2012 Austin, Texas Camp Shopbot

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Wayne Locke has probably hosted more Shopbot Camps than anyone at this point, and they keep getting better over the years.

The 2012 edition was no exception and as previous versions it ran for two days.

Friday was a day where we all spent some time learning who was there, and what we were doing with the machine.

Santiago Laverde led off with a presentation of some recent projects done by he and his wife. He also showed us a pretty surprising free program called ‘123DCatch’ which will “stitch” a series of digital photographs together and then “assemble” them into a usable 3D file ( .obj format)  for cutting !

Brett Dickinson gave his annual update of the progress he and his students have made in working with their Shopbot (s) as they continue to receive multiple awards for excellence in craftsmanship. Brett also brought, and assembled one of HIS new projects which is a “knock down” stand for the new Shopbot Desktop machine.

Brooke Davis, a local designer showed off some of her current 3D projects, and explained how she is tryng to setup a local facility to encourage the use of CNC machinery.

Gary Beckwith, of Beckwith Decor Products gave a talk about router bits. What they are, which ones work better in specific applications, and how to tell whether you are getting the most out of your current bit arsenal.

Joe Crumley did a few presentations. One dealt with the use of “finishes” for sign makers. In the first one he showed all of us the benefits of using Mica powders to enhance the final look of lettering. Then he gave a great session about designing signs, and what to consider when taking on a client’s proposal. He brought in some samples of his work which showed what elements you have to consider when building a sign from an idea.

Gordon Bergfors of Shopbot spoke about the new desktop machine, and he also showed some of the latest software innovations in the Shopbot control software.

Terry Jones showed some of the work he has been doing with both Sculpt Nouveau , and Modern Masters coatings on foam.

Our host, Wayne Locke then spoke about some methods he has used to create some uniquely shaped tables. Wayne rarely deals with straight lines, and his catalog shows some excellent design work.

I did a short session on the concept of running a “Shopbot business” and showed some examples of what has worked for people over the years.

And then there was the Show and tell stuff! Everything from carved walking sticks (canes) , to foam fish, solid wood inlays, memorial plaques, soap molds, luggage tags, patinas, AND some incredibly small plastic parts which are used by medical laboratories to hold a rats leg steady enough to do grafting of bone tissue..We NEVER know what will show up at these sessions, and as usual this year didn’t disappoint …!

Our thanks again to Wayne for hosting the event, and to everyone who attended…

 

 

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