MICHAEL RENCHECK
Laser Cutting
I like to make things. Especially things for other people.
After graduating, it was disappointing to realize that I no longer had access to high precision machinery. Now, my only tools were a circle saw and hand drill. At this point, I decided to make one of my first big financial decisions: to purchase something I could use to fill that gap.
Shortly after, I came across the Kickstarter campaigner for a company called Glowforge that promised to deliver a consumer grade laser cutter with a highly intuitive interface; this was Fall 2015. Flash forward 2.5 years and it finally arrived!
Board Game Box
My first larger project was a custom box for one of the games that I travel with the most. The original box is large and difficult to fit in a duffel bag. The goal was to reduce the footprint as much as possible.
Art Case
This project was a gift made for a friend. It was also an opportunity for a foray into unfamiliar materials. I wanted to try my hand at a soft goods product as well as experiment with laser leather working.
I decided to work with suede as it was more compliant and less expensive if I messed up. The suede exterior was cut and engraved using the laser, including all of the stitching holes. The fabric interior was all stitched together using a sewing machine. Once both pieces were completed, they were hand stitched together with a thick,durable thread.
Coaster Set
This project was made as a gift for my new sister-in-law. The coasters are engraved line work of their hometown of Lafayette and Purdue University's campus.
The set was made from a sheet of mahogany and then finished with a clear sealant to protect the surface. This project was also an experiment with multiple engrave depths and practice using 2D CAD software.
London Map
This project was a commissioned as a birthday gift, it is a three layer map of London. The top layer depicts the road ways, the middle layer has cutouts for waterways and engraved train lines. The bottom layer provides a texture for the waterways.
The first attempt was cut using cardboard to allow for some quick and inexpensive iteration of the design. The final product was made using maple plywood for the top two layers and masonite for the bottom.
