W8 computer-controlled machining


W.8 Make something

BIG

 

This week we had to design and fabricate something big. Also, this week our fab lab will the venue for the  fab labs reunion of México, so we decided to take this project as a team and have our visitors participate of a workshop to make something big.

The project had to be simple and we needed it to be divided in pieces so everyone of the team could have his own design with the same basis. We decided for a chair in a shape of an hexagon with a diameter of 90 cms, using waffle to build it and an orientation of 45 or 90 degrees.

This is my design: (I used rhinoceros)

 

Waffle of 80 mms separation in x and y axis, and using plywood of 122×2.44 mts x 15mms thickness.

Captura de pantalla 2015-03-24 a las 0.05.17

 

I place the pieces in a line and mark the intersections and make the sections for the assembly, giving a 1.5 mms of margin due to the uneven material (range from 14.9 to 16.5mms). The pieces were placed on five sheets, here is the dxf.

Captura de pantalla 2015-03-24 a las 0.07.45I used our thermwood cnc 3 axis to cut the pieces with a end mill of 1/4″. Each sheet took 30-40 minutes because we had to make a pause and secure the sheets with nails to avoid movement. After cutting I remove the nails, take the pieces off the table and start with the sand process.

IMG_5412

Here I show the pieces:

Captura de pantalla 2015-03-24 a las 0.53.30 Captura de pantalla 2015-03-24 a las 0.54.49

IMG_1202

 

For the assembly, I first try to make it by myself using two bottom pieces to hold the top, but it did not work, the pieces were to heave to handle.

IMG_1225

So I had an idea, I used two of the pieces as a guide to hold the others. This help me a lot and was really easy to assembly.

IMG_5459

 

IMG_5417

IMG_1226

 

Here is my chair… you can see it is really confortable.

IMG_1255

 

And, here you can se the family of chairs of the team, in the center, mine and at the sides Daniela’s and Fernando’s chair.

Captura de pantalla 2015-03-24 a las 17.51.47