Machine Building...a new phase

While I was hand making all those Frames for Batch 1, an old saying kept constantly repeating in my head...
..."work smarter, not harder"..."work smarter, not harder"...

As much as I enjoy building all those hand made Frames, it's hard work, with each taking over 1 day to complete.
To continue building them this way isn't a viable option, which means I definitely need to work a lot smarter!
My dilemma was to find a smarter way of building Frames that still allowed me the ability to hand make.

Back in 2005, whilst still working as a Jeweller, I decided to venture into the world of CAD/CAM.
I'm pretty much self-taught at doing CAD & my preference is using a program called MoI.
So I started playing around with various Frame ideas in MoI, searching for a possible CAD solution.

Frames made with a Side Plate are the logical starting point & the Paul Rogers "J" Frame is a classic.
So I started modelling how the various sections would fit together using a modified Rogers "J" style design.
Once I had everything looking right, it was time to have the various sections cut in steel using a Laser.

3D view of the new Frame created & modelled using MoI

Here's a quick "photo realistic" render of the CAD model using V-Ray

The following photos show the various stages of the new "smarter" Frame & how I'm still hand making them.