Project History

An advertisement in Popular Mechanics Sept 1923 depicts a crate joint in which each structural member overlaps the other two, and which uses bolts to secure them to each other.

Ken Isaacs designs the Matrix building system, uses it to teach students at Cranbrook Academy for the Arts and writes How to Build Your Own Living Structures.

Modular toys like Lego, Construx, Capcella, Erector, Lincoln Logs, Tinker Toys, Magnetix and Geomag, K'nex, and the Playmat 4 in 1 tool set inspire generations of inventive youth.

A Pattern Language and The Timeless Way of Building influence modular design in electronics, computers, and software development, as well as in manufacturing and production.

Phil and RJ Jergenson and Joy Livingwell compile 30 years of innovation around Ken's framing system into How to Build With Gridbeam

Erik Hunting wrote an influential blog about non-toxic shelter.

Early open source 3D printers are prototyped using 1 inch square steel perforated tubing as part of the wrench-built machine, RepRap Eiffel, and RepRap Pythagoras. Zach Hoeken writes Pull Yourself Together Bot!". The RepRap Building System is conceived.

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  Fireball CNC prototype used to print first Darwin and Mendel parts

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  RepRap Mendel

Griddome is exhibited at Detroit Maker Faire 2012 and San Francisco Maker Faire 2013.

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  Griddome supplies

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  Griddome Jig

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  Dome joint v1

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  Griddome

• OpenSCAD library, thingdoc fork, openjscad work
• Lansing studio