James Thompson: Utilizing Desktop CNC in Industrial Design

James Thompson is an industrial designer and a watch lume specialist who makes insanely beautiful custom watches and rings. He’s the owner of Black Badger and recently became a Bantam Tools remote resident! James’ love for making is deeply rooted in the materials he uses. He was excited to experiment with materials like “Badgerite” using our versatile Desktop PCB Milling Machine. We chatted with him about his passion for making, his obsession with materials, and how he’s been incorporating our desktop CNC machine into his workflow.

How did you get into industrial design? What drew you to watches and rings, specifically?

I really came to design from a “I like stuff” mentality. The idea of having some wonky ideas, refining them, and then actually making something that someone in the world would let into their life is a very cool feeling, and I still really enjoy that. I started making rings at my design school in Vancouver around 2000 as a fun little distraction.

The materials were what drew me in more than anything else, actually. I was always very into bicycles and cycling, and all the coolest bikes (Kestrel, for example) always had these amazing composite materials and alien design language. I loved the idea of the ring or object actually having its own story to tell. A ring is cool, but if it’s made from something special — like a part from Greg LeMond’s ’89 Tour de France bike — now it’s suddenly like a holy relic.

The watches were a logical progression from the rings. I tend to design from a materials perspective more than pure form-based design. It’s all come a bit full circle, actually. When I first started, I was making rings inspired by watches (like the iconic Omega Speedmaster), and now I’m making watch brands inspired by some of my rings. It’s a fantastic feeling.

What projects have you been using the Bantam Tools mill to machine lately? What kinds of projects could you see yourself using it for in the future?

Recently, I’ve done a few small projects with the Bantam Tools Desktop PCB Milling Machine that make excellent use of my new Badgerite material. Badgerite is my name for a special mix of Super-LumiNova glow material that you find at the upper end of the Swiss watch industry. By engraving patterns or images into materials with the machine, I can then go back and infill them with liquid Badgerite glow material for a fantastic result. I recently made a fun little project where I engraved the Imperial insignia from Star Wars (please, Disney, don’t sue me), which was lume-infilled.

What made it extra cool is the material. I used a stone composite I made from rocks I obtained from one of the recent Star Wars films sets. See, the story just got way better, right? I’ll soon be using the Desktop PCB Milling Machine in much greater capacity as I learn more about Fusion 360 and similar platforms. It really acts as a force multiplier (ha ha, Force jokes) to a small independent as myself. It allows me to “sketch” in CAD/CAM, which would be insanely cost-prohibitive otherwise. That’s massive for someone like me.

How does the mill fit into your design process?

It fits rather nicely, as it allows me to be more vertically integrated. In early stages — which is where I do most of my creative input — I don’t have to constantly keep sending out files to be milled elsewhere. Right now, I’m working on a very confidential advanced-materials research project for a mega-high-end Swiss watch brand. Telling the manufacturing community what we’re working on by sending out pieces to be test milled is not an option. With the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC Machine, I can keep my circle small when it needs to be. I think that’s a very important aspect of this tool: I can keep my projects very close to my chest, but I can also email a file to a friend who can manufacture it as well. It lets you collaborate exactly as much or as little as you would like. Love that.

What’s your favorite feature of the Bantam Tools mill?

This might sound stupid, but it’s the sound! It always sounds like R2-D2 when he gets really mad. That and the adaptability that the size and stability of the machine allows for.

Aside from the mill, what are three tools you can’t live without?

I wish I had a cool, profound answer for this one. I’d say the Nespresso machine, digital callipers, and good ol’ 240-grit wet sandpaper. That’s my “Big Three.” Oh and definitely a very good UV LED flashlight for the lume work — crazy essential for me.

Any tips for industrial designers using the mill for the first time?

Oh that’s an easy one: F$#k up. A lot. Scars teach you a lot more than trophies.

James Thompson is an industrial designer and lume specialist known for his insanely unique and beautiful custom watches and rings. He is the owner of Black Badger. His work has been featured in a number of publications including GQ, Esquire, Out of Time, and on Robert Downy Jr.’s finger.

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