10. Textile Scaffold¶

It’s a textile scaffold! I won’t lie—I’ve been looking forward to this week since the very beginning of the program! If you know me, you know how much I love fabric manipulation. It’s my go-to technique every time, and I can never get enough of it.

My fashion brand, Ash Studio, is heavily inspired by architecture, and I’ve always had a passion for pleating and plissé. These techniques are not only visually stunning but also bring a structural, almost architectural quality to fabric, which aligns perfectly with my design identity.

This week is all about experimentation, and I couldn’t be more excited to explore new methods of fabric manipulation! For this project, I’ll be diving into leather molding and crystallization, two techniques I’ve been eager to try.

Crystallization Process¶

The crystallization process is such a beautiful and unexpected journey! It’s mesmerizing to watch as fabric and objects transform, taking on unique textures and intricate formations.

For this experiment, we explored two different methods of crystallization:

Preparation

Before starting the crystallization process, it’s important to prepare the objects you want to grow crystals on. To ensure proper suspension:

Hang the objects from the top of your container (jars work well).
I drilled holes into acrylic waste from the lab to create a support system, allowing me to hang the objects securely in the solution.

Alum Crystallization¶

Ingredients:

Water: 3 liters
Alum: ~1200g (roughly 400g per liter of water)

Process:

Bring the water to a boil.
Gradually add the alum powder in small batches, stirring thoroughly to ensure each batch dissolves completely before adding more.
Stop adding alum when it no longer dissolves in the water (in our case, this was ~1200g).
Filter the liquid using a coffee filter to remove excess alum.
Submerge the objects into the solution.

Note: The crystallization process takes time, so patience is key!

Salt Crystallization¶

Ingredients:

Water: 3 liters
Kosher Salt: ~1200g (similar ratio of 400g per liter of water)

Process: 1. Bring the water to a boil.

Slowly add the salt in small batches, ensuring it dissolves completely before adding more.
When the salt stops dissolving, the solution is ready.
Filter the solution using a coffee filter to remove undissolved salt.

After filtering the solutions, we submerged the objects into the liquid and let them sit for what felt like forever, patiently waiting for the crystals to form!

The Result

After 5 days, I checked on the jars to see the progress:

Salt Crystals

One of the salt cups turned out beautifully, with chunky, cube shaped crystals forming perfectly on the object.

The other salt jar showed some crystal growth, but it seemed to need more time. I decided to reheat the solution and let it set for a couple more cycles to encourage further crystallization.

Alum Crystals

Unfortunately, nothing had formed yet. I reheated the solution to ensure it was fully saturated and will let it set again for more time.

💡Pro Tip: Patience is truly key with crystallization, as every setup reacts a little differently! I can’t wait to see how the alum turns out after the extended wait.

Leather Molding¶

Leather is one of the most fascinating materials to work with. For me, it’s a statement and a love story. Leather has the power to elevate any outfit, making it stand out effortlessly. If it were up to me, I’d wear leather all year round!

I’ve always loved creating clothing from leather, but I’ve also been eager to push the boundaries even further by experimenting with new designs, embossing, and sculptural shapes. This project gave me the perfect opportunity to dive deeper into the art of leather molding.

The leather molding technique involves wetting the leather and shaping it while it’s damp. As the leather dries, it retains the shape you’ve manipulated it into, making it a versatile method for creating unique textures and forms.

For this experiment, I wanted to replicate the plissé effect on leather. Since the traditional plissé method doesn’t work on leather, I decided to create a custom mold to hold the leather in place while it was wet. This approach allowed me to experiment with achieving the structured, pleated look I envisioned, bringing a new dimension to the material.

GH Exploration¶

I started by creating an origami-inspired sheet in Grasshopper to give my leather mold a unique surface effect. I went through multiple tutorials before finally following this one, which helped guide me through the process.

Was it easy? Nope.
Did it work? Absolutely.

After a lot of trial and error, I managed to generate a folding pattern that added depth and movement to my design—perfect for translating into leather form.

The idea was to create a mold that could hold the leather in place while it was wet, allowing it to take on a structured, geometric shape once it dried.

After finalizing the geometry in Grasshopper and baking it, I was left with a structured geometric shape. From there, I began preparing the mold:

Step 1: Creating the Positive Mold¶

I started by creating a rectangular polysurface to act as the base.
I placed the origami-inspired geometry inside the rectangular box.
I subtracted the origami shape from the box using the Boolean Difference command.

💡 Pro Tip: Always use the Cap command in Rhino to close any open edges in your polysurface before performing a Boolean operation.
This ensures your solid is watertight and avoids errors during subtraction or export.

Step 2: Creating the Negative Mold¶

To make the negative part of the mold, I duplicated the same rectangular box and repeated the Boolean Difference command. This resulted in a perfectly complementary negative mold.

Step 3: Exporting for Milling¶

With the male (positive) and female (negative) parts of the mold ready, I exported them as STL files to prepare for milling.

CNC Milling with ShopBot & V-Carve Pro¶

To bring my mold design to life, I used a ShopBot CNC machine—a powerful digital fabrication tool used to cut, carve, and mill a wide range of materials like wood, foam, and even plastics.

Since I had never worked with CNC milling before, everything felt very new (and slightly intimidating). But once I got the hang of it, it was surprisingly smooth.

We used V-Carve Pro to prepare the toolpaths. It’s a software made specifically for CNC routing, and it allows you to define your cutting strategy, simulate the tool movements, and export files ready to run on the ShopBot.

Together, they made a great team—V-Carve for the planning and ShopBot for the execution.
I used a Tapered Ball Nose bit to get clean curves and smooth finishes in my mold.

Toolpath Setup in V-Carve Pro¶

For my leather mold, I created three essential toolpaths. Each toolpath served a specific purpose in the machining process:

Pocket M – clears the interior material of the mold.
3D Finish M – refines the surface with higher precision.
Profile M – cuts out the mold from the stock material.

Toolpath Settings Overview¶

Toolpath	Tool Name	Feed Rate (mm/min)	Plunge Rate (mm/min)	Spindle Speed (RPM)	Max Cut Depth	Pass Depth	Stepover
Pocket M	Tapered Ball Nose (5°, Tip 1–6mm)	2200	800	15000	14 mm	2 mm	1 mm
3D Finish M	Tapered Ball Nose (5°, Tip 1–6mm)	2400	2400	15000	16.311 mm	–	0.22 mm
Profile M	End Mill (8 mm)	4000	800	15000	30.5 mm	3 mm	2.4 mm

Material Setup¶

Setting	Value
Material Block	450mm x 355mm x 30mm
Z-Zero	Top of Material
XY Origin	Bottom Left Corner
Clearance Z1	25 mm

Preparing the File in V-Carve¶

Here's a breakdown of how I prepared the file before milling:

Step 1: Measure Your Material
Accurately measure the length, width, and thickness of your material. Enter these values into V-Carve under job setup.
Step 2: Import Your Design
Bring your design into V-Carve. You can import:
2D vector files (e.g., .dxf, .svg)
3D model files (e.g., .stl)
Step 4: Position the Design
Align and place the design within the material boundaries on the workspace. Make sure it’s centered or aligned according to your XY origin.
Step 5: Set Toolpaths
Assign toolpaths depending on the job:
Pocketing for clearing large areas
Profiling for edge cuts
Finishing for surface details

Key Settings to Adjust¶

Tool – Select the bit (e.g., tapered ball nose, flat end mill)
Depth of Cut – Define the total depth and pass depth
Number of Passes – How many passes the tool will take to reach the desired depth
Lines to Cut/Engrave – Choose which vector lines are cut or engraved

💡 Tip: Always simulate your toolpaths in V-Carve before exporting the file. It helps catch collisions, unexpected moves, or incorrect tool selections.

Changing the Bit on the CNC Machine¶

For a better understanding of the overall CNC setup and bit-changing process, I highly recommend checking out this documentation:
👉 Nagi Abdelnour – Week 8: Computer-Controlled Machining

Changing the bit is a crucial step when setting up the CNC machine for your carving project. Here’s a clear step-by-step guide:

1. Turn Off the Machine
Always make sure the CNC machine is turned off and unplugged before handling the bit. Safety first!

2. Locate the Collet and Nut
The collet is the part of the spindle that holds the bit in place, secured by a tightening nut.
Use the appropriate wrenches (usually provided with the machine) to loosen the nut.

3. Remove the Current Bit
While holding the spindle steady, loosen the nut by turning it counterclockwise.
Gently pull out the bit once it's loose.

💡 Pro Tip: Before putting the bit aside, inspect it for wear or damage. If it looks dull, chipped, or burnt—it may need replacing.

4. Insert the New Bit
Choose the correct bit for your project. If unsure, ask your instructor or consult a technician.
Slide the shank of the bit into the collet. Don’t insert it too deeply or leave it sticking out too far—this can affect precision and stability.

5. Tighten the Nut
Use the wrenches to securely tighten the nut while keeping the bit in place.
Make sure it's firm, but avoid overtightening to prevent damage to the collet or bit.

6. Check Alignment
Spin the spindle gently by hand to ensure the bit rotates cleanly without wobbling. Misalignment can cause rough or inaccurate cuts.

7. Clean the Area
Use a small brush or air compressor to remove dust and debris from the collet, nut, and surrounding area.
Clean surfaces = better precision and smoother operation.

This process ensures the CNC machine is safe, accurate, and ready for the next phase of fabrication!

Milling the Mold¶

Now we get to milling—the process was long, beautiful, and honestly fascinating.
I’m not the girliest girl ever, but I was definitely girly enough to flinch from the machine (not gonna lie!).

We milled the two pieces of the mold, and after all the dust and noise…
we were left with these absolute beauties!

As I planned to use water on the MDF mold, I was concerned that the wood would absorb the moisture and get ruined.
To protect it, I applied a clear wood sealer or varnish, which acts as a waterproofing barrier.
It sealed the surface and prevented the MDF from swelling or warping.
This layer worked perfectly as insulation and gave me the confidence to move forward with wet leather molding.

Leather Molding Time!¶

Now we get into the good part—how to create molded leather!
I researched multiple techniques and watched a bunch of tutorials.
Here’s a great one by Weaver Leather Supply that helped me understand the fundamentals.

This is the method I followed:

Step 1: Heat the Water
I heated a pot of water until it was hot—but not boiling. The goal is to soften the leather without damaging it.

Step 2: Submerge the Leather
I fully submerged my leather piece in the hot water for about 30 seconds.
You’ll notice it darkens and becomes more flexible—that’s when it’s ready.

Step 3: Mold the Leather
I quickly placed the wet leather into the mold and began massaging it into every nook and cranny.
Take your time here—this step is all about precision.

Step 4: Clamp the Mold
Once the leather was fully shaped, I placed the second part of the mold on top and clamped it tightly.
I also added extra weight to apply as much pressure as possible.

Step 5: Let It Set
I left the mold to sit and dry for two full days to make sure the leather hardened into shape properly.

The result? A beautifully sculpted piece of leather that held its form perfectly.

Final Thoughts¶

Well… what a ride!

From crystallization to leather molding, this week was full of experiments, surprises, and a lot of learning.
You can create amazing surface effects with simple materials—and my personal favorite by far was the leather molding.
Sometimes I catch myself thinking, “Wait… can I actually do anything?” (Maybe!)

If I were to revisit this project, I’d definitely make a few changes:

I’d experiment with a different mold design, something with higher contrast and sharper geometry so the structure would show more clearly on the leather.
I’d love to try alternative leather molding techniques, like incorporating beeswax to make the final result more rigid.
And finally, I’d explore using different leather thicknesses to compare the results across flexibility and texture.

And that’s a wrap!

Fabrication Files¶

Origami GH