3d scanning: reverse engineering cast iron parts

A few weeks ago I purchased a new 3D scanner. Adam had someone reach out to him to see if we could reverse engineer a part for a Ford Model A woody. He had one bracket from the right side, but he needed a left side bracket. I 3D scanned the bracket and then Adam took the model and mirrored it and scaled it to allow for shrinkage via iron casting. the owner will make a mold to pour in iron. I printed a version from the raw scan and it's crazy how much texture is picked up from the scan. The reduced mesh model I gave to Adam actually printed better, but its amazing the amount of info the scanner can get. The scanning markers are awesome for aligning the model and I am in awe of how much better things have gotten with 3D scanning.

I really enjoy this kind of work. It makes me think that I should start a business recreating hard to find parts for automotive and motorcycle industry or at least make one off parts for people restoring old cars or bikes. I just want someone else to run the business and I'll do the work.

 

cnc plasma

Adam and I got figured out how to run the CNC Plasma Cutter in Sculpture the other day. Adam needed a stainless steel flask for vacuum casting some pieces the other day so he grabbed some stainless steel sheet and we programed the machine to cut his file. It was pretty straightforward once we figured the workflow out. We had some warpage issues at the end of the cut, but we have some ideas on how to solve this.

zach lechtenberg

While I was at Penland I stopped by he Small Metals Studios. I chatted with Zach Lechtenberg and then went downstairs and chatted with Laurel Fulton and Guadalupe Navarro. I didn't think to grab any photos of the work happening downstairs, but I had a great time chatting with everyone and hearing about their Metals programs. Laurel had given a GREAT demo at ECU Symposium last year so I appreciated hearing about her program at RIT. I have had the privilege to run into Guadalupe a few times over the years so it was good to connect again.

 

adam hawk

Last Monday I went down to Penland to visit Adam Hawk and see his slideshow. Adam has been teaching a workshop for the last two weeks in the Iron Studio at Penland. Adam is running the Digital Fabrication program that I started at UWM and he has also started a Blacksmithing program at UWM. He has gotten considerable funding from the Windgate Foundation and really build a stellar blacksmithing studio. I have an undergrad who received a Digital Fabrication Fellowship to go work with Adam and I've been following his work for quite some time. I had connected with him for the first time a few months ago at Fire on the Mountain, but I thought it would be cool to see what he's teaching and see some of his samples. Adam showed me a bunch of sample pattern plates that he milled in steel and then used as forging dies for 3D work. He also showed me some of his experiments with canister Damascus using 3D printed extrusion patterns. Cool stuff for certain! He was also working on a small sculpture for the auction as he was teaching. It looked like the students were learning a lot and having a really good time. I ran into some other familiar faces while I was visiting and had some great conversations. I'm thankful that Adam took the time to visit with me and show me around. Always good to connect with him.

Adam has milled several of these pieces on the other Tormach I purchased with grant money when I was at UWM. I really like how he's using the milled steel tooling to create other work. It's a smart use of CNC machining. I also really like that there's a layering of process that leads to the work/pieces having more character. I also like that the 3D pieces are born out of a fairly flat tool and that he's not simply machining a 3D object out a large block of material. The process seems economical and smart. I've had ideas about forging aluminum forms from CNC machined steel dies so this was really intriguing to me. 

I'm reminded by how great my location is for being able to connect with so many makers that come to this area to teach and how this impacts my thinking. Feeling grateful for where I'm at today.

 

josh's japanese carving tools

I am currently doing a stay at home residency at school. We are calling it "Staystack". There are several artists working in the studios at school and we meet up for breakfast and lunch and then just work all day. We'll do this for the next few weeks and hopefully end up with some new work at the end of the time.

Well yesterday I stopped by to see what Josh Winkler was working on. He showed me his woodblock and prints. Josh is a super talented individual and super cool to chat with. He showed me these sweet Japanese carving tools that he got when he was in Japan. I love the swivel action and little bamboo rivet that holds his carving tool. The simplicity of the little brass tube ferrule closer is so sweet. He said these are super cheap to buy in Japan, but super expensive if you try to buy them in the States. Such a cool tool design though. Inspiring!

It has me thinking about tools and tool design. I need to get back to making tools as a part of my creative work. I think I may dig up my file handle project again and see if I can get a few of those cast this week. That would be fun to respond to Josh's tools. Now I'm starting to understand the benefit of not just working in my own studio alone. A good reason to continue doing our Staystack residency.