Making the 8 Bit Contour Bench - Time Lapse Video

Comment

Comment by Dan Greenberg on May 6, 2013 at 3:11pm

Making the "8 Bit Contour Bench" Full Scale Digital Fabrication

University of South Florida School of Architecture and Community Design Students Nina Reali, James Gilman, Dan Greenberg, and David Morrison, construct a 15' long plywood bench for Mark Weston's Digital Fabrication Studio, Spring 2013.

Rhino and Grasshopper were used to design the bench parametrically in 3D. The model was then contoured in the computer to generate 129 sections. Each section was cut out using a 3 Axis CNC Router. 520 spacers separate each contour by 3/4" to make the bench's total length. 3/8" all-thread rod runs through each segment of the bench. When tightened, the rods put the plywood pieces in compression, holding each section together without glue.

We estimate apprx. 200 man-hours went into this project over the course of less than a week. The project contains 129 contour pieces, 520 spacers, roughly 120 feet of threaded rod, 40 nuts, 40 flat washers, 40 lock washers, and 2.5 gallons of waterproof sealer.