November 2009

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As I am sure you know by now, the Service Bureau has a vinyl cutter available for use.  Whereas it’s most common use is for lettering (you know, for name, titles and the like) we get excited when a customer figures out something different to do with the cut vinyl.  That being said, I would like to show you work from a student named Javier Lopez (a former bureau student worker I might add).  This is the piece Javier hung in the BFA show this fall

the finished work

Where is the vinyl?  you have to look closely.

detail of javier's vinyl

Working closely with the Service Bureau to determine how to prep the file, Javier created a 28″ x 80″ vinyl image

of Abraham Lincoln’s face applied to the wall behind the work itself.

detail of javier's vinyl

If you look closely, you get a good idea of how finely the machine can cut.

So if you have any ideas, come into the Bureau and ask us about our vinyl cutting options.  We have many different colors in stock (including reflective white and red!) and we would be more than happy to walk you through how to prep your file.

-michael

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9a5hH5idQc]

After watching this stop motion video I am so thankfully we are not binding books by hand.  Shot with 3,000 photographs  in the span of 2 months this video documents the creation of “The Complex of All of These.”

 

- Meg

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Our student worker, Ashley Townsend, participated in the Fall BFA show last month. For the show, I assisted her with binding some books. Ashley utilized services at both the Service Bureau and the Advanced Output Center. The covers were all laser cut on the front and back.

If you are thinking about making a book I would highly recommend considering laser etching/cutting your covers. They look really professional and this is a service that many people do not have the opportunity to use. Inside the book Ashley used a various array of papers that ranged from a basic bond to newprint. She even inserted Tabloid paper (11″x17″) for a fold out page. This project is a perfect example of what we can do that you would not be able to accomplish at a print on demand site like Lulu or Blurb.

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If you are thinking about making a book stop by the Service Bureau (located on the 11th floor of the 37 South Wabash building) We would be more than happy to go over your options for creating unique books.

-Meg

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Start your art-school-induced indentured servitude early! The AOC can fabricate lots of neat items digitally, allowing for a tidy profit in the online marketplace. (These images come from examples on Etsy, not from AOC-produced projects)

Laser Cutting

RachelClowes's Laser Cut Felt Statement Necklace

Rachel Clowes's Laser Cut Felt Statement Necklace

AoifeFey's Laser Cut Chess Set

Aoifefey's Laser Cut Chess Set

Rapid Prototyping

nervoussystem's Porous Bracelet

nervoussystem's Porous Bracelet

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The Service Bureau now has a new bulk cutter! You might be asking yourself “why should I care?” Well, my friend, this is some really big news. The new Challenge Multi 2020 is a hydraulic cutter, which allows us to make cleaner and more accurate cuts compared to our former electric cutter.

What should know about the new cutter?

  • Our definition of bulk cutting is a stack of paper over 50 sheets. This does not include inkjet prints.
  • The Multi 2020 can cut up to 20” width. This will allow us to cut 13”x19” and 12×18” laser prints. This is a major improvement from the 13” width of our previous cutter.
  • The Multi 2020 has a preset board that helps us align the cutter for more accurate cuts.
  • It is a $1 charge per cut. So, If you are printing 100 postcard that are set up as fours on 8.5”x11” paper you will be charged $4 for the cuts.
  • We will now be able to cut thicker perfect bound books without the pages skewing.

-Meg

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Settings for Raster Engraving Sheet Metal on a 60W Laser Cutter

Settings for Raster Engraving Sheet Metal on a 60W Laser Cutter

Settings for Raster Engraving Sheet Metal on a 60W Laser Cutter

Settings for Raster Engraving Sheet Metal on a 60W Laser Cutter: 100% Power/20% Speed/1000 PPI

Successful Raster Engraving on Sheet Metal

Successful Raster Engraving on Sheet Metal

Failed Raster Engraving on Sheet Metal

Failed Raster Engraving on Sheet Metal

Mike did some tests last week to laser engrave sheet metal (steel). Our Universal X-660 laser cutter can engrave ferrous metals without any special coating, so we decided to give it a go.

The results are interesting, especially for raster engravings. As you can see, the successful raster engraving looks great; the unsuccessful one, not so much. The intriguing thing is that both engravings were done using the same settings. We’re guessing that there may be some sort of oil coating on the sheet to prevent rust, which also inhibits laser engraving. We tried cleaning the steel with isopropyl alcohol, which didn’t really seem to affect the engraving quality.

Does anyone know of a cleaner or degreaser for steel that won’t cause it to rust?

-Chris

Stu made an awesome soldering station out of laser-cut masonite to custom fit a tiny nook in his apartment.  Vive la finger-joints!

Taylor Hokanson and I have released the open-source plans for the DIYLILCNC, a low-cost (~$700) CNC mill that can be built by anyone with basic shop skills.

DIYLILCNC_th

DIYLILCNC Plot Test from Axis of Output on Vimeo.

The plans are free, and include CAD files for making custom laser-cut parts, parts lists for stock hardware, and step-by-step assembly instructions.

This is a great project for a class or individual who wants to learn more about computer-aided fabrication.

-Chris

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