The iPad: Hand Tooled

I didn't notice it until I applied the first coat of finish, but one lower corner of the iPad stand post had a significant chip. The defect could not be sanded or otherwise machined out at this point with the four legs glued on to make up the assembly. So I decided to experiment with some ideas that would transform the defect into a design feature, and decided that the best way to deal with it would be to add a slight bevel to each of the lower post corners.

At this point there would be no realistic method to machine each bevel so I brought out a set of chisels and went to work carving each. I was carving into oak, and upon the first try each bevel came out somewhat irregular. Which was just a perfect match for the organic shape of the CNC routed leg profile. I decided not to perfect them further.

It is interesting how the most basic of hand tool operations using a simple chisel could compliment the technically complex task of CNC routing. Maybe not though since I was the one who either guided the tool against wood or curved a profile on a computer screen to create each.