This week in EDES 210, I designed and laser cut a box! There were several steps in this process, all the way from designing to assembling the box:
Designing the Box
I measured my material, obtained my pertinent measurements, and inputted them in the box cutter. I set the kerf to 0.008” and the finger slots to a width of 0.525”.
Making the SVG file for the box
After inputting the box into photoshop, I added my name and my college crest (Hanszen!).
Designing my box in illustrator
The Cutting Process
I found a discarded piece of wood from the laser cutting room and realized it would be large enough for my box, so I used it!
On my first attempt, I followed the recommended speed and power settings but leaned toward the higher end for speed and the lower end for power. The result? A slightly charred, yet not fully cut box. At this point, I would like to thank Tomi Kuye for helping me get my laser problems figured out. She was super helpful in advising me in how to move forward!
Placing my first piece in and focusing the laser
Using the laser!
I did another pass through, but this time I put blue tape over all my cut wood. I also increased the power and speed settings. Furthermore, I separated my college crest by color, setting the highest power setting on the black griffin and the lower power setting on the yellow shield.
I ensured every inch of the cutting surface was covered in tape
This time, my box looked great! Assembling it required some force (shoutout to the roll of tape I used as a mallet), but I was super happy with how snugly everything fit together.
Finished box
My name plate got slightly charred when the blue tape burned away, so I made another attempt:
Comparison of name plates
I realized though, that I liked the slightly-burned name plate more. I think it adds character and leaves a trace of the laser cutting process.
After finishing, I used a mini broom to clean up the residue I left on the workbench and left the space tidy.
Clean workspace
Making this box taught me lessons in fine-tuning and practical iterations. Initially, I cut my entire box, instead of cutting each panel one-by-one. After realizing the impracticality of this approach, I tested one panel before I cut the entire box. Using the blue tape the second time around yielded much better results, and was something I should have implemented from the start. From troubleshooting to assembly, this project gave me practical experience that I’ll use in building the midterm project.
Cost Analysis
Wood (Home Depot) – $12.00
Labor (TX Minimum Wage) – $10.87 (7.25*1.5 hrs)
Blue Tape (Walmart) – $5.00
Total Cost: $27.87
