Visit (Mini) Japantown
A year and six 3D printers later, the Japantown miniature model was born. Former design drafter Rory Fukuda kindly loaned his Japantown model to the California Room after being on display at Roy's Station Coffee & Tea at the corner of Jackson and Fifth Street. Special thanks to Rory.
Building Printing J-Town
I learned from speaking with Rory and through reading June Yasuhara’s Nikkei West article that this model is the culmination of years of 3D printing experience. Rory described his early 3D printers as the “toothpaste” kind, where the heated filament looks like toothpaste squeezed from a tube. Prints from early 3D printers require sanding to achieve the level of finish desired, as rings from each layer of “toothpaste” are visible. Over the years Rory upgraded from the “toothpaste” design to a resin 3D printer. Resin 3D printers can print at a higher resolution than the older printers, allowing for even more fine detail in smaller pieces. Resin printers use UV light to cure the liquid resin in precise layers.
Rory designed the models through studying photographs and satellite imagery. He even captured each side of the buildings to produce the most accurate replica. I mentioned to Rory that I had once waited in the back patio of the former Orange Crush Studios hair salon and commented that the 3D printed patio table is exactly where I sat while writing a term paper in my college years. He knew that building especially well, as his family owned a barbershop in what would become that salon.
3D Printing at SJPL
Several SJPL Branches have 3D printing programs. Discover more with the link above.
3D Printing at the King Library for Teens
Did you know SJPL Teen HQ has a 3D printing program for teens? Middle and high school students are welcome to explore 3D printing at TeenHQ’s MakerSpace. Teens will learn the (very) basics of 3D printing, test a design for printability, then schedule their print for later pick-up. Learn more about the program from our events page.
Further Reading
Property research is among the most popular topics at the California Room, and Rory used strategies and resources that we use here on a daily basis. The California Room has collections of maps, city directories, Sanborn Maps, aerial photographs, building permits, tax rolls, and newspapers.
San Jose Japantown: a Journey by Curt Fukuda and Ralph Pearce
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