fab gbu

Required Tools:

bandsaw, chisels, mallet, ruler, marking guage

~Step 1:

Start by sawing one length of hardwood into two pieces. Set the marking guage exactly to the thickness of the material, and mark both pieces on the ends that will fit together.

~Step 2:

Using the ruler and a pencil, mark on the end of one piece two dovetail-shaped shapes. Space them nicely.


~Step 3:

Using the bandsaw, remove the material around the dovetails (not the dovetails themselves). Leave a little extra material on the dovetails for adjustment later.

~Step 4:

Place the dovetail piece on the second piece, aligning precisely. Make sure the little end of the dovetail aligns with the end of the wood. If you do this backwards, the joint won’t work. Using a sharp pencil, trace the dovetail outline onto the second piece.

~Step 5:

This time use the bandsaw to cut out the inside of the dovetail shapes. Again, leave a little extra on the sides of the hole for adjestment later.

~Step 6:

Use the mallet and chisels to shave thin layers off each dovetail face until the two pieces fit together snugly.



”Et Voilá!”

I started dismantling this old Keystone film camera.

~Step 1: Removed loader plate and spools [Tools: hands]

~Step 2: Removed backplate, feed apparatus. [Tools: screwdrivers] All the parts that are detachable are off. All of these parts are pressed die-cut metal. One is corroded from contact with the film. I stopped deconstructing here, because I would have had to destroy the camera. Produced in the 1960s, this object is very difficult to take apart. This would make it difficult to repair/service and add/substitute accessories. Even the lens is firmly machine-attached. The rest of the body of the camera is made of cast metal parts that are pressure-fitted. This camera must have been marketed as an easy-to-use family camcorder. Thus, it was quickly replaced by similar ‘family’ VHS cameras.

~SO…I started dismantling this pen-light.

~Array 1: The Kit extra nib, extra batteries, pen-light, packaging (press-cut foam), box (injection-molded plastic with ‘live’ flexible hinge)

~Array 2: The Business End pressed/coated metal housing, mechanical pressed metal twist-extender, metal/plastic pen connector, cast metal nib, ink, tubular metal inkwell, injection-molded screw-on nib holder

~Figure 1: Electronics housing. I couldn’t get this sucker apart. As you can see I used advanced tools like a screw and a brick to bash it up.

~Array 3: The Pleasure End Bent-wire clip, solic plastic light diffuser, the bashed up pieces of the injection-molded plastichrome screw-on ring, electronics housing and electronics (+2 detail shots).
The circuit board has three tiny LEDs, and two spring ends. The small one touches the batteries directly, and the big one closes the circuit by passing current through the metal housing itself. It also provides a springy-tight fit for a clean loop.

No wonder.

My name is Gabriel Blue Cira and I’m: N51/N52, Big Baby, Space Pizza
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I like: Portmanteaux, Inflection, Tetrahedrons, Situations, Apples
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I hold a BS in Architecture from MIT, 2008, and have worked for Höweler+Yoon and dECOi Architects. I’ve also done professional work for IK Studio, Dennis Frenchman, Wendy Jacob, MIT Facilities, Ecological Media Group @ the Media Lab, etc.