The smell of campfire, cuts that are clean, smooth and quick, the instant gratification of manipulable parts that fit together…what’s there not to love about computer controlled cutting?!
I have used the laser cutter before…and was excited to incorporate more of the design-to-print workflow involved in its use. In the past, I have just cut linear designs versus cutting parts to fit together. This week I focused on building a prototype for a pressfit set of drawers. It seems everytime I move my art studio, or set one up for students, there is always a need for quick, stackable, modular drawer units. So I settled into the challenge. Because of the cloning feature, I decided to use Inkscape, which amounted to a much more successful attempt than last week, and I was able to get through the very uncomfortable acclimation to the software.

After trying to go straight Inkscape, it became clear that I had to work out what I was trying to build in a 3D space before going to the design phase. I dug up some old cereal boxes from the recycle bin and went to fitting together the pieces. Crude as it was, it was extremely helpful to see the object in real space in order to proceed with the design process. At that point I was finally able to go into the design process in Inkscape. That being said, I taped part of my model, forgetting that I had not worked it out in pressfit construction yet, and had to trouble shoot later on when it became apparent “taping” was not a resolution of the joint!

Parametrics…I still have not had time to get to know Rhino, which seems the ideal parametric tool. At first, I had a hard time getting the clone tool to work for me, until I realized that I had to save one copy of the design before making composite shapes. That way, I could go back in and rework the sizing without having to redraw all of the notches for the box. And oh boy did I have to go back again and again. I initially measured the thickness of my cardboard at .156”, so I made the rectangles that I would be cutting out even bigger, .158” so that there would be a snug fit. It was shocking when the larger I made my measurements, the looser my pressfit joints became. My aha moment came through the sad moment of insight when I recognized I was continuing to enlarge the negative space, the shapes I was cutting out of the main shape – exactly the opposite of what I was wanting to do! A few sheets of cardboard and much puzzlement later, my box fit together snugly, perhaps a tad tight even.

Returning to the laser cutter time and again did improve my efficiency. Because I worked with cardboard only, I still have to play around with the settings for cutting/rastering. The tab which the drawer slides on sticks out of the side and I didn’t resolve it with my model, but when working with wood, with greater thickness, I will router a dado cut then press fit the pieces together. The best part for me was cutting the little puzzle pieces that go together to hold things in place.

After striving for exact measurements with the modular drawer, I wanted to make something that was more sculptural and playful. At the very end of my time on the laser cutter, I printed scales and a backbones which could be replicated in any direction. When put together, the pieces create a texture as well as a surface which plays with both light and movement.