Arches are…
The 32 Arches
Download Design Files (Creative Commons)
The designs from the Arch Furniture Collection are available for free under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike license (CC BY-SA) allowing makers to create and sell furniture using these designs for free. Makers are required to attribute the design to www.birchsandwich.com or this Kickstarter project. I’m not entirely sure how creative commons will eventually play out with regards furniture and digital design, but neither is anyone else.
How is this possible?
This project wouldn’t be possible without CNC which stands for ‘Computer Numerical Control.’ It basically means that design drawings created on a COMPUTER can be converted into NUMBERS that are used to CONTROL any attached power tool. I’ll be using CNC routers that rotate steel bits 200+ revolutions per second and drag them through the wood with millimeter precision. After the automated part is complete, there is plenty of sanding and finishing to do that has to be done by hand. I previously underestimated how much effort goes into packaging products securely that are time-consuming as well.
What materials are currently available? B/BB Baltic Birch Plywood. Future projects will add new materials that will provide more affordable and more premium options.
Is the wood coated? Your product will be varnished to protect the wood. When the project is finished, you will be able to specify if you would like unfinished wood so that you can add a painted finish.
How do I put the furniture together? The current generation of ready-to-assemble furniture is frustrating to put together. These stools and tables can be put together in less than a minute.
Arch Stool
The Arch Series
Arches were first used to construct underground tunnels, drainage systems, and to span over windows and doorways. These arches could only support small openings as ancient walls were extremely heavy. Pointed arches were different. They allowed for thinner walls to be constructed due to vertical structural loads being carried more efficiently to the ground. Lighter walls meant more windows that could be taller and wider. Indoor spaces subsequently changed from being very dark to very bright. Arches became more decorative over time as structural concerns were easier to overcome. The thirty-two arches in this collections span thousands of years on all continents. You can easily find several types of arch walking around any major city. Arches provided an essential stepping stone in creating the world we live in today.