Subtraction – Final Project

For my final project I’ve decided to build a lamp. Initially, I wanted to build the lamp I had drawn up around the time of the CNC assignments, which has the design below.

And looked like a little person, similar to this design.

But after some consideration, thinking of what tools I can use and what material I already have, I decided to redesign the lamp.

I looked at some photos online and saw a few designs I liked such as :

I knew I wanted something that could be adjusted, and after some thinking and staring into space for a while, I came up with this design :

Theoretically, it should collapse down into a flat-ish shape.

Update :

I did end up cutting the three pieces out. However, I scrapped the lamp for now because I was getting annoyed going back and fourth between Vectorworks and Illustrator trying to figure out if using the 4-axis, Othermill, or Shaper would be the best tool. Plus I still needed to design and cut the base.

Here’s what I cut out.

Instead, I revisited the side table I had planned for the CNC project as I knew I could make that using the Shaper and with the material I had purchased earlier this semester.

Here are the drawings of two test cuts I did with the Shaper first before doing the whole table.

Also, I find it much easier to draw 2D objects in Vectorworks, however it is a pain in the ass getting it to SVG — Illustrator won’t let me import DXF and the online converters aren’t reliable. So I found this add-on for Vectorworks by Paolo Marcuccetti (link), I did have to pay $25 but it has made my life easier instead of having to redraw everything in Illustrator I can export an SVG directly from VW.

Anyways, after doing the test cut with the Shaper, I moved onto cutting the top and base for the side table.

I messed up at first, and realized I had used an older version of the top/base shape that did not take into account the bit size when drawing the dogbone joints — I had already made a pocket cut into one of the joints when I realized. So I went back into Vectorworks and adjusted the file and brought it back into the Shaper, and I somehow was able to eyeball lining up the same pockets again so I didn’t have to waste any space on my material.

After I cut out the two pieces for the top and base of the table, I had to set up another slab of wood and rescan the working area to cut out the two side pieces.

I sanded everything down and dulled down the edges before glueing everything together and clamping.

After clamping for a few hours (the bottle said minimum 30 min.) I oiled it up with some linseed oil and left it to dry.

Also, I guess you could stand the table on any of its sides.

I think I like it best the way it is in the last two photos after I oiled it. It is also more stable this way. I might add some felt feet at the bottom.

Update:

The floor by the window is uneven so I’ll definitely have to add some felt feet or something.

Bonus:

I made my first bowl!

I was planning on giving this to my cousin as a Christmas / housewarming gift, but I’m too attached to it now and I’m going to keep it. I’ll make her a different one.

The first time I tried to make a vessel (tiny cup) was earlier this semester, and I wasn’t hollowing out the center right, and was definitely holding the lathe gouge wrong. So I scrapped that.

This time I started with a 6″ x 6″ x 2″ cherry blank.

I realized I should’ve brought the corners down before throwing this onto the lathe, but oops it’s already done. Next time.