A Record Cabinet Inspired by Nature with Our Next Make’s Partners in Making
Andy, a SOLIDWORKS employee and passionate music enthusiast, has always loved blending creativity with functionality. When his growing vinyl collection needed a better home, he saw the perfect opportunity to combine his design skills with his love for music.
Teaming up with fellow SOLIDWORKS employees Sal and Chinloo Lama, hosts of the YouTube channel Our Next Make, and their Partners in Making series, Andy set out to design a custom record cabinet. He explored natural patterns, like Voronoi and Fibonacci spirals, to enhance the aesthetic, blending technical precision with nature’s beauty to create a one-of-a-kind piece.
Translating Ideas into Drawings
Andy used layout sketches to ensure that everything would fit in his dining room. He adjusted the design and dimensions to complement his existing cabinet and speakers. To achieve this, he utilized xGenerative Design, a tool commonly employed by architects to design complex building facades. xGen employs a distinct methodology for creating geometry, differing from traditional parametric modeling in SOLIDWORKS or xDesign. Creating this geometry manually with SOLIDWORKS or xDesign would have taken exponentially longer, not to mention updating it. By combining traditional sketches with advanced design software, Andy was able to improve both the functionality and aesthetics of the cabinet.
Voronoi and Fibonacci Patterns
One of the most exciting parts of Andy’s process was his decision to incorporate natural patterns into his design, transforming his storage solution into a piece of art. He was inspired by two mathematical concepts: Voronoi diagrams and Fibonacci spirals, which occur frequently in the natural world.
Learning Through Fabrication
To bring the cabinet to life, Andy teamed up with Sal and Chinloo, who had the tools and expertise to help with the fabrication. The cutting and assembly happened in their workshop, using their CNC machine to carve the walnut plywood. This part of the process revealed some challenges that aren’t always obvious when working digitally, including how the wood grain would flow across the cabinet. While everything fits perfectly in the digital model, the grain direction significantly impacted the final look in the real world. Andy and the team realized that certain pieces had to be adjusted on the fly to ensure the grain lined up just right. This lesson in material behavior was a reminder that real-world fabrication often requires flexibility and problem-solving that goes beyond the initial design.
Balancing Design, Engineering, and Art
One of the biggest takeaways was learning how to adapt a digital design to the real world. In CAD, fabrication seemed simple – pieces fit together perfectly, and there were no limitations on tools or materials. Once fabrication started, Andy had to rethink certain aspects, such as how small some shapes could be before the CNC router bit would no longer fit. He adjusted the design to account for the physical limitations of the tools, proving that even the most intricate digital models need practical consideration when it comes time to build.
Community at the Heart of Making
Throughout the project, Andy leaned on the support of his fellow makers. Working with Sal, Chinloo, and Jordan allowed him to tap into their collective experience and learn from their insights. Bringing a complex design from screen to reality requires more than technical skills – it takes a community. Working together helped solve problems as they arose, such as determining the best way to fasten the pieces or dealing with unexpected issues like wood grain direction. Whether sharing tips on fasteners or offering feedback on design choices, having a network of knowledgeable peers can make all the difference.
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