Field Trip Zahner

Zahner is a local Kansas City design shop that focuses on creating signs, signage, and artwork for buildings in the Kansas City area and around the world.
Materials they often used were steel,  aluminum, various woods, plastics, and even electrical components.

They use the rather obvious tool sets such as CNC Machine, band saw, metal press, paint gun, sand blaster, and my favorite, the water cutter.

Over all, this is probably the worst tour we've been on. Our tour guide sped through it, talking rater quietly, and wasn't the most informed. It was extremely secretive and closed off with a "guard" following us around, making sure we stayed on track and didn't take pictures. My favorite moment was probably seeing the huge room at the back of the shop where they created the larger pieces. It lead to an Aha moment as well, with me actually knowing that they really do make large pieces indoors.

Sketches of Frank Gehry

Watching this after critiques was probably one of the worst ideas ever. Spending four stressful weeks working on my piece of shit lamp all built up to a 3.5 hour critique just so we can skip lunch, trek across campus, and sit in a dank, humid, stuffy library room and watch a movie about one of the most important architectural minds of all time.

The film itself was interesting in the way it was shot, often using real footage of the man working, showing his creative process, and showing the buildings being constructed all while having intertwining interviews and behind the scenes talks. The film found a way to humanize such a monumental figure which I found really interesting, yet at the same time, certain aspects made me question why so many people thought he would be famous.

He told the story of his Rabbi/ Sunday school teacher commending his artwork and how many thought he had golden hands. Yet, when you looked at any of his drawings, even his recent work, it looks like a mound of scribbles. And its' not even an elegant or beautiful mound of scribbles.

Field Trip: Star Signs

Star Signs LCC is a local Kansas business that makes signs for local businesses and vinyl wall stickers for businesses around Kansas and around the world.

Using many different types of tools, materials, and techniques, they make large signs and decals.

Materials they often used were vinyl, steel,  aluminum, various woods, plastics, and even electrical components.

They use the rather obvious tool sets such as CNC Machine, band saw, metal press, paint gun, etc.

Overall, the experience was very interesting and engaging with her actually answering questions and showing examples of how things worked. As far as AHA moments go, I can't say I had much beyond them actually having pieces with mistakes in them laying about.

Matthais Plessinig

Wood craftsman of the very peculiar sort, he makes impressive pieces of furniture and wall pieces.

Using steam, he makes  pieces of wood malleable enough to bend into extravagant and complex curved shapes, creating a layered skeletal structure which eventually creates a usable piece of furniture.

He takes pieces of wood which are air dried for a year, slices them into long sticks, puts them into a steam pipe and then bends them to the shape he needs. He continues this process using clamps to hold the pieces in place in order to create the pieces of furniture.

The only aha moments I had with this was that for such an interesting person, he had such a problem making his presentation interesting. The classmates next to me probably fell asleep about 3 times. But on a serious note, the time that they have to mold the pieces into place is insane. 30 seconds is quite the time mark to beat.

Field Trip: Reuter Organ Company.

Who are they? They Reuter Organ Company is a musical instrument manufacturing company that was formed in 1917.

What do the do? They produce and refurbish musical organs from scratch.

Market: Churches, schools, universities, personal clients.

Materials:

     Metals- Zinc, Cooper, Tin, Lead.
     Woods- Poplar, Walnut, Maple, White Oak, etc.
     Animal Goods- Leathers; Kangaroo, cow, sheep, etc. Bones.
     Plastics for keys.
     Electrical components.

Forming Technologies: Molding tables, boiler pots, etc.

Cutting Technologies: Bandsaws, CNC, Sheet Cutter

Joining Technologies: Soldering and welding, glue and clamps.

Finishing: Technologies: Polishes, paints, fire burn finished metals, etches, cuts, etc.

Overall Impressions: I was impressed with the shear amount of pipes necessary to produce a single organ.

Show and Tell

Product: Lock

Function: To secure a door or entrance to an area by clamping the door to a wall or frame.

Personality: Durable, rugged, heavy, strong, secure

Who makes it? Master Locks

Markets: Everyone with something to lock: Teachers, doctors, janitors, police, etc. etc.

Materials: Steel.

Forming Technologies: Steel plates are made from iron and carbon. Laminated plates are placed together to make the body.

Cutting Technologies: Punch Press cuts and shapes steel into caps which are riveted into the lock bodies. A press pushes the cap onto the body. Cut steel rods into slivers which are bent in a form press. A carbine cutter gnashes the keys. There are thousands of key profiles with 2 keys per lock.

Finishing Technologies: Put in furnace to temper them. Pre-made locks, teeth, and caps are place inside.

Overall Impressions: I had no idea that the lock bodies were made out of multiple plates. I figured that they were solid body casts from a mold.