Category: Behind The Scenes

A few years ago, I started tinkering with artificial intelligence (AI) in our workshop; not as an experiment, but as a practical tool to help me calculate milling parameters for CNC projects. That’s how it began: a single-purpose collaboration between human and machine.

CNC, short for Computer Numeric Control, relies on a programming language called G-code. AI is Fluent. Effortlessly fluent. It doesn’t just speak G-code—it speaks all code. Whether I’m writing PHP for interface logic or C++ for microcontroller firmware, AI has become my go-to co-pilot. It’s like having a full-stack developer living in my toolbox.

But this partnership has gone way beyond code.

I’ve always been drawn to art that moves; literally. Static pieces are fine, but I want my work to blink, pulse, react, and evolve. With AI in the mix, I can source compatible parts, troubleshoot obscure issues, and uncover instructions for building just about anything. My projects now span mechanical, electrical, and interactive domains. Design and fabrication are just the beginning.

Take LED lighting. I dove headfirst into parallel circuits, addressable strips, matrices, and controllers because AI was there every step of the way, guiding me through the jungle of specs and wiring diagrams. Now my setups are flashy AF—and I mean that in the most literal, light-show-synced sense.

But why stop at lights?

I leveled up. Built a single-board computer using a Raspberry Pi and a 7-inch touchscreen. Some of my new builds need brains, and now I’ve got a modular, customizable one ready to drop into any project. I could have done this project solo (I gots skillz), but AI made the process stupid fast. It was almost too easy. The whole thing cost under $200 in parts and runs completely free of Microsoft, Google, or Apple software. No camera. No mic. Just input jacks for optional add-ons. No logins. No registrations. It boots with a VPN and comes preloaded with an onion browser. Take that, internet tracker bots.

Whether I’m making, fixing, or hacking, AI is now my everyday assistant. It helps me refine old methods and tackle new ones I used to consider too complex or time-consuming. Case in point: my latest Frankenstein—a full graphics display console with stereo sound and a synchronized light show. It’s still in early development, but imagine an “interactive art appliance” or “conceptual electronic device.” That’s the vibe.

Here’s the parts list so far:
– Two microcontrollers 
– Multiple LCDs, including a 4-inch touchscreen 
– Animated LEDs (lots) 
– Stereo speakers 
– Bluetooth and Wi-Fi 
– Panels of knobs, switches, and dials 
– And yes, an alarm clock 

All housed in a custom copper enclosure. Because why not.

This curious appliance will display a limited series of contextual animation art—a six-minute loop of exclusive visuals and soundtrack, viewable only on this device. It will also pair with any phone so it can be used as a Bluetooth party speaker. It’s a home appliance no one asked for, which is exactly why I’m building it. Once it’s done, I’ll probably move on to the next insane idea. That’s how it works around here.

Of course, six minutes of animation meant I had to flex my 3D fingers. I’ve been a Blender user for decades, but I don’t animate daily anymore. Sometimes I get rusty. AI doesn’t. It knows Blender inside and out and keeps my workflow humming with instant answers when I hit a wall in that sprawling interface.

Even Geoffrey Hinton, the so-called Godfather of AI, admits he can’t predict the full impact of artificial intelligence on civilization. But one thing’s clear: it’s going to touch everything. Science and tech are moving at breakneck speed. The AI future isn’t coming. It’s already here.

I don’t know if emerging designers are being trained to thrive in a world where AI is their biggest competitor. But I do know this: creative industries are in the crosshairs. Ironically, the very machines that threaten to automate us out of relevance might also be our best tools for staying in the game.

That’s the plan at Hungry Knife: fight fire with fire. Use AI to elevate our craft, push boundaries, and stay ahead of the curve. Because if artificial intelligence is everywhere, we’re gonna need it in the workshop too.

The Hungry Knife Pendant Process: From Pen To Pendant.
Step 1, Concept
It (almost) always begins with a drawing. Sometimes just a rough thumbnail, but occasionally a full-color rendering. Drawing proves the merit of the idea. It’s a ‘paper test’. The thing I imagine won’t always work on paper. Engineering problems don’t present themselves until I make a drawing, which serves as a working schematic.

Step 2, Computer Graphics
Once satisfied with the concept sketch, the design is recreated using vector graphics software. Vector graphics are a form of computer graphics in which designs are created directly from geometric shapes defined on a Cartesian plane, i.e., points, lines, and curves arranged on virtual X, Y, and Z axes. This process creates a design easily interpreted by robotic CAM hardware including CNC machines, 3D printers, and plotters. At Hungry Knife we use Adobe Illustrator for vector design. Inkscape is a good, free alternative.

When the vector design is completed in Illustrator, it’s imported into another computer app (CAM software); Vectric Vcarve Pro. Although it includes basic design tools, I mostly use this app to assign parametric data to the geometry. This is where I program the robot; how and where to cut, what cutting tools to use, tool rpm, movement speed, plus much more. Any misstep in this process often results in ruined silver, a shattered tool, or both. When all is complete and double-checked, this data gets compiled and sent to the robot as a “part file”.

Step 3, Machining
Bring the robot online. The work quality of step 2 will determine riches or ruin. Load part files and change cutting tools, at this phase, the job is robot service and supervision. It can take 30-60 minutes to machine a 30 mm pendant. Although the robot spins the cutting tool at 18,000 rpm (pretty heckin’ fast), it moves around the piece slowly (3-8 inches per minute) to ensure nice cuts and avoid tool breakage. Our robot has a compressed air coolant system that blows a mist of isopropyl alcohol onto the tool while it cuts. This greatly reduces heat production while spinning carbide steel into sterling silver at high speeds.

Step 5, Presentation
Finishing sounds like the end of the process but this pendant could be a gift. A gift isn’t complete until it’s ready for presentation, so there’s more work yet to be done. Sometimes gifts are called presents, but in the age of e-commerce, a present requires a stylish package that can withstand the rigors of shipping and bring joy upon arrival. We carefully package each piece of Hungry Knife jewelry in a handsome gift box, attached to a branded card so it won’t jostle around in shipping. Included in each box is a special jewelry-cleaning cloth and care instruction leaflet.