Making A Bike Rack, 101

Inspired by my friend Dorina Bustamante, and in response to the inaugural Pedal Craft Event coming up this Friday, April 20th (www.pedalcraftphx.com), I decided to jump into things and design/ build a bike rack to celebrate the event. For those interested, here's how I did it:

Step #1
First, I sketched out a concept and generated a 3D model (thanks Mr. Kory Kapfer!). I understood I would need some intricate cutting of the metal and figured water-jetting the top plate would be the best bet.

Step #2
Next, I sent the electronic file (can be an Illustrator file, EPS, DXF, etc) to a company called Innovative Cutting Solutions (www.innovativecuttingsolutions.com or 623-842-1255) to cut-out the top bike design. Cost = $50

Step #3
I was able to talk Dave Terral at Saguaro Steel Industries, LLC (www.saguarosteel.com) into giving me some scrap tube steel and then he made some tack welds for the bike plate and help cut all the pieces.

Step #4
Edge Industries (www.edge-industries.com) hosted a How-To-Weld-Your-Bike rack event this past Saturday where Fisher (son, age 6) and I learned how to weld all the parts together using a tack-welder machine. Thanks Billy and Aaron (http://www.voigtmetal.com/about-the-artist)!

Step #5

I coated the finished rack with a metal patina so it won't totally rust and maintains a dark steel color. The final step will be securing the finished rack into the ground with a bag of concrete. Please come see my bike rack, along with all the others, this Friday (6PM to ?) at Kitchen Sink Studios, 828 North 3rd Street. You might even be able to win the bike in this photo (custom designed by Adam Mayo!). http://www.pedalcraftphx.com/.

Kitchen Sink Studios profiled in Phoenix Business Journal for use of technology in branding and marketing

Kitchen Sink Studios is pleased to have been profiled by the Phoenix Business Journal in the February 24, 2012 issue (PDF link here) for its use of technology in marketing and branding.

The article focused on work our team has done for clients such as Fox Restaurant Concepts, Universal Technical Institute, Macerich, SolarWing and many others. It profiled the studio's use of HTML5 web design, computer-generated renderings and animation and illustrative video presentations.

In the article, Josh Prior, Chief Marketing Officer for Universal Technical Institute, said that the company went to Kitchen Sink Studios for its online marketing needs because the studio offered advanced approaches that other web design firms couldn't match.

"We wanted to take that to a different level with technology," Prior said in the article.

Sandy Werthman, Chief Marketing Officer for Kitchen Sink client SolarWing, said that the studio's marketing tools "make my life a thousand times easier and cheaper."

We thank the Phoenix Business Journal for the profile on the studio, as well as Josh and Sandy for their kind words. And we look forward to continuing to push the technological envelope for our clients in the future!