WELCOME!

It is hard to believe that it was almost ten years ago I witnessed a CNC router in action for the very first time. I was fascinated and simply had to have one! Although I had been in the creative end of the three dimensional sign business for most of my life I didn't really know what I would do with one of these machines - but I just knew it could do fantastic stuff.

Along with the CNC router I discovered the wonderful material called Precision Board and the glues, primers and other companion products they offer. Since then we have gone through many tons of the material using it in most signs and projects we tackle. This journal will chronicle our many adventures both past, present and future. I'll talk from the perspective of someone who pushes these products to the creative limit on a daily basis. I'll be adding to the stories two or three times each week. -dan

Saturday, July 31, 2010

Table nearing completion

Today was the day to put the final prefabrication details on the board room table and get it outside to gather the final rust patina it will wear in the boardroom. Each workstation at the table needed an electrical and ethernet connection so I broke out the welder and got busy welding on the threaded pipes which will act as fasteners for the flexible conduit we will use to bring the power and network connections to the underside of the table. Once everything was ground nice and smooth it was time to add some detail. 
Sculpting epoxy was used to fashion hundreds of barnacles and some starfish to create a nautical flavor. One the epoxy had set up it was time to apply our iron paint to the fittings and barnacles, then as a last step some mid acid was sprayed and sponged over the entire piece. The rust patina formed before my eyes!
It's still very dark and somewhat blotchy but it will even out as it dries and more rust forms in the next day or so. It's impossible to tell the  heavy steel from the routed Precision Board after the paint and patina are done.The starfish will get their proper coat of paint and a glaze of course to tone things down. The table top is at the cabinet makers to get the melamine put on it next week. 

As I started the acid wash I felt it needed one more detail to take the table over the top. I put away the acid and quickly cut two more small holes in the large pipe with my plasma cutter, then broke out the welder one last time and welded in two more small threaded pipes. These were for the electrical wires for the rows of LED lights which will now run under the table on each side. It's a detail that just has to be included! They will show the barnacles, starfish and the myriad of electrical connections to their maximum effect and also add a soft glow to the MultiCam logo we will burn into the center plexiglass with a CNC laser. I can hardly wait to see it all together!
-dan