Making in the woodshop.

PREPARATION: In preparation for the Fatto a Mano workshop, we wanted to explore making wooden pasta boards. This exploration focused on materials, not on re-designing or re-inventing a pasta board.

With a professional development grant, I was able to purchase materials from Rocktown Urban Wood, a local company that we introduce our Industrial Design students to in our sophomore course, Materials and Processes. “At Rocktown Urban Wood, our mission and goal is to participate in and support a market stream for local, urban timber by processing and using material that would otherwise become a waste product. Ned and Rhett, founders of Rocktown Urban Wood, have been consistent partners and a fantastic connection for our students to learn and see firsthand how timber is transformed into usable materials. For this project, I deferred to Ned to select local lumber that was suitable for the job. We went with Black Cherry, Black Walnut, and Siberian Elm, all of which came from felled trees.

PROCESS: It started with Tom showing me a pasta board that he had purchased…and me saying, ‘We can make that!’… With help from students (Dan B. and Stephen L.) and our shop manager, Danny H., we got to work. Dan created the 3D model of the design, Danny managed the CNC Router, and Stephen worked on the finishing: laser etching, routing edges, and sanding. The final touch: food-safe oil to finish.