Maker Faire Build Night 2015-03-19

This is part of the Noisebridge Booth for Maker Fair 2015 project

Goals and Tasks

Routing

We will transfer the NB logo on to the finish surface and then carefully and painstakingly route the NB logo into it. This will be a long process and will likely take the entire build night.

Table Part cutting

Depending on attendance, we will also start cutting the other parts for the table and labeling them for future use.

Here is how it went

The project continues.

So this seems apt: http://runningahackerspace.tumblr.com/post/100011722093/freehanding-because-you-dont-have-a-shopbot

The table top and substructure have been cut. It took a while, but we are ready to start turning this thing into a table.

Inkjet plotter.. cheating?

To get the logo on the table I used a full size print of the logo. This works by printing out the design that one wants to transfer then scribbling over the line work on the backside of the paper with pencil. Once the back of the design is covered, the transfer is placed on the destination surface and one carefully traces over the design. This leaves a line of pencil lead on the destination surface.

More Tracing!

If we were painting the design on to the surface I would usually leave the line light. In this case I will be using it as a guide for the router, so being able to see the line well is important. I took the extra time to darken the line.

Weee...

I cut a pass between the lines to start the channel. After this pass the rest of the cuts will to the relative right of the material to be cut so that the router bit cuts "down" into the material.

Hands are already getting tired.

Finally the first layer of cutting is done. I cut down 1/4" into the material. The rest of the passes will be done with a router bit that has a bearing on the top which will ride against the edge of this top cut; using it as a template.

Grr.. plywood.

The table top layer of plywood bends and does not stay flat against the layer below (the substructure). To get the substructure routed to the correct depth the top layer needs to be flat against the substructure.

Leveraging the scraps in the wood shop

I clamped a 2x2 across the piece and used a smaller block of wood to push down on the center of the workpiece. This minimized the gap between the top plywood and the bottom. This clamp had to be re-positioned a few time to insure that the layers were being pressed together near where I was routing.

(sounds of coughing)

Also routing makes a big mess, be ready to sweep after any router work.

Expectation = Reality

This went really well. The logo looks good and is just about ready for the resin. I just need to order it.

And our other contestant

Here is the star of the next phase of the project. This is the meat of the table. We are going to add sides, legs, and additional framing to this piece. It will hold the electronics and the rest of the electrical um.. stuff.