Storque articles by brepettis

How-Tuesday: Kirigami with the Craft ROBO

2009-01-06T16:10:00-05:00

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The Craft ROBO is a machine that lets you cut and score paper with precision and repetition. This is really handy if you're into scrapbooking or want to make shipping boxes, envelopes or promos for your Etsy shop. Perhaps you want to take it to the next level to create unique paper sculptures, pop-up books or custom vinyl stickers.

Using the machine is like hooking up a printer to your computer, but instead of printing ink, the Craft ROBO has a tiny little sharp knife that it can control and move around to cut through or just slightly graze paper.

Jeff Rutzky has been creating incredible kirigami (origami with cuts) with the Craft ROBO. He joined us at Etsy Labs to give us a tutorial on this wonderful bread-box sized machine.

To make the kirigami box in the video, you'll need to have Adobe Illustrator (AI) on your computer and you'll have to install the AI plugin. You can also use the software that comes with the Craft ROBO, but this project involves a few different type of cuts which is best done on AI.

Download the pattern. (Be forewarned! This is a mighty large zip file of documents!) Load it into AI and turn off the layers with cutting lines and print out the graphics and registration marks. Load your printed sheet onto the plastic carrier which protects the machine from its own blade. Then go into the cut/plot interface and set it to stop between each layer. That way you can change the blade out to go from scoring to cutting.

You can also do this project with an Exacto knife and a boning tool for scoring, but the beauty of the Craft ROBO is that, well, the machine does the work for you perfectly!

Watch more how-to videos and check out these how-to projects too!

Process: New Books with Old Materials by theblackspotbooks

2008-11-07T11:35:00-05:00

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Margaux Kent, aka theblackspotbooks, has always had a love for old things. Her handmade leatherbound books have the feel of beautiful antique manuscripts, like something out of a Medieval library that was used by a monk once upon a time. Her books tell stories while waiting for the words of new owners. It's a magical thing.

Margaux made her first book after her well loved vintage Italian journal fell apart at the seams. She could then see how the book was held together and from that experience she learned how to bind books. Then came the next part: what to cover the journals with? Being vegetarian, Margaux didn't want to buy new hides, so she started scouring secondhand shops where she lives in Philadelphia for old discarded leather.

Since then she has repurposed all sorts of well worn leather, from antique chairs, saddlebags, gunbelts to old purses. Her hunt for leather with a past life continues, ever searching for forgotten pieces that she can transform into new treasures.

The books she sells are so gorgeous, they challenge their owners to write really amazing words, do drawings, or paste photos!

Process is a new Etsy video series that features the intimate relationship formed between Etsy sellers and the handmade items that
they create and make available to the world through their online shops. Process is not to be confused with a How-To video, as each video isintended to show each seller's unique artistic voice through the process by which their items come to be.

Did you know you can get videos downloaded automatically by subscribing in iTunes! You can also check us out on Youtube, blip.tv and get the MP4 video too. Embed the video on your blog and you might just get a special treat from us.

In the comments, let us know if there's an artist's process you'd like to see in a video!

Etsy Finds: CNC Beauty from nervoussystem

2008-10-12T13:16:00-05:00

I have a bit of an obsession for art designed by humans that's created with the help of machines. While browsing for robot-enabled art, I found this amazing jewelry by Jesse and Jessica of nervoussystem. The two of them are a team and they make their work with a CNC waterjet. CNC stands for Computer Numerical Control and used to be used on industrial equipment to make cars. Now there are all sorts of computer controlled contraptions you can use to make your designs come to life — including sewing machines, lasercutters, cutting plotters, 3D printers and nervoussystem's tool of choice, the waterjet! Fascinated by their work, I asked them a few questions to fill me in on how they do what they do.

Can you tell me about your design process?

We start by coming up with a concept which can either revolve around an inspiration, a form, or a manufacturing process. A few examples would be the forms of radiolarians, aggregations in nature, or using a laser cutter to 3D layered object. When fleshing out this concept, we will come up with system we can work with to realize the design and explore variations. When I say system, I mean this very generally; it can be a construction method that constrains the form or a physical simulation or almost any well defined constraints with parameters we can vary. Often we codify this system by writing a small program. This program can then generate an infinite variety of forms changing based off of parameters that we can vary. After playing around for a while, we pick our favorite results and use a computer controlled machine to realize the design.

Do you collaborate or help each other on your work? Or do you work independently?

Most of our work is collaborative. Of course one person is usually more responsible for one line or another. Jessica primarily came up with the radiolaria line, and Jesse was mainly responsible for the dendrite line. However, in practice we work very closely together, so it is difficult to assign credit for one thing or another. This is not so easy at times since our opinions often differ greatly.

What is the process like to design and work with a waterjet?

We use the waterjet to cut our rubber pieces. Working with any 2D cutting machine tends to be very similar, though there are different dangers you have to watch out for. Designing on the computer makes it very natural for us to use a machine like a waterjet to realize our design. Ultimately, we use a waterjet in particular because it works well with the material properties of the rubber. But since we have to outsource the waterjet (they are very expensive), the process of testing out a new design can take a very long time. In the near future, we may have more direct access to a waterjet, which will be very exciting since you can cut 3D forms out of materials like marble.

I noticed you opened up the sourcecode on your designs: Can you tell me about that?

A large part of our work is about opening up the design process. While crafters are often open about their work, the design world is traditionally much more closed. That's why we have our applets online with the source available. We'd love to have more documentation about our work available as well, but until then people should feel free to ask us any questions if they are interested in how we make things.

Do you have new projects or designs coming up that you're excited about?

We are going to have our first felt products in October, which will be the first chance we've had to add color to our line. We are also building a CNC router, so we are looking forward to some more 3-dimensional products routed from wood.

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Watch our "Process" videos which show how sellers make things.

Storque Posts tagged "Jewelry Shopping"

Process: Ziptie Rings by Metalnat

2008-10-03T12:00:00-05:00

The studio of Natalia Gomensoro, aka Metalnat, walks the line of serene organization and cluttered potential. Natalia grew up in Uruguay and comes to jewelry with a background in design and architecture. She got started making jewelry in 1994 and studied with Latin American jewelers before moving to Brooklyn. In this edition of Process, we get a chance to see Natalia resize one of her rings cast from a zip tie.

Natalia's work has an industrial feel to it. She uses materials that you wouldn't expect in jewelry like cement, rubber O-rings, and magnets.

Did you know you can get videos downloaded automatically by subscribing in iTunes! You can also check us out on Youtube, blip.tv and get the MP4 video too.

In the comments, let us know if there's an artist's process you'd like to see in a video!

Etsy Finds: Wooden Taxidermy

2008-09-27T11:24:00-05:00

I've got a bit of an obsession with vegan taxidermy. Seeing treeswithknees' fantastic wooden jackalope taxidermy took me on a trip down nostalgia lane with fond memories of putting together wooden dinosaur puzzles as a kid. This item is lasercut and comes all put together. As someone who uses a lasercutter, I know how much time goes into prototyping an item like this: it can take a while to get it to fit together just so!

I've got a vegan jackalope on my wall already or I'd have grabbed this one asap! I hope treeswithknees comes out with other wooden taxidermy animals!

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History Hacker: On Your TV Tonight!

2008-09-26T16:00:00-05:00

About a year ago, I started down the road to developing a TV show to explore historic inventions. Tonight my TV pilot, History Hacker, will be on TV! It's is all about exploring technological history by hacking the inventions of the past. If you can, I'd love it if you can watch it with your kids! While making it, I imagined families watching the show and enjoying it together!

The show is fresh. There are a billion jumpcuts in this show and we achieved some special split screen and in-camera effects. It doesn't look like anything I've ever seen on TV. Also, it's an hour long, so I have time to get into some projects that break down some of the principles that Tesla pioneered and fought for in "the war of the currents." I make a neon bulb, an AC generator from a bike, and I muck about with an old telephone magneto. I also go check out the power plant in the basement of The New Yorker and the space systems lab at MIT to see how the principles that Tesla pioneered are being used today.

Tonight, this show is really in your and your family and friend's hands. It's a pilot and so it will only go forward if it gets the ratings and response from viewers like you! If you feel so moved, write an email with your feedback, ideas for future episodes, or just what you think of the show! I've set up an email address that goes to the people at the network who need to hear your feedback.

I'll be posting live back channel commentary on Twitter and I'll be reading all the Twitters with the words "history hacker" and "bre" in them. I'll also be reading all the responses in the History Hacker Facebook group. I am also going to be checking out all the photos that folks post of themselves watching the show in the History Hacker flickr group.

Etsy Finds: Bike Spinning Wheel

2008-09-13T10:39:00-05:00

I just saw this wonderful spinning wheel — using a bike wheel! — by ford4him. My family has a sheep farm, and I once sheared a sheep, spun the wool (it was smelly), and knit a hat. Within a few days, I had lost it. Even though I miss that hat to this day, I think back on that time I spent sitting at a spinning wheel with fondness, as it's a mix of being very focused and very relaxed.

To spin wool, you have to set up the wheel and feed the wool while stepping on the pedal. You must also make sure you're holding the wool with just the right amount of tension. It takes a while, but it's something you definitely get better at with practice. Using a bicycle wheel seems like a brilliant idea: it's got bearings for smooth and efficient spinning. It also looks very modern!

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Making Handmade Musical Instruments

2008-09-12T16:42:00-05:00

You don't need a lot of cash to make music. The folks in these videos all made their own instruments and are sharing them with the world through video. Check the related items for some fantastic handmade musical instruments on Etsy. If you know of a great handmade music video or item on Etsy, share the links in the comments!

What do you get when cross an oil can with a banjo? The canjo!

Wow, it's an upright bass made of cardboard and it sounds pretty good!

I've always wanted to make a cigar box guitar. This one sounds amazing!

Dennis Havlena makes all sorts of instruments and shares them in this video.

Electric Junk Guitar Workshop from ranjit on Vimeo.

Inspired? On October 14th, you can take the guitar making class at Etsy Labs featured in the above video.

Also if you haven't seen the Etsy Handmade Portrait about Armor Guitars, check it out.

How To Make Stamped Tagged Silver Earrings Video

2008-09-08T19:24:00-05:00

Carolyn, aka AutumnLeavesJewelry, has started putting up videos that share her work and process. In this video, she's turning the camera on herself and her workbench and walking us through the process of making stamped silver earrings that support a political candidate. She's just started with video, but her personality shines through.

This video is a great window into her workshop. We get a chance to see her workbench and tools! Want to make your own videos? Check out the Getting Started in Video series and share your world in moving pictures!

Want more fun political posts? See this article — Bark the Vote — about pets stating their causes (AutumnLeavesJewelry is mentioned in it too!).

Etsy Finds: LAZZZZZZER

2008-09-06T09:47:00-05:00

I like good drawings and I like lasers, so I love NBsCloset's work, including this awesome dog pendant. The cool thing is that he uses digital vectorizing skills: he applies these talents to the physical world by laser cutting materials and etching designs onto pendants.

This video is a screen capture that shows the process that NBsCloset goes through to make a vector portrait drawing. You can check out more of his videos on his YouTube page.

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