During Winter Quarter 2025, I enrolled in a metal fabrication course to become more confident in the metal shop — learning to safely operate every major tool and to translate digital designs into physical products.
Our first assignment was a replication project. Our professor provided a CAD model of a small metal chair, and we were tasked with creating a precise physical duplicate. This meant:
Taking meticulous measurements from the reference model
Planning each cut and bend before touching the material
Practicing accurate layout marking on metal stock
Using tools like the bandsaw, belt sander, drill press, and welding equipment
Checking tolerances and adjusting along the way
