AI and Physical Makers

In this section, Michael Rogowski discusses the impact of AI on physical makers.

AI's Impact on Artwork and Copyright

• According to Michael, AI is going to change everything, including artwork and copyright.

• He believes that we are long overdue for a good conversation about what copyright is and what it means for the greater good.

• Michael thinks that AI will affect physical makers in interesting ways, but he does not have an example yet.

Tom Scott's Thoughts on AI

• Tom Scott recently did a video about how he asked GPT to write a low-level program for him. The results spooked him and made him feel like there was a sea change happening similar to the beginnings of the internet.

• Michael agrees with Tom Scott's thoughts on AI but does not have a point of view on it yet.

Most Terrifying Machining Setup

In this section, Michael talks about his most terrifying machining setup while working on a commercial for Perrier.

Creating the Hero Shot

• For the commercial, they needed a hero shot of a bottle of Perrier filling up quickly with water.

• To achieve this effect, they cut out a large hole at the bottom of the bottle just past the return on the inside lip.

• They used a carbide insert to scratch into the glass since high-speed steel would overheat and work hard without biting into it.

Holding onto the Bottle

• Since there was no smooth surface to hold onto while drilling into the bottle, Michael cut a hole that press-fit onto the taper at the bottom of the bottle.

• He then cut another piece of plywood with a hole that press-fit onto the taper of the neck of the bottle to hold it in place.

Drilling a Hole in a Perrier Bottle

Adam Savage talks about his experience drilling a hole in the bottom of a Perrier bottle for a commercial shoot.

Drilling the First Hole

• It took Adam about three hours to drill the first hole through the bottom of the Perrier bottle.

• He used a carbide bit and constantly poured water on it to cool down the steel and pull up the glass that was being scraped.

• Jamie, his colleague, asked him to make a backup bottle as well.

Making a Backup Bottle

• Commercial special effects always require backups because you don't want to be left with only one hero bottle.

• The second hole took Adam another day and a half to succeed at because he kept breaking it at the last minute when it was starting to break through.

• He had to deliver another backup even though it was ruining his day.

Challenges Faced

• Glass bottles are not perfectly radially symmetrical, so they undulate when turned 180 degrees on camera. This meant that they needed another hero bottle for stand-in purposes.

• The DP rejected using the other bottle for stand-in because it wasn't the same shape as the hero.

• Adam had to take off the label, spray paint it, and put a grid on it so that they could use it for plate shots.

Using Opposing Helix Carbide Dremel Bits

Adam Savage talks about how he discovered opposing helix carbide Dremel bits that can carve through glass easily.

Discovering Opposing Helix Carbide Dremel Bits

• At a flea market, Adam saw someone writing their name in cursive through glass using these bits.

• He bought them and found out that they can carve through glass easily, especially with a stable Dremel that goes up to 25,000 RPM.

• He plans to do a demo of this in the future.

Advantages of Using These Bits

• Adam can now drill a hole in the bottom of a Perrier bottle in about 10 minutes instead of two days.

• He will never again attempt to cut into glass using one of these tools because it is one of the jankiest things he has ever done.