My first time using the shop

Picture this, you get the idea to cut a piece of your old license plate to make a keychain to keep for sentimental value, but how the heck are you gonna do it? Scissors? No way. Box cutter? Kinda dangerous. 

That’s when it hit me. I work at the best building on campus, with a Shop right in the basement that has all the tools I would need to get the job done. 

I was a little intimidated at first, since I would need to use a waterjet for this particular task. It's a pretty big machine and requires an AutoCAD model to map out the cuts. If you don’t know what that is, you’re not alone – I didn’t either. Being a Liberal Arts major, I didn’t have any experience operating heavy machinery whatsoever. But I did have a mission, and I was determined to figure it out. 

So, I went down to the shop to start my training. First, I complete a brief Canvas module to learn the safety basics of the CNC lab and a general overview of the Waterjet itself. It literally took me five minutes to complete. It was super easy. 

Once that was done, I showed the completed quiz (with a 100% score) to one of the Shop’s staff, and they took me back to get trained. First, they showed me the AutoCAD software and what was required for the machine to cut properly. 

Most people who come into the Shop have some knowledge of how AutoCAD works from their classwork. I, however, had no idea what I was looking at. Even though it technically wasn’t part of the training, the staff member broke everything down for me, remaining patient through what were probably some pretty naive questions. By the end of it, I had a good grasp on the basics, enough to do what I needed. 

Next, we headed back to the CNC Lab to check out the machine. The important thing to remember is that when using the CNC Lab, you have to wear long pants, closed-toed shoes, and tie your hair back. Thankfully, I had all my bases covered, so I got a pair of goggles and got to work. 

The staff member went over how to turn the machine on, load the CAD model, and set up the jet for cutting. We practiced cutting out an SCD keychain from a piece of scrap metal. He went first to demonstrate and then had me do one on my own. The machine may be huge and loud, but ultimately it was a breeze to use thanks to the staff’s step-by-step instructions. Since keychains are small, it ultimately only took roughly ten minutes to make the cut. The staff stayed with me throughout the process, answering any questions I had. 

The next day, I grabbed my materials and headed back to the shop to start my project for real. Since my training was complete, I signed in, got my grit card, and was able to access the machine after a short wait in the queue. I did still have a few questions throughout the process, but I was able to quickly get them answered by an available staff member. After a few hours, it was finished, and I went to the desk with my materials slip to pay (altogether, the project only cost me under $3 for the slit for the machine since I’d brought my own metal) and headed out, keychain in hand. 

Overall, the experience was really fun, and I learned a lot. It made me want to go back and get started on some other projects I have in mind, things I never thought I could do because I’m not an engineer or industrial design student. Maybe I’ll learn to 3D print and make one of those octopi with the dangly arms to put on my desk. Or I could learn how to use the laser cutter and engrave some of my personal items… 

But I’m getting ahead of myself. My point is, the Shop is a great resource, and it’s open to all UIUC students and staff, regardless of experience. All you need is a valid UIN. You too can come down and learn how to do anything you want; if you’re determined, it’s a lot easier than you’d think. If you have a project you’ve been wanting to do but are unsure how to get started, whether it be a lack of tools, materials, or experience, I’d highly recommend stopping by the SCD Shop. They’d be happy to help you get started!