This week I created a snap-to-fit wooden box using a laser cutter! This was my first time using a laser cutter and even seeing one. The thickness of the wood we were using was 0.2 in and we found that the kerf was 0.008 in. I wanted my box to be 4x4x4 in so I had to account for the 0.2 in thickness when creating my box. The measurements I used in makeabox.io can be seen below.

I then personalized my box by adding my name and various things I like such as boba and Marvel!

After that, I prepped the Adobe Illustrator file accordingly and went off to the laser cutter to adjust my settings. For the engraving, I used 100 speed and 50 power. For the vector, I used 16 speed, 100 power, and 10 frequency.

 

 

The print was starting off well until I realized that the side with the giraffe side was barely going to make the cut. As you can see on the left, the right side tabs were not cut properly because there was no wood there! It was an oversight on my part but was an easy fix. I let the print job finish and then cut just the giraffe side again.

 

 

I then snapped all the sides together and it looked great! Below you can see a picture and video of the finished box. I wrote a small note to myself and put it inside of the box before I snapped on the top side. I love keeping little trinkets and will most definitely be keeping this box for a while. Hopefully, someday in the distant future, I’ll get the urge to take apart the box and then find the note and read it!

Click here to see my finished box!

   
Overall, I really enjoyed this project and learned a lot about how laser cutter settings change on a day-to-day basis. For example, I used a 16 speed on my test cut the day before I actually cut my box and there wasn’t burning. On the right, you can see the slight burning along the edges. Personally, I don’t mind the burnt look. It gives it a more homemade feeling but if I were to create a product where I needed it to be as clean as possible, I would test it more than once and right before I cut my product. I would also put tape on the area I’m cutting if I was worried about the possibility of burning.

 

Cost Estimate
Laser cutter rental (based off the assumption that I am renting the laser cutter and not buying a new one): $30/hr=$22.50
Labor (prepping file & putting box together): $10/hr=$15
Wood material=$5
TOTAL: $42.50

Since this was my first time using a laser cutter and I’m new to Adobe Illustrator, it took longer than it normally would. With more practice, I would be able to bring down this cost the next time.