For this project, I created two diamond-shaped mini MacBooks using metals, a waterjet cutter, a laser cutter, and a sandblaster. I used aluminum (0.06in) for this project since MacBooks are made of aluminum.

1. Cutting

I used the waterjet cutter for cutting the metal piece but didn’t cut it through successfully the first time. I ran the machine again with the metal piece in place and managed to cut it through successfully.

2. Sandblasting

In class, I learned that sandblasting is used to remove things from the surface as well as create a grain-like texture like on Apple products. I wanted to try this myself which is why I decided to go with this design for the homework. It turned out a little rougher than I expected; I learned that MacBook’s textures are produced through glass bead blasters which are similar to sandblasters. Regardless, I think the textures these blasters can add to metal is very exciting to see.

When I initially attempted to sandblast using a diamond metal, I used a thinner piece of aluminum and held it with one hand at the corner, which ended up bending the piece. For my final product, I made sure to use a thicker piece of aluminum and placed it on a flat surface while sandblasting. I also tried to sandblast equally on the metal’s surface to avoid uneven surface.

3. Filing

After waterjet cutting, the edges were a little rough so I filed them down. Hand filers were sufficient for the amount of metal I wanted to remove.

4. Etching

I utilized the Fiber setting on the laser cutter to etch the Apple logo onto my mini MacBooks.To ensure the logo was placed in the center, I marked it with a pencil and zeroed it at (0,0). The picture above doesn’t capture this but I also checked “Center Engraving” to make sure my logo is in the center. However, despite my efforts, I later discovered that the center of the logo should have been the center of the apple excluding the leaf, resulting in it being slightly lower than intended. Therefore, it is a little bit below where I wanted it to be. I will take this into account for future projects.

5. Clear coating

I used a Clear Gloss coat to finish my MacBooks. I accidentally first used Polyurethane for wood on my metal so I covered it with another Clear coat for metal before completely drying it. This is why you see the weird spots on my metal.

Reflection:

I made a lot of mistakes on this project, and I don’t like the way it turned out but now I know how to prevent the same mistakes in the future. I realized how important it is to be careful to do post-processing because it can mess up the whole thing.

Cost:

Aluminum 5 x 5.8 in: $13/2pieces * 0.8 = $5.2

Clear Coat: $6 * 0.2 = $1.2

Labor: 5 hours * $12/hour = $60

Total: $66.4

We are out of vinyl stickers, but I hope the etching process makes up for it.