In a couple weeks, on November 13th, I will be giving a class on how to make fruit bowls from old license plates. It is planned and organized by Dabble, an internet startup located right here in Chicago, and will be held at the ReBuilding Exchange, at the corner of Ashland and Webster. Dabble provides a platform for experts in any field to design, pitch, and deliver a class on just about anything. They have a full slate of lectures and demonstrations on how to brew beer, make pasta, speak in public, build your online business, and get in shape. It is a great idea for a start-up, connecting audiences with folks who have something to share.
In 2008, with the acquisition of my first road sign, I started experimenting with home-brew metal-bending techniques. Sheet metal, mostly aluminum or thin-gauge steel, is typically manipulated with a brake. However, breaks are big, heavy machines and cost quite a bit, especially box-and-pan brakes, which allow you to make more complex, 3-D shapes. So, my first attempts revolved around drilling a series of 3/8" holes, 1" on center, then beating the signs into the desired shape with a rubber mallet. To hold the folds, I pinned them in place with machine bolts. I made chairs, tables, and fruit bowls this way. However, it was a laborious process that burned through drills, bits, and my back. Each fruit bowl, at only 10" x 15", required 62 holes.
In 2008, with the acquisition of my first road sign, I started experimenting with home-brew metal-bending techniques. Sheet metal, mostly aluminum or thin-gauge steel, is typically manipulated with a brake. However, breaks are big, heavy machines and cost quite a bit, especially box-and-pan brakes, which allow you to make more complex, 3-D shapes. So, my first attempts revolved around drilling a series of 3/8" holes, 1" on center, then beating the signs into the desired shape with a rubber mallet. To hold the folds, I pinned them in place with machine bolts. I made chairs, tables, and fruit bowls this way. However, it was a laborious process that burned through drills, bits, and my back. Each fruit bowl, at only 10" x 15", required 62 holes.
The Nine Square Chair, my first road-sign experiment. |