The Sonosphere Platform- Part 1
Haven't posted in quite some time and we have several updates but here's the first of a few- First of all, the sono-platform passed it's strength test! this picture shows me (Louisa) and Rusty Oliver sitting on the newly mounted platform and testing it out on the structure. This is the first time I got to see my structure design actually hold the platform I'd been working on for months. It's going to be strong enough to hold several ppl and also hold five hundred pounds of speaker gear as well. We are OK to go! On to the next steps. The design I wanted on the platform is called the Torus Yantra and is the best representation, I believe, for studying the science of resonance. (See our previous blog post for more about that) I wanted the design to be a frosted texture, so that light would be scattered when illuminated from below. Naturally, lasering it onto the acrylic was my first choice. I found out that this circle is way too big for any laser beds in the greater Seattle area, and no one would risk ruining their machinery for us! dang! haha!
Next, I started to set up a way to do it myself- I planned to cut the design out of the current masking material with an exacto knife and a steel ruler. I got the design centered onto the platform using a small projector and then I traced it out of the masking paper using an exacto knife.
I peeled away the triangles as I cut them out. It was tedious but satisfying. I had to keep the projector in the same exact spot for weeks and it DID get bumped and I kept having to realign the design, but I persevered and it eventually got done! (Pictured Below) Next I wanted to see if I could sandblast around the masking material, but it turned out that the sandblaster just ate right through the masking so I had to assume sandblasting is a 'no-go'.
Again- I chose to do it myself. I am now engraving the design onto the acrylic platform using the cutout mask I created as a guide. I am using a diamond engraving bit and a flex shaft dremel extension combined with a dremel tool. This is working pretty well, but again, is a huge time commitment. It won't be perfect. But it will at least remind people that being human is cooler than being a machine. Also, over time I fully expect the design to get slowly polished off by people's clothing, so if it's hand done, that makes it easier for me to repair it in the future. Always a silver lining <3
Stay tuned for Part 2! When I finish engraving this, I will do some testing with the new LED lights below and I will post those along with the video when we get this thing mounted at home (our test site is where we actually live, but in my art studio/science lab!) Part 3 will be when we Attach the transducers! SO CLOSE! Thank you for following along our journey of creation and wonder. <3 Aloha and Namaste'
