Another week, another challenge in ENGI 210. This time we were tasked with cutting a diamond shape on the plasma cutter then post-processing our piece using the tools at the OEDK. Sound fun? Double it – we had to make two.

I was smart this go-round: I started early. I spent most of class time on Tuesday customizing the Adobe Illustrator file to make it stand out in a sea of diamonds. In my eyes, the choice was clear; I had to represent my beloved residential college, Baker. We have a symbolic “B” that looks something like a little devil, and I began my hunt to find it on the Baker website.

Apparently this “B” isn’t as big a deal as I thought: there was no trace of it on the website. Good news is my buddy Nick (you might remember him from his last cameo on this blog) was in the OEDK and is a fellow Bakerite. Hey Nick, I ask, do you know what a Baker B looks like?

Nick was happy to help, but turns out, he didn’t really know what a Baker B looks like. I turned to Facebook and quickly found one while skimming through an extensive Beer Bike photo album.

The big point of debate between Nick and me was whether or not the tail pointed up or down. We now know it points up. Now to making this thing!

I start on Illustrator by using the text tool to type “B” as my base. I then use the pen tool to draw a tail, and the shape tool to plop a triangle on top. Using the circle tool, then the trim tool, I add horns. With my first Illustrator experience under my belt, I now know how to copy and paste similar parts and mirror them. #smarternotharder

Adulfo and I discussed how to best incorporate the B in the diamond so that it can survive the Plasma Cutter (thanks, dude!). I combine all of the elements using the join function. Ultimately, my final design includes a few areas of negative space.

One day at the OEDK? Done. That Friday, I wander into the OEDK ready to cut. I email the file to myself to quickly discover the Plasma Cutter computer does not have internet or Illustrator. I grab a USB drive and put the design on that instead. I bring it into the Machine Shop and plug the USB into the computer. Nothing. I plug it into the other port. Nothing. The file isn’t showing up. I grab a labby who points out that the USB port that works is not on the desktop display, but rather is a cord that pops up from the computer. Ok? Fine? This works? Cool. I plug it in and there’s my design!

I go through all of the motions to turn on the Plasma Cutter, and I open my design using the software. All is good until I click “show fill” and nothing fills. What did I do wrong? I head back to the computer lab and tinker with my Illustrator file. Back to the plasma cutter to try again. Back to the Illustrator file. Back to the plasma cutter. This probably happens 10 times…

I get really frustrated. I ask my lovely classmates who are hanging out in the OEDK if they see something in my Illustrator file that I don’t. Donaldo does! He says he had the same problem and advises me to bring in an Illustrator file with every variation of stroke/fill to get the Plasma Cutting software to recognize the fills.

With some guidance from my buddies, I am ready to cut. I wander back to the Machine Shop and the door is… locked. What?! Oh no!! No labbies around, nobody inside. I am out of luck. I head home for the day.

I return later ready to cut. With my new Illustrator file in hand, I head to the Plasma Cutter. One of my classmates is cutting but also has an issue with her Illustrator file, so I tap into the machine while she fixes it. I choose a thin piece of Aluminum (1/8 inch) and Speed 90 to cut. I set up the cutter and it works! The first cut is beautiful. I then tinker around with the jog function to find a place to cut the second diamond. Many dry runs later, I finally find a spot. The second cut is equally beautiful. I stay in the Machine Shop and file my piece with 50 grit sandpaper while my classmate cuts her pieces. This was all much more enjoyable with company.

I then clamp my aluminum piece to the table and carefully take the Angle Grinder to it. This is fun! At this point the piece is much smoother and most of the dross is off. It is definitely not soft to the touch. Adulfo, how do I fix this? He quips: Remember the files? Indeed! I run downstairs and get to filing.

At this point, my piece is mostly smooth. I take it into the woodshop and give it about fifteen minutes in the sand blaster. Now it looks awesome. I take it outside and give it a coat of spray paint in Baker red. I wait a few hours before coming back to paint the other side. I take it home with me, so I can write instructions on the back after it dries overnight.

Sadly, the overnight stay on cardboard left a few pieces on the front chipped. I take it back to the OEDK and give it a shiny new coat.

And then they were finished! I’m pretty proud of them, and I think I’ll make one into a Christmas Ornament.

As for the cost of the project, I can already tell this piece is going to be expensive…

Costs are as follows:

3 hrs on Adobe Illustrator: Illustrator is only available as a subscription, which has a minimum time and cost of $20/month. Therefore, $20 for Illustrator and $60 for my time (I am now hired for more than $20/hr, so my time is suddenly worth more?). $80 for this step.

Material Cost: $8.64 for a sheet at BuyMetal.com. I’d say I used no more than a quarter of a sheet, so my cost was $2.16 because somebody else can use the rest.

1 hr on the Plasma Cutter: Sunbelt rentals offers Plasma Cutter rental for $71/Day. I (attempted) to used the Plasma Cutter on two distinct days, so $142 machine cost here and $20 for my time. $162 all in for this step.

20 mins on the Angle Grinder: Home Depot rents an Angle Grinder for $26/4 hours. This is their minimum time, so I’m stuck with the $26 + $6.66 for my time= $32.66 on this step.

20 mins with 50 grit sandpaper: the sandpaper is $5.61 on Amazon, and the time is another $6.66. Total for this step: $12.27.

20 minutes with a file +10 minutes with a smaller file: I found a good pack of these on Amazon! $12.99 for a pack with both + $10 for my time. This step was $22.99.

10 minutes on the sandblaster: Aztec rentals offers a sandblaster at $250 a day. This one really hurts given that I was only there for ten minutes… $250 + $3.33 of labor time = $253.33.

20 minutes actively spray painting: The spray paint is $3.97 on Amazon, and I spent $6.66 worth of time. This step cost $10.63.

Total Cost: $576.04

As expected, this cost is really, really high. We are so lucky to have the OEDK!