As a new parent, there’s lots you have to do. You have to buy a car seat, get the baby’s room ready, figure out daycare; all the boring but unavoidable minutiae of shepherding a tiny human. But for the more creative types, that list might include warming up the 3D printer or putting a fresh bit in the CNC, as there’s no better way to welcome a little one into the world than giving them some custom gear to get started with.
That’s certainly been the plan for [Matthew Regonini], who’s been showering his son with DIY playthings. He recently wrote in to tell us about his awesome AT-ST high chair build that manages to turn the drudgery of getting a baby to eat into an epic worthy of a John Williams score.
This isn’t the first time [Matthew] has turned dead trees into Imperial hardware. Last year we covered his fantastic AT-AT rocker which utilized the same construction techniques. The parts are cut out of plywood with his CNC, separated, cleaned up on a spindle sander, and finally assembled with wood glue and a few strategic fasteners. The depth and level of detail he’s able to achieve when the individual pieces are stacked up is exceptionally impressive. If builds like these don’t get you thinking about adding a CNC to your workshop, nothing will.
As with the AT-AT, the finish on the high chair is simply a healthy application of polyurethane. This keeps the wood from being porous (important as this build will be seeing its fair share of food and liquids) while retaining a natural look. Some might be tempted to paint it up in appropriate Imperial colors, but that might be a bit imposing considering its intended occupant.
Really, the only downside with this build is how quickly his son will outgrow it. The obvious solution to the problem is a constant supply of fresh babies to pilot it, but that’s one type of creation that we don’t generally detail here on Hackaday. If you have questions, ask your parents.
Incidentally, it’s starting to look like we’ve got a plywood arms-race going on. We’re excited to see somebody take it to the next level. A little scared, but mainly excited.
Go piss on somebody else’s parade. Or your own. You have no authority to judge what is a waste of a person’s time other than your own, and you’re spending yours being a dick on the internet.
That is a very big Ewok chewing at the walker’s legs!
I also like the Escher-esque wood pattern in the top photo!
Escher-esque? I’d think of GameOfLife since the black tiles kinda look like gliders – or is it the white/light ones? ;)
Last night I noticed it was 2 Ewoks,
Funny how I didn’t see that on my 19 inch monitor, but did on my 10 inch tablet…
I think this is a piece of art. It should be passed down to someone who will use it. I personally think this is more interesting than buying a commercial product that has no personal value to those using it. That lack of a connection with stuff is what leads to things being discarded rather than passed on to someone who will also love it, even if just for a brief period of time.
“That lack of connection with stuff”
As my mind raced across “hoarding” and swirled from “If this thing could talk” to the internet of things, then bounced past “The Final Cut”
and zig zagged around a few of the thrift shops & flea markets that I’ve mused my way thorough, over the course of a half century.
…and then thought, “what a little piece of sci-fi novel might be written from it all”.
“Slow Glass” anyone?
Ahh, sorry, my ADD/dilettantism strikes again.
Correction: make a dozen more and earn a nice bonus on ebay. Plenty of hard-core fans out there.
He could if he wanted i mean.
You could make your own (and sell it later) but when it comes to selling a bunch of them, you’d perhaps need to check licencing issues.
What are you, a Sith of something?
OR, not OF.
“Only Sith believe in absolutes!”
-Obi Wan Kenobi
Wanna bet his kid grows up to rebel by taking the opposing side in the Star Wars vs. Star Trek debate? (Or worse, embraces episode 1-3)!
/ducks thrown objects
Lol he will become a Jar Jar fan…
Well, the whole Star Wars phenomenon is indeed major loss of time in the life of many…
At least it makes some people
creative!This might take the cake as the saddest HAD comment in recent memory. Like, how did you even find this site?
What is even sadder is that it is still up there a day later. WTF HaD?
Oh, my goodness, “worthy of a John Williams score,” made my day.
Pew-Pew-Pew!
Bravo! I’m so happy this exists. Well done!