THE CRAFT FACTORY- Proposal

The craft factory and soft materials

The little prototype made of a meat grinder

In collaboration with Thomas Thwaites
Shorlisted by the Arts Council for the Museumaker competition.
Proposal done for the Guildhall Museum in Rochester


A visit of the hidden spaces of the Guildhall with Steve Nye, Co-curator

From stone axes through to the intricately carved models of the hulk prisoners, to the Seaton tool chest, tools are a main feature of the collection of the Guildhall Museum. Of course tools are changing - from subtractive chipping away and carving, to the ‘additive’ process of modern rapid prototyping 3D-printing machines.
The Seaton tool chest at the Guildhall museum
The work of the napoleon prisoners made of bones

We wanted something that will take shape and grow over the course of the installation. We also wanted something that every visitor to the museum can contribute to – a many hands make light work philosophy.

Our proposal is to construct a giant, mechanical, human powered 3D printer in the temporary exhibition room. The machine will consist of a framework almost as large as the room, supporting a 'print head', which through a series of cogs, gears and pulleys can be moved in 3-dimensions. The printer builds up 3d objects in layers, controlled by visitors to the museum.


first intent of extruding papier maché


Extruding papier Maché with meat grinder

Test with papier maché and meat grinder

A papier maché feet

The 3d-printer will use some form of binder and aggregate to make objects. We will experiment with different options – indeed the material used depends on the object to be printed. Options are an artificial sand stone, sawdust and glue, even sugar and chocolate.

The question is of course, what will the machine print? This question will be put to the people of Rochester, in a series of workshops, interventions in the town space, a 'guerrilla' advertising campaign.

This may result in one large object, designed ‘by committee’ with everyone’s influences included (perhaps a bizarre statue, perhaps a strange boat, or whatever). Alternatively we thought visitors may create their own objects themselves with the 3d printer, to be included in a mobile trolley display/shop that we will wheel around Rochester trying to sell the objects (at other times it will be displayed in the yard). They would also be displayed on an eBay type website, interrogating the value of craft and mechanisation.The auction, what could be the value of a 3D print in papier maché?