This Week in the Shop: Ceramic 3-D Printing via Shapeways.com

DSC02480In the late 1800’s and into the  early 1900’s, a number of furniture makers, craftsman and artisans reacted against the massive mechanization and industrialization of (their) modern world to create a type of furniture called Arts & Crafts, Craftsman or Mission style furniture.  Gustav Stickley in New York, the Roycroft community and others created furniture, which to my eyes, can’t be beat by anything that’s ready-to-assemble.

While I find my heart and soul called by Mr. Morris’s chair, other artisans were getting in on the action.  With so much intellectual rebellion running about, some energy had to flow into pottery, right?  I’m not a big pot fan (yep, that reads differently than it did in my head) but I do appreciate the art tiles.  I just had to find a way to make one without using actual clay.  I don’t have the sculpting skills, tools, a kiln or materials for such work.

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So how did I do it?  I used some of the latest and most innovative prototyping methods known to man.

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This Week in the Shop: Don’t Touch My Blue Suede Chair

A quick sawdust update: I’ve been working finishing up a personal project this week and doing a little legwork for my next piece.  In May, two friends of mine became married to each other.  I got to see them meet, watch them fall in love and stand up and give a hell yeah! at the wedding while wearing an uncomfortable rental tux.  I decided to celebrate with a chair.  The results so far: Lowe’s provided the legs and various hardware pieces, while I scrounged up about five yards of blue suede from the local fabric shop.  I salvaged the stuffed … Continue reading This Week in the Shop: Don’t Touch My Blue Suede Chair