Technical/Model Shop Tours

We're pleased to bring you a variety of tours to model shops of distinction, innovation centers and beneficial local attractions.


Friday, March 16, 2012 - Tour A
Kansas University, Department of Visual Art - Metalsmithing and Reuter Pipe Organ Company

Kansas University’s 3,800-square-foot metalsmithing studio boasts a state-of-the-art ventilation system and safety equipment with separate areas for smithing, plating/electro-forming, a finishing room with a bead blaster and an enameling facility. Join Jon Havener, Professor of Metalsmithing & Jewelry, as he demonstrates jewelry castings and shows us examples of his students’ work. John Hachmeister, Associate Professor of Sculpture, who teaches sculpture foundry classes will show us bronze castings. We will also be seeing an introduction to the Matrix modeling program with Phil Voetsch, Lecturer in Metalsmithing & Jewelry, who teaches their digital Jewelry Design course.

Our lunch stop in historic downtown Lawrence, KS will be at Local Burger, the brainchild of chef/entrepreneur Hilary Brown, who fulfilled her vision of offering healthy fast food in a casual environment by opening the first Local Burger in 2005. The restaurant sources all of its meats locally and you will be able to build your own burger with choice of protein: including beef, buffalo, elk, lamb, pork, turkey, and tofu, or the World's Best Veggie Burger (it's gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free, corn-free, soy-free, and DELICIOUS!). Please contact info@modelmakers.org if you have any special dietary requests.

Then we’ll head to the nearby Reuter Organ Company, where elegant musical instruments have been carefully crafted since 1917. Like model making, organ building is a precision team effort, calling on the talents of design experts and skilled artisans. We will tour their facility, getting a rare glimpse into their engineering, milling, casting, pipemaking, CNC routing, and finishing areas. We will also be able to hear two of their magnificent organs making music.

This full day tour departs the Sheraton Hotel – Crown Center by 9 am on Friday and returns to the hotel around 5 pm. $50.


Friday, March 16, 2012 - Tour B
Hallmark Prototype Facility and National World War I Museum

When it comes to ornaments and greeting cards, no name is more recognized than Hallmark. It should come as no surprise that this giant in the field of miniatures and decorations would include a fantastic multidiscipline prototyping facility. We will tour the Hallmark Prototype Studios, which possesses a complete wood shop, metal working and engraving studios, a resin casting lab, fully equipped print and 2D process labs, a digital 3D design wing with scanning and 3D printing on-site, as well as Animation and CAE capability.

With projects ranging in scope from miniature resin castings to larger than life models, the Hallmark Prototype Studios mission is to develop and produce 2D and 3D prototypes in support of innovation for product and processes through testing and experimentation. Additionally, they provide tools and training for employees involved in various branches of design to learn, explore, and innovate with the latest hardware, software, and technology, so that they may gain an understanding of how the cards, ornaments, and other products they design will be prototyped and fabricated. Competitor restrictions will apply.* 

We will stop for lunch at The Cashew - the upscale sister to Kansas City's oldest bar, The Peanut. The historic building was built in 1915 by a retired WWI colonel to manufacture and sell tires in competition with The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company. We will choose from The Cashew's fine assortment of lunchtime delights - Lamb or Turkey gyro, Cuban or Italian panini, the Cashew chicken salad sandwich, or a roasted veggie panini. Please contact info@modelmakers.org if you have any special dietary requests.

We’ll round out the day with a tour of the National World War I Museum, the nation’s most extensive collection of artifacts, photography, art and narratives from the Great War. Using the memories of those who were at home and “over there”, actual tanks and planes, artillery and propaganda, the museum houses an impressive, state-of-the-art display of a fine collection of memorabilia from a remarkable and tragic time in history. Courage, honor, patriotism, and sacrifice are the timeless themes inspiring this museum.

This full day tour departs the Sheraton Hotel – Crown Center by 9 am on Friday and returns to the hotel around 5 pm. $50. This tour is sponsored by Herman Miller.


Monday, March 19, 2012 - Tour C
R&D Prototype Campus and Toy & Miniature Museum @ University of Missouri at Kansas City

Explore the R&D Prototype campus with Vice President Chris McCoy, who along with his team, will guide you through not only the Prototype facility, but also the R&D Tool and R&D Leverage facilities. This unique company harnesses all facets of research and development to work hand in hand to take conceptual ideas all the way to finished product – all within the same campus.

Our exclusive tour will show every step of the R&D process and evidences how important communications are as the design department works closely with the engineering department in achieving mutual success.

You'll make your trip to Kansas City worthwhile by enjoying some authentic KC BBQ at Fiorella's Jack Stack BBQ Restaurant. Located in the Crossroads Art District, in the historic Freight House, you'll feast on a meat-lovers buffet with brisket, turkey or pork and their famous beans, coleslaw or corn bake sides, along with your choice of iced tea or coffee. Please contact info@modelmakers.org if you have any special dietary requests.

Then on to the University of Missouri at Kansas City’s Toy & Miniature Museum, which boasts the largest collection of nostalgic toys, fine-scale miniatures and marbles in the Midwest. This specialty museum is a must for history buffs, armchair sociologists – and model makers – who appreciate the meticulous detail required to make these timeless classics of intricate craftsmanship!

We will be treated to a behind-the-scenes talk by internationally-renown miniature artist William R. (Bill) Robertson, who will make a special visit just for our group. The Toy & Miniature Museum is proud to house the world’s largest collection of his work. [For more on Bill Robertson: http://www.finewoodworking.com/PlansAndProjects/PlansAndProjectsarticle.aspx?id=31688]

This full day tour departs the Sheraton Hotel – Crown Center by 9 am on Monday and returns to the hotel around 5 pm. $50.


Monday, March 19, 2012 - Tour D
Garmin International and Dimensional Innovations

Garmin International is a worldwide leader in GPS navigation products. With offerings ranging from easy to use handheld units and car navigation products, a full array of bicycling computers and sport training devices, hunting dog tracking solutions, marine chartplotters and autopilots, and state-of-the-art glass cockpit integrated avionics suites for the aviation segment. All of Garmin’s products are designed and tested at their corporate headquarters in Olathe Kansas. In support of this global GPS giant is a prolific in-house industrial design studio and prototyping facility, with dedicated design teams serving Garmin’s market segments.
 
Our tour will feature a brief walk through the Garmin campus, where we will see their aviation product manufacturing floor, engineering facilities, distribution center and A/V production facility, among other interesting sights. Then we will have a more in-depth tour of the industrial design center and model shop. This facility features a broad range of capabilities, including CNC machining, rapid prototyping, metal & wood working, rubber mold casting and much more.

We'll break for lunch at the Iron Horse Chinese Restaurant, a favorite of Garmin employees, where you'll enjoy a sumptuous buffet of authentic Chinese specialties featuring chicken, beef, pork and vegetarian dishes, rice, appetizers, hot or iced tea, soda and dessert. Please contact info@modelmakers.org if you have any special dietary requests.

Then, on to Dimensional Innovations, Inc., an award-winning, multi-disciplinary firm taking ideas through design, fabrication and installation. Their proven experience in various market segments includes: cinemas, casinos, sports facilities, retailers, restaurants, hotels, hospitals, entertainment venues, museums, zoos, libraries and government. Dimensional Innovations includes a design team that translates obscure ideas into viable ideas; an engineering department that make the ideas feasible; and an expansive shop to create the remarkable installations.

We will tour their all-inclusive shop where innovative, inspired and enthusiastic people work with wood, metals, plastics, graphics, cutting edge A/V and everything in between.

This full day tour departs the Sheraton Hotel – Crown Center by 9 am on Monday and returns to the hotel around 5 pm. $50. Participants will be asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement.

NOTE: Competitor restrictions may apply at some of our tour locations. If you think your company may be considered a competitor, please contact Samanthi Martinez at 315-750-0803 or email info@modelmakers.org to inquire before selecting this tour.