Featured Designer of the Month: Stefan Gales

Your designs have a lot of amazing symmetry to them, as well as an ability to balance a lot of detailing with a very clean presentation. Do you think that your background in architecture or anything else in particular made an impact on your design style and influenced your creation of these dynamic pieces?

Architecture definitely helped, but I also enjoy the physical work required to bring my own ideas, my own designs to life. I like to be in control of the whole process, and to design things that will have practical application sooner or later.

What brought 3D printing to your attention in the first place and prompted you get build these printers?

Technology is my middle name. I eat, breath, and live for technology, and I strongly believe that 3D printing marks the dawn of a new age in technology and will revolutionize our world.

I have a few other skills as well in software, designing and processing [that allowed me to do it]:

In 1992, I started programming in AutoLisp for AutoCAD; I’ve been using C, and later C++ since 1993 and  I’ve been programming in Pascal (Delphi) since 1994. Then, in 1995, I started programming in assembly, at first for the 486 processors, and later on for both Atmel and Pic microcontrollers.

For a few years now I’ve been working with Arduino, Chipkit, Freescale and Raspberry Pi, and I’ve been using AutoCad for 22 years. I’ve also tested and worked with many others alike.

I work on a lathe and a milling machine (manual and CNC) almost every single day, and I’m a welder, a locksmith, a painter, a tinker, etc.

What initially drew you to the hardware side of 3D printing rather than the design side?

How could I not build some 3D printers when I think so highly of this technology? 3D printing is the future.

You mentioned that you have a daughter who creates drawings and designs beautiful dolls. Do you ever collaborate with her on designs?

I usually ask my daughter to take a look at what I’m doing, and then I pay attention to her reactions. I seek her advice when it comes to color and presentation.

In terms of her own work, I give practical advice where advice is needed, in the process of bending and working with metal, for example (her dolls are made of paper and have a wire skeleton), and in my own workshop I build the small wooden base her dolls stand on.

What made made you decide to start learning Rhino? Are there certain things that you like better about that tool or things that you weren’t able to do with Blender than inspired you to make the switch?

I’ve been using many programs, and the list keeps on growing (Illustrator, Photoshop, Inventor, Solid Edge, NX, Creo, etc.). As you might remember, I thrive on a challenge.

So, I can definitely say that none of them is as powerful and complete as Rhino. You can draw almost anything in it, anything from 2D to 3D. On the other hand you can use Blender to do what 3DMAX or MODO do and much more.

As far as I’m concerned, Blender and Rhino form the winning team.