Using the laser cutter took some time to get use to, but it wasn’t as complicated as I thought it was once I got used to the software. I did the box in one sitting, and followed the beginner level assignment.

Process

I began by downloading a box from makercase.com and adjusting it to the settings I wanted. These settings created a 4x4x4 box that had finger edge joints 0.2 inches thick, and accounted for the size of the plywood. From here, I adjusted the kerf values multiple times and printed multiple sets of small (2×2) box pieces that I could try and fit together (Figure 1). After a 5 iterations, I decided to use a kerf of 0.005 for my box edges.

From here, I downloaded the file in .svg and opened it on illustrator. After unblocking the figure and getting rid of some extra lines, I added my college crest (TFW!) and text information. I printed two versions of the sides of the block with the etching on it, and then printed all the sides of the box and assembled it (Figures 2-4).

Figure 1: Finding the right kerf value

Figures 2-4: Final Product

Successes & Failures

Some of the successes of my box includes that it fits together very well, and the edge are mostly smooth all the way around. The Wiess college crest and lettering turnout how I wanted them too, with little burn marks. The main failure of my project was the burn marks on the fingers of the box. I didn’t adjust the vector settings for my final model, resulting in some burn marks (Figure 5). In future projects, such as my midterm project, I can prevent this from happening by adjusting and testing different vector cuts to specialize the settings for the specific piece of plywood I am using.

 

 

Figure 5: Burn marks around the fingers

 

 

 

Cost

• 1/5 in x 4 ft x 8 ft Hardwood Plywood: 1/4 of a piece = $6.45 (Home Depot)
• Cost of Labor: $10 x 3 hours = $30
• Total = $36.45