Dean Cunningham - Maker

Dean Cunningham - Maker Mover of metal. I coax shape from metal with hammer and fire. Sheet shaping is my forte but smithin

My shop hours are 9am - 5pm M-F
I answer calls and emails between 9am and 10am PST and between 4:30 -6pm PST M-F

05/14/2025

I’ve been a TA for the STEM guitar building class this term as well as working at the Jade learning center and tutoring for the CADD program. Yesterday at work I was asked to take over the STEM guitar class. I’m pretty blow away that I would even be considered for that job. I said yes tentatively. There are some hurdles to overcome. The main one is I have no degree. I have several certifications and an ancient Associates but no Bachelors. We will see how this all pans out but I’m very honored to be picked to take this task over.

12/17/2024

Why the name change from DMC metalsmith? I think it reflects the nature of what I'm doing now. I'll still be smithing because metal is my first true love and has been the focus of my life for almost 30 years. In the last 10 years I've moved into many more spaces of making than any other time in my life. I think the name should reflect the totality of what I am doing and who I am. So I've changed my page name to a more appropriate one. Hope you enjoy all the things I'll be doing in the near future.

I've been working on designing some guitar and electronics k***s riffing on old Bakelite k***s. Because I think most gui...
12/17/2024

I've been working on designing some guitar and electronics k***s riffing on old Bakelite k***s. Because I think most guitar k***s are boring and add very little to the over all design of the guitar. I printed a version of one of these k***s in resin with my Elegoo Mars SLA printer for my Victor Frankenstein Guitar project I did for a STEM guitar class at PCC. It was a self modified kit guitar. My next project before I move to building a scratch built guitar on a CNC router is a version of the Gibson Moderne. Now to finishing my CNC router so I can build some cooler guitars. I'm so very tired of seeing the same 5 guitar designs ad nauseam.

McBandsaw. No you can't have it!
12/17/2024

McBandsaw. No you can't have it!

Who likes guitars? I do!! I am a terrible player but it brings me joy. As part of my training in CADD I had to take some...
12/17/2024

Who likes guitars? I do!! I am a terrible player but it brings me joy. As part of my training in CADD I had to take some elective classes and I jumped at the chance to do the STEM guitar class and build my own guitar. Granted it was from a kit I got dirt cheap from marketplace, I had plans to alter it and make it my own. This included designing and SLA printing my own k***s riffing on old Bakelite k***s, doing a 4-2 tuner set up, a custom pick guard, and making my own logo using a Cricut vinyl cutter, adding a kill switch as well as extensively reshaping the guitar and neck. The paint was done using LIL Daddy Roth flake and candy with a 2K clear finish. There are more guitars designs in my head waiting to come out. I look forward to more Victor Frankenstein guitars!

Around the end of the pandemic I was feeling pretty restless and needed a new challenge. All the k***s on my gas range b...
12/17/2024

Around the end of the pandemic I was feeling pretty restless and needed a new challenge. All the k***s on my gas range broke due to very poor design. It made me very angry because the thing was only 4 years old. I was shocked at the prices for replacements. I had a 3D SLA resin printer at this point and I really wanted to make new k***s. I downloaded Shapr3D and started fooling around with it and generated a model that was pretty spot on. This was my entry point to CADD. Sadly the range gave up the ghost before I could make those k***s but it inspired me to push my skills further. Since that day I've gone to school and received a Certificate in CADD from PCC, got on the presidents list, and also tutor for the program. I am really honored that my teachers trusted me, a complete novice, to fill this role. Today I design using Fusion nearly everyday. Most of it for practical things like my new CNC router and Bambu X1C FDM printer. This program at Portland Community College has changed everything for me. I can't wait to keep making things with my new skills and tools!

I've done some casting and jewelry in my days but not nearly enough. Just a smaple of the fun I've had with metal.
12/17/2024

I've done some casting and jewelry in my days but not nearly enough. Just a smaple of the fun I've had with metal.

If you read through my page you notice I took a long break from my business to focus on my house. Well guess what? House...
12/17/2024

If you read through my page you notice I took a long break from my business to focus on my house. Well guess what? Houses are always ongoing projects and I've made a lot of upgrades and changes since we bought it in 2014. Among some of the changes was pulling permits and re doing all of the electrical myself, thanks to Washington state for trusting smart homeowners to do it themselves. The interior had a total renovation complete with hand milled trim work. This is a small sample of the things I've done to make this house a home. My wife has shown tremendous faith in me to accomplish every task. Therefore I approach everything with professionalism and purpose.

I do collaborations sometimes with my wife, the amazing artist designer Tricia Diaz ( https://www.instagram.com/xx.milk....
12/16/2024

I do collaborations sometimes with my wife, the amazing artist designer Tricia Diaz ( https://www.instagram.com/xx.milk.and.honey.xx/ ). I really love how this turned out. It was an old dresser I was going to donate but it gained a new life with Tricia's designs and art and my hand forged drawer pulls. I really love this thing!

I like to know how things work and I like combat sports. I don't only make armour I make shields for combat sports and r...
12/16/2024

I like to know how things work and I like combat sports. I don't only make armour I make shields for combat sports and re-enactment as well. Now these are not proper replicas like you can get from the super talented Sergio Escudero (he was born with that name!) at https://www.facebook.com/arsscutae. They are bent and laminated plywood primarily for combat sports use. My fighting group Legio II Augusta used them for full speed full contact fighting which was a blast. Please do check out Sergio's site. He is not only a friend he is a whip smart talented wood worker. Mine are simply modern facsimiles of the originals.

I've had a pretty wide range of interests and desires when it comes to making. Shoes are just one of the things I've mad...
12/16/2024

I've had a pretty wide range of interests and desires when it comes to making. Shoes are just one of the things I've made and will continue to make. My range is pretty wide, from ancient Roman, Viking and modern internal stitch down boots. Thanks to an old friend Jason at https://www.shoemakingschool.com for being a driver in taking my shoemaking skills to a new place. This is a sampling of some of the shoes I've made.

05/27/2024

Just so folks know I've shifted gears but always in the same direction, making things. I completed a CADD certification and I am tutoring CADD at PCC.

My house did not feature in my Picture sets but I will recitfy that soon. I'm poud of the work I did on this old farmhouse. It has become my sweet little oaisis.

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Vancouver, WA
98663

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