Margaret Tries to Make (almost) Anything | 2020

Margaret Sullivan | Undergraduate
Mechanical Engineering | MIT

Week 02

Assignment

cut something on the vinylcutter The Arches Sticker For Waterbottle

design, lasercut, and document a parametric construction kit, Oreo RollerCoaster

Oreo Rollercoaster

It is Week 02. This week is all about Laser and Vinyl Cutting. Aside from learning what GitLab was, learning to Use it, making sure I was not deleting everyone elses work, and creating my very first website, I created a construction kit and cut stickers. To start off the week post training I printed a sticker inspired by a recent roadtrip.

Delicate Arch in Arches National Park, in person, in sticker, on waterbottle.

Next, I wanted to start on my construction kit. I wanted to make it as flexble as possible. The main block used is a H block that interconects with other H blocks. I wanted to be concious of that there are always more than the designated way of connecting blocks. With that attatching blocks on the side meets directly halfway allowing to build in multiple directions. In addition, I also cut cropped H blocks that are helpful ending a design. Finaly, I cut flexible long pieces that fit snuggly in between the square shape created by several H blocks. I played around with the settings so that I could just barely cut the long piece. The soft cutting/ scoring of the material allowed for the desired flecture. For complete cut through I used 2.5 speed, 200 ppi, and 100% Power.

Laser Cutting Design and Results

Now that I had the construction kit, it was time to make something with it.

Oreo Rollercoaster