Show and Tell

Ohh … Bacon!
your killing me here. That is beautiful! That is art.

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I used to do a lot of flat work…
this is a mirror frame.


then got into turning…



which is better with sharp tools…

Now I also play with steampunk jewelry…

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OMG. I’m on my way over…save me some!!! :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye::stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

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Me me. Pick me! Lol. When you get your Glowforge, you can laser etch your name on it to personalize…lmao

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Ok, here are a few of my attempts at different art forms,

Some of my carved egg shells, these are turkey eggs

a stained glass panel, (bad picture)

pencil drawing of Kate Beckinsale

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I read several different craft and art sites, including this forum, gathering inspiration and information but never actually contributing…I’m a serial lurker, I guess. But this thread has finally inspired me to throw in my two cents!

I’ve lasered a few different projects at the Tulsa FabLab, but as I don’t live in Oklahoma (or in the states at all anymore, anyone else out there in France who ordered a GF?) I haven’t been able to laser as nearly as many ideas as are in my head. I’m a type designer (I make fonts) in real life. I’m a bit obsessed with letters in all forms from all scripts, especially non-latin ones. I also do bookbinding.

So with that intro, here are two lasered acrylic books that I designed and sewed together. The first was just a practice in illustration (which I’m not great at) with geeky obscure words. The HG2G quote book was a gift for my husband, back before we were even dating. :slight_smile: The colors are from gouache and metallic acrylic paint…it’s very easy to rub the color into the etch marks and wipe the excess away, though too many colors would be complicated. The variations in color come from the strength of the etch of a particular kind of filter, which I can’t remember right now, sorry. Some kind of Epilog software laser setting.

See more photos of the Obscure words here, and the HG2G book here. The sewing technique is from a book called “Sewing Single Sheets” by Keith A Smith.

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Those are super cool…thank you for coming out of the lurkiness…lol ( yeah…probably not a word)
I love your creativity.
I bet things are alot different in France than good old Oklahoma…I live in OKC

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Wow! Love the multi-purpose grinder/sander/sharpener contraption!

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Wow, y’all are quite creative. Simply amazing. I love making homemade bread, but I don’t have many pictures. The wife and kids and I eat it before we think about pictures. But warm bread with butter and homemade raspberry jam from my Dad’s garden is soooo goooood.

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Haha, thanks. Yeah, France is pretty different, especially in the smaller towns!

There are some really amazing projects out there. I have sorta been all over the map since I retired in November on the various projects that I have completed.

The first project that I completed was an 18 foot wooden kayak I had started back in July. This kayak is a “stitch and glue” project which mean the 1/4 inch mahogany plywood pieces are stitched into the desired shape using short lengths of coper wire and then epoxied in place. After the epoxy dries all the wire is cut off, sanded smooth, and fiber glass applied to the out side of the hull. <img src=“//cdck-file-uploads-global.s3.dualstack.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/glowforge/original/2X/4/47737de91bb7453346820b50019f9abc380f42f2.jpg” width=“666” height=“499”

The next large project was a modular full size storage bed for my daughter. I built it in my garage and then we loaded it in my truck to drive it to her condo 3 hours away. When she discovered how heavy a 30 inch by 60 by 12 inch cube made of 3/4 inch plywood really is! After carrying the two sections to the third floor she and her significant other told me they now understood why I had been telling them that we should remove the drawers before carrying bed up the stairs.








In between the larger projects I have been escaping to my workshop to work on the lathe, table saw, routers, and sanders to turn out smaller projects like pen and pencil sets, end grain cutting boards, pepper mills, wine stoppers, wine bottle stands, etc.





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Very nice! (Although 10 minutes is being generous if my cat got one…)

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This thread is full of awesomeness. Wow.

Those prop are fantastic! I recognise them but I can’t really place them! Where are they from?
I have blueprints drawn up for a Gears of War Lancer and really want to make one of those!!

That Italian sausage! My mouth waters! Also that bacon…

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Very nice woodwork!
Wood grain is one of nature’s most beautiful arts. That frame, plate and bowl are gorgeous! The band around the bowl with the rivets and dented finish - is that metal or surface texture? Great detail.

My friend that bench top monster is wonderful! I suspect you and I share an affinity for making a tool that fits our needs. I see at least 7 stations there.You have saved months of time not having to reconfigure the tool to change processes.
We all make things with our tools in our spaces, but I also see a kind of art in the layout of a work area and the tools that populate it. Our work spaces evolve over time with our acquisition of tools and abilities - they reflect a growth of our creative selves.
I’m a little weird in that I enjoy looking at your work spaces almost as much as what you do with them!

That steampunk movement is sweet because there are so many mehnical shapes in different metals that are art unto themselves. Combining them can yield magic.
Thank you for sharing with us!

@numosbk - Are those eggs product of a laser, or another process? Eggshell lace, and nested! Wow!
That is a beautiful stained glass, great choice in color - looks just like a sky. I really want to learn that. I know the technical details, just never got around to jumping in!

Very nice sketch, is that in pencil?
Thank you for contributing to the show!

@bhspalinger, what a neat creative twist! Unique.
Cool way to wield a weapons grade vocabulary!
I had envisioned the technique you describe of coloring an etched surface, looking forward to experimenting!
Thanks for the inspiration!

@Maiman - get quicker with the camera!
Yes, food art is special not just in the skill of the preperation, but besides being pleasing to the eye, nose and taste - it pleases the body by nourishing us.
Definately an art that gives.

@jokeefe, a special satisfaction slipping through the water in that sleek kayak right? Very nice.
I had never heard of that construction method. Reminds me of birch bark stitching and pitch.

I delivered furniture for interior designers, I know gravity intimately. Its influence grows by a magnitude with each flight of stairs!
Nice work, and excellent use of the space!

I love the disarray of the work area, mine generally looks like a grenade went off in it. It tells me you have been there a long time, and your hands are busy!
Beautiful pen sets.
How do you see yourself exploring the forge?
Thanks for contributing!

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Thanks Printolaser,
The stained glass is fun to do and easy, just buy a lot of bandaids.
The eggs are hand cut with an NSK dental hand piece, and the drawing was done with an HB pencil.

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@printolaser

Probably the best source of information on stitch and glue boat construction and kits is Chesapeake Light Craft, http://www.clcboats.com. The kayak I built is a Chesapeake 18 and it is a sweat craft for use here locally in the coastal waters. For kayaking when we travel we have a Folbot Greenland II kayak that folds up into 2 bags and can easily thrown in the back of my Colorado pickup.

My garage is actually my back-up workshop. I also have a 16 X 20 foot work shop that has become so crowded that I need to add another 12 X 20 foot addition to fit all of my tools plus be able to work.

Q: How do I plan to use my GF?
A: I currently have three smaller laser engravers that I use GF in cutting the dual pen boxes I make instead of using my router and template, engraving the pen boxes/cutting boards/other wood projects I make for people, and cutting inlay patterns that today I use my scroll saw to cut.

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Yes! The forge will shine at inlay work!

Homemade bread is the best!! Made some italian bread for Easter…it went well with the Easter lasagna…lol

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Thank you @printolaser! The detail on the bowl is Modern Masters metal finish paint, they have many different types available, applied over hand carved details.

Glad you like the grinder, it continues to evolve. It now has a 1.5hp 1750rpm motor instead of the 4/5hp in the photo. I have 2 more heads to add, but need to find room for the anvil & vise. Having the brushing & buffing heads spin backwards is so much nicer to work with, being able to bear down instead of constantly pushing up into the spin. Slow speed grinding allows much more finesse when sharpening & shaping.

I too enjoy seeing the tools that others have built or upgraded, and the jigs & fixtures that let them create that particular brand of magic that they do.

I’m looking forward to more cool stuff from everyone here, so many great artists and artisans here!
Love the octopus, by the way!
Thanks for starting this thread.

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Do you have a speed control on the machine?
I have a 4 head wet grinder that has a neat mechanical speed control. A two piece shieve on the motor that half is spring loaded to push them together.
The motor is mounted on a hinge, and by raising it the belt forces the shieve apart and the belt to a smaller radius - slower. Lower the motor and spring tension forces the halves together making the shieve larger - faster.
simple and effective.

I cobbled together a two head dustless polishing machine I’ll have to get a picture of. It’s quite homely looking but operates as well as any that are commercially available.

My pleasure!
Besides all of the wonderful work that people have shared here, it also helps us all get to know one another on a deeper level.
I know others have enjoyed it as much as I have!

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