Big Blue Saw Blog

Brass Semi-Acoustic Electric Guitar by James Jamison

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Parent Category: Big Blue Saw Blog

Created: Thursday, 07 September 2017 21:29

Written by Simon Arthur

To create something that's a marvel of functionality and beauty takes time. In fact, one customer let us know that he had recently completed a project using parts we waterjet cut for him all the way back in 2011. James Jamison finally finished the electric guitar you see here, and it's a beauty!

Here's what he had to say about this project:

The shape is based on a slimmed down 1960's Höfner Verythin guitar that I used to have.  I traced a photo in CAD and then sent it off to you. 

It was a very slow build it as it's not anywhere near a standard guitar.  I did a lot of thinking and assembling / disassembling as I was building it.

The top and back were done freehand with a polished ball peen hammer against a wooden board. I made a simple uke as a prototype to work out the technique.  It's tricky, as every strike makes a divot, but also twists the sheet.  Half of the pounding is taking the twist out.

Electrically it sounds great, just the same as any electric guitar.  I've also got a microphone inside that I can mix into the output.  The microphone system needs work.  Currently it's really great at making feedback at the resonant frequency of the metal top.

ECLIPSE Prices With a Sale on Aluminum and Stainless Steel

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Parent Category: Big Blue Saw Blog

Created: Wednesday, 16 August 2017 19:44

Written by Simon Arthur

Starting Monday, August 21, Big Blue Saw will be offering deep discounts on custom aluminum and stainless steel parts. During our Eclipse Sale, custom waterjet cut parts made from 0.05 inch thick aluminum 6061 or 0.06 inch thick stainless steel 304 will receive a quantity discount. Place your order through our online quoting system from August 21 through August 23, and your parts will automatically show the sale price in the shopping cart.

Let's see how this sale can work for you. 

This is our example JD40 Keyboard Plate. During the sale, even when you order as little as 1 part, you automatically get the quantity 10 price, as shown in the table below. This means you save up to 72% off the regular price.

Here's another example, a 21 inch x 21 inch robot baseplate.

Finally take a look at this, a 12x8 inch control panel. 

Again, you can save 70% to 80% on this design!

We expect to ship sale orders August 30 to September 5. Upload your designs to our online quoting system to take advantage of the sale.

Sale Next Week: August 21-23

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Parent Category: Big Blue Saw Blog

Created: Friday, 11 August 2017 19:01

Written by Simon Arthur

As you may know by now, Big Blue Saw regularly offers discounts on materials. But since it takes time to get a design ready for a particular stock material that's on sale, it can be tough to take advantage of the reduced prices.

That's why I thought I'd give you a heads up: starting Monday, August 21, Big Blue Saw will be having a sale on the following materials:

• Aluminum 6061 in 0.05 inch thickness
• Stainless Steel 304 in 0.06 inch thickness

You've got a week to get your designs ready. Remember: the sale starts the day of the solar eclipse in North America.

Solar Power Breakthrough Tech Built with Big Blue Saw

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Parent Category: Big Blue Saw Blog

Created: Wednesday, 09 August 2017 15:38

Written by Simon Arthur

1336 Technologies is creating the future of energy electric power by reducing the cost of solar cells. A large portion of the cost of solar cells comes from the cost of the silicon wafers needed for their manufacture. And 1336 Technologies has figured out a way to reduce the cost of silicon wafers by a whopping 60%.

Big Blue Saw recently helped 1336 Technologies with a few waterjet and laser cut parts for their process control systems. Holly Gates, Principal Engineer, recently wrote to us about the parts shown in the image above.

The instruments with the pogo pins and magnetic retention (which we also design and make) are for measuring process parameters inside our >1400C silicon solar wafer making machines. There are many of them on a single furnace, and they need to be easily removed for cleaning and recalibration. Hence the pogo pin and magnetic coupling: each instrument can be removed and replaced quickly without connectors or fasteners. In past versions we did the magnetic retention with a magnet glued into the baseboard but this had some issues and was tedious to assemble. The new design flips all the components on the baseboard to the inner side for better environmental protection and uses the 400 series stainless plate on the outside for mechanical shielding, earth grounding, and to act as the magnetic target.

 

 

For finishing waterjet parts, here is what I do:

 

- countersink for flat head screws (which I love, but are viewed with righteous hatred by my mechanical engineer colleagues). Nothing says you did it right like perfectly countersunk flat heads. On the other hand you feel like an idiot full of hubris when something needs to be scootched a little or doesn't align perfectly and you can't adjust it :)

 

- orbital sand all sides with 220 grit paper

 

- scotch brite pad edges and surfaces which will be visible

 

- wash with simple green and hot water, dry

 

- spray with metal cleaner/protector

Gates also commended Big Blue Saw's work.

Thanks for the great service. Having BBS around lowers the barrier to doing projects to test new ideas to such a degree that I have launched many more of them than I could before. The online quote/order system, low prices with material included, and short lead time is a breath of fresh air compared to the traditional quote back and forth, PO order, high minimum pricing, and lengthy and unpredictable lead time seen at regular shops. I really want your business to succeed because now BBS seems like an indispensable tool in my kit! 

Check out 1336 Technologies website, or follow them @1366tech on Twitter or 1336 Technologies on Facebook.