great actually. One of those “it just works” printers. 3D printers have come so far from the first ones – I used to have to spend hours tuning the machine before I could print something. Now, just walk up to it, and print – and it works! My first printer was this: Printrbot
- I updated the sign in front of our studio: By Grabthar’s Hammer!
- Back from some travels out west. Built a cool lamp using the outline of my brother’s face.
- What’s Happening Now – August 2021
- I’m taking a bit of time off in August – There won’t be as many updates as normal.
- Working on a big improvement to the shop compressed air supply. A proper air dryer is in progress, as well as automatic tank drainage.
- Working on tiles for the Quicktime project.
- Bells are arriving, which is interesting.
- Breadboarding a fairly complex Raspberry Pi Pico hardware system, and then to write some code. Excited to try MQTT on Raspberry Pi.
- Updated the sign outside our studio: Make Art Every Day
- Working on a silly little lamp. The Andy Lamp.
- Writing a bunch of code these days.
- What’s Happening Now – July 2021
- People are liking our postcard dispenser! Nice to see whole families stop by to pick up some postcards.
- Working on some interesting CNC pieces based on the Google QuickDraw dataset.
- We’re working on a video about how we made our Pride display. This should be out soon.
- I got the letters off the big outdoor sign for my old company “InGenius” and I’m figuring out what to do with them!
- We have put some letters on the roof of the shop – now just have to wait for Google and Apple to take pictures from space!
- I took the little “Bonhomme” logo and mounted it on a piece of plywood. We’ll put that up in the shop somewhere. And by little, I mean 5 feet tall.
- I’ve got a bunch of Python code running to process the Google QuickDraw dataset – creating GCode, SVG images, and a CSV File we can use to do a big mail merge. Still trying various techniques for how to reliably CNC carve, and then paint these wood pieces.
- Working on a “Birds” piece for my sister-in-law, based on her awesome IG Channel “onehundredbirds”
- Updated the sign with the chemical formula CH3COOC5H11 which you can read about here.
- Added lighting to our laser, and properly calibrated the USB camera that lets us view and align things on the cutting surface.
- Made a “Fragile/This way UP” stencil for a large box we’re shipping soon.
- Made a t-shirt using the UP stencil
- Set up a water hose system with a hose reel.
- Changed the sign outside our studio: Lets Dance Like: Evan Finds the Third Room – which is a cool video we like.
- Working on a large “In” sign that will light up when I arrive at work, and turn off when I leave.
- It’s Gise’s last week! So, we’re filming a bunch of overdue video things.
- Finished the In sign – it’s 6 feet square and completely ridiculous.
- Got a video up about repurposing the large letters from the old InGenius sign.
- I started buying some bells for a new long term project, which I think is pretty interesting.
- Cut some 3.5 inch disks for ReallyHorribleEnterprises
- Bought some wood for making QuickDraw tiles.
- A schaublin 102 lathe has arrived, and that is excellent.
- What’s Happening Now – June 2021
- Just finished off a few stools – basically playing around with various design ideas and fabrication techniques. Furniture is hard! Very picky to get something that feels the right size for multiple people.
- Thinking about some ideas for Pride month.
- Also thinking about some more public projects. Some outside, publicly available things. Probably longer term ideas.
- Refinished and welded an aluminum outdoor bench.
- Building a banana-shaped holder for postcards which will be attached to the sign outside our studio
- Helped a friend fix a kitchen drawer
- Met with Daniel Marciano, an interesting woodworker here in Ottawa
- Had a nice BBQ lunch with our good friend Jon
- Finished and installed the postcard holder
- Working on a Pride project…
Our Pride month project