Gabe Wolf

Post date: Jan 29, 2018 7:43:42 PM

In this course I learned many things such as how to operate the 3d printer, vinyl cutter, laser cutter, and even using an Arduino. I also learned how to use software like Adobe Illustrator, Inkscape, Roland Cut Studio, Tinkercad and so on. I think part of the reason why I was able to learn and become good at all the equipment and software is because not only had I used some of them before I started the course but also because I'm very interested in this type of thing. I used to think that design was more of drafting and planning and less actual building and making but now I know that it is both. The things I would change would be having our final projects be stuffed into the very end of the year giving us limited time to work on it. I enjoyed all my time in the fab lab and was never disappointed when E block came around. The time when I felt the most challenged was probably when my Arduino door lock all fell apart yet again, but after leaving it for a bit and coming back to it later in the day I was able to put it back together and ended up making it better than it was before it broke. I felt proud after making my door lock work. It also makes me glad to help my classmates with their problems in the fab lab.

Design: Adobe Illustrator

To design our logos we used software called Adobe Illustrator. While I had never used Illustrator before, I have used Adobe Photoshop and so the transition to Illustrator was much easier. I quickly got the hang of it and was able to make my wolf logo successfully.

Figure 1. Screenshot of Adobe Illustrator being used to make my logo.

Laser-Cutting: Adobe Illustrator

After designing our logos on Adobe Illustrator, I was time to laser print them onto wood.

I laser cut my wolf logo onto the wood using the Adobe Illustrator logo that I had made and it worked perfectly.

Buy your own wood, laser-cut wolf logo today!

See bottom of this page for more details.

Figure. 2 My finished logo design.

Figure 3. My laser printed wolf logo.

Vinyl Cutting: Roland Cut Studio

I used Roland Cut Studio to cut my logo onto vinyl.

After Printing my vinyl wolf logo I weeded out the parts I didn't want and transferred it to my computer.

Figure 4. My wolf logo design, ready to be vinyl cut on Roland Cut Studio.

Figure 5. My wolf logo vinyl sticker.

3D Printing: Tinkercad

I used my Adobe Illustrator logo design and exported it to an svg and then imported that into tinkercad.

I then printed out my logo on the 3d printer.

Figure 6. My Finished Wolf Logo from Adobe Illustrator.

Figure 7. My finished, 3d printed wolf logo.

Desk Name Stand: Adobe Illustrator

My first draft for the design of my name stand. I ended up modifying my design as seen in the next final version of my cut name stand.

This is my final print of my name stand. Through this process I learned how if the first time it doesn't work try, try again.

Figure 8. My first draft for my desk name stand design.

Glasses: Adobe Illustrator

Through designing my glasses, I learned about the design process and the order it goes in. I had to go through the paper drawing phase, the paper phase, the cardboard phase, and then finally the wood phase to get my glasses just right. If I had just skipped to the wood phase first, then my glasses would most definitely not have worked as well as they did.

I used my 3d design skills to design a whole set of chess pieces all from scratch. I was not able to print all the pieces that I created due to the lack of time but I was able to print out a select few.

Figure 9. My finished glasses with the blue acrylic lenses.

To make my duck lamp, I first used my 3d tinkercad design skills to design a 3d light up duck. I then printed it on the 3d printer with light blue, clear filament. I then used a little coin cell battery attached to a LED in the bottom-center of my duck to create a light that could be turned on and off to illuminate the duck.

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