introduction
Before this project, cutting metal with water was a thing of fiction: a lie. However, working with the water jet cutter was one of the messiest and impressive experiences I have had in the OEDK. Lots of troubleshooting was done and I had a wonderful time figuring out how to make this project look great.
Process
Path of Nozzle on Software
For my design, I came up with matching the sky and seeing how I could make it eye catching. After finding the perfect moon, I designed it on Adobe Illustrator and uploaded that file to Proto Layout.
OEDK Measure of Steel vs Aluminum
After choosing the nozzle path in Proto Layout, I uploaded that file to Proto Max Make. I set the material to Mild Steel A36 at a thickness of 0.07 inches.
Bottle Opener Moon
After making the first piece, which cut the diamond first and then the moon, I realized the moon was not right. I realized the waterjet cutter floated the diamonds out of position and made the moon look more like a bottle opener.
Pausing between moon cuts to catch stray pieces of steel
Once I adjusted the path, the cuts came out great and I was ready to roll into post-processing.
Filing Setup
Sandblast Setup
For my post-processing, I filed away the edges of the diamond, both outside and inside the moon. This gave the edges a less sharp edge to be handled. I also sandblasted the pieces to remove the impurities from the surface of the steel I used.
Smooth Diamonds
After these two steps, the diamonds were smooth and ready to be decorated. There were no sharp edges, and the surface being sandblasted allowed for the face of the diamond to have more surface area for the spray paint to cling onto.
White Paint Over Vinyl Stickers
Vinyl Sticker Over Diamond
For the final paint job, I did a two layers of black spray paint to prime the diamond. Then, to give a starry effect, I put some spray paint on a brush and flicked the paint onto the diamond to have a splatter but spread effect. I then vinyl cut a sticker to place over the diamond. The sticker made very precise shining stars to contrast the small flung stars. I taped the diamonds down at every step to avoid paint leaking to the back through the cardboard.
Taped Down Diamonds to Avoid Bleeding Paint Onto Back
learning opportunities
One mistake I made at the waterjet cutter was not setting the right material. The first setting I had did not cut all the way through due to this. After about 5 passes, I asked for some help and was informed of my mistake. I also realized that hanging the diamonds to dry led to globs of paint forming at the bottom. Next time, I will allot more time to spray paint both sides with the diamond parallel to the table and leave it drying there.
reflection
I enjoyed the challenge of this project and was happy with the outcome! I produced a diamond that looked phenomenal and my sister is already asking to keep. Small things to fix, but definitely feel comfortable on the water jet cutter now.
final costs
Waterjet Cutter, File, Proto Software, Clamp, and Sand Blaster: $0 (OEDK Provided)
Steel Sheet: $8 for small sheet
Vinyl, Painter’s Tape, Spray Paint: ~ $5 considering small amount used
Time: $78 (6 Hours @ $13 an Hour)
Total Costs: $91
