Author Page - Randy Kopf

Randy's Google+ Profile

Randy Kopf's "About me" Author Page
So this is a little background on why I am authoring this blog: While I have a lifelong career in manufacturing I feel There are things that have not been done... that need to be done. This is a way to chronicle my journey and pass along knowledge. And connect with others for a win-win situation.

Randy Kopf's - Artists Statement

What Art means to me:

• We all entered our lives with wonder by our senses as we felt life. Liberated at birth we began to see things we didn’t understand. We heard things that didn’t make sense. We even smelt things that were new to us. Some of these we liked and some we didn’t.
• As we were nurtured we began to naturally have an affinity towards many things. Some of my earliest memories hanging out at my dad’s machine shop. Seeing shiny metal formed has held a lifelong fascination on me.  I’ve developed a strong interest in the plasticity of materials including metal to alter shape and form. When nice shapes are combined with alternate materials they become interesting.
• Art is exploring materials and understanding them individually and discovering ways to combine them in a fashion where they make an impression of our senses.

Current Focus

You can see that on the main page of all the post I'm making...

Early Life:

My dad started a machine shop business www.kopfinstruments.com in 1958 a year before I was born. I spent my entire life in and around manufacturing.

Early photo with my Dad in 1962 I'm the little guy on the right.

The smartest and most passionate person I ever met was my dad. 

You can read a little about him here...  http://www.kopfinstruments.com/Carrier/downloads/Carrier60.pdf

He has at least 7 Nobel Laureate awards in medicine associated with his instruments.

Growing Up

My parents split when I was 3 and I ended up in Fountain Valley California. This was the early 60's and 70's This was the best time in the world. Who couldn't dig living halfway between Huntington Beach and Disneyland. And you could ride a bike to either. The music was the best ever. Everything from the Beatles to the Grateful Dead and everything in between.

Career Life

I started my career in 1977 and obtained a 4 year Journeyman Machinist Certification in 1981. I added a Journeyman Mold Maker Certification on top of that in 1983 both through the State of California. These are my Journeyman wallet cards. I also have framed wall certificates.

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Next I started programming CNC's in 1986 and started using CAM the same year. This is my 39th year in manufacturing. Like all of us I have lot's to still learn.

Current Life

My Woman Sharon and I

Me and my family (Got my Jerry Garcia necklace going on)

Current Work
I've been working for RMB Products in Fountain Colorado since 1991. I am a senior CNC Programmer Machinist and Mold Maker. We make lot's of cool stuff. There is nothing I haven't been able to make for this company.

Recent Tooling:

This is a Biofuel Reactor Twin Sheet Thermoform Mold I made.

Sketch Work

This is freehand sketch of my dog Tucker... I did about 5 years back. 

This was not a tracing... It is a true view reference above and scaled up sketch by eye. It's the first time I ever sketched and just sat down and did it.