Cameron’s Laser Build

We DID have a blue moon so…

You’ll want to take a seat because I’m going to say something I haven’t said here before: This weekend was almost entirely about Cameron’s projects! You read that correctly! I had been pretty hot to trot for some laser projects but it was almost 700 degrees here this weekend and my ideas were going to involve sanding wood outdoors. Besides, some friends who are visiting Amsterdam inspired a few experiments in fiber arts but more on that later.

Cameron has not had the succession of ideas (nor the growing queue of laser projects teed up) that I have with the laser so when he quipped that he had some projects of his own he wanted to do I was eager to hear about them. I was a little bit excited too until I realized how utilitarian they were, but anyone looking for a change of pace here will find it below.

Birch boxes for shop organization-glue caddy
Wire spool organizer/dispenser
Profile of wire dispenser
Partial layout of the glue caddy-minimal waste!
Glue caddy

Cameron designed the wire holder himself and used an online tool (Boxes.PY which means the tool was written in Python, a computer language which I know less than nothing about-I’m parroting) to make the glue caddy. He did a great job of material usage; I hate waste so I tend to gush about how well he economizes!

Now it wouldn’t be a three day weekend if there wasn’t SOMETHING having to do with stitchery of some sort happening on the laser. Feast your eyes on THIS low waste series of cuts!

To Vincent, with love!
Van Gogh inspired experiment in fiber art

I am not a disciplined maker; I go where the inspiration leads me. I always have something in mind but ideas start flowing and I end up somewhere new. I wanted to try a few different techniques on a small scale to help me plan for a larger project but when I finished I couldn’t stop thinking about the Sunflower painting by Van Gogh. Serendipity struck when I found this sunflower batik in my collection. Kismet! Here is a peak at the sunflower free motion quilting I did for the background. I hope to finish the project this week.

The start of a nod to Sunflowers

I hope everyone had a good weekend; fall is supposedly on the way but many of us are in the grip of some of the hottest weather of the year. Stay safe and hydrated!—Dana

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  1. Sharon

    I love these blogs! I think I need to read previous blogs to better understand how the laser works. The application to quilt cutting and design is fascinating. The use of the laser brings an element of extreme precision (which my approach to quilting does not) but then the use of free motion quilting overlays a more spontaneous and less controlled aspect into your design.

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    1. Cameron’s Rezo Laser Build

      The strip quilting was the impetus for the laser; imagine the time and hand strain saved. If you go back to the beginning of the blog you’ll see numerous posts on the build (you can buy a laser that is in one piece but the more power/wattage you want the longer the laser tube is and thusly, the bigger the laser. You can’t get a 100 watt laser through a residential door opening so Cameron built it piece by piece from plans he bought online. The architect of the plans named it the Rezo laser. I posted lots of photos and videos of the process and have cut fleece, cotton, felt, Lycra, ITY knit, 95/5 cotton spandex knit, rayon, and tulle with it. It’s a dream machine to me ????.

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